Best environment for DVD authoring?

[Conrad007]

I've asked myself which operating system is offering the best and most powerful tools for DVD-authoring: Windows or Linux (Unix)? Some people are saying that Linux is much more powerful than Windows in that matter, but since I have no experience in Linux and I am a beginner in DVD-authoring under Windows, I would like to ask you for your competent opinion, maybe with arguments and examples of tools.

Conrad

[hech54]

have no experience in Linux and I am a beginner in DVD-authoring

No Brainer - Windows.
And "authoring" is just gathering up your MPEG2 material and arranging into DVD format. It is far from computer intensive.

[Bonie81]

@Conrad007

hech54 has already replied you. As you have no experience in Linux and I am a beginner in DVD-authoring.
i wud rather suggest try AVStoDVD (Free) or ConvertX2DVD (if you want to spend some bucks on nice piece).
Otherwise in TUX DVDAuthor is also strong.

[usually_quiet]

There is more DVD authoring software availble for Windows, that's for sure. See https://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/authoring-dvd Professional-level DVD authoring aps I've heard of are either Windows or OSX.

Bombono DVD, dvdauthor, DVDStyler, Varsha and tovid are the only ones I know of for Linux. dvdauthor and DVDStyler are also available for Windows.

[chowmein]

Icekool666, you're doing something wrong, there shouldn't be any reencoding going on. Tools like DVDStyler don't make your movie "jerky". If the jerkiness is in your source, go back & reencode it from scratch.

With regard to ConvertXtoDVD, maybe you are forcing it to do a framerate conversion or something?

[manono]

Well, if I download a dvdrip file in say, mkv or avi format, doesn't the app then re-encode it into an mpeg?

Depends on the app. Reencoding is different and distinct from authoring. Programs such as the aforementioned DVDStyler, as well as Muxman, IFOEdit, GUI4DVDAuthor, DVDAuthorGUI are pure authoring programs and don't reencode anything. Although the OP may also be thinking as you do, his question specifically pertained to authoring.

[chowmein]

DVDStyler will convert various formats to DVD compliancy, but I've never used it for this. And while I tend to champion the open-source cause, I have to say that ConvertXtoDVD is very good, it is highly tweaked software that produces very nice output. Have you tried AVStoDVD using the HC encoder? I can't say I've tried DeVeDe (always thought it was a Linux app only!)...hmm maybe I should take it for a whirl?

[manono]

Oh, thanks. I didn't realize DVDStyler could encode also.

[chowmein]

It's a newish feature (uses ffmpeg).

But my choice of DVD authoring software remains DVDAuthorGUI. It just does everything I want, quick & easy, and... I dunno, I just like it a lot!? :P

[manono]

Yeah, me too when I have to make menus. Otherwise it's Muxman.

[lordsmurf]

Most of the stuff being suggested in this thread so far is limited at best, crap at worst.

If you're serious about authoring, then...

Choices apps on Windows:
- Sonic Scenarist
- Sony DVD Architect
- Adobe Encore CS5
- Ulead DVD Workshop 2
- Mediachance DVD-Lab Pro 2

Choice apps on OS X:
- DVD Studio Pro
- Adobe Encore CS5

Choice apps on Linux:
- nothing

[lordsmurf]

So you're not a Win or Mac fanboy then

Computers are just tools to perform a task. I don't care about OS.

it doesn't however offer any fancy menu stuff or animated menus etc

Most of the stuff being suggested in this thread so far is limited at best, crap at worst.

You just proved my point.
Linux just isn't a serious platform for video workflows. That wasn't its purpose.
Mac is limited in what it can do.
Windows is what powers the video industry. If you worked it in, you'd know that.

If you like Linux for making very basic DVDs, then good for you.
My use of Linux doesn't really expand past hosting, because that's what it does best.

I don't really care for opinions by others that are not based in fact.

[usually_quiet]

And there was I thinkng that there might be a decent level of intelligence on this forum, seeing as vid transcoding & all its forms does take some brain power.

