Best free software with DVD-R's?

[Causality]

I'm looking at buying a DVD-R, probably Pioneer. I've seen them stocked with BHA, Sonic, Toast, and some odd ones. I've got an AIW 8500DV and MMC 7.7. I'm looking at transferring S/VCD's, VHS tapes, and S-Video from DSS to COMPLIANT DVD format. I hope these are burning programs since Nero won't do DVD. MMC does a good job at real-time S/VCD and ATI says it does the same for DVD. I don't anticipate doing any fancy editing, just simple menus and maybe some cleaning up of old VHS material. I've done Google searches and haven't found any useful info on any of these programs. Any input to help me best spend my bucks would be greatly appreciated.

[BJ_M]

nero burns DVD's just fine - but you need an authoring program ...
see authoring program types and stuff over on the left ...
if you need to edit also -- i suggest an all in one solution like one of the U-Lead products.

you have the following steps to consider:

1. capture video/audio
2. edit raw video and audio
3. encode video and audio to dvd standards.
4. create or use standard menu's and buttons
5. put everything into a DVD authoring program and creat chapters and set up menu's and the like.
6. compile your dvd to a image or a special type of folder layout .
7. burn the image file or contents of that folder to a dvd-r using a some program like nero ...

believe it or not some programs can do all of the above . as you learn more about it - you start using specialized programs for each of the above steps .

[Causality]

I've had pretty good luck using MMC and Nero to do real-time capture and 20X burns of compliant SVCD's with menus and separate tracks. My only problem has been chopping large files into CD size segments. This however, shouldn't be a problem with 4.7 GB of space. Will the DVD upgrade to Nero do everything it does for SVCD (menus etc.)? If not, the Ulead Movie Factory seems like a pretty straight-forward $45 solution. Is this a good choice?

[robboughton]

i have found problems with ulead and nero when burning dvds as nero spits em out quite offen and ulead has problems with audio sync the best software i have found to be are
dvdit PE
prassi primo dvd
spruceup dvd
MyDVD
these are all good and i find authoring with spruce and burning with prassi to be the best so far but thats just my opinion ppl might say difrently to me

[Causality]

What about Cyberlink PowerDirector 2.0 DE?

[kiwiguy]

I want to buy Spruceup. is there any one selling ? I have the trial version and is not allowing me to export anymore after 2 exports.
or any tricks to clear the reference it is making to the registry.
Thanks

[BJ_M]

you can not buy it anymore --- unless you buy a mac also and you get something like it sorta with some mac app

[Causality]

OK, how 'bout Sonic DVDit? Any yea's or nay's?

[jonhildrum]

What works for me is the following:

1. I use AIW with MMC 7.7 to capture at High quality DVD
2. I use TMPGenc to eliminate commercials when captured from TV and then convert to 1/2dvd format 352X480. 2pass VBR. 2520 max bit rate. This takes awhile.
3. I burn and add simple menu items with Movie factory.

The end result is quite reasonable and it ends up fitting close to 4 hours on a dvd.

[Causality]

What do the other MMC DVD presets look like? Are the extra hours in TMPGEnc worth it? You like the Ulead product?

[jonhildrum]

I have tried burning the original capture High quality DVD - I cannot see a significant difference in quality when replayed on a TV between the 1/2 DVD and the high quality DVD. If I reduce the bitrate on the DVD capture to much (to fit more on the DVD) it actually appears worse.

PS: I'm not studing the various scenes for difference but rather just viewing. Furthermore, I was using movies.


This is not all that unexpected since the source material in itself (The TV feed (I use composite) and the VHS tape (also using composite) is really no better than 1/2 DVD)

Is it worth it ?? Well, it runs overnight and allows me to fit what I'm transferring on half the amount of DVD R. Yes, it is worth it from that aspect.
However, if it was available, I would rather purchase a commercial version of material I really want.

[mol3000]

i got my dvd wit my programer but dont no whats it for??????

[Bud]

DVDiT is very easy to use, you can create menus with ease. You can also adjust the audio if the film comes out to big for the 4.7 GB DVD-R, I have also been able to put up to three SVCD type movies on one DVD-R using DVDiT without any problems complete with menu selection. Most of the time I do two movies on one DVD-R.

Aloha
Bud