Ulead DVD Workshop 2 replacement?

[msimon7]

hello.
i was looking for recommendations from experience users for Ulead DVD Workshop 2 for DVD authoring.
i am a big fan (or was) of that app and just rebuilt my PC (WinXP) and wanted to see if anyone who used to love DVDWS, now uses something else and is happy with it.
the DVDs i'd be making are home movies made into DVDs or concert bootlegs that need a menu.
DVDWS seemed pretty powerful and easy to use for making menus, but it hasn't been updated in many years (probably discontinued) and would love some recommendations of what i should maybe try as a replacement

drop the video files in, set chapter points, make nice looking menus (even motion preferred), make an image to burn with another app.

seems pretty basic, but with so potential choices out there its hard to decide without installing a ton of trials first
have been reading a LOT of reviews and it is tough to make a decision from just specs...

thanks for any replies.

[zoobie]

I don't understand why you would want to switch if you are happy with what you have...Most authoring is the same anyway with little differences...there really hasn't been any sudden major developments making dvd's

[Brainiac]

I used to use DVD Workshop 2. It was/is a great program, for the most part. I stopped using it because the scrubber is horrific. It made placement of chapter points an absolute nightmare.

I switched to DVDIt Pro 6 HD. It works ok, but it doesn't have some of the features of DVD Workshop 2. But it does do Blu-Ray Authoring. It is a little expensive and does crash from time to time, and the support is terrible.

Corel DVD MovieFactory 6 is an OK authoring application. Not as mature as DVD Workshop 2, but just OK.

Corel VideoStudio X2 does DVD Authoring as well, but I would describe as a video editor with some authoring capabilities.

Bottom line: If DVD Workshop 2 is working for you, then by all means stick with it.

Just my 2 cents.

Brainiac

[nwo]

I used to Ulead DVD Workshop 2 till i switch to DVD Architect, to many errors on workshop and very slow.

[genki500]

Corel DVD MovieFactory 6 is an OK authoring application. Not as mature as DVD Workshop 2, but just OK.

Corel VideoStudio X2 does DVD Authoring as well, but I would describe as a video editor with some authoring capabilities.

Brainiac

Corel bought Ulead. These two Corel applications are basically updated version of Ulead, some changes, but not much improvement.


.

[lordsmurf]

I still use DVD Workshop 2 for most with-menu DVDs.

I use TDA3 for menu-less DVDs.

For advanced authoring work, I still use DVD Studio Pro in Mac OS X.

There really isn't anything better than DVDWS2 on Windows:
-- SVCD2DVD has potential, but it's currently not a contender (it competes more with TDA).
-- DVD-Lab has potential too, but there are quirks in it, and the learning curve is ridiculously stupid.

Unless you're trying to author 16:9, stick to DVDWS2.

So it hasn't had updates. "Ain't broke, don't fix it."

[msimon7]

thanks guys for all the replys. do appreciate them

starting to seem i may stay with workshop. brainiac, you're right about chaptering. i do remember that was painful most times.

lord smurf, what do you mean by "Unless you're trying to author 16:9, stick to DVDWS2"?

16:9 is all i'd want to do (camcorder records wide). i've done some widescreen in the past with DVDWS2. is there something i should be looking out for?


so as far as menu making, DVDWS is one of the best? even including motion menus or transitions (which i guess would also be considered motion?)[/quote]

[msimon7]

i think i know what you mean about 16:9 dvdws2, its the menus right?
i did find a workaround for it on corel's forum
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=12880

still curious if you guys think dvdws is still tops for menus. thx.

[lordsmurf]

That's a good workaround for 16:9.

[mpgabor7]

The only problem with the work-around or patch for the 16:9 menu is that the chapters and menu buttons are "highlighted" incorrectly after the patch. They highlight a space beneath the actual button.

The patch work beautifully if you are only interested in having a "play" button. The process is easy if you patch for the 16:9 menu using pgcedit and DVDPatcher as explained at the following site: http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=12880 However, if you need to have chapters and/or menu buttons - - as I do, then you will have an issue after the patch.

I need to find an inexpensive program that gives me the same control over content as this program. I have all the other Ulead Products (except the Corel VideoStudio® Pro X2), and none of them allow total control over the authoring.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Relatively inexpensive being the key words.

Thanks in advance.

[p_l]

It is really sad that Corel has effectively killed this excellent software. I've also tried some other Ulead products, but they don't have the features of DVDWS 2, nor have I found anything as good since. Admittedly, I haven't tried Corel VideoStudio® Pro X2 either, though, nor have I tried DVDWS's alleged replacement, Corel Digital Studio. If anyone has, how is it?

[lordsmurf]

I wonder if something like DVD ReMake Pro would help with changing the menu to 16:9 afterwards?

[GodfreyD]

Have also used dvdw2 and now have started using dvd Architect for widescreen menus and eventuallyblueray.

Strangely just discovered that a 2hr 50 minute .avi compressed by Procoder express to 7.8 gig can burn to a dual layer disc with dvdw2, where dvdw2 says it needs only 4.3 gig outof 8.5 but dvd architect refuses to compress any further and says there is not enough disc space!

the .avi was converted to an m2v video file and pcm leaving dvdw2 to convert to a template using ac-3.

What is it about Ulead DVD workshop 2 that can reduce such a large m2v file onto a dual layer disc but dvd architect refuses to do that?

Any ideas?

[lordsmurf]

Not sure I follow you here...

So you're giving both programs a 7.8GB file, and DVDWS2 makes a 4.3GB disc?
You're letting DVDWS2 convert the video. It has this extra function. (Not that I suggest using it.)
Architect cannot convert video.

