Re: Dvd Menu editor?

[GrampaD]

...Roxio's old MGI Videowave had, hands down, THE BEST dvd menu editor around - then or now. It allowed FULL WYSIWYG functionality, not that tree-style like ConvertXtoDVD or Scenarist.

Does an equivalent of MGI Videowave exist, or do I have to review hundreds and hundreds and HUNDREDS of "buy now" apps, to see if even one has a full-WYSIWYG dvd menu editor...? Nope, don't say ConvertXtoDVD, because it will NEVER have a WYSIWYG dvd menu editor. You must learn how to edit the templates directly.

thx....

[redwudz]

I moved your post to a new topic where you may get more replies.

Moderator redwudz

[videobruger]

Does an equivalent of MGI Videowave exist

DVDStyler uses WYSIWYG

[GrampaD]

...Does anybody know when DVDstyler will get a preview button? I want to be able to preview the menu before I burn it...?

[usually_quiet]

...Does anybody know when DVDstyler will get a preview button? I want to be able to preview the menu before I burn it...?

DVDStyler allows creating the DVD file and folder structure on your PC for testing prior to burning. (Test with a software DVD player (VLC, Media Player Classic Home Cinema, PowerDVD, etc.)) Burn with ImgBurn afterwards, when satisfied that there are no mistakes.

[GrampaD]

Unfortunately, Imgburn is only available for *Windows*, TTBOMY. Do I *have* to use Windows for the final burn, or is there a DVD/Blu-ray image burner for the Mac (or a command line app for the Mac) that works well with DVD Styler...? Because if I have to use windows I might as well just go with DVD Architect...? And no, I'm not a computing newbie like 99.99999999999999999% of the users out there, I'm comfortable at the *nix prompt (in this case, Darwin prompt), so if DVD Styler supports custom commands, I could just stick the appropriate burn command in, assign an icon to it...

[usually_quiet]

Unfortunately, Imgburn is only available for *Windows*, TTBOMY. On my MacBook, this means, for example, that without a preview button, suppose I want to move just one button 1/16 of an inch over. first I would have to save the image, then fire up Windows through VMware, wait 15 minutes, open imgburn, wait 5 minutes for it to load, ... etc.

So if I *have* to use Windows, I might as well just go with DVD Architect...?

In that case, GrampaD, it's time to update your computer details. They indicate a Windows computer. Since your computer details don't mention that you have a MacBook and your previous posts in this thread say nothing about a MacBook, Windows was a reasonable assumption on my part. If you need OSX-compatible software it is fairly important to let people know that early on.

I know I'm going out on a limb by suggesting it, but since I have to guess what you have tried other than DVDStyler, ConvertXtoDVD or Scenarist, Roxio's Toast Titanium is the standard DVD burning and authoring software for OSX.

[El Heggunte]

@GrampaD: I presume you can compile mkisofs and cdrecord on a Mac

[GrampaD]

In that case, GrampaD, its time to update your computer details.

touche. I'll go do that as soon as I finish this reply. If there is space to enter my computing skill level, I'll update that.

As for compiling *nix binaries from source - yes, I can do that, at ASU Poly we had to recompile the Fedora kernel as a homework assignment...but I don't have to compile mkisofs an cdrecord in my version of Darwin (El Capitan) because they exist already. DVD Styler has a burn button; my results when clicking on that are in the log below.

[SOAPBOX]The difference in technical skill between an impatient noob whos primary interest is not computers, and a computing professional that can recompile a *nix distro, is as vast as the distance between Earth and Alpha Centauri. Unfortunately, the net only serves either one; it ignores the intermediates. Worse, developers don't want to get sued by copyright owners, so I suspect they purposely leave out features or abandon their apps altogether. Apple, Adobe, VSO Software, Roxio...[/SOAPBOX]

Anyway, I tried to compile a simple menu in DVD Styler with 1 frame, 1 button, and a custom menu background. It failed with Error 2. Below is the log.

DVDStyler v3.0.2
Mac OS X (Darwin 15.6.0 x86_64)
FFmpeg: libavformat 57.46.100, libavcodec 57.51.100, libavutil 55.28.100
Prepare
Cleaning temporary directory
Search for transcoded files in cache
================================================== ===========================
| Input size | Output duration | Bitrate | Estimated output size
VMGM menu 1 | | | 6.0 MB/s | 0.1 MB
Title 1
mp4 | 249.7 MB | 1:33:05.976 sec | 6.4 MB/s | 4481.3 MB
Total | | 1:33:05.976 sec | | 4481.4 MB
================================================== ===========================
Generating menu 1 of 1
Create menu MPEG
Frame count of menu: 12
Multiplexing subpictures into mpeg
Menu has 2 group(s) of changeable colours.
Executing command: spumux -P -s 0 "/Users/Pudnik/temp/dvd-tmp/menu0-0.mpg_spumux.xml"
execvp(/Applications/Media/DVD, Authoring/DVDStyler.app/Contents/MacOS/spumux, -P, -s, 0, /Users/Pudnik/temp/dvd-tmp/menu0-0.mpg_spumux.xml) failed with error 2!

