DVD authoring program with AC3 audio?

[j1d10t]

What is the easiest/best program for authoring a DVD with AC3 audio? I've read that AC3 audio is DVD complaint, and takes up less space than LPCM, whereas MPEG layer 1 & 2 audio is not DVD complaint. This is going to be my first attempt at authoring a DVD, so I don't think I'm ready for something too complicated - I'm still a big time newbie when it comes to DVD authoring. The program doesn't have to be dirt cheep, but I'd like not to pay through the nose for it Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[Specialist]

Have a look at Ulead DVD WORKSHOP AC-3 version:

http://www.ulead.com/dws/ac3.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[ktnwin]

Here is the link to neoDVD Plus, quite cheap, extremely fast and easy to use DVD authoring software with AC3.

http://www.mediostream.com/products/index.html

[killmore]

TMPGEnc DVD Author works - has very few templates and you can't edit them

[FulciLives]

I like SpruceUP by Spruce Technologies.

It is kinda hard to get these days but if you look in the right place ...

The nice thing about it is that it supports elementry streams (m2v and ac3) and is VERY easy to use. Doesn't make the GREATEST looking menu designs but it is simple to use ... which is a BIG plus.

I have used it many times and never had a problem with a DVD I made with it.

Does have drawbacks though ... can only have one audio file per video file and cannot do subtitles (so you will have to BURN them into the video when encoding). Also it flags everything 4:3 so you have to create a VIDEO TITLE SET and manually change the IFO files to read 16x9 with IFOEdit but I don't find that such a big deal. After all I don't author that many 16x9 discs.

IN SHORT: It's hard to beat for simplicity and ease of use.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[bugster]

whereas MPEG layer 1 & 2 audio is not DVD complaint.
Thanks

Mpeg 1 layer 2 audio IS DVD compliant but support is only mandatory for DVD players sold in PAL regions (or Europe at least). The result being that some (tho not to many) DVD players sold in the US do not support mp2 audio.

As for DVD authoring proggys that support Ac3, do you want one with an encoder or will you import externally created Ac3 streams?

If the former, DVDit PE and Reel DVD come to mind.
If the latter, Spruce up, Ulead DVD WS (don't need Ac3 version unless you want it to encode), DVDLab...

[mkelley]

DVDLab, by far (assuming you will be encoding your AC3 with BeSweet or some such).

$79 and there is a fully-functioning 30 day trial available (so no excuse not to at least try it).

[j1d10t]

Cool. I've already encoded the audio with Besweet, so I just need a program that won't re-encode the audio. It doesn't really matter if it will let me use more than one audio track. I've tried Ulead DVD MF 1, and it won't even except the MPEG file when I've multiplexed the AC3 audio in to the video file. I'll give these other programs a try. Thanks for all the help

[Specialist]

I'm using Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 described on this page:

http://www.ulead.com/dmf/features.htm

I just finished feeding it a muxed AC-3 file and it accepted the file without re-encoding.

The reason is I had the 'do not encode compliant files' box CHECKED.

Even the standard version of Ulead's other authoring product, DVD Workshop, will *not* re-encode if the 'do not encode compliant files' box is CHECKED.

http://www.ulead.com/dws/runme.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Bob W]

I use NeoDVD Plus which works all the time has zero bugs and never fails.

[spidey]

The dominant authoring company in authoring is Sonic.

Check out www.sonic.com

I prefer DVD Producer the best.

[ktnwin]

I agreed that neoDVD Plus is easy to use and has zero bugs. Never get a failure message or hang or whatever unpleasant from using it.

However, yesterday, I ran into an small issue. When I tell it to MAKE DISC, there is no warning about the DVD content will exceed the 4.38GB limit (it's showed about 4.1GB only). The resulting VIDEO_TS folder ends up to be 4.45GB and my movie is less than 90mins (neoDVD Plus can do upto 92 mins in the best quality mode).

Instead of using DVDShrink to shrink it, I use neoDVD Plus to chop another 2 mins at the end and redo the MAKE DISC again (BTW, in case you did not know, neoDVD Plus encode/author DVD in near real time on my 1.2GHz system). This time, the VIDEO_TS folder fit on one DVD-R.

Playing this DVD on my Pionneer shows that neoDVD Plus encodes this movie at 7200 to 8500 kbps (versus 6600 kbps average for other movies).
This explains why the first time, my VIDEO_TS is a little too big to fit on DVD-R.

To me, this is a pleasant surprise since my VHS tapes are almost 20 years old, quality is bad and neoDVD has done its best not to make it worst. (I have tried in the better quality mode, fit 3 hours of the same tapes, and the resulting DVD looks like crap compare to the tapes).

I am pretty sure that more folks will buy this authoring software if there is a demo version to convince them.

[dcsos]

Nobody's mentioned SONIC FOUNDRY's DVD ARCHITECT
sorta expensive, but many more features than
ULEAD or SPRUCE's Cheaper offering
It makes motion menus and chapter setting is a breeze
(you can add the chapters to a stream in for a DVD in VEGAS too!)

Spidey..what does PRODUCER offer over DVDit PE?
Just Open DVD? Can you elaborate?
(of course that's a lot but so's the price!)

[spidey]

Producer offers multiple title sets

So each of your movies is a seperate vob set

This allows you to mix and match Mpeg 1 and Mpeg 2 source clips regardless of their resolutions. This is priceless, as you can now use virtually anything as your source.

ie (from the dvdr section)

VIDEO_TS.BUP
VIDEO_TS.IFO

VIDEO_TS.VOB
VTS_01_0.BUP
VTS_01_0.IFO Title Set 01, IFO, usually the main movie
VTS_01_0.VOB Title 01, VOB 0, the menu for this title
VTS_01_1.VOB Title 01, VOB 1, the video for this title
VTS_01_2.VOB Title 01, VOB 2, if larger than 1 GB it will be splitted into several vobs
VTS_01_3.VOB Title 01, VOB 3
VTS_01_4.VOB Title 01, VOB 4, up to 10(0-9) VOB files if necassary
VTS_02_0.BUP
VTS_02_0.IFO Title Set 02, IFO, usually movie extras
VTS_02_0.VOB Title 02, VOB 0, the menu for this title
VTS_02_1.VOB Title 02, VOB 1, the video for this title
VTS_xx_x.BUP
VTS_xx_x.IFO And so on
VTS_xx_x.VOB
VTS_xx_x.VOB
VTS_99_9.VOB


DVDit, ReelDVD, and anything below it in Sonic's food chain render all your clips to one title set. If you look at any of your DVDit compiled discs, you'll see it's only one set

ie
VIDEO_TS
VIDEO_TS.BUP
VIDEO_TS.IFO
The first video play item, IFO, usally a copyright notice or a menu
VIDEO_TS.VOB The first video play item, VOB
VTS_01_0.BUP
VTS_01_0.IFO Title 01, IFO, usually the main movie
VTS_01_0.VOB Title 01, VOB 0, the menu for this title
VTS_01_1.VOB Title 01, VOB 1, the video for this title
VTS_01_2.VOB Title 01

It combines them all together, hence why you must choose either Mpeg 1 or Mpeg 2 sources as you first begin a project.

Plus aestethically Producer's a ton more flexible. PM me for more info