TMPGEnc Author Or DVD Lab Pro?

[trolltuning]

The only problems I've had with TMPGenc DVD Author is once it made a vob with a negative length? Couldn't reuse for next project. Solved that by demuxing it.

The second one is annoying though. I need a lot of chapter points at specific times, as I make instructional videos. I usually have all my chapter times sitting in a spreadsheet program. With DVDAuthorGui I just paste the list of chapter times in, but with TMP I have to add each one manually and then enter yes when I get that annoying pop-up telling me I can't start a chapter here, would I like it to choose the closest available point.
(Why would I answer no?)
Am I missing something? Is there a better way to add chapter points?

[rkr1958]

Well well well ...... In a word (or three), TMPGEnc DVD Author, for mine.

It does have limitations, it's not perfect, and I do prefer Ulead DVD Workshop 2 far more. I rarely use TDA now, but it's great for those that are just learning. And super affordable, only $50 (sometimes less on sale/rebate).

If I want to author a DVD with 3 eps of a TV series, there's only one acceptable DVD template ("Blue").

Can I customize the "Blue" Template ? Answer: No

If I want to display some info about the movie (year, cast). Is there a way to insert text (outside the predefined, not-moveable textbox) ? Not that I know of

Check out this motion menu which I authored with TDA ...

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1412661#1412661

While TDA has some limitations your ability to make customized motion menus is much greater than most users realized.

]I agree it's a great tool for beginner. But I "outgrew" it in 6 months...
But to start in DVD authoring, TDA is a great tool...

Would you consider the motion menu I made, which is shown in the above link, a beginner's menu? By the way ... the motion menu I made runs for the length of the Move It Music Video (around 3-minutes or so if I remember correctly) which is shown w/audio in the 360 x 240 window.

[BobK]

The second one is annoying though. I need a lot of chapter points at specific times, as I make instructional videos. I usually have all my chapter times sitting in a spreadsheet program. With DVDAuthorGui I just paste the list of chapter times in, but with TMP I have to add each one manually and then enter yes when I get that annoying pop-up telling me I can't start a chapter here, would I like it to choose the closest available point.
(Why would I answer no?)
Am I missing something? Is there a better way to add chapter points?

The new version of TDA (Pro) will let you set chapters at any point. I'm not sure how you get the chapter times in a spreadsheet unless you're typing them in, and I don't imagine that would be any faster than setting them manually in TDA Pro.

[trolltuning]

BobK wrote:

The new version of TDA (Pro) will let you set chapters at any point. I'm not sure how you get the chapter times in a spreadsheet unless you're typing them in, and I don't imagine that would be any faster than setting them manually in TDA Pro.

Nice to know although I hate to spend $59 to upgrade one feature.
I either type them in or paste them in from Womble timecode, or I paste the frame numbers from an Avisynth script and let the spreadsheet convert to times. Sometimes I need to add or subtract them. Then I let the spreadsheet format them so the authoring program will accept them. Obviously easier to paste them all in at once seeing as I have to do the other anyhow.

[BobK]

Nice to know although I hate to spend $59 to upgrade one feature.

That's understandable. It might not make any difference, but there are other differences besides that one feature. The most useful to me was the ability to quickly simulate the dvd before compiling so- mainly to check the direction of menu links (also has a button on the menu page that will show button the up/down and right/left buttons will go from each button.

[MackemX]

TDA if you want ease of use, are satisfied with it's templates, and want the job done quickneasy.
DVD-Lab if you want to do anything "out of the ordinary" and want full control over how your DVD will look, and are willing to invest time to learn how to do it.
IMO, the philosophy behind these two are entirely different. TDA's focus is ease of use. DVD-Lab's focus is features.

/Mats

ditto