Best Authoring Program to create full custom menu

[quik_123]

Hello Everyone,

I'm trying to create a menu like I saw on a dvd. I tried contacting the person who made it but got no response.

I downloaded the trial version of Ulead which I really liked but when it came down to creating the menu, it seemed very limited. I want to make a very custom menu like the one I saw. The Ulead one had like 4 custom menus and i really didn't have much freedom to create my own. I don't know if thats because its a trial version or not.

Here's the menu I want to make. Does anyone know what dvd authoring software would be able to create it? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!



Pretty simple and I want to be able to have motion thumbnail for each video and still able to put whatever picture or image i want in the menu without being restricted to templates. Thanks!

Also does Ulead make region free dvds?

[Noahtuck]

Thats a very basic menu.
DVD-lab PRO

Actually DVD-lab will do what you want.

[Baldrick]

Ulead dvd moviefactory or ulead dvd workshop or ulead videostudio?


You can make motion thumbnails pretty easy using DVD-lab pro (see http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/tutorial/motionmenu.html ).

[quik_123]

Thanks fellas!

I downloaded Ulead Movie Factory 6 Plus. Would that be able to make the thumbnails?

[lordsmurf]

That menu is so basic it's ugly and amateur.

[Semaphoric]

Yes very basic. You could slap it together in TDA in a few minutes.

[quik_123]

thanks for the input guys. I really like Ulead Movie Factory 6 Plus functionality. Will I be able to make that type of menu with it? Like I said, I've been using the trial version and so far, its limiting me to only templates and how much I can customize it.

I'm guessing the full version will let me customize it to my liking? Just want to know before I buy it.

Thanks!

[guns1inger]

Most template driven home authoring tools have strict limits on customisation. I suspect that what you see in the demo is what you get.

Have you tried something free like GUIForDVDAuthor ? Very flexible, very powerful, could eat up a simple menu like that without any problems.

[Nelson37]

I agree, GFDA would be the way to go. Free, simple, easy, powerful.

You will need to create your own short clips for the thumbnails, but SFAIK anything allowing custom clip selection instead of just using the first 10 seconds would be the same way.

Get in depth some with the program and you will be able to create some Really Nice menus, much better than what you are currently looking at.

[quik_123]

Thanks for the help fellas.

I have one more question Im hoping i can get help on.

I tried Ulead and I liked it because I was able to actually take the footage off a dvd and was able to edit it and put chapter markers where i wanted to.

I found out the program that was used was actually Sony DVD Architect which from the looks of it, has a lot of room to customize menus to however you like.

My question is, is Ulead an all in one type of program that will allow you to rip footage off a dvd (which I want to do) and be able to edit it while DVD Architect requires other programs? Basically, do i need another program to rip the footage off a dvd to be able to drop it into DVD Architect?

[usually_quiet]

Basically, do i need another program to rip the footage off a dvd to be able to drop it into DVD Architect?

If the DVD is copy-protected, definitely. DVDFab HD Decrypter will most likely do the job, especially if the DVD is a recent release.

[quik_123]

None of the stuff im going to use is copyright. Its all either home dvds or stuff I've recorded on my own dvd recorder.

My main concern is I don't want to lose quality when ripping off the dvd. I'm pretty new to this so I'm not sure if Sony DVD Architect will let me rip the dvd and edited whatever footage i rip off of it and/or if it will do it at high quality.

thanks!

[guns1inger]

If it is unprotected, use VOB2MPG to extract the video and audio content without losing quality. Use a dedicated mpeg editor to edit without re-encoding. VideoRedo or Womble Mpeg Video Wizard are suitable. There are free alternatives, but they come with heavy restrictions (usually elementary streams only and I-frame cuts only). Finally, author with the resulting file. If you use DVD Architect. make sure that the project settings match your video settings exactly, or it will force a re-encode.