What should I use to make a DVD?

[yuppicide0138]

What do you use to make a DVD?

Awhile ago I tried DVDFlick. What crap that software seems to be. Everything I tried to do the video and audio go out of sync.

I just want to make decent looking menus and drop some files to burn.

If there is something that can do animated menus that'd be great.

I'm not looking to do Hollywood quality stuff, but out of curiousity what do they use?

[Cornucopia]

Hollywood uses, Scenarist, NetBlender DoStudio, DVD StudioPro, perhaps even DVDMaestro still.

You want something that is quite capable but still easy to use? I'd say try Encore or DVD Architect. But you are doing a disservice to a number of good freeware tools. I have never known DVDFlick to give problems - maybe your assets were not quite standard.

Scott

[Kerry56]

I've been using AVStoDVD to make dvd videos for some time now and have been satisfied with it. I use the HC encoder that comes with the program for conversion of various types of files. Menu creation is probably not its strongest suit, but it is possible to make motion menus, and import new backgrounds and music for menus in this program. AVStoDVD is free to use.

The author of the program is a frequent visitor here in the forums, and there is a perpetual help thread if you run into problems.

[yuppicide0138]

If you Google "dvdflick audio sync" you'll get tons of results with people who had problems. Mind you I haven't used the software in a few years and since then it's been updated I'm sure. I don't recall which forums I asked for help on.

I am not sure what I had back then, but it was probably a Quad-Core 2.4Ghz, 4GB memory, on WindowsXP Pro. Now I'm running 24GB memory, 8-Core 4Ghz, 24GB memory, and Windows 7 Pro, so I should have no issues.

Going to try AVStoDVD.

Is there still a problem with DVD-R and +R standards as to which DVD I should choose to be most compatible? How come I can burn a DVD and it might not play on someone's DVD, yet you buy one in the store such as Best Buy and they play on every DVD?

[yuppicide0138]

PS - I'm in United States / NTSC, but how about making a PAL region DVD? Do I need to convert the file first in other software?

[Des]

If AVStoDVD doesn't do it for you try TMPGEnc Authoring Works.

--dES

[MindController]

Adobe Encore and DVDRemake

[manono]

PS - I'm in United States / NTSC, but how about making a PAL region DVD? Do I need to convert the file first in other software?

No, AVSToDVD does NTSC<->PAL. It can convert both ways. And better than other format conversion programs.

[hech54]

Awhile ago I tried DVDFlick. What crap that software seems to be. Everything I tried to do the video and audio go out of sync.

I just want to make decent looking menus and drop some files to burn.

DVDFlick may not be the best.....but when someone like you comes along I can almost guarantee it's your "files" that are crap.....not the authoring/burning software.

[sanlyn]

Is there still a problem with DVD-R and +R standards as to which DVD I should choose to be most compatible? How come I can burn a DVD and it might not play on someone's DVD, yet you buy one in the store such as Best Buy and they play on every DVD?

There is no standards "problem." The universal standard is DVD-R for single layer (not home-made DVD+R), for double-layer it's DVD+R/DL. The only reliable, widely available brand for those discs is Verbatim "AZO". You usually won't find them at BestBuy, who sella only overpriced junk brands (including Maxell, Dynex, etc., all made by the same outsourced companies but wearing different labels). It's a good idea to stay away from BestBuy anyway.

[transporterfan]

You wont do better than TMPGEnc Authoring Works

http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/taw5.html

[sanlyn]

TMPGenc is a nice app once you get the hang of its encoder limitations (but I'd take theirs any day over some expensive encoding from Vegas or Premiere, and several others). However, we've heard nothing about the nature of the source, so hech54 has a good point. If your source is already encoded, like the usual flv garbage off UTube or whatnot, you're in trouble.