Looking For DV to DVD app for non-tech person

[nona]

I am trying to find an app for a non-tech person so they can easily make a DVD from DV footage. What i am looking for is a app that will do these things:

1. transfer/transcode from DV tape via firewire to MPEG2 in 'real time' so that they do not need to take the time to trascode from the .avi to .mpg after its on the HD. I want to make the standard steps of taking the info off with WinDV or DVIO and encoding with TMpegEnc into one simple step that doesnt take a lot of interaction. (I was thinking that only a hardware solution could do the 'real time' aspect but I hope there is a good software solution)

2. Be able to edit the mpeg2 video with all the fancy stuff(ie transitions, fades, etc) and not have to re render/transcode the whole thing when finished(e.g. Womble Video Wizard).

3. Have scene detection so they don't have to cut one big file up into all the little one created by the different periods of recoding

4. Have a menu creation and authoring in the same program

5. The quality of the final video would need to be good as well, I forsee and app that may fit the criteria but whose encoder is not that great. That brings up a question of would what I am describing as an AIO solution provide the same good quality video as a separate dedicated encoding program?


I have tried a lot of programs in the past that didn't seem to have all of what I am looking for and am not up to date on the new stuff. I don't know if there is anything that has the combination of options/features that I am looking for but I figured if anyone would know it would be someone here.


They will be using a laptop with a PCMCIA firewire card.

Another question I had was whether or not it would be acceptable (i.e. no dropped frames, or sync issue) transfering from the DV cam straight to an external HD that will also be connected via firewire to the PCMCIA card? Or should I just put it on the laptop HD and then transfer to ext. and edit from there?

Thanks alot for any help!

[Baldrick]

No app supports all that.

What apps have you tried?

[Richard_G]

Ulead DVD MovieFactory will do most of what you want, is easy to use and fairly cheap. There is also a 30 day free trial available so you can see if you are happy with it. However, one thing that won't be available with almost all software is the fancy transitions. You have a choice, you transfer to DV.avi, do all your fancy editing and then encode to mpeg, or you encode to mpeg during tranfer and have to use basic transitions. Mpeg is a final product format and not an editable format. Even a simple fade does not look pretty applied to an mpeg no matter what software you use.

[nona]

Baldrich, I have tried a bunch of stuff as far as editors, womble, premiere, edius, vegas. For encoders, CCE, TMPEGEnc, Procoder. Authoring, TMPEG DVD author, encore, dvdlab, Sony DVD. That was all a while ago so I was hoping maybe someone put together something that did all I wanted or my non-tech friend.

A long while ago I did try the Ulead, but will give it a shot again, richard.

So I guess perhaps the best solution for final quality still is to transfer the avi off the tape, edit and reencode?

Any thoughts on the last part of my question? I was hoping to save some time and space on their laptop by going straight to the ext. HD.

Thanks guys

[Richard_G]

In an ideal world and for the best quality, you should transfer as DV.avi, do all your editing and transitions in that format and, once you are happy with the result, encode to mpeg and use DVD authoring software to create your final DVD. However, it all depends on what you are expecting the results to be like and you may find that you are happy with what you get from an all in one program.

The transitions are going to be the worst part but even then, it will depend on what type you use. Some don't look too bad if applied to mpegs, others look pretty horrible. Give DVD Moviefactory a go and see what you think (download from www.ulead.com ). If you are happy with the results, then fine, if not, you've got to do it the long way round.

It's a toss up, do you want to do the work to get the absolute best out of your footage or do you want something easy to use that requires little or no knowledge but will be a compromise?

[nona]

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

[jimmalenko]

Maybe try NeoDVD ?

[SingSing]

NeoDVD will be my bet too.