Help me choose a DVD authoring program, please.........

[bnbhoha]

Hello friend! I'm searching for an EASY to use dvd authoring program. This is what I would like to do.

1. -Create a menu with my own JPEG picture or grab a still from the video and add motion thumbnails along with my own music to the menu. Also be able to state how long I want the menu to play and then have the dvd start playing track 1.

2. -Be able to add background music (adjustable volume) to the scene at a low level so you could still hear the original track and be able to fade-in/out.

3. I want to keep the orignal quality and hopefully not re-encode the entire project.

4. An added plus would be to create a JPEG dvd w/ my own music. & having transitions between dvd scenes would be nice too.



I've tried:

Tsunami DVD Author: doesn't let me add my own music to the track, hard time adding music to motion menus. Great for cutting out scenes and creating you own menu w/ JPEG. Also doesnt' give me the option to play track 1 automatically after an alloted period of time with the menu showing. EXTREMEMLY easy to use.

Ulead DVD workshop 2.0 Trial: Wouldn't let me import my VIDEO_TS file. Had to do it directly from the dvd itself. Lets me add my own music to the scene, but the user would have to switch audio tracks with the remote control and it doesn't let me fade in the music w/ the exsisting track so we can hear both tracks. It does let me add music to my menu and easy to use. I'm wondering if the trial version lacks some features. I found it difficult to edit/cut scenes

DVD Lab: Found it difficult to use and gave up.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I recommend an "all-in-one" such as Ulead Moviefactory or MyDVD,NeroVision Express will also work but it always wants to reencode.All three support motion menus,audio menus,slideshows and transitions.Another nice feature from them is the "Fit to disc",it will make sure your project will fit on a DVD.

[redwudz]

DVD-lab or it's variants are also popular. 'Easy' is not always the best if you want more control over the finished product.

[bnbhoha]

I actually am considering Ulead Moviefactory 5.0 which came out last week. I believe it's the same as 4.0 with some minor upgrades. I read that it can take as long as 8 hours to author a dvd. I will try the trial version later tonight. More?

[mastersmurfie]

DVD-lab or it's variants are also popular. 'Easy' is not always the best if you want more control over the finished product.

I still use DVD-Lab 1.3 as my preferred authoring program. Sure, it's old, and there are updates, but my philosophy is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

just my 2 cents worth...

[kyemeng]

If you want control, then DVD lab is the way to go. Personally I use Tsunami DVD Author, not only for its ease but also the speed. I find it relatively easy adding music to my menus.

[thecoalman]

Ulead DVD workshop 2.0 Trial: but the user would have to switch audio tracks with the remote control .....

Not sure what you mean by that?

and it doesn't let me fade in the music w/ the exsisting track so we can hear both tracks. It does let me add music to my menu and easy to use.

DVDWS is not intended to be an editor, it has minimal editing capabilities. If you want to do a lot od editing you need a editor. I don't have 2.0 so I don't know if you can do that with 2.0. I use 1.3 so am not really familair with it's expanded editing abilities. That's one of the major differences between 1.3 and 2.0. You can however extract the audio and import into a audio editing program to merge you tracks then import into DVDWS. And yes it very easy to use... also very powerful tool. Down the road you may find a lot features that your not aware of that you may find useful.

I'm wondering if the trial version lacks some features. I found it difficult to edit/cut scenes

I'm pretty sure they do, probably strip out a lot of the added media stuff like buttons as well. Again it's not an editor, It's an assembly tool. At that it excels, the cheaper Movie Factory for example has no where near the features DVDWS has, most importantly it doesn't have a blank canvas. Most of the low end authoring apps work on a templating system, you're stuck with what they offer.

DVD Lab: Found it difficult to use and gave up.

That is what I see many comment but that too is a powerful tool. DVDWS and DVD Lab have similar capabilities. DVDWS has it's own encoding engine for both MPEG2 and AC3. It uses a vrsion of the mainconcept encoder which produces great results. It also imports practically any audio,video or image format. Try and import from any of the menus and select the files of type and the lists are huge. And again you get a blank canvas....

BTW I'd suggest giving Ulead Video a try. It has far better editing capabilities than Movie Factory. Not sure how it compares for authoring.

If you want a magic bullet program it doesn't exist, IMO DVDWS is closest you're going to get.

[Lester Burnham]

Hello friend! I'm searching for an EASY to use dvd authoring program. This is what I would like to do.

1. -Create a menu with my own JPEG picture or grab a still from the video and add motion thumbnails along with my own music to the menu. Also be able to state how long I want the menu to play and then have the dvd start playing track 1.

2. -Be able to add background music (adjustable volume) to the scene at a low level so you could still hear the original track and be able to fade-in/out.

3. I want to keep the orignal quality and hopefully not re-encode the entire project.

4. An added plus would be to create a JPEG dvd w/ my own music. & having transitions between dvd scenes would be nice too.



I've tried:

Tsunami DVD Author: doesn't let me add my own music to the track, hard time adding music to motion menus. Great for cutting out scenes and creating you own menu w/ JPEG. Also doesnt' give me the option to play track 1 automatically after an alloted period of time with the menu showing. EXTREMEMLY easy to use.

Ulead DVD workshop 2.0 Trial: Wouldn't let me import my VIDEO_TS file. Had to do it directly from the dvd itself. Lets me add my own music to the scene, but the user would have to switch audio tracks with the remote control and it doesn't let me fade in the music w/ the exsisting track so we can hear both tracks. It does let me add music to my menu and easy to use. I'm wondering if the trial version lacks some features. I found it difficult to edit/cut scenes

DVD Lab: Found it difficult to use and gave up.

GUI_for_dvdauthor seems to cover all that you've asked for.

[guns1inger]

1 and 3 are authoring, and handled by most competent authoring apps.

2. is an editing issue, and requires at least an audio editor and encoder

3. Can be done by some authoring apps, but is best done in an editor for better control.

As a general rule, any editing or altering of video oe audio should be done in the appropriate editing application. Authoring apps should just do authoring, and should only be used for such.