The Best DVD Authoring program

[Random490]

I'm new to making dvds and I'm wonder what is the best program to make dvds with. I use windows and my goal is to put my flash cartoons on a dvd, if that helps. Any help would be great, thanks.

[SmokieStover]

A DVD Authoring program takes DVD compliant mpg2 file(s) and creates all the files (VIDEO_TS folder) needed to burn to DVD.

A basic authoring program will chapter, create menus and write the DVD folder. TMPG DVD Author 2.0 is a good one. A unique feature of this program is the built in, frame accurate, mpg cut editor. Many extras. But the big plus is it's easy and fast to learn and use.

You asked an authoring question, so I gave you a quick answer.

Suggest you ask about converting from Flash to DVD compliant mpg in the conversion forum. flv files are generally low quality vid suitable for PC viewing only.

[guns1inger]

The best results can only be achieved by using the correct tools at each stage

A good video encoder to encode the video (HCEnc - free)
A good audio encoder to encode the audio (EncWavtoAC3/Aften - free)
A good still image program to create menu images (Paint.NET - free)
A good authoring tool to assemble all the components (GUIForDVDAuthor - Free)
A good burning application to burn the results to disc (Imgburn - Free)

All of this can cost $$$$s, or be done with freeware. The secret to a good disc is spending enough time planning and preparing the assets.

If you just want it done quickly and easily, and quality is second or third on your list of priorities, then look at ConvertXtoDVD or DVD Flick. Both can produce decent results, but are limited in features. (and while everybody says quality is the top of the list, in reality, for too many, it isn't really)

[Alex_ander]

TMPG DVD Author 2.0 is a good one. A unique feature of this program is the built in, frame accurate, mpg cut editor. Many extras. But the big plus is it's easy and fast to learn and use.

I'd also recommend it for beginning, it saves a lot of time and you don't need to learn its interface. The current version 3 is even better. It works much faster and has additional flexibility (button link editor and highlights editor). Button link editor is an important tool for adjusment links between text buttons after you re-arrange them in an automatically created menu page.

[steptoe]

Also, if your cartoons are in the 'flash' format you need to convert them to a video format that will be accepted by the authoring software, something like flash to avi will do


For fairly easy to use and good results without too much effort TMPGenc DVD Author is a good place to start, for something that needs more time and effort to learn and use but can give very good results try looking at DVD-Lab or DVD-Lab Pro

The last two are not a 5 minute bit of software, but the results are very good if you put the effort in


By the sound of it you want to basically put your flash cartoon onto disc with minimum effort, so try TMPGenc DVD Author, it has templates for menus, accepts NTSC and PAL and can burn the result to DVD for you without installing any other software

[mats.hogberg]

The problem here is more to convert the Flash anim (if it's SWF, as SWF is not video as such, but more like graphic objects, and code to move it around) to video. Once that's done, the hard part is done.

/Mats

[Alex_ander]

If SWF, something like this could help:
http://www.sothink.com/product/swftovideoconverter/index.htm