Freeware authoring program?

[guitardan]

Until recently I was using Pinnacle to make dvd's of camcorder footage and video clips I have on my pc. But after installing a new DVD Writer, this program (and only this one) does not recognise the drive. I was using nero but I only had a trial of the dvd authoring features. Is there anything i can download for free that will take my video's and burn them on a disc that i can play in my dvd player? Thanks

[daamon]

There's plenty of free authoring and burning software in the various categories in the "Tools" section. The link is down the left hand side of all pages.

You can click the column header to order the tools by price.

[yoda313]

guifordvdauthor

or any of the variants for dvdauthor.

Pretty good software. Maybe not quite as user friendly (ie simple setup) as some of the more basic pay software but it won't take you long to get into it.

[guitardan]

cheers i will try those

[guitardan]

Ok I've got DVDAuthorGUI but just realised it doesn't handle AVI or Xvid and DivX. Is there any freeware that does, or for the time it will take the programs to decode/encode am I better off just coverting it to MPEG first and then just using DVDAuthorGUI? Thing is I don't want to have to use up space creating a new file, but if this is best, any recommendations on which freeware program to convert AVI, Xvid, Divx to MPEG?

Thanks for your help

[yoda313]

divxtodvd does conversion to mpeg for free I believe (or at least one of its versions is free now....) From there you can go the dvd route.

I take it you don't have a standalone dvd player that can play divx? They are under $50 US these days for the cheapo ones. That might save you a lot of transfer time if you want to go for a quick and easy solution.....

[kschang]

Ok I've got DVDAuthorGUI but just realised it doesn't handle AVI or Xvid and DivX. Is there any freeware that does, or for the time it will take the programs to decode/encode am I better off just coverting it to MPEG first and then just using DVDAuthorGUI? Thing is I don't want to have to use up space creating a new file, but if this is best, any recommendations on which freeware program to convert AVI, Xvid, Divx to MPEG? Thanks for your help

Usually, authoring means everything has been converted / encoded to DVD specs already, and you're just laying out the menus and such.

If you want conversion and burn striaght to a play-only DVD (no menu, no nothing), use ConvertXtoDVD (or its free cousin, DivxtoDVD)

[TaoTeWingChun]

Guitardan,

Why not keep using Pinnacle. assuming you haven't uninstalled it??

Seems to me you could still do your video editing from within Pinnacle, output your DVD source to disc and then use something else just to burn the DVD folder structure?

Just because Pinnacle doesn't recognize your new burner doesn't mean you should stop using it as your DVD creation program - you can use any of the other burning programs to burn the DVD video . . .

Good Luck!

TTWC

[sacajaweeda]

Guitardan,

Why not keep using Pinnacle. assuming you haven't uninstalled it??

Seems to me you could still do your video editing from within Pinnacle, output your DVD source to disc and then use something else just to burn the DVD folder structure?

Just because Pinnacle doesn't recognize your new burner doesn't mean you should stop using it as your DVD creation program - you can use any of the other burning programs to burn the DVD video . . .

Good Luck!

TTWC

co-sign

[guitardan]

Hi thanks for the help, yeah I'll try using pinnacle and see what sort of file it outputs too and if I can just burn that.

I do have a player that plays Divx and Xvid stuff, even plain data discs, but I sometimes watch on my PS2 or lend stuff out so certain things would be handy to have on a disc that could be played on anything.

I really wanted something that would do what pinnacle or nero would do, didn't realise that the authoring programs wouldn't convert like them. I don't mind foregoing advanced menu's as long as I can burn it to a disc that will play on most players.

I'll play around with some of these programs and see what's best. Thanks.

[dlflannery]

Hi thanks for the help, yeah I'll try using pinnacle and see what sort of file it outputs too and if I can just burn that.
...........
I'll play around with some of these programs and see what's best. Thanks.

Have your Pinnacle software output a ISO (.iso, DVD "image" file). Then any burner software can burn it to your disc. Recommend imgburn , freebie available right here and has an excellent reputation.

[lordsmurf]

Freeware authoring programs are pretty crappy. But there are some great options that are low cost. SVCD2DVD and TDA are two of them.

[grannyGeek]

guitardan -
as dlflannery suggests, you can have Pinnacle create your dvd files on hard drive, then use another burning program.

You don't mention which version you have, but in Studio 9, when you go to "Make Disk", select "Create files, do not burn . . . . .".
That will create the DVD folder with TS_Video folder inside.

I think maybe Studio 10 will create ISO, can't remember, only used it once.
But for sure, it can also create the folder on hard drive.

[Lester Burnham]

Freeware authoring programs are pretty crappy.

What's crappy about GUI_for_dvdauthor?

[Rauli]

Hi,
I use dvd styler 1.5b which can import mpegs and vobs for use in your dvd and make basic menus, buttons and backgrounds. This application is still beta but if you avoid using some of the buttons it has successfully compiled my dvd files which I then burn with nero 6.0 express, only problem is on one cheap dvd player the sound lags this issue of which I have posted before and await help. AVS Video convertor is pretty good tool to make your vobs.

Thanks,
Rauli

[guns1inger]

DVD Styler is just another GUI for DVD Author, although not as intuative as GUIforDVDAuthor.