How to do VCD Menus ?

[enigma_pt]

I'm converting some movies from Avi files to a VCD so I can see them on my DVD Sony S-300. I would like to do a menu (like the usual dvd menus) to work with my VCD! Whats the best software to do that and how it works? The only software I know is Spruce Up but it works only with Mpeg files I can't work with it!!!

thanks

[wowdude]

8) I am not very good at making menus, but nonetheless here goes. To use your AVI files in Spruceup, (which does suck) just convert them to .mpeg, and you should be able to use them. There are a few different menu authoring programs out there, but most are difficult to use and hard to get the hang of. I'd reccomend going to the tools link on vcdhelp.com or the software page on doom9.net try downloading some of the tools that they have, and see which one's work for you. I'm actually very interested in seeing everyone's opinon's on menu othering programs as well. Post. Post. Post!!!!!!!!!

[Mirror_Image]

I use Ulead's Video Studio 6 ($99 new, $50 upgrade, 30-day trial version available) and the built-in menu wizard for VCD/SVCD/DVD. You can import your movie file into UVS6, edit as you like, test run it and when you like it head to the Finish/Save area.

I capture movies from cable TV in MPEG-1 352x240 2.4MBit/sec, and it takes roughly 50 minutes to render 1 hour of capture to VCD compliant MPEG-1 on a P3-866. Visible block noise is extremely rare and "halos" are non-existant for all intents and purposes in the rendered VCD compliant MPEG. I've seen slightly better results out of CCE and the like, but hey, UVS6 doesn't have the hefty price of CCE (I know a lot of people don't actually buy CCE, but the best of anything always has an extreme price tag).

After you select "Create VCD/SVCD/DVD" at the Finish/Save screen, it renders the project (time varies depending on CPU), creates an image file (like an ISO, but slightly different and then menu wizard window pops up, allowing you to pick chapter points, set custom backgrounds, and if you like, specify an intro video clip to play before the menu comes up. You can customize and test run the menus, fine-tuning till you are happy with them, then on to the burn. The only thing the menu wizard doesn't do is the little motion videos in the capter windows and no background music (though the intro video has sound).

In any case, grab the trial of UVS6 (fully functional, minus a some transition effects) and give it a try, it doesn't cost anything to use it for a month, and if you don't like it than get rid of it. The menu wizard isn't very well documented, but it is fairly intuitive. Alternatively, try the trial of Ulead DVD Workshop.

www.ulead.com