Question for DVD experts

[MI6]

I have try working with three DVD authoring programs:
1.Sony DVD Architect, 2.TMPGEnc DVD Author, 3. DVD Lab Pro

My main target when producing my own DVD is to produce DVD disc that automatically play first track when it's loaded into DVD player (some short video clip, copy warnings or logo) and after that the main menu appears where I can choose what to play: main movie or chapters made from the main movie.So here are two video files: one short clip thet plays in first action and main film that is splitted into chapters.Also I want motion menues and motion chapters. But here starts my problems.

1.Working with Sony DVD Architect seems to be good but here I can't find any posibillity for playng short clip and after that main menu appears.
Producing motion menues and chapters is easy.

2.Working with TMPGenc DVD Author is much easy comparing with those others. Producing of motion menues and chapters is easy too , here is option for first play action but here is little problem as well. I can produce short clip playing first and then main menu appears but here in main menu are two links 1.Main movie and 2. Chapters. When pressing chapter is OK, but when pressing main movie or "Play all" button which is program template, short video clip is playng again and after that is playing main movie which is not so good option, (playing copy warnings again for example). Short clip and main movie are linked and here is no option for add some link in the main menu for playing only the main movie.

3.DVD Lab Pro seems to be much proffessional option. Here I can produce first play action, transitions between menues, motions menues and buttons. But here is something that I can't explain to my self.For example when producing motion menues and chapters where baground menues and motion chapters are about 25 sec long, DVD Lab Pro have to render thet motion ant it's long lasting (about 15-20min) on my P IV 2.0Ghz. I wonder why working the same effect (motion menu) with Sony architect and TMPGenc author there is no need for rendering the menues, just select motion effect and duration and thats all. So simple.
Does encoding process working with Lab Pro is really neccessery?
Regards.

[borax]

with Sony architect and TMPGenc author there is no need for rendering the menues

That's wrong. The motion menus have to be rendered in each case. Maybe Sony architect and TMPGenc author have a faster encoder, or use simpler encoding settings, but there is no way to 'bypass' the encoding of motion menus. Also the transitions need to be rendered, therefore (if you have used this feature) you can't compare the rendering durations. For one single motion menu with 25sec the rendering time of 25 minutes would be to long IMHO, but I don't know if that's the case.

BTW: Also my free GfD could create such DVDs, but it would also need some time for rendering. The rendering time depends highly on the overall complexity (i.e. the number of 'motion buttons' per menu and the total number of motion menus)

[guns1inger]

With DVD Architect you can right-click on the asset in the tree (down the right-hand side), and select an option from the popup menu to make it play first.

In DVD Lab Pro, go to the connections window and draw a connection from the first play icon to the item you want to play first. Draw another connection from this itme to the first menu. As for motion menus, I never produce them in DVD Lab Pro. I use Vegas or something else to produce them as I find DVD Lab Pros effects cheesy and pretty average. I prefer to make all the assets I need in more appropriate software, and just use DVD Lab Pro to put it all together at the end.

[thecoalman]

That's wrong. The motion menus have to be rendered in each case. Maybe Sony architect and TMPGenc author have a faster encoder,

That or they are not doing it for the preview and using the source material. In the end though they would need to,be rendered for the final output. DVD Workshop has a setting like that where you can have it not render the motion menu which gives you a still frame in place of it in the preview.

As for your linking problems AFAIK they can all do what you want. You need to map the buttons correctly.

[Bjs]

Dvdauthorgui can do almost all that you need .

Though really fancy motion menu's will require other tools such as

Wax2
Avisynth and plugins
Quenc can read avisynth avs scripts and encode to mpeg .
Virtualdub can also , but frameserve to bbmpeg (avi2mpeg)

Some transitions can be used from windows movie maker , if you know your way around its short comings .

And without costing you a cent .