Looking for versatile, easy-to-learn program for authoring Blu-rays

[jeanpave]

Hi.

I would be interested in finding a good program, no matter what the cost is, that can create Blu-rays very close to professional-looking ones.

I've used DVD-lab Pro, for DVDs, and if I could find something like that, but for Blu-ray discs, that would be perfect.
(It has to be something easier to use than Sonic Scenarist, and with approximately as much versatility as DVD-lab Pro... but for Blu-ray, of course.)

Thank you very much for any useful information.

P.S. If you suggest programs that are freeware, of course I'll be skeptical. Please post a screenshot, or something, if you can.

[edDV]

Hi.

I would be interested in finding a good program, no matter what the cost is, that can create Blu-rays very close to professional-looking ones.

I've used DVD-lab Pro, for DVDs, and if I could find something like that, but for Blu-ray discs, that would be perfect.
(It has to be something easier to use than Sonic Scenarist, and with approximately as much versatility as DVD-lab Pro... but for Blu-ray, of course.)

Thank you very much for any useful information.

P.S. If you suggest programs that are freeware, of course I'll be skeptical. Please post a screenshot, or something, if you can.

If unlimited budget I've no idea. But if on prosumer budget, have you tested Vegas Pro's DVD Author? And if so, what additional features do you need? This will help others suggest more advanced/expensive solutions.

[poisondeathray]

unlimited budget, but not scenarist ?

blu-print
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/bluprint

do studio net blender
http://www.netblender.com/main/products/dostudio-bd-authoring-edition-dsa/


you can see comparison page of "pro" features
http://www.netblender.com/main/products/dostudio-bd-authoring-edition-dsa/dostudio-ex/comparison/

[jeanpave]

If unlimited budget I've no idea. But if on prosumer budget, have you tested Vegas Pro's DVD Author? And if so, what additional features do you need? This will help others suggest more advanced/expensive solutions.

As many features as possible, as long as it's intuitive like DVD-lab Pro. (I have to learn it quickly.)

I'm not looking for something that has pre-set menus, where you cannot insert or change everything. (For example, not something like the NeroVision DVD authoring software in the Nero packages.)

I'll see if Vegas Pro's DVD Author is good enough for what I was expecting, because I have Vegas already, and report back here in a few.

Thanks.

unlimited budget, but not scenarist ?

blu-print
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/bluprint

do studio net blender
http://www.netblender.com/main/products/dostudio-bd-authoring-edition-dsa/


you can see comparison page of "pro" features
http://www.netblender.com/main/products/dostudio-bd-authoring-edition-dsa/dostudio-ex/comparison/

Not Scenarist, because it's such a pain to master that program!... (It's very hard to create something looking good, for a beginner. And it's extremely picky regarding formats, and user-unfriendly on top of that.)

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll check those pages in a moment.

[videopoo]

Blu Print, Scenarist and Do Studio are the only professional tools available. Encore is close but its incredibly buggy and as many limitation.

You will not be able to learn these tools or how BD works quickly. I was in charge of R&D years ago for a small authoring firm and tested all 3. Took me months of very hard and frustrating work

[edDV]

Quick summary of the 6 programs compared is Encore, DVDit and DVD Author use DVD style menus but with HD source. Finished product is a self burned Blu-Ray disc.

[jeanpave]

Thank you very much, guys.

I would be willing to put in a few months of learning how BD works, if only I could get the program to install properly, to start with, you know.

But I tried Sony's Blu-print, and I was surprised by how hard they made it, just to install. Why does one have to install a million other things, before installing the actual program? And, then, of course it's not going to work because Sony's instructions are garbage, there's no way to actually follow their instructions to the letter, on all computers, and the other installers coming in Sony's package do not even do what they're supposed to do, all the time.
Is Do Studio the same way? If it's just one installer, and then run the program, then the hell with Sony's software; I'll give Do Studio a try. Or is this the way BD works? - You have to have a workstation set up exactly as needed, or else you cannot create these discs?...

In the meantime, I have CS5, so maybe I'll see what Encore can do.

Thanks again.