So you're not a Win or Mac fanboy then

If you were bright enough to run any Linux distro on your computer you would see that for a start DeVeDe does an incredibly good job of giving 1st class video playback quality, it doesn't however offer any fancy menu stuff or animated menus etc..so if that is important then I'm sure some of the apps you suggest do a fine job. There are some other apps for Linux but I havent tried them, I simply don't need to in view of DeVeDe's excellence.

It also works perfectly in Windows as well

I'm also glad not to be a complete lemming, sheeple consumer handing over money for every bit of software that offers decent level functionality..........

Some software can do both, but video conversion and DVD authoring are an entirely different things. If conversion is needed, it must happen prior to actual DVD authoring. As was already explained, DVD authoring is all is about making menus, and organizing video, audio and subtitiles that are already DVD compatible into the files required for a playable disc.

What you find appealing about DeVeDe is its ability to re-convert the DVD incompatible file formats you download into nice DVD-compatible video and audio again. Since you yourself describe DeVeDe as very limited for menu creation, it certanly doesn't qualify as a professional DVD authoring tool.

While there are some Linux DVD authoring applications that are good for general use, none of them qualify as professional tools. I looked at their dependencies and it turns out that Bombono DVD, DeVeDe, DVD Styler, tovid, and Varsha all use dvdauthor as their authoring engine.

While dvdauthor itself is a powerful tool and continues to be improved, I think it probably still has limitations that would make it unacceptable in a professional environment. Plus, I don't think a GUI has been written for dvdauthor yet that can use its full power (GUI for dvdauthor, which I use, is the closest.) Such a GUI would be very difficult for non-professionals to use.

[usually_quiet]

For what its worth, for those in the US, Corel DVD Workshop 2 is on sale at B&H Photo and Video until the end of this month for $10.99 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=corel+DVD+workshop&N=0&InitialSearch=yes

It will need a missing .dll installed for use with Vista or Windows 7, plus possibly an update patch, and can't do 16:9 menus natively, but what a bargain price!

[bendixG15]

changed

[chowmein]

While dvdauthor itself is a powerful tool and continues to be improved, I think it probably still has limitations that would make it unacceptable in a professional environment. Plus, I don't think a GUI has been written for dvdauthor yet that can use its full power (GUI for dvdauthor, which I use, is the closest.) Such a GUI would be very difficult for non-professionals to use.

I think "dvdauthor" has been around long enough now to stand the test of time. It just plain WORKS. DVD players don't throw fits at disks authored by it. That says a lot when compared with commercial apps such as DVDLabPro and DVD Workshop!

[usually_quiet]

While dvdauthor itself is a powerful tool and continues to be improved, I think it probably still has limitations that would make it unacceptable in a professional environment. Plus, I don't think a GUI has been written for dvdauthor yet that can use its full power (GUI for dvdauthor, which I use, is the closest.) Such a GUI would be very difficult for non-professionals to use.

I think "dvdauthor" has been around long enough now to stand the test of time. It just plain WORKS. DVD players don't throw fits at disks authored by it. That says a lot when compared with commercial apps such as DVDLabPro and DVD Workshop!

I know dvdauthor works for most things (I use GFD), but I am pretty sure there are limitations in what it can do. For one thing, I don't think dvdauthor currently allows full use of all the commands available in the DVD Virtual Machine Language. Hence, it's not going to be good enough for a professional environment. Plus dvdauthor itself isn't a GUI application. To use it without a GUI front end, one needs to be able to write XML scripts.

The various GUIs for dvdauthor are designed to prevent noobs from making some stupid mistakes. Those who designed DVDLabPro and DVD Workshop assumed the people who would use them know what they are doing.

