Help! What do you authoring software would you recommend for the following:

[devilking]

I've been using Ulead DVD Workshop 2.2, and it's not cutting the mustand. I love the interface, but it's not as flexible as I need. Here is what I need in an authoring program, and I'm hoping to get some recommendatios:

1) It must be able to input any type of video (avi, mpg1, mpg2, mov, wmv, and divx at least).
2) Unlimited buttons per menu (DVD Workshop caps it below 10...for me at least)
3) Easy linking, including linking buttons and movies to text
4) Transcoding the final package to fit on DVD-5 if it's over 4.7 gigs.

TMPEnc DVD Author won't accept most file formats. Neither will DVD_Lab, and that program confuses me anyways (I'm a newb). Somethingas easy as possible to use of course. I'm not expert! Any help would be greatly appreicated. Thanks!

[yoda313]

TMPEnc DVD Author won't accept most file formats. Neither will DVD_Lab,

A lot of people here tend to convert their video formats first then author the dvd. It allows for a little more flexibility. You can use tmpgenc to convert avi to mpeg 2 for dvd authoring. Its realitivley easy to figure it out and if you come across some stubmling blocks feel free to ask here.

If on the other hand you want faster results you could simply by a divx dvd player that can handle avi files (not sure of any that can take wmv but I'm sure they are out there). They go for close to $50 these days and all you have to do is burn the avi file and you're good to go, no conversion or authoring needed - though the disc will only be playable on a divx dvd player or a computer so you'd be limited in that sense.

[guns1inger]

1. Very few programs can accept all formats, and none will do all formats well. The only way to do this with any confidence in the outcome is to take each file on it's merits and use the right software as required. DVD Lab Pro only accepts DVD compliant mpeg video, as it doesn't encode.

2. You can't have unlimited buttons. The DVD spec allows for a maximum of 32 buttons per menu.

3. Most authoring software of any note does this.

4. DVD Lab Pro can transcode assets if you need it too, but transcoidng is never the best solution. If you encode correctly in the first place, there is never a need to transcode.

If you simply want speed and simplicity, use ConvertXtoDVD to encode your video (it accepts most formats), and tmpgenc DVD author for menus. Accept that it wont look like a commercial disc and won't do everything you wan't but it will be close. If you need to transcode, Use DVD Shrink afterwards.

If quality means anything to you, learn how to use the correct tools the right way (for instance, tmpgenc will encode pretty much any format, if you use avisynth to frameserve to it), and put the effort in.

You can have simplicity, or you can have quality, but on day one you cannot have both. If you take the time to learn the better methods, after a short while they too become simple, and you can have simplicty and quality.