[jeanpave]

Quick summary of the 6 programs compared is Encore, DVDit and DVD Author use DVD style menus but with HD source. Finished product is a self burned Blu-Ray disc.

Thank you very much for offering this information.
This is probably going to be very useful to me, at the beginning. (And the interesting this is that I rather prefer the DVD menus to the Blu-ray pop-ups that just obscure the movie...)

[edDV]

Quick summary of the 6 programs compared is Encore, DVDit and DVD Author use DVD style menus but with HD source. Finished product is a self burned Blu-Ray disc.

Thank you very much for offering this information.
This is probably going to be very useful to me, at the beginning. (And the interesting this is that I rather prefer the DVD menus to the Blu-ray pop-ups that just obscure the movie...)

You are a newbie amateur and those programs are designed for people making a salary. It isn't easy to get those jobs. You need to meet qualifications. Up your cred.

[p_l]

I'm not looking for something that has pre-set menus, where you cannot insert or change everything. (For example, not something like the NeroVision DVD authoring software in the Nero packages.)

Actually, Nero Vision 10 menus are highly customizable. A lot of people forget there is a Customize tab, which opens up a lot of possibilities.




In fact, if you want to go rogue completely, check the Advanced Editing box and do just about everything from scratch, like building your own links, etc.




I'm not usually much of a fan of Nero's bloat, but this Blu-ray authoring program is pretty good. It almost -almost- makes me feel less sad about Ulead DVD Workshop 2 having become abandonware. And Vision authors Blu-ray and AVCHD, which of course DWS never did. It even takes my DVR-MS files from my version of Windows Media Center, which is a rare feat.

[jeanpave]

You are a newbie amateur and those programs are designed for people making a salary. It isn't easy to get those jobs. You need to meet qualifications. Up your cred.

Hey, I don't need somebody to put me down. And I don't give a shit about your two-bit opinion, either. (Except that it should be retracted.) You want to help someone, fine. You don't, also fine. But nobody asked you for a lesson or for your no-good, boorish analysis.

And how the hell do you know who I am, why I'm asking this, or whether or not I'm making a salary on building Blu-rays, anyway, you scrutinizing *******?

[jeanpave]

I'm not looking for something that has pre-set menus, where you cannot insert or change everything. (For example, not something like the NeroVision DVD authoring software in the Nero packages.)

Actually, Nero Vision 10 menus are highly customizable. A lot of people forget there is a Customize tab, which opens up a lot of possibilities.


[Attachment 10072 - Click to enlarge]


In fact, if you want to go rogue completely, check the Advanced Editing box and do just about everything from scratch, like building your own links, etc.


[Attachment 10073 - Click to enlarge]


I'm not usually much of a fan of Nero's bloat, but this Blu-ray authoring program is pretty good. It almost -almost- makes me feel less sad about Ulead DVD Workshop 2 having become abandonware. And Vision authors Blu-ray and AVCHD, which of course DWS never did. It even takes my DVR-MS files from my version of Windows Media Center, which is a rare feat.

Thanks.

Maybe I'll give it a try. I currently have an older version of Nero that isn't up to par with the one you are describing, and I wasn't exactly in the mood to pay to ugrade... But I'll see.

[videopoo]

Hey, I don't need somebody to put me down. And I don't give a shit about your two-bit opinion, either. (Except that it should be retracted.) You want to help someone, fine. You don't, also fine. But nobody asked you for a lesson or for your no-good, boorish analysis.

And how the hell do you know who I am, why I'm asking this, or whether or not I'm making a salary on building Blu-rays, anyway, you scrutinizing *******?

Wow! first of all EdTv is one of the most senior members of this site and has offered the most helpful posts throughout the last decade that Ive been apart of this site. Why would you think he was putting you down? You are not a professional BD author...that is clear...and have no idea what you are talking about. We were trying to help you realize that

You are also, obviously, downloading illegal software from this post:

But I tried Sony's Blu-print, and I was surprised by how hard they made it, just to install. Why does one have to install a million other things, before installing the actual program? And, then, of course it's not going to work because Sony's instructions are garbage, there's no way to actually follow their instructions to the letter, on all computers, and the other installers coming in Sony's package do not even do what they're supposed to do, all the time.
Is Do Studio the same way? If it's just one installer, and then run the program, then the hell with Sony's software; I'll give Do Studio a try. Or is this the way BD works? - You have to have a workstation set up exactly as needed, or else you cannot create these discs?...

