Best Authoring Program?

[djmobius]

For authoring 3 or more movies to one DVD-R which program is the best?


The Guides (http://www.svcd2dvdmpg.com/SVCD2DVDMPG/Guides/) area lists the following:

SpruceUp
Ulead MovieFactory 2 – SVCD2DVDMPG+ guide available
DVD Workshop
DVD Maestro – SVCD2DVDMPG+ guide available
DVD-lab
IfoEdit/VobEdit
TMPGenc Author – has been mentioned in this Forum

I have attempted to author my first big project with SpruceUp, DVD Maestro, DVD-lab, TMPGenc Author, DVDit! and IfoEdit. I refuse to use any Ulead product due to multiple Registry corruption problems requiring reformatting my boot drive. This has happened with two of their products. Surprisingly, Ulead did refund me for both those products.

Of the above listed products I prefer the interface for DVD-lab. Unfortunately it has never burned a successful multi-movie project.

DVD Maestro and TMPGenc Author do not accept all output files of SVCD2DVDMPG+ leaving you stuck and wondering what is wrong with the SVCD.



Therefore I am curious as to which Authoring Program you think is best and why? Have you had 100% success with it?

Thanks in advance!

[Machine514]

(S)VCD2MPG+ or just (S)VCD2MPG? If I am not mistaken (S)VCD2MPG+ makes the VOBs and other files ready to burn on DVD.

I just use (S)VCD2MPG to create the audio and video files for Maestro last night. Worked like a champ!

I just put all of the VCD-MPGs in a folder, ran (S)VCD2MPG, slected my options and then authored in Maestro. Came out real good.

I also did a SVCDDVD last week. That came out real good too!

-Machine

I've been authoring my vcd's to vcd-dvd to cut down on clutter.
I used (s)vcd2dvdmpg and ulead dvd movie factory 2. The vcd-dvd's played fine in my stand-alone so I lent one to a friend. He said he'd played it on the pc with powerdvd and it was crap.
I tried one myself and sure enough when on the comp they were full of freezes, jerks and fast-forwarding to catch up with audio. As I still had some of the original vobs created by dvdmf2 on the hard drive I tried playing those with powerdvd too, with the same poor result. But the compliant mpg's worked great before authoring.
So I tried again using this guide,

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161658

This time no problem on the player or the pc. Moral is tmpgenc dvd author works fine but ulead dvdmf2 seems to somehow mess up the final product during the authoring process.

[Gurm]

I know that in THEORY, authoring doesn't do ANYTHING to compliant MPEGs.

But you know what? I've seen more DVD's COMPLETELY bork up in authoring than I care to mention. I always burn to RW now, to test these things out.

Sadly, DVD authoring is still a black art. It's at the point now that CD burning was at like 6 years ago.

- Gurm

[djmobius]

Thanks for the responses guys but WHICH authoring program do you use and why?

(S)VCD2MPG+ or just (S)VCD2MPG? If I am not mistaken (S)VCD2MPG+ makes the VOBs and other files ready to burn on DVD.

Sorry Machine514, I meant to specify SCVD2DVDMPG+. But the question was for three or more movies which means you MUST use an authoring program as S2DM+ authoring will only provide you with two buttons and Chrissyboy has stated he prefers to spend his time on the program and not on menus. I certainly cannot fault him for that.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But the compliant mpg's worked great before authoring.
So I tried again using this guide,

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161658

This time no problem on the player or the pc. Moral is tmpgenc dvd author works fine but ulead dvdmf2 seems to somehow mess up the final product during the authoring process.

I agree with your compliant mpg comment wholeheartedly. But I seem to be running into frequent non-compliant SVCDs.

I do have a problem with the Surefire guide. If you are going to use TMPGenc to convert then why not make a DVD-SVCD and skip the S2DM+ step altogether? Dr. Mercury has a "hybrid" template for TMPGenc that works perfectly EVERY time. This is how I handle downloaded AVIs. I have yet to convert one that has had a problem .

