At dvdrhelp.com I want...

[tgpo]

More Mac users!

[LanceSteel]

More guides using current versions of software instead of versions that came out two years ago.

[Baldrick]

What are you waiting for? Just start write guuuuuuuuuideeeeeeees and post them in our user guides forum.

[filmjax]

There's no option to vote for this, but reviews and opinions of DVD software would be great. Feedback set up like the DVD Players and DVD Writers pages.

[LanceSteel]

What are you waiting for? Just start write guuuuuuuuuideeeeeeees and post them in our user guides forum.

As Homer Simpson once said, "Can't someone else do it." Seriously though, you are right. I just have to get off my lazy butt and write some up.

[andy416us]

What are you waiting for? Just start write guuuuuuuuuideeeeeeees and post them in our user guides forum.

As Homer Simpson once said, "Can't someone else do it." Seriously though, you are right. I just have to get off my lazy butt and write some up.

Yeah, and you can start off with a PAL DVD-to-NTSC DVD-R guide. :P With proper steps on how to take away the 4% Film-to-PAL transfer speedup.

lol.... Would be nice tho.

[zodiac]

i agree with LanceSteel
and also the links that are not 2 years old
for example:tools that say freeware are now charging or the links are dead.

[SVCDummy]

I don't know... I think the guides are alright and the server is as fast as it needs to be considering it is all just a labor of love for the creators of the site.

I would prefer to see any additional efforts to be spent on making the site easier to navigate. For example... the side bar on the left is very good for finding important headings but the headings themsleves could use a bit more indexing at the top in order to make finding things faster and easier.
The sub-headings have grown so much that some extra indexing of the site with additional quick links one layer down from the links to the left would save a lot of time.

- or putting a "HOME" button on all sub pages. This would make it easier for example to respond to a recent post listed on the home page (index.html) and then to jump back out from the forum area without having to completely retype the url again.

- another great feature would be the ability to search within each of the heading to the left individually or to search the whole site or to search specific forum topics or all forums for key words. Extra metatags hidden in each of the links to the left would help noobs find their answers faster and easier without further crowding the forums asking redundant questions. Those tags could refelct more natural english words that noobs would likely use if they were not already familiar with common jargon or terms.

- lastly a set of personal favorites or site links that could be defined in our login profiles that could be setup or stored in a helpful cookie. While this does not rate at the top of a wish list it might make life easier for the regulars that might not have a lot of time when they visit be still want to get things done of even help the next person on the fly.

I noticed that a lot of requests were for more guides, but I think I've seen so many guides repeated that it might just be easier if the older guides were just catalouged better. I have in the past printed out the guides that were most helpful to me over the past year, but I'd be hardpressed to find those same guides on the site now. Fortunately I still have my printouts.

I don't know what it is you are looking for in response to this poll, but if it means that you have some time to spend on improving the site, then please consider the above thoughts.

Thank you for what you have already done

[Will Hay]

I voted 'more newbie support' but I meant 'more newbie tolerance'.
The more experienced forum contributors aren't gonna' be around for ever, and I get a little tired of some of these magnanomous *regular's* constantly whining about newbie's niavety.
There are ways to point newbie's in the right direction, and moaning at them for not getting their first three posts *exactly* right isn't the way to do it
I haven't included moderator's in this whinge, on the whole they're 'okay'
Will Hay

[Will Hay]

I would prefer to see any additional efforts to be spent on making the site easier to navigate. For example... the side bar on the left is very good for finding important headings but the headings themsleves could use a bit more indexing at the top in order to make finding things faster and easier.
The sub-headings have grown so much that some extra indexing of the site with additional quick links one layer down from the links to the left would save a lot of time.

Like the idea of the navigation, I sometimes think new members are sometimes put off from the guides asit doesn't jump out that them that that's where they'll find the answer.
Will

[Baldrick]

I'm thinking of redesigning the the how to pages...but I'm not sure how. I have tested different layouts but it doesn't look any good.

[TheSeven7hSon]

POP-UPS! This free web site doesn't seem complete without pop-ups.

Seven

[Gazorgan]

I've mentioned this one before, but: A DVD/DVDR guide for computer drives. With all the 2x ripping problems, and re-branded recordable drives around, it can get confusing. It would be like the DVD standalone player forum, only a lot smaller I think. Few sticky posts on DMA and 40/80 pin cables would clear up a lot of questions.

[marisag427]

The guides are helpful, but the problem I have is that at times I'm not sure WHICH guide I need to use. What would be great is a search, or a general area similar to "What's the best way..." or even "WHY?" in more laymans terms. Sometimes I wind up searching for 2-3 hours through the forums just to determine which guides I should be using to do what. The newbie area is great, but if you don't know what you have to do to accomplish a task, it's useless. For instance, under the Newbie section there is step 2 which is convert the video. So I click on the Convert to Video How-to's. Which has these awesome guides, but which one is what I should be using?

