What program can I use to create chapters without making a

[catdog6]

menu..

I have Pinnacle Studio 9 but and I would like to not have a menu but still be able to go to the next chapter. It won't let me make chapters without putting them in a menu. Is there some good sub $200 software that will do this?

Thanks,

Kevin

[jimmalenko]

TMPGEnc DVD Author can do it, IFOEdit can do it .... and there's probably heaps more softwares (both freeware, payware, and/or trialware) that can do it also.

[dimad]

You can make a DVD without chapters (and menu) and then easily insert chapters where you want them with DvdReMake Pro: http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/ht_insert_chapter.php

[mats.hogberg]

I' surprised there is a soft that wont allow you to set chapter points without a menu!

/Mats

[kkant]

Indeed, Mats. Some software thinks it knows better than the user...

Ulead DVD Moviefactory (www.ulead.com) lets you set chapters without a menu. So does DVD-Lab Studio (www.mediachance.com). DVD-Lab seems a bit more flexible, while Ulead Moviefactory seems a bit easier to use.

BTW, TMPGenc DVD Author does not allow you to have chapters without the menus, as far as I could see when I tried to use it.

[jimmalenko]

BTW, TMPGenc DVD Author does not allow you to have chapters without the menus, as far as I could see when I tried to use it.

Set up your chapters on the Source Clips tab, then go to the Menu tab, and select No Menu

[kkant]

OK, I found it. You have to pull down the "menu theme" menu. That's a pretty stupid place to put that option, since it looks like it is only for selecting themes. But anyway, it's good that it allows removal of all menus.

[jimmalenko]

OK, I found it. You have to pull down the "menu theme" menu. That's a pretty stupid place to put that option, since it looks like it is only for selecting themes. But anyway, it's good that it allows removal of all menus.

So on the Menu tab, you can select a menu preset theme OR you can select custom from that very same dropdown OR you can select No Menu from that very same dropdown. So that dropdown controls everything to do with menus ? And you think that's a stupid place for it ? Where else could it possibly go ???

[kkant]

It should be a checkbox on the main menu page. Yes to menus, or no. If no, then grey out everything else on the menu page.

That popup looks like it selects menu themes. In fact, that's exactly what it does. If your goal is to delete all menus, there's no reason to think of looking there. Poor UI design.

The other tools I mentioned are properly designed in this regard. It was easy to turn off menus, and that selection was located in a logical place.

[jimmalenko]

That popup looks like it selects menu themes. In fact, that's exactly what it does. If your goal is to delete all menus, there's no reason to think of looking there. Poor UI design.

It's the first thing I go to every time when I go to the Menu tab. Do I want an "out-of-the-box" menu theme, my own custom menu theme, or no menu at all ? Seems quite logical to me ... <shrug>

[catdog6]

You can make a DVD without chapters (and menu) and then easily insert chapters where you want them with DvdReMake Pro: http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/ht_insert_chapter.php

I tried the demo but I guess I'm used to Pinnacle and Ulead products or just too stupid to add the chapters. Is there a guide anywhere?

Thanks

[jimmalenko]

Is there a guide anywhere?

At a guess I'd say that http://www.dimadsoft.com/dvdremakepro/ht_insert_chapter.php is a guide to do this

[catdog6]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I've been testing all of them.

I've tried DVD-lab. The only problem I've had so far is I can't trim the clips. All I can figure out how to do is trim the end. I'd like to just use one program. The DVD Moviefactory apparently writes only in some weird format. The DVDremakepro only imports vob files. I'd like to be able to capture video, trim it, edit it, add chapters and burn it. Which one piece of software is best for me??

Thanks,

Kevin

[jimmalenko]

I'd like to be able to capture video, trim it, edit it, add chapters and burn it. Which one piece of software is best for me??

To be honest, I think you're asking too much from any one piece of software. There's quite possibly software(s) that can do all this in one, but generally these are limited in their abilities ("jack of all trades, master of none" is a commonly-used phrase here).

[catdog6]

I may be but I hope not. The Pinnacle Studio 9 will do everything I need except let me put chapters in without using a menu. Some parts are flaky but
I've learned how to work around them. I'm kind of hoping Pinnacle Studio 10
might work. The TMPGenc DVD Author may do it too. I've just started testing it. Thanks again for everyones input.

[catdog6]

Ok.. Thanks for all of the suggestions..
It looks like I'm down to Vegas Movie Studio or TMPGenc DVD Author.
The Vegas seems more powerful but complicated. Also, I haven't figured out
how to do menus but it says it will.. I don't think the trial has DVD architect that I need to do that with. The TMPGenc is the one that I really like more but it appears the DVD menu system isn't really versatile.. The TMPGenc won't capture video but I can use my Pinnacle for that. Is there someone out there that has experience with both and can give me some info on them?

Thanks,

Kevin

[dphirschler]

DVDAuthorGUI allows chapters without menus. So does IFOEdit (Author DVD option). I've done it many times using both pieces of software.


Darryl

[catdog6]

I checked out the DVDAuthorGUI and the IFOEdit.
I guess I'm too picky. What I want to do is capture video. Edit and have sometimes have menus, scrolling text, chapters with and without menus and have some control over the bitrate of the final output. It looks like Vegas will do all of this. Does anyone know where I can contact a Vegas user and ask them?

[dphirschler]

Yes, those two programs are for authoring only. I use different programs for capturing, editing, and encoding. For instance, I capture in Virtual VCR and edit in VirtualDub and AviSynth. I encode in TMPGenc. And finally I author in DVDAuthorGUI. Not sure I'd want an "all-in-one" program.


Darryl