The best Converting/Burning/Authoring programs?

[whatever911]

Time is very valuable to everyone so i'm just gonna get straight to the point. I have searched and read lots of questions on how to author or make a high quality dvd but none of them seems to have a satisfied answer to me. So i would like to know what kind of converting/burning/authoring programs that y'all would use to make an excellent quality DVD if you have the followings...

You have:
* 20 episodes of "Halaluja" <- i just made it up.
* Each episode is about 175 MB in size, .AVI with high quality graphics, and 24 minutes in length.
* 4 Blank DVDs (4.7 GB)

Requirements:
* Burn as many episodes as you can on a standard DVD (playable on Dvd Players) with high quality graphics.
* It has to have a good-looking menu.

Note:
* As i'd said earlier, time is very valuable and electricity is not cheap. So i would also love to know how much time you would have spent on making one DVD if you used the programs that you had chosen.

* i, myself, only use 2 programs and 2 blank DVDs (4.7gb) to burn those 20 episodes. For converting, i use WinAVI Video Converter v8. For authoring and burning, i use Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Deluxe Suite. The total time for converting all 20 episodes is 20 x 12 = 240 minutes. The total time for authoring and burning all 20 episodes is only 1 hour because i could fit 10 episodes on a standard DVD using REMC 9 DS, and it only takes about 30 minutes to burn one 10-episode-DVD with high quality graphics and a good-looking menu.

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Thank you for your help

[guns1inger]

Nobody who cares about quality uses WinAVI. The two just don't go together.

There are no programs that do what you want. You can have fast and easy, but with average quality and simple menus, or you can learn how to do it properly with the correct tools at each stage. The time take is much longer, but the quality is much higher.

Note : this assumes high quality source. You do not have high quality source. You do not fit 24 minutes into 175 MB without compromising quality or resolution or both. Returning these to DVD compliance will reduce the quality again. That you fit 10 episodes to a disc and find it acceptable is also testament to the low quality of your source.

The short answer to how do I do it is : I don't. I have a Divx capable player (a couple, actually), so I would just burn the 20 episodes to 1 or 2 discs and watch them without menus.

If I was going to convert them and go to a lot of trouble then I would start by limiting myself to 6 episodes per disc. I would encode the video for each one using HCEnc (free) from an avisynth script created by FitCD (free) and modified to include extra filters to restore the quality somewhat. I would encode the audio separately with EncWAVtoAC3 (free) and Aften (free), then create menus using Photoshop (not free) or Vegas (not free), then author the lot in DVD Lab Pro.

[manono]

And lest you come down hard on the guns1inger for stating the facts, you don't mention 175 MB 24 minute XviDs and high-quality DVD in the same breath. You don't mention 10 episodes per DVD5 and high-quality graphics in the same breath. You don't mention WinAVI and high quality anything in the same breath. You're living in a dream world.

Your requirements are unrealistic. You can do it fast and 1-click and mediocre, or you can do it slow, using top quality programs, and try keep what little quality remains after the original conversion from DVD to XviD. Or you can buy a DVD/MPEG-4 player and save your time and effort, and watch them in the same original quality.

For converting, i use WinAVI Video Converter v8. For authoring and burning, i use Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Deluxe Suite. The total time for converting all 20 episodes is 20 x 12 = 240 minutes. The total time for authoring and burning all 20 episodes is only 1 hour because i could fit 10 episodes on a standard DVD using REMC 9 DS, and it only takes about 30 minutes to burn one 10-episode-DVD with high quality graphics and a good-looking menu.

I don't understand. If you're already satisfied with your method, why are you asking for advice.

[whatever911]

@ both of you: Well, if you ever tried the method i did, you'd know the quality difference is just a slightly bit. But then again, i guess you two never know since you never tried it anyway. The fact that you two believe it's a low quality source and unrealistic proved you always spend like 24 hours or more just to convert and author DVDs.

@ guns1inger: I did it in a proper way alright, my friend. The two programs do go together. Think it over carefully, who would spend like forever just to convert movies to DVDs, and finally find themselves that the quality, according to you "The time take is much longer, but the quality is much higher," is just a very tiny bit different from using the two programs. Well, it's pointless anyway. But i find it funny you know. Like, how do you know the two programs don't go together? Have you even tried the two programs before? OR Do you even own a program called Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Deluxe Suite??

