Version of DVD-Architect that isn't a dumpster fire?

[armyofquad]

I've been spending hours laying out a blu-ray in DVD-Architect 5 Pro.

I'm not sure why these incompetent fools continue to put labels like "Pro" on their products. To me it's become something of a red flag, the more "professional" they try to make the product appear to be by it's title, the bigger hot mess of crashing garbage coded by incompetent idiots it is! It would be nice if the industry would actually hire programmers that have a damn clue how to do their jobs properly for once!

More than halfway into the project, the app has decided to throw a hissy fit for no reason!

I've been creating button images for each rendered file I'm dragging into the project. I drag in a video, it automatically creates an image/text button. I right click the button and select button style - image only, no problem. Then with the button selected, from the Media tab, I select the Thumbnail Media dropdown so I can replace it with the image I created for this button - and the window goes unresponsive, never to unfreeze, even after letting it stew for hours!

At this point in the project, I have done this multiple times. I have one full menu with 6 buttons, I'm trying to do this for the 2nd button on the 2nd menu, so I was able to do this 7 times successfully up to this point, and once before on the current menu.

Once this happens, I have to force the app closed from the task manager.

Every time I reopen, open my saved project, and try again to replace the image on the button, it freezes again.

I've tried removing the video from the project, re-adding it, and again trying to replace the image - freezes again.



What gives?



Why are all video editing applications such hot messes? I've dealt with a lot of garbage software, but it seems video editing software is the worst. I don't think I've ever encountered once piece of video editing software that doesn't break if you dare to look at it cross-eyed! It's ridiculous. Not sure how anyone is expected to get any work done with garbage programming like this.

[armyofquad]

I have also found at this point trying to add another video to the project has the same effect - freezes, never to unfreeze, have to force it closed.

I can replace images on existing buttons.

But - I cannot update the image on the last added button, I cannot add a new video which would add another button.

It's as if it's reaching some limit, but it's not indicating what or why, and 2 menus with 7 buttons on the first and trying to add a 3rd button to the 2nd seems to be a rather low point to be reaching a limitation. If it truly is a "Pro" software, it should be able to handle more than that.

[armyofquad]

Digging a little more, looks like I've hit this fun little "feature"

https://www.reddit.com/r/VegasPro/comments/or17sl/dvd_architect_crashes_each_and_every_time_more/

Seems that there's some unwritten limitation of 2.5 hours of AVC video to a project.

Although this doesn't explain why it presents when trying to replace a button image, but it does explain the problem of trying to add another video.


Hardly seems professional.


First of all, to limit a disc capable of much more to 2.5 hours if you encode in a specific supported way, is extremely unprofessional.

To not have this properly documented - extremely unprofessional.

To not have any warning or indication when surpassing the limit, instead have the program just freeze and become unresponsive - extremely unprofessional.


I can find absolutely 0 things professional about this hot mess of garbage!



Is there an authoring software I can use that will allow the same ease of simplicity to add avc files, create a button for each, layout basic menus with my custom images for buttons, and not freeze if I dare to author a blu-ray disc that holds more than 2.5 hours of avc video content?

[Cornucopia]

Not sure what you're doing, but haven't had any trouble like that (when I used to use it regularly), and I even created a dance competition disc that had 18.5 hours on it.


Scott

[armyofquad]

18.5 hours encoded to what?

[Cornucopia]

AVC (Mix of SD & HD), Bluray, Dual layer.

Scott

[armyofquad]

Ok - not sure if the posted thread and claimed 2.5 hour limitation is a red herring, or some specific condition, or what.

But - my initial problem stands. I absolutely cannot update a button or add more videos to my project without the app freezing for no reason.

[armyofquad]

Still looking for an authoring solution to either fix DVD Architect to not crash and freeze, or an alternate program that will allow authoring with simple button menus and not re-render video that is already properly rendered.

[CDK]

I've never used DVD Architect, but problems with long movies I can imagine could be due of:
1. cracked software
2. non NTFS (if we're talking about Windows) drives, especially for temporary folders or not enough space in Temp
3. bad memory module or any other rarely noticeable hardware issue
4. x32 limitation (try x64 for all)