I know the specific applications are a matter of preference, but what I want to know is 1) what format should I convert to? Do I want to extract the PCM file to a wav first? Or extract it to ac3?

For example - I created a DVD of home movies where I captured in Pinnacle Studio 7, made an AVI, converted the AVI in Tmpgenc to MPEG3, then authored in MyDVD. DVD works great in 3 of my players yet I mailed it to my mom and the audio doesn't work. So now I'm trying to figure out why. I've been searching forums for 3 days. I'm trying now to separate the audio from the AVI, but is my only choice is to save it to WAV (from Virtualdub)? Will that even work? I read the most common format dvd players can read are PCM and AC3 - how come I can't extract it as a PCM then, or just keep it intact and create the audio separately directly from Pinnacle? I've got a bazillion questions, yet I've spent hours and days searching the forums with bits and pieces of information that I still haven't a clue. Currently, I'm extracting the audio from the AVI, then converting just the video in TMPGenc. But am I wasting my time? is there a better way? I haven't a clue. I'll know after I spend the next 3 weeks doing this and creating the DVD and then sending it my mom.

I'm not looking for an answer to my problem here, but I'm trying to explain that the guides are great and very easy/helpful, if I know why or which I should be using.

I guess I'm looking for more 'mechanics' lessons. Just common issues that newbies frequently ask that don't quite understand the process. I've only been working with this stuff since September, and I'm in software development for my job, so definitely advanced as far as computer knowledge goes. And a huge HT buff (i've invested almost 20gs into my theater.). Yet, some of this stuff is so technical it's really hard to understand.

And then finally there are the idiots who when you do post a ligitimate question just flame you or call you a retard. Totally unnecessary, yet I see it so often.

[mattscholey]

Firstly the sites the best on the net for finding out about VCD, DVDR, etc. Without it I probably would never know why I should be making VCD's, let alone how to make them!

I voted 'more newbie support' because the 'What Is' section is a bit too complex for what the sort of people who look at them want to find out. There's far too much jargon in them, especially in the XVCD/XSVCD page. When a newcomer comes to the site, who likely has never heard of Video CD before, they are not going to understand language in big bold print like:
NOTE! These are non-standards unlike VCD and SVCD
I know what it means now that I've made a fair amount of XVCD's but it confused me then.

I would suggest the 'What Is' section is changed to simply include, in nice basic writing like this (I'll use VCD as an example):
- Format (CD disk)
- Lenghth (74 minutes)
- Quality
- Playable on...
- Advantages over VHS (DVD quality still photos, menus, etc)
- Technical details (MPEG 1, bitrate, etc)
- How to make one for free (VCDEasy)

Matt[/b]

[Baldrick]

Thanks for all tips. If anyone is interested in helping me out with some changes you are welcome to contact me(rewriting what is sections, examples on simplier how to sections...).


TheSeven7hSon: if you say so...popups can bring in some extra cash.

[marisag427]

please no popups! : }

[kcalczab]

not arse kissing or anything but


its fine as it is - works well - easy to use - helpful people

LEAVE IT ALONE

[leebo]

another great feature would be the ability to search within each of the heading to the left individually or to search the whole site or to search specific forum topics or all forums for key words. Extra metatags hidden in each of the links to the left would help noobs find their answers faster and easier without further crowding the forums asking redundant questions.

I second that request.

I don't know how many times I've had to re-ask a question that someone else has asked because I did a search and nothing relevent came up - EVEN THOUGH I KNOW MY QUESTION WAS DISCUSSED 4 OR 6 MONTHS AGO!

[Baldrick]

I can't do anything about the forum search(it must be that way or else it would be incredible slow). I have tried to get google to index our forum but it wont do it.

[musher70]

How much do mac's cost anyway?
tpgo, how bout a cost ratio poll, like how
much a user might have into their box...
I saw one of those colorful monitor box
things for $400, is that a deal? not sure
what horsepower it had...

[SquirrelDip]

There are many very useful guides available here but I find, sometimes, difficulty in hunting down the one I'm looking for.

Just thinking out loud: Would a grid with source format across the top and destination format down the side with links at the grid verticies be useful- think of it as a From-To look-up table. The grid top could link to the glossery...

Not every grid would be available but it would give users a quick method of finding their how-to (and those so inclined a quick way of seeking what guides are missing...).

[Baldrick]

I'm now working on a new "guide link-system" for all guides(both for guides on our site and other sites). You will be able to list all guides on one page for easy searching. And you will also be able to search guides that uses a specific tool. If you for example search for virtualdub you will get all guides including virtualdub.

But it will take a few days to fix and also to add all guides to the database....but it will be MUCH easier to update guide links in the future and to find guides.

more info
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=476062#476062

[mustang581]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before, so just in case I would like to see some rating scale on the guides, players, media etc. when users add their comments they could also rate on a scale off lets say 1 to 5.
Just an idea.