@ manono:

I don't understand. If you're already satisfied with your method, why are you asking for advice.

I did that because (1) i want to share the methods that i think is not too time-wasteful, fast, and easy. (2) I want to prove that there are many ways more to achieve a high quality DVDs just by going through easy and fast steps; rather than using 4 or 5 programs and blank DVDs just to burn 20 boo-jo episodes. (3) It saves you time, effort, and DVDs.

[guns1inger]

I know what quality you get in a 175MB, 24 minute avi files. I also know the compromises made to encode a file to that size. That is why I don't bother converting them.

I also have seen the quality from WinAVI, and to me it is unacceptably low. That is putting aside the fact that WinAVI is also unstable and often non-compliant in it's output.

Finally, 4 hours at full-D1 on a DVD5 cannot produce high quality video, no matter how good the source. There simply isn't the bitrate.

I have no problem with you wanting you use a simple, fast method of converting your files. But to call what you are creating High Quality just shows how little you actually understand what quality video can be. I save a lot more time and effort and DVDs than you by simply not bothering to needlessly convert. I could fit all that on a single disc and play it back on my TV and it would take about 8 minutes all up.

If you are going to post a boastful account of your high quality methods, be prepared to scrutinized and challenged. Especially if your tools of choices are WinAVI and Roxio. Last time I checked, none of the studios were using these.

[whatever911]

woa woa...You're trying to ignore the question i asked. I asked "how do you know the two programs don't go together? Have you even tried the two programs before? OR Do you even own a program called Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Deluxe Suite?" I do know the quality produced by WinAVI is bad at the first look, but when you use Roxio to burn it onto DVDs. It surprisingly has a same high quality compared to your methods. Oh BTW, i myself tried out every method that you and others recommend before posting this thread, dude. Also, burning all the episodes onto a DVD as a DVD data and play it on a Divx Players is stupidly easy. Even my 11 year old brother could do that. If you're gonna say more about how little i actually understand what quality video, you yourself should have tried Roxio before concluding yourself that the only way to achieve high quality videos is your methods. Last time i checked, i came up with Roxio and WinAVI because it's a new method of doing it. Who would have posted a same thing over and over again and share it with other studios? ???

[guns1inger]

Roxio does not, and cannot, make output from WinAVI look better. You admit that WinAVI output is not very good - something that I have seen for myself. Roxio is just another Nero-type bloatware all-in-one-tool. Feeding crap from WinAVI into Roxio won't make the video look better. There is nothing new or special about your tools or your methods. I'm happy they work for you, and that you are pleased with the outcome. They do not produce high enough quality for me, and cannot turn a pig's ear into a silk-purse. Get over it.

[whatever911]

Roxio does not, and cannot, make output from WinAVI look better. You admit that WinAVI output is not very good - something that I have seen for myself. Roxio is just another Nero-type bloatware all-in-one-tool. Feeding crap from WinAVI into Roxio won't make the video look better. There is nothing new or special about your tools or your methods. I'm happy they work for you, and that you are pleased with the outcome. They do not produce high enough quality for me, and cannot turn a pig's ear into a silk-purse. Get over it.

You know what? Since you're gonna ignore my questions, I guess i'm just gonna drop this. Continue arguing will not solve anything. You're computered with your methods and i can understand that you will never try out any other methods. Yes, i do admit using WinAVI to convert videos will have a low quality (at first look) but it changes when you use Roxio. Oh well, i'm tired. Say what ever you want. I just want to hear what others will do when they have the aboves. Please leave some space for others and not to spam, thanks.

[guns1inger]

How have I ignored your questions ? I said I have used WinAVI and it produces rubbish. I have said I haven't used Roxio, and don't need to because I know what it is, what it does, and it doesn't (and cannot) improve the quality of the video from WinAVI. What you are claiming doesn't make sense. So go, get some sleep.

As for my methods - I have a large range of methods and software, because no single solution produces the best quality in all cases. What I posted above were two alternatives that I use. I also use ConvertXtoDVD from time to time - far superior to WinAVI in every respect.

Looking back at your posts I can see you have are basically argumentative for the sake of it, so for once we agree. This is a pointless discussion.