Failed

[videobruger]

Maybe like THIS

[GrampaD]

OK, I captured videobruger's forum discussion. Looks like I'll have to tinker and fiddle with it to get it to work. Even so, please note that MGI Videowave could:

- allow custom button and frame shapes, graphics, and colors
- full submenu support
- insert root objects

...and much more. I tried to install and run DVD Architect Studio 5 under VMware Fusion on my Mac. Crashed the entire system. DVD-lab is so old it appears to be abandoned.
And as of May of this year, Sony sold all their DVD authoring assets to MAGIX, which abandoned Toast DVD and put MyDVD in their Vegas behemoth, so you can't buy it separately. I have the final version of Toast DVD. It supports all the way to Ultra-HD Blu-ray.

so, it looks like my research is complete. it appears that I have the following alternatives to author intermediate DVDs/Blu-rays with some complexity.

On the Mac side, keep tinkering and fiddling with DVD Styler, and be content with only 1 menu and a button or two per DVD and no Blu-ray support...be content with the very basic functionality of Toast DVD, or learn and learn and learn how to hack its templates...or bite the bullet and spend between $800 and $3,000 for a software solution that will at least go as far as DVD Architect did.

On the Windows side, continue with ConvertXtoDVD, learning and learning and learning the template language so that I can build my own custom menus. ...or bite the bullet and spend between $800 and $3,000 for a software solution that will at least go as far as DVD Architect did.

Actually, on the Windows side there is one final thing I can do. See if Architect 5, when copied to a USB stick, will run on the library's Windows computers.

The search continues....Thanx for everyone's input, BTW, I know that optical disc authoring is dying rapidly...

[usually_quiet]

OK,
And as of May of this year, Sony sold all their DVD authoring assets to MAGIX, which abandoned Toast DVD and put MyDVD in their Vegas behemoth, so you can't buy it separately. I have the final version of Toast DVD. It supports all the way to Ultra-HD Blu-ray.

Magix recently bought Sony's consumer software products, but as far as I know Magix has no connection to Toast. You should be blaming Corel for the current state of Toast.

Sonic Solutions owned Roxio (and Toast) prior to 2010, the year Rovi (formerly Macrovision) bought Sonic Solutions. Corel acquired the Roxio product line from Rovi in 2012, and still has it AFAIK. The current Toast's DVD authoring software isn't nearly as full-featured as it once was, but there are not many other choices for paid consumer burning and authoring products left for OSX users. As you observed, consumer interest in using authoring software and burning optical media is dwindling.

[GrampaD]

OK, I'll blame Corel for the state of Toast DVD. and, I just got a reply from the developers of DVD-lab. They will never update it, nor will it ever support blu-ray. It's been abandoned.

Now...I just checked the ConvertXtoDVD site. Their brand new version, 6, finally has a DVD menu editor. They finally caved in to their customers CLAMORING for a WYSIWYG editor, and did it. I'll be purchasing and checking out the new version, to see if it will run under VMWare Fusion, to evaluate the new WYSIWYG editor, and the new template language, if any. However, it still does not support the burning of Blu-ray discs.

So, if the new version of ConvertXtoDVD runs and burns successfully (or even if it just runs), I'll post the results here in this thread (unless the admins want me to post it somewhere more appropriate).

In the meantime, what this may mean is that there are no robust dvd authoring apps in active development left in an affordable price class for the Mac, and essentially ConvertXtoDVD is the only one left in active development for Windows (that will run in VMWare Fusion running on OS X El
Capitan).

But all this discussion is for the DVD and Blu-ray formats. My next question is: ...suppose I had a SAN, say 100 Terabytes in size, and wanted to store my movies on it and develop a jukebox app in HTML5. Is this possible? Has anyone tried it? No replies will go unread on this one, and all are welcome. Streaming is the future of audio/video content delivery...if there was a way to replace the DVD/Blu-ray format with a format that is HTML5 standard...I'd jump on board right now.

[bendixG15]

I got worn out just reading this stuff

[GrampaD]

bendixG15: ...apparently you aren't or have never been a grad student. Multiply this thread by two - that's how much homework I have *every other day*. LOL

UPDATE. The new ConvertXtoDVD version 6 did indeed install and run correctly on my MacBook. I went all the way to the encoding part. So, this version does indeed have at least a primitive menu editor, and it will run under VMWare Fusion running on OS X El Capitan.

But I still would like to know if there's an HTML5 based movie menuing format out there. bendixG15? are you streaming out your movies from a SAN to your TV? Or does this question wear you out LOL

[usually_quiet]

But I still would like to know if there's an HTML5 based movie menuing format out there. bendixG15? are you streaming out your movies from a SAN to your TV? Or does this question wear you out LOL

A quick search says there are at least two pieces of software for generating HTML5 menus: http://www.lacolorpros.com/product/?TBX1-TakyBox-HTML5-Menu-Generator
https://mediazilla.com/

I would guess that more exist.

I've never heard of someone streaming video from a SAN. Don't you mean a NAS?