This software is $50K and Sony offers no demo without a strict background check of you and your company.

So I guess hes correct....your credibility on this site is pretty much shot

[edDV]

You are a newbie amateur and those programs are designed for people making a salary. It isn't easy to get those jobs. You need to meet qualifications. Up your cred.

Hey, I don't need somebody to put me down. And I don't give a shit about your two-bit opinion, either. (Except that it should be retracted.) You want to help someone, fine. You don't, also fine. But nobody asked you for a lesson or for your no-good, boorish analysis.

And how the hell do you know who I am, why I'm asking this, or whether or not I'm making a salary on building Blu-rays, anyway, you scrutinizing *******?

Nothing you have posted here shows you have a clue. You sweep in demanding advice on software few of us can afford unless employed by a deep pockets source. If you had this access they could fund you a basic level of operator training. I wouldn't hire you but if they need to they can also hire an assistant with requisite skills to help you. Did you marry the boss's daughter?

If you aren't a theft give us some idea you have a clue.

[aedipuss]

he's trying to run pro software on a p4 Dell OptiPlex GX270 with 1gb ram. blu-print wants a dual xeon workstation with 16gb ram. warez for sure.

[edDV]

he's trying to run pro software on a p4 Dell OptiPlex GX270 with 1gb ram. blu-print wants a dual xeon workstation with 16gb ram. warez for sure.

I hate when consumer programs claim to be pro. True pro programs have blocked anything remotely intuitive.

[lordsmurf]

I hate when consumer programs claim to be pro.

At the same time, I despise "pro" software that's more limiting than freeware or consumer/cheapware.
That was the thing that pissed me off most about Encore for DVD authoring.
Adobe had a very narrow acceptance of the DVD spec, making some projects impossible.

I finally have all my Blu-ray hardware and workflow where I want it, so 2012 is slated for some guides.

It's really not too different from DVD-Video.

[edDV]

I hate when consumer programs claim to be pro.

At the same time, I despise "pro" software that's more limiting than freeware or consumer/cheapware.
That was the thing that pissed me off most about Encore for DVD authoring.
Adobe had a very narrow acceptance of the DVD spec, making some projects impossible.

I finally have all my Blu-ray hardware and workflow where I want it, so 2012 is slated for some guides.

It's really not too different from DVD-Video.

Pro software limits results to the job. Did Encore ever work? I lost patience but might return to Abobe with user feedback.

My experience was Adobe acquisitions didn't work and they even limited paid users (even those from the very early years) to repeated $200 upgrade just get to software upgrades working. And those didn't solve the issues.

Here I was unable to get a job out so dumped Adobe after more x$k out for non-functioning software. I had to look elseware. That was my motivation to try and switch to Vegas then look to other virtuladub/avisynth alternates. Vegas/DVDAuthor didn't have the same claims but were stable and got the job done.

To avert a lawsuit, I have avoided Adobe software in recent years other than Photoshop (mostly overkill for the price) but may with user input return to Premiere as an alternative. This would assume similar Vegas stability. I have limited Encore experience since the unfortunate v2.

I have no Vegas complaints. Rock solid stability.

[Cornucopia]

Even though I'd still consider it "prosumer", I would choose DVD Architect to output BDs over Encore. Sure the interface is simple, options lite, but it's pretty solid and does the job - both for DVD and BD. Probably more than the OP even needs, IMO.

BTW, "professional looking" can be gotten out of even cheap consumer apps, with the right skillset.

Scott

[lordsmurf]

BTW, "professional looking" can be gotten out of even cheap consumer apps, with the right skillset.

I do it with DVDWS2 all the time. It's quite good software, if you know how to use it.
A friend of mine is pretty good with TDA, as hard as that is to believe.