[thecoalman]

Yes, i do admit using WinAVI to convert videos will have a low quality (at first look) but it changes when you use Roxio. Oh well, i'm tired. Say what ever you want.

As the saying goes you can't polish a turd and source video at that low a bitrate is definitely a turd. The basic concept you should understand about video is that it is what it is, the best it ever going to be is the original file*. You can only make it worse and the more conversions you do the worse it gets. FYI if Roxio is doing such a great job why not just skip the Winavi conversion? I'll assume it doesn't accept divx files? If you really want to speed your process and quality up I'd suggest finding a authoring program that accepts divx files. Ulead Movie Factory will but someone else has posted it sometimes chokes on Divx.... I don't blame it, I'd spit it out too. :P

*Note you can "improve" files when you're working with light compressed material such as Huffyuv, DV-AVI and I'll even dare to say high bitrate MPEG2 by applying various filters such as a noise filter. Improve is in quotes because in reality applying such things like a noise filter is a destructive process. Overall you may be improving the look of the video but this doesn't come without consequences. Along with the noise you will also be filtering out fine details present in the video.

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If you truly have found a magic solution please post screenshots from your source, the WinAVi file and the final DVD made in Roxio. I won't hold my breath.

[Bjs]

I'll throw this in the ring and see

Its all in the name ... whatever911 ... couldnt be bothered , and suggests , needs rescue ... from self destruction .

Get roxio the hell off , its crap
And that gose for winavi as well

There are better products , and many are free , if your willing to put a little effort into understanding some process's , and all takes time .

Now for crap to dvd :

Ive done this on many ocassions when people refuse to give up , and they cant believe how I manage to make crap ... well , appear somewhat better .

Out via tvout from vga
Audio out from pc speaker jack

Slammed into vcr , and recorded to quality tape

Then , later ... after iq returns from being bored to death ... I hate flipin dog show crap ... its boring , and they brought hours , upon hours of it here ... forgot to reset man trap , and put snakes in pit ... that'll teach me not to run away .

Playback from vcr
Record back on pc capture device ... a high quality one ... not a cheapo ... their crap .

Edit

Burn to media with imgburn

End result = happy user

And for me , a migrane the size of mars ... never , ever again ... I hate flipin dog shows

[dadrab]

I’ve been reading this post with interest.

I used to have WinAVI on my system and scrapped it because of the video quality it produces.

I also have your beloved Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Deluxe Suite. I’ve tried to use it a couple of times and found it to be a real pain in the ass producing fairly sorry results on video applications. I keep it around for audio applications where it performs admirably. Otherwise…well…I’d have probably wastecanned it too.

The guys who’ve replied to you have helped me and many, many others, so arguing with them will only get you one thing – ignored. That’s not your intended result from this exercise, I’m sure.

You need to make a choice. Do you want HQ video? It’s going to be slower. Or do you want fast encodes and authoring? It’s not going to be HQ. That’s all. You can have either - or…but you can’t have both. That’s all the other guys are trying to convey. They’re not trying to be mean or snotty. They’ve forgotten more about this stuff than I’ll know in the foreseeable future, so I tend to pay attention.

If you want high quality encodes, TMPGEnc Plus does a real nice job, but the cost is time. It’s slow. I’ve recently gotten Mainconcept MPEG Encoder and find it to be much faster and it produces very nice looking video. That’s my tool of choice lately. Those two choices and the recommendations made above should put you in “fat city” outputting something good to work with.

Authoring is a labor of love. GuiForDVDAuthor is a really nice authoring application and the price is right. It is labor intensive, but the results can be stunning. I use this application frequently, but I also use Ulead DVD Movie Factory and render to .ISO file too. It’s quick and easy and produces some extremely nice looking menus without as much effort as some other programs.

In any case, I only burn with Imgburn. I’ve created several coasters burning video with Roxio and even one or two with Ulead products. I never have liked Nero (just a personal decision, not a slam). I have never created a coaster with Imgburn provided I didn’t do something stupid.

So, to render this dissertation to a sentence or so, don’t slam the guys who are trying to teach you something. There’s nothing wrong with following a formula that’s tried and true. When working with video, you can’t have it all. You just can’t have good fast or fast good. You have to choose.