DVDStyler

[Sirbu]

Is there any way to test DVD Title and Chapter Menus created with DVDStyler before burning a DVD?

[manono]

I don't use DVDStyler, but no authoring program requires you burn it before testing. Surely you can turn off the burning.

In fact, this guide:

https://www.dvdstyler.org/en/?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=55

clearly states near the bottom:

5. Burn a DVD

Click on burn button .

If you want to preview the finished DVD before burning, please select the box 'preview'.

with a picture showing where to do that.

[Keyser]

You're not required to burn the DVD. You can create a DVD folder that you can test with a number of media players, or, if you want to take things a little further, you can create an ISO image that you can mount using a CD/DVD drive emulator like ImgDrive.

[Sirbu]

Many thanks for your replies. Clearly I should have read the DVDStyler guide more closely. However, it still takes time to make the DVD file which is tedious for testing various tweaks to the menus, but I guess it can't be avoided.

[manono]

However, it still takes time to make the DVD file which is tedious for testing various tweaks to the menus, but I guess it can't be avoided.

I run into that problem myself when using the similar authoring program, DVDAuthorGUI. If there's been a mistake I have to fix it and wait another 10 minutes for the authoring to complete to test it out again. What I do is create the menu and chapters using a small 'dummy' audio and video. A real short one, only 3 minutes long. I create the same number of chapters as in the final one, and the same menus. I have a main menu and a scenes menu. Then I author which takes something like 30 seconds. Then it's ready to test out the menus. If necessary I'll make a few changes and redo it.

Then when I have the menus and buttons the way I want, I open the 'Dummy DVD' in PGCEdit and use 'File->Replace VTST Titles' to replace the original short video with the 'real' video. This requires an already authored but menuless 'real' video with the correct chapter placement and that's previously done using Muxman. I don't know how easy that sounds to you, but it sure saves a lot of time in the end.

[Sirbu]

Thanks for the suggestion. However, I have managed to use DVD Styler successfully and am pleased with the results.