DVD Lab Pro

[matthewjohn23]

I've been looking for a program that can do a solid job with making DVD menus.

I tried Tmpgenc, but it seems as if it takes several hours to render. Can I render quickly in DVD Lab Pro if I have my VIDEO_TS files already created? I would like to be able to put together a menu without spending a ton of time on it.

[ntscuser]

Can I render quickly in DVD Lab Pro if I have my VIDEO_TS files already created?

Yes but custom menus have to be created more or less from scratch which is time consuming. DLP is very unforgiving of errors in the menu structure and you could end up with an unplayable disc. Also it much prefers assets to be imported as elementary m2v and ac-3 streams.

[tinker]

DVD Lab has a trail version, you can download that and see.
To make a simple menu is not much to it in that software and it will demux your files so they can be compiled correctly.

[lordsmurf]

DVD-Lab is a pain in the ass.

If you want easy, but better than TDA, look no further than Ulead DVD Workshop 2. It's very easy to use, and can make professional-quality menus with ease. Yes, it costs a few extra dollars. Yes, 16:9 (menus too) is a little more tricky, but it still works. (Those who would say DVDWS is "old software" can STFU -- it still works fine!)

[markpaul]

I use DVD-Lab Pro for just creating menus. I use Movie Edi Pro to edit and produce the main body of the DVD. I then use
PGCEdit (it's free) to peace the parts together WITHOUT having to re-author anything. It work's straight from the IFO files,
which I believe is what your requesting to do. In DVD-Lab I use very small fake videos so the menu has something to link to.
Generating is about 15 seconds. In PGCEdit you can start new (empty) and then import everying you want peace by peace. You then have the option of creating an ISO image and then burn to DVD but you don't have to do that. Just save and use your current burner to create the DVD from the Video-ts/audio folders. PGCEdit takes a little getting use to but is well worth it for several reasons. One is that it has a built-in debug process that allows you to step through the playng process. It also shows
and allows editing of pre- and post commands as well as button navigation. If you want pretty straight-forward menus with decent flexability you can use DVDStyler (free). I find that DVD-Lab + DVD Menu Studio allows for tons of fexibility with the best feature being that you have real-time a menu simulator (EXTREMELY important). I hope this helps.

[dadrab]

Yes but custom menus have to be created more or less from scratch which is time consuming.

Yep.

DLP is very unforgiving of errors in the menu structure and you could end up with an unplayable disc.

Maybe, but DLP is very good about popping a warning if there's something about the structure it doesn't like. If you proceed after said warning, you do so in the knowledge that you might burn a coaster.

To make a simple menu is not much to it in that software...

Yep

...and it will demux your files so they can be compiled correctly.

Good point.

DVD-Lab is a pain in the ass.

Well, it can be. But, like most things worth spending time on, a little practice will go a long way. The first disc I authored with that app. took me hours. I remember thinking, "to hell with this..."

But, after messing with a couple of other programs that were much easier, I discovered they were easy to use because they were limited.

So, back to DLP I went. I studied and worked and bitched and moaned, but finally got pretty good with it. It's all I use now and I like it.

And, I'm only limited by my imagination and how much I practice.