DVD Authoring Software advice

[3-Phase]

Hi,

I'm trying to find some DVD authoring software that fits my (I think) fairly standard requirements, but I've not found anything online yet that really fits the bill for me. I've been going down 'top ten' and 'best' lists and installed roughly six or seven but the ones I've tried so far have mostly lacked features, been slow, crashed on large files, been un-intuitive/overly complex GUI or geared more towards pure video editing.

I'd like the DVD authoring software to be able to:

• provide an editable menu tree - I don't want to be tied to just "Play" and "Select"on the DVD home screen then video choices or chapters on second, third, fourth, etc screens. E.g. be able to play selection of videos directly from DVD home screen
• allow thumbnail from video for play link as well as playing part of video on hover-over ideally
• video background loop inside TV screen image or similar
• trim and/or cut videos to be able to delete unnecessary beginning/end titles and ads
• Subtitles option for each video
• different background music loop for each screen, i.e. home screen and subsequent screens
• ability to create 'Special features' screen where photos, short videos, etc can be launched
• reasonably large and varied background/menu templates selection either downloadable or included

Would I have to go with a more advanced application with these requirements or is there something out there that is quick and intuitive? Don't mind either, just needing to gauge the time investment into each.

Thanks!

Tony

[smrpix]

If AVStoDVD doesn't meet your needs, try TMPGenc Authoring Works.

[videobruger]

Or DVDStyler.

[usually_quiet]

If you are willing to try a paid software solution there is Sony DVD Architect. There is a free trial available for this software.

I have not tried this software but suspect that it does not re-encode/convert audio and video to meet DVD specs, so other software must be used to prepare the video and audio for authoring. It is also probably not as quick and intuitive as most consumer authoring software but should include the desired features.

[3-Phase]

If AVStoDVD doesn't meet your needs, try TMPGenc Authoring Works.

Both excellent choices - thank you - and coincidentally what I have been using to get most of what I want done so far . Out of the ones I've tested AVS came closest in terms of intuitivity and overall efficient usability but it's one of the most restrictive on root and sub-menu edit-ability (it doesn't even allow font and point size changes) and the templates are generally un-editable through the app. It's also a re-encoder but TMPGEnc MPEG Smart Renderer 5 takes care of that. I've only just started using TMPGEnc MPEG Smart Renderer 5 and I didn't even know they had a DVD authoring product - I'll check it out.

Or DVDStyler.

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried DVDStyler but I think I may have been too hasty with dismissing it as too basic. I've just watched a demo video and seen that the menus are very editable, so I'll give another try. Thanks!

If you are willing to try a paid software solution there is Sony DVD Architect. There is a free trial available for this software.

I've found Sony products pretty good in the past but I wasn't aware of Sony DVD Architect. I'm certainly going to give it a try though - thanks!

As you mention, I have a feeling I'm going to need a couple of pieces of software to take care of the editing and another for the DVD menu design but that's okay with me.

Thanks all. I'll give these suggested things a try and feed back.

[vkmast]

As you can see if you clicked the link usually_quiet gave you, it's now VEGAS DVD Architect. The current version (also known as DVD A 7, last update March 2019) comes from MAGIX, which in 2016 acquired most of the Sony/SCS products. The last Sony/SCS produced version was DVD A Pro 6, released 2014.

[3-Phase]

Hi vkmast,

Yes, I noticed that and it looks from the MAGIX website that they might have also combined it into something they've got named VEGAS Movie Studio/Platinum/Suite, but the VEGAS DVD Architect download is still available through the website's ADD-ONS drop-down menu. It looks like a slick piece of software that's very interesting to me so I will be downloading the trial of that and trying it out tomorrow.

Thanks for pointing that out.

[usually_quiet]

As you can see if you clicked the link usually_quiet gave you, it's now VEGAS DVD Architect. The current version (also known as DVD A 7, last update March 2019) comes from MAGIX, which in 2016 acquired most of the Sony/SCS products. The last Sony/SCS produced version was DVD A Pro 6, released 2014.

Magix acquired the software development team from Sony as well as the products they created, so there should be continuity between the Magix versions and Sony versions of these products. https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/24/998767

[vkmast]

@3-Phase please note that if after trying out VEGAS DVD Architect you decide to purchase, consider Movie Studio 16 Platinum, which comes with exactly the same version of DVD Architect that is listed in the Add-ons. Compare the pricing.