DVDLab Pre-release available for download

[mkelley]

Here's the help file, online:

http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/Help/index.htm

[trillium]

Back in the news....

Newest beta-update of DVDLab was released last night..
available here:
http://www.mmbforums.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?s=80cf745f77c9bf947a0f238bec9981...=ST;f=28;t=222

[mkelley]

Ah, Trillium, we meet again <g>.

Nice to see so many friendly faces here. I guess a lot of us frequent both boards.

Thanks for the heads up -- I was out of town yesterday and I'm not sure when I'll be back on the DVDLab board (probably not until Tuesday). So I wouldn't have seen this otherwise.

[classfour]

I've completed about 6 DVD titles from DVD-RAM recordings thus far, and they play fine in everything EXCEPT my E-20. Apex 1100 (which wouldn't play the E-20s finished DVDs) JVC, and Pioneer )as well as puter DVD-ROM drives (with PowerDVD) play both the menu and movie content fine. The huge plus of the software is this: If you de-multiplex prior to inserting into the story line, DVDLab only re-multiplexes (including the AC3 stream) the audio and video without re-encoding. No loss of quality (as in NeoDVD plus 4), no re-encoding the sound file (as in DVD MF 2). Anyway, Mediachance: I'M READY TO PURCHASE. This software has finally given me a means of recording to DVD-RAM, editing, and producing a final DVD with the quality of the original (after editing).

[Paul D]

This program sounds very interesting, but I see no mention of subtitles, so I guess it doesn't support them. Can anyone confirm that.

Many thanks

Paul

[dvdnew]

This program sounds very interesting, but I see no mention of subtitles, so I guess it doesn't support them. Can anyone confirm that.

Many thanks

Paul

Subtitles and multiple audio tracks will be features added in the future and will not be included in the first release.

[jpetrick]

I can't seem to get a copy of DVD-lab. All the links listed here are either broken or return Page Cannot Be Displayed. I'd really like to try a copy of the newest release.

Can anyone help?

[mkelley]

You need to get on the DVDLab forum, as the links change when new versions are released. Right now this will take you to the latest:

http://www.mmbforums.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?s=742a5c6f67d5a3433a4159edde50fc...=ST;f=28;t=272

[jpetrick]

mkelly

Thank you very very much. Does this version have any trial/time limitations, or can it be used at will like most betas?

Again, thanks for your help!

[mkelley]

The betas for this product have a 30 day expiration period -- as we get closer and closer to the end of that period Oscar releases a version which resets that for another 30 days.

Oscar was hoping to have the product shipped this month, but my hunch is we are *very* near final release, maybe indeed within that 30 days. After that I'm not sure what he'll do with a "demo" version, but at $79 this one is a steal (and I can't wait to give him my money for all his hard work).

[trillium]

I agree with you whole heartedly mkelley! Oscar has done a phenomenal job with DVD-Lab and I can't wait to actually pay him for his hard work!

I can only imagine what the future of the program holds... since it has already replaced every attempt at anything I've ever used to author with... and have been using it since day 1 of the beta release!

[mkelley]

Trillium,

You've beat me -- I've come to DVDLab rather late in the game -- but I find as you do that it beats everything else I've tried by a rather wide margin.

What surprises me the most is that it beats things I've tried (or considered) even costing *lots* more. When I was looking for an authoring program I really didn't care what price I was paying (less than $1K or so) and was *just* this close to spending $500 or so on the full Ulead DVD AC3 product, having owned a couple of other Ulead programs. Oscar truly has a winner here, and as you astutely point out, there's no telling the future of this program.

Everyone looking for a DVD authoring program needs to at least try DVDLab, particularly right now while it's free.

[pharries]

Go to the forum
http://www.mmbforums.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?s=4cbabbf8bd7d9ce9a44fb4b783a7d754;act=SF;f=28

The address of the latest release is allways there

[MythSpell]

Very sadly, no consumer level authoring apps I'm aware of can handle anything wider than 16:9 (and pathetically many only do 4:3). What is DVDLab's capabilities regarding widescreen aspect ratios?

[mkelley]

Oscar added some 16:9 capabilities in the latest release, but you'd need to get on the board to find out details.

One of the really nice things about DVDLab is the ability to get input into the program creation process -- if you have specific needs that aren't being met by any authoring program and can explain them I have no doubt they would at least be considered by Oscar. Get in now while you can.

[jpetrick]

I routinely access files on my Hitachi DVD RAM camcorder via Windows Explorer and various other programs, however, when I attempt to Import assets with DVD-lab, the file navigation box comes up and I can navigate to the correct folder on my camcorder. However, when I open the folder that contains the VRO files, DVD-lab assets import shows the folder as empty. It apparently does not recognize the .VRO extension. I have seen other posts on the forum about others importing DVD-RAM assets. Can anyone tell me how to accomplish it? Many thanks in advance!

[mkelley]

Jim,

Make sure you ask this question on the DVDLab forum, if you haven't already.

[NightWing]

Have a simple queston. Basically I know you can import multiple video tracks like cliped segments from a TV show { munus ad's } but how do you stitch it in the program?

Just finished running some test on Tmpeg DVD Authoring and it was super easy to add mutiple segments to make a video side of the disk. Just started in on seeing how the two compare.

[mkelley]

DVDLab is an authoring program -- it's not for content creation.

The idea is similar to using Word -- you can certainly crop and edit images in Word, but not very well, and it's not what it's designed for. You make your images outside of Word and bring them into your document for use.

You *could* create a movie comprised of different video clips by putting each one as a motion menu and linking them together -- but this wouldn't be a good idea (and you'd lose chapter points).

What you really need is an MPEG editor or facility (if your clips are MPEG) or AVI editor or facility (likewise) and prepare the video there. Then DVDLab is the glue that holds everything together.

DVDLab doesn't edit audio or video, nor will it create images for your backgrounds (you actually can use some of the objects and text to do some of this, but it isn't really the best place). What it does best is put the DVD together better than any other authoring program out there.

[NightWing]

Should have been more clear. First off the clips were already DVD std. All editing was predone adjusted edited.

Actualy it works more like Frontpage or a little like Visual Studio in object thinking.

To add more than one "Movie" I figured out all I needed to do was add empty "Movie object". Then fill with imported movies. Strange but workable. A drag and drop form from the inport frame to the connection tree would have been a bit easer and more intutive.