[liquid217]

I can't speak for GFD, or DVDStyler, but DVDAuthorGUI does allow you to use any of the VM commands, outlined here:
http://dvdauthor.sourceforge.net/doc/r1741.html#AEN1916

In the current version, you can enter multiline functions in the post commands, right from the GUI. One engineering fellow actually used DVDAuthorGUI to create a simple "shell" game, where a "Ball" is placed under 1 of 3 shells, and the user chooses which one it is under.

DVDAuthorGUI also includes the "Edit XML before authoring" feature, that basically creates the XML based on the configuration you have defined in the GUI. It then allows you to modify the entire XML document any way you see fit.

Now obviously, the real power behind dvdauthor is unleashed when you code the XML file yourself; but for most of us, with simpler needs, can just use a GUI of some type.

BTW, if anyone is interested in that shell game, the project file is on DVDAuthorGUI's sample projects page.

[usually_quiet]

I can't speak for GFD, or DVDStyler, but DVDAuthorGUI does allow you to use any of the VM commands, outlined here:
http://dvdauthor.sourceforge.net/doc/r1741.html#AEN1916

In the current version, you can enter multiline functions in the post commands, right from the GUI. One engineering fellow actually used DVDAuthorGUI to create a simple "shell" game, where a "Ball" is placed under 1 of 3 shells, and the user chooses which one it is under.

DVDAuthorGUI also includes the "Edit XML before authoring" feature, that basically creates the XML based on the configuration you have defined in the GUI. It then allows you to modify the entire XML document any way you see fit.

Now obviously, the real power behind dvdauthor is unleashed when you code the XML file yourself; but for most of us, with simpler needs, can just use a GUI of some type.

BTW, if anyone is interested in that shell game, the project file is on DVDAuthorGUI's sample projects page.

I'm talking about the instructions available to use in the pre and post command list. There used to be a dvdauthor wiki giving the details, but I can't find it anymore. They were not the numeric codes used for the actual DVD VML, they were instructions peculiar to dvdauthor's XML language. The last time I looked, not all VML commands were implemented.

[liquid217]

Yea, that's actually a little bit further down on that document I linked to. You may be thinking of shawnfumo's wiki, which seems to be having some technical problems currently. If you ignore the warnings at the top of the page, he has listed all of the registers available, as well as the basic syntax.
http://nfs.shawnfumo.com/wiki/DVDAuthor/VMLanguage

[Constant Gardener]

Those who designed DVDLabPro and DVD Workshop assumed the people who would use them know what they are doing.

I can't speak for DVD Workshop, but I found DVDLab to be an excellent learning tool; after a while I moved to the pro version. I used rewriteable discs until I had some confidence in my endeavors.

[lordsmurf]

Those who designed DVDLabPro and DVD Workshop assumed the people who would use them know what they are doing.

Pretty much.

[usually_quiet]

Yea, that's actually a little bit further down on that document I linked to. You may be thinking of shawnfumo's wiki, which seems to be having some technical problems currently. If you ignore the warnings at the top of the page, he has listed all of the registers available, as well as the basic syntax.
http://nfs.shawnfumo.com/wiki/DVDAuthor/VMLanguage

Thanks. I did find shawnfumo's wiki myself while looking for the document I remembered, and it is a good reference, but it is not what I remember seeing.

In any case, there is not a 1:1 relationship between the C-like instruction set used by dvdauthor and the DVD VML.

I turned to pgcedit to address a problem I was trying to solve in GFD, and once I became accustomed to using pgcedit's more direct methods for DVD VML programming, I stopped trying to use the pre and post commands supported by dvdauthor. Having the real commands available directly is better.

I am considering possibly wasting $14 to order DVD Workshop 2 to see lf Lord Smurf's praise for the product is justified.

[borax]

I turned to pgcedit to address a problem I was trying to solve in GFD, and once I became accustomed to using pgcedit's more direct methods for DVD VML programming, I stopped trying to use the pre and post commands supported by dvdauthor. Having the real commands available directly is better.

You can switch GfD to use MuxMan as authoring engine. MuxMan uses exactly the same syntax as the 'normal' VML programming language (like pgcedit).