[DB83]

The size as reported by DVDWS2 is not correct. Just as a test I loaded a 10 gig compliant file into the program. It told me the project would be 4 gig and then it set about comiling the dvd with no re-encoding.

[lordsmurf]

So DVDWS2 made a 10GB output to a folder or ISO for you?

[GodfreyD]

Lordsmurf - you may be right. dvdw2 seems to be converting the video even though the check box is not clicked for "convert to template". Are you saying it is compressing an m2v file from 7.8 gig down to 4.8?

Thanks db83. From what you say the m2v file is going to lose definition by burning a large 7.8 gig file in dvdw2 rather than using DVD Architect and splitting the nearly 3 hour video into two discs. Is tghat right? If so - I had no iodea dvdw2 is downgrading the quality so much

[GodfreyD]

I burn straight to disc and do not create an ISO file with dvdw2. Not sure that creating an ISO file will make any deifference in dvd Architect anyway.

[lordsmurf]

DVDWS2's burning engine isn't very good. It's bad for DL burning.
Always output to folder or ISO.
If you burn straight to disc, and the burn is bad, you have to start over. Yuck.

You must not be giving compliant video files to DVDWS. It will not convert compliant MPEG's.
I use it for DVD+R DL projects quite a bit.
After it's done, I use PgcEdit to set a layer break, then burn in Imgburn.

[DB83]

Actually I did not say it was down grading. If the video is compliant, if your input 8 gig you will output 8 gig. The quoted size is nonsense. Every time I see the numbers I ignore them. I know the final size of my dvd as I have created the compliant mpeg2 for that very purpose.

And I will concur with what has been written about the DVDWS2's burner. When I first had the program - many, many moons ago - I did burn with it. Since it offers no verification, you have to play the burnt disk to be sure it is fine. Even then there have been occassions when a disk has failed to play in other systems. Using imgburn I have had no problems whatsoever.

[GodfreyD]

Both your advice so far has been a real insight for me. Thanks.

But a. what is the purpose of using PgcEdit to set a layer break please and DB83,
b. What is your workflow and
c. what authoring s/w do you use now?

For a video lasting 2hour 40 minutes I start with a fused .avi file
Convert in Procoder Express to m2v ( can be anything between 5-7000)
Then burn direct within DVDW2 to a single layer disc.

Clearly I have been mising some stages if I want decent quality on a single disc - before learning later to use bluray

[lordsmurf]

Layers breaks must be set for proper DL burning. DVDWS2 does not set a break. If you burn it with a break (which can be done, thanks to all the crappy burning software out there), you'll end up with a disc that is ejected by most players.

1. Import video, audio, etc -- just like any project. Save to folders.
2. Open PgcEdit, "open DVD" (File >) and then I forget. Not on that computer right now....
3. It launches ImgBurn to burn it.

Find the guide on this site. Blutarch (or something like that) wrote it.

[DB83]

My typical workflow:-

avi(DV) >> Procoder (crop there if I need to convert 4:3 to 16:9) Mpeg2_DVD(mastering quality) - the 6,000 max bitrate is usually fine + LPCM audio (if I want ac3 then I import the LPCM into Ulead Media Studio and create it there - for some reason DVDWS does not like the ac3 that procoder creates) >> DVDWS to author - make HDD folders to check the dvd >> burn with imgburn

If I need to do more sophisticated editing then I will import the DV into Ulead Media Studio. If I feel 'lucky' I will create the dvd compliant mpeg2 here and import that into DVDWS.

DVDWS was 'tops' when it came out. It's only short-coming for me is its failure to create 16:9 menus. So I normally just leave the menu in 4:3 being wary about placement of items in the top and bottom parts of the screen.

[lordsmurf]

I often let DVDWS encode the AC3 from WAV input.
The Dolby AC3 is compliant, and it sounds fine, don't remember any issues with it.

Womble or TMPGEnc SP do my other encoding, both Dolby certified, and sound fine. Works in DVDWS, no issue.

Besweet's AC3enc.dll is not certified (rev. eng. ver., I believe), and I've had a lot of errors using it in past years.

[DB83]

I think I might have let DVDWS do that at some stage as well.

But the dvd I have in mind required two audio tracks. It would import the procoder created LPCM with no problem. It refused to load the ac3. But I do prefer to import assets without futher re-encoding.

[GodfreyD]

OK. I give up!!

I make good films and it now turns out from what you guys have advised that i have probably been making lousy decent quality dvds by simply importing m2v files into dvdw2

I thought I was gettting decent quality from dvdw2 and was about to change over to dvd architect, but with all the new advice it seems I have not been living a life and just kiddin myself

Anyone near north London who would be prepared to give me some training on site with dvd architect, pgcedit and imgburn - and if you want to charge for your time that's ok with me - so long as I dont have to sell the house for the benefit of your training

Thanks

[DB83]

Hey, do not put words into our mouths. The only thing I see wrong with your workflow is putting 2 hrs 40 on to a single DVD5. There are two ways to do that.

1. You encode down to approx 3000 kbps - at Full D1 (720*576) that will not give you very good quality.
2. You encode at half D (352*576) and 2500 kbps - and subject to your source that can give you reasonable quality. I have done that as well (using Media Studio for the encode)

Only trouble is that I think you have to go a different way in procoder for the half D if at all it supports it.

But is it neccessary to get the whole thing on to one DVD5 ?. Find a convenient place to split and just make a 2 disk set. I have done that as well.

I do not get involved with DVD9s simply because of the extra setting for the layer break but it has been said here that guides exist to help you. Just do not use DVDWS for the burning.

So do not over-react. That is simply not needed. And no need to ditch a perfectly good piece of software just for this.