Whats the best DVD Authoring Software?

[mdtplus4]

I am tired of all the capture-convert-author-burn crap. Is there 1 program out there that does everything from capture to burning that doesn't cost $300 bucks?

What's your favorite program?

[jessieqwert]

Ahahahahah
The best, ahahahah.
Funny
Anywho, try Ulead DVD Workshop

[txpharoah]

I dont think "best" and "Ulead" don't belong in the same sentence. I'll give it a rating of decent, but not without it's annoying problems and lack of features.

Maestro and Scenarist are the best, but also the most expensive, and hardest to understand. I even have trouble.

DVDit! (preferable the PE version) is excellent. The new DVDlab looks promising and works great, and the TMPGenc Authoring looks simple enough (gave it a quick test a few days ago). Those are quickly becoming the applications of choice.

Look in the AUTHORING section for more ideas:
https://www.videohelp.com/tools

[Cornucopia]

I don't think Maestro is hard to understand at all. I ran through the all the turorials in a week. That includes Chapters, Menus, Motion Menus, Multiple Audio streams, Subtitles, Playlists...
Even GPRM/SPRM commands are pretty straightforward.

I'd add Apple's DVDStudioPro to the list. It started out great (Astarte DVDirector) and keeps getting better. And that upcoming Adobe Encore looks very promising!

I'd even add Pinnacle's ImpressionDVDPro (used to be Minerva's), but it's quite buggy.

As the saying goes: You get what you pay for.
(Of course, that doesn't seem to always apply on the Internet)

Scott

[Specialist]

Scenarist is a great product.

But not everybody has $20,000.

That's a lot of money for the average person to plunk down on a DVD authoring product.

So for the 'rest of us' who live in the world of consumer or prosumer DVD authoring, DVD WORKSHOP by Ulead is a solid choice.

You can get the less-expensive version without AC-3 audio support.

Or you can get the new AC-3 version:

http://www.ulead.com/dws/runme.htm

It's not intended to compete with Scenarist, by any means, but it still does a good job for the intended use.

If you're on a tight budget and you're doing home video work, then you might have a look at even lower-priced programs such as Ulead's DVD MovieFactory 2 under $50:

http://www.ulead.com/dmf/runme.htm

I'm sure others will chime in with other products that they've tried and enjoyed.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[MachineMan]

Ulead is easy to use and reasonably priced.

[txpharoah]

Ulead finally decide to include AC3?

Well, about-face for me.

I'll give that program another chance. 8)

http://www.ulead.com/store/dws/runme.htm

But $500 is still a bit much though for the typical consumer, I'd still suggest the new DVDlab as it should have similar capabilities for under $100. Is that thing ready yet?

I'm not leaving DVDit! PE at home until all options are laid in front of me.

Yeah, DVD Studio Pro. How'd I forget that? That program does an amazing job on the Mac.

[disturbed1]

I am tired of all the capture-convert-author-burn crap. Is there 1 program out there that does everything from capture to burning that doesn't cost $300 bucks?

What's your favorite program?

Of the bickering above, the only program mentioned that can "capture-convert-author-burn" all in one is Ulead's, but workshop is above your $300 limit.

Sonics MyDVD

Neo DVD

Cyberlink has Power Director and Power Producer.

Intervideo has Windvd Creator and Windvd Producer

and sure there are more.

None of the products are professional level and will never achieve the quality of using dedicated programs designed for each individual task.

If you have the bucks, I'd swing for any of Uleads Products, or Sonic Foundry's Vegas+DVD, Vegas being my first choice.

[spidey]

DVDit PE is excellant !!!! However, you can not mix and match mpeg 1 / 2 source clips as it renders to 1 vts set.

If you want to mix and match your sources - you need an authorer that renders a different vts set PER movie

I'd first and foremost swear by Sonic's DVD Producer v 3.1.1 Truly awesome. Producer is really Sonic's updating and matureing of Maestro - it's just below Scenarist in the Prof Authoring products.

Secondly and very similar is Spruce's DVD Maestro - some differences though - with some Maestro authored comp's my and my firend's Pioneer players have issues with them.

Also, when looking at buttons - Maestro highlights a whole block region, no matter if your overlay/active component (button) is not a block -

whereas in DVD Producer, you can highlight all around your component, sloppily even providing there's no overlap of buttons, but when you render it all out - only the active and color changing components are your actual buttons and show

not the whole "block" region around them-

I know that that is only an aesthetic difference, not a functional one,

but you want you output to look nice, right ?

[K2]

The title of this is "Best..."
But what you meant is the best one button solution for under $300

Answer:
Ulead Movie factory 2

[DivXExpert]

Sonic Scenarist.

[Cornucopia]

Never had ANY playability problem with anything done in Maestro since Oct. 2000.

You might be authoring your buttons and/or subpics wrong. I know my Maestro buttons and highlights can be whatever shape/color I want them to be. Now, the "Area of Activity" for each button is always rectangular, but then that seems to be that way for every authoring app.

K2 is right. The title of this thread should be changed.

Scott

[MovieMan000]

What are the estimated costs of these programs :

Scenarist Studio 2.7
Scenarist Advanced 2.7
Scenarist Professional 2.7

What type of "copy protection" is encoded in the higher end models ?