What is the best DVD Authoring software?

[txpharoah]

DVDit! PE 2.5 works well for me. No flaws or issues.

Ulead DVD Workshop does okay, not my favorite as it tries to re-encode sometimes without my permission.

DVDlab, DVD Maestro, and Scenarist are okay. They are the best ones around (and Maestro/Scenarist are most expensive) but have a HUGE learning curve. So you'd better be comfortable with manual work without the ease of drag-n-drop or templates (for the most part).

NeoDVD is okay, but the templates a kid-like and not that appealing. Same for several others out there. You are FORCED to use a template too, no manual options. TMPGenc Authoring is here too, but the templates are somewhat appealing.

There are several others I've not tested yet such as PowerDirector, but it looks to have potential.

[manchester22m]

I use ReelDVD. I have only just started burning DVD's, so it was quite a steep learning curve, but its a LOT more flexible than some of the other programs out there.

[mkelley]

DVDit! PE 2.5 works well for me. No flaws or issues.

DVDlab, DVD Maestro, and Scenarist are okay. They are the best ones around (and Maestro/Scenarist are most expensive) but have a HUGE learning curve. So you'd better be comfortable with manual work without the ease of drag-n-drop or templates (for the most part).

Yipes. HUGE learning curve?

I can't speak for Maestro or Scenarist, but my grandson (age four) was able to put together a DVD with about five minutes of instruction from me (then again, he's very good at video games, and still beats his grandad at Tarzan -- I just can't get the swinging vines down :>)

I admit there is not a lot of handholding with DVDLab -- you can't just perform a couple of mouse clicks -- but I *strongly* disagree that it's difficult to use if all you want to do is create a simple DVD with maybe a couple of movies coming off thumbnail previews from a set template... in other words, all that the simple authoring programs allow you to do.

I don't knock anyone for prefering one tool over another -- that's why I have the tag I do -- but to categorize DVDLab as being difficult for a beginner -- well, that just sounds to me like someone who's never used it before.

[housepig]

have to agree with Mkelly on that one -

DVD Lab, to me, doesn't start getting hard until you turn off the various "auto" enhancements and start hard-coding stuff (like button moves, movie links, etc.)

For most basic authoring, it's drag & drop, and comes with a good set of generic backgrounds and such, and the Menu Effect Generator is a quick and dirty way to snazz up the generic backgrounds.

But to each his own - maybe I'm just more comfortable with this program than Tx is...

[txpharoah]

But to each his own - maybe I'm just more comfortable with this program than Tx is...

Could be. I'm having to spend more time with it than the others. But I also hate templates. I want to have the ease of drag-n-drop without limiting full customization. So far, I'm finding that a bit harder than DVDit! PE and some others I've used in the past. I'll keep at it...

[pharries]

DVDlab wins hands down
I must admit that the interface is a ttle daunting at first lunch.
As with any authoring program try a simple project first.
15 mins looking at the mauanl makes it well worthwhile.
The best thing about this program is IT WORKS!!!

[ktnwin]

It's really hard to say which one is the best.
A better way to put it is to create a matrix of features/software to show the strenght and weakness of each software. This way, we can choose the one that fit our individual needs. Some folks want to make it fast, others want to make their DVDs to be of professional quality, etc...others want it cheap,.... We are all different.

[mkelley]

That's a good point. However, a matrix can also be deceiving, because many of the things people like about software can't be quantized.

I think the best thing is to be able to actually try the software first to see if it's for you. Those packages like DVDLab which have full demos are probably the best in this aspect; the Ulead products come in a close second (although crippling certain features and/or having demo's that are far behind the current release are rather annoying in their stuff). At the very rear are those companies that offer no demos at all -- for authoring products I'd be *real* hesitant to buy something I couldn't at least test.

[coyote]

The only program that has not screwed up on me is DVD Maestro. If all you want is the movie without menus or chapters there is really no learning curve......using tmpgenc split the mpg into separate audio and video streams. Import them into Maestro...drag them to the timeline and tell maestro to create the dvd.....it works everytime