Ulead dvdmf2? <wicked chuckle> Keep using Ulead products and it will "mess up" more than the final product! Sorry, I just have an extremely strong bias against Ulead products. They corrupted my Registry three times and I had to format my boot drive and reload all software. On my system that takes about three 12 hour days. What is more they admitted knowing about the Registry problems and refunded my money.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gorm:

Is "bork up" your polite way of saying f$#k up? <big grin>

Thanks for the DVD-RW tip. Fortunately my son beat you to it. I have one Sony DVD+RW that has been burned at least 50 times. Wonder how much longer it will last.

Authoring a black art? I agree. Just needs a stronger spec. If the spec were simply adequate then every Authoring software should all reject the same SVCD+ file. I have many files that are rejected by Maestro but readily load into DVD-lab and TMPGenc Author. Other files are rejected by TMPGenc Author but work with Maestro. Go figure.

BTW, which Authoring program gives you the best success?

[Suprnaut]

I would like to know what is the best program to author with as well. I created a beautifull DVD from an SVCD. I created my own menus and it looks great. The problem is the main movie is SVCD (/w 48k audio), the extras I added are both 720x480, but one is 16:9 and the other is 4:3. My problem is that I need a program that can add multiple VTS sectors since each clip is different and needs its own VTS. Anyone have any suggestions? I tried DVD-Lab and it worked perfectly, didn't even need to use the header patch, but it warned me that I needed multiple VTS sectors. Basically, I need a program that can do this and have the ability to create nice menus.

Another question I have is can a menu link to content on different VTS sectors?

[joepic]

My problem is that I need a program that can add multiple VTS sectors since each clip is different and needs its own VTS.

Another question I have is can a menu link to content on different VTS sectors?

Have you looked at DVD Maestro or TMPGenc DVD Author?

They both do multiple VTS's. You will need to play the "header trick" for your SVCD's.

[Suprnaut]

Hmm DVD Maestro looks like it is no longer sold. Apparently Apple bought them out.

So I guess I'll have to try TMPEGEnc DVD Author. So with the header trick this should be able to work out?

[Gurm]

Post removed.

Please follow our rules:

Do NOT provide information how to obtain warez.

/Baldrick

[Suprnaut]

Well I tried TMPEGenc and it worked perfectly except on thing. The menu creation is complete garbage. Is there anyway to import menus from other programs? Can I save the multiple VTS VIDEOTS folder w/ no menu and add a menu with another program?

[Gurm]

Baldrick,

OH PLEASE.

You've seen me yell at pirates in here before, yeah?

Abandonware isn't warez. Check into it. And even if it were, I was hardly providing a how-to.

REGARDLESS, Maestro is a worthwhile program. Worth going to a little trouble to get your hands on it, which was my point. I don't condone piracy.

Now, on the other hand... if you want to listen to an excellent old recording of Miles Davis that JUST CAN'T BE BOUGHT FOR ANY PRICE, is it still piracy to make a copy of your friend's 78rpm?

- Gurm

[Gurm]

Sure, you can make Menus with external programs. There's a howto on here somewhere...

- Gurm

[Suprnaut]

Sure, you can make Menus with external programs. There's a howto on here somewhere...

Yes but is it possible to import them into TMPEGEnc DVD?

downloaded the latest tmpgenc dvd update that has a lot better menu interface and does motion now.

[CoolB]

Easiest way I know to do 3 svcd's on one dvd is to first run your movies through svcd2dvdmpeg (not the + version). This will eventually create an .mpv and .mpa file, no need to multiplex them back together. Just load the .mpv file into tmpg author and it will auto locate your .mpa audio file. Then just make your tracks, menus ect.... and author. Next you will most likely need to shrink it with dvd-shrink to make it fit 1 dvd-+r/rw, then burn.

Cheers and good burning!!!!
CoolB

[yf2001usa]

Hey,

I use dvd-lab to author vcd-dvd and svcd-dvd cause it can make menu's and it supports half-DVD and non regular-DVD wich a vcd-dvd or svcd-dvd is. Run the file through svcd2dvdmpg and import the .m2v and .ac3 or .mp2 in dvd-lab ánd author away.

I use maestro to author real dvds cause it is a program that gives you a lot of freedom to make dvds with subs and multiple audio tracks. I create the input .m2v and .ac3 with tmpgenc and besweet.

Another tip is dvd menu studio. It is a good tool to make menu's fast.

Greatings,
Yf