Plex seems to be the predominant streaming software for those who have home video libraries on a NAS . No, I don't stream. I don't have enough TVs to be bothered.

[GrampaD]

Yes, I mean NAS. A distributed storage system. I followed your link to plex, I laughed when I saw comments saying you need patience to set it up - impatient noobs don't try it at home LOL...others complained about plex when compared to serviio, so I'll look at that. I'm looking for a server-side app that can play the old-style dvd/bluray folders or the new html menu folders. By html menu folders, I mean html menus that mimick dvd/bluray menus.

[usually_quiet]

I'm looking for a server-side app that can play the old-style dvd/bluray folders or the new html menu folders. By html menu folders, I mean html menus that mimick dvd/bluray menus.

Then forget about Plex and Serviio. They can't do what you want.

[GrampaD]

Ok...looks like I'll have to write my own app. After all, i *am* a computing major. So...how do *you* watch movies? Are you well off, and buy optical discs or have a full subscription to netflicks, not caring if they're not saved? What would *you* like to see in a jukebox app that runs on a SAN?

[bendixG15]

I got worn out just reading this stuff

cause, GrandpaD ..... it's full of crap

[_Al_]

Ok...looks like I'll have to write my own app. After all, i *am* a computing major. So...how do *you* watch movies? Are you well off, and buy optical discs or have a full subscription to netflicks, not caring if they're not saved? What would *you* like to see in a jukebox app that runs on a SAN?

NAS (Network Attached Storage)
No menus are needed at all. That is used with optical discs and even that is just not necessary if it is your video.

Having contents on NAS you just can browse folder structure. So you sort your content by whatever preferences you have. That is the first choice. Or you can use virtual indexing, using platforms like Kodi with whatever hardware player. But not DVD player, just some latest hardware player using Android, Windows, Linux OS. You can search content by whatever actor, genre, year of release etc. Those platforms scan your content and index your content comparing those video filenames (so give it a proper name beforehand) with internet databases. Using Kodi while playing content, you can decide to use both methods for selecting a video - browsing folder structure or browsing by preferences (actor, genre, year of release or just simple search etc.).

So no menus are needed to be created beforehand.

Optical disc players are cheap so you have that one for optical discs (rentals , what you buy) and one other hardware player, (some using even laptops with HDMI, works as well) to play NAS content.

[GrampaD]

I got worn out just reading this stuff

cause, GrandpaD ..... it's full of crap

nk... Are you a computing professional that can do things like, oh i dunno, modify the Fedora kernel and recompile the system, be a system engineer for Facebook, administer a datacenter at twitter...write a million-line-of-code 3D game...? if you are, then tell me WHY it is full of crap! How do YOU watch movies? do you administer your own 100-node NAS, and have developed your own menuing app? Can you make commercial blu-ray titles with Scenarist in your sleep? don't leave me hanging LOL

[GrampaD]

I'm looking for a server-side app that can play the old-style dvd/bluray folders or the new html menu folders. By html menu folders, I mean html menus that mimick dvd/bluray menus.

Then forget about Plex and Serviio. They can't do what you want.

uhm, Serviio can. Serviio Pro will run directly on a Synology NAS...

https://pcloadletter.co.uk/2012/01/25/serviio-syno-package

...and it exposes an API that user apps can call. In fact a user has built a Serviio media app for Android:

http://serviio.org/apps]

...AND it's dirt cheap.

Serviio Pro $25.00

The NAS I want, however, isn't cheap, but it's still affordable for me.

[usually_quiet]

Sure, Serviio, has a media browser, but that isn't enough. Apparently Serviio doesn't include a built-in DVD player function in its clients. You will indeed need to write your own. Have fun.

[GrampaD]

...Because Serviio Pro exposes an API, I can indeed use that to write an app that will mimic what a DVD player does. It shouldn't be that hard. Somebody's already done it for Android. Also, there are open source media players out there (like VLC) that I can take a look at the source code. Anyway, I ask again: how do YOU watch movies? Do you buy optical discs and play them in a DVD player? You must because you indicated you don't do the streaming thing. ...Are there any open positions where you work? LOL .... And I see that bendixG15 hasn't answered my question, why this thread is full of crap...well that's what they do. They trash those that have less knowledge than they do, without giving a valid reason.

[usually_quiet]

Anyway, I ask again: how do YOU watch movies? Do you buy optical discs and play them in a DVD player? You must because you indicated you don't do the streaming thing. ...Are there any open positions where you work? LOL

I don't own a Blu-ray player and I rarely use my DVD recorder to watch movies. I use PowerDVD Ultra or other software players and watch using a PC.

I own a small collection of commercially produced DVDs and Blu-rays, and a fair number of DVDs that I authored myself from recordings made by a DVD recorder. I also rent a movie from Redbox once a week. I watch more episodic TV than movies. Most recording is done on a PC with an ATSC tuner card and a CableCARD tuner. I erase most recordings after watching.

Streaming doesn't offer me very much that I want, and the picture quality from physical media is better. Plus, I'd rather not spend the money on all the necessary upgrades. I'm retired.