Biz - Case Study?

[MP3.comrad]

Hello,

I am starting a DVD Authoring business here in San Diego, thanks mostly to the info and guidance received from this forum.

My question to anyone who can answer is about software necessity.
To minimize any issues with replication and advanced authoring features, it seems my choices are Scenarist, Maestro, or perhaps Impression.

I'm familiar with Scenarist, and will probably obtain it via lease from a re-seller. Is that the best choice for a legitimate business seeking to democratize access to advanced DVD authoring?

[slk001]

You need to tell us what market you are authoring for. If you are authoring for Hollywood, then Scenarist will allow you to put in what I call "traps" to prevent illicit copying. It will also allow multiple audio tracks, multiple subpicture streams (subtitles), multiple angles and closed captioning. However, Scenarist has a very steep learning curve, and a very poorly written manual. On the other hand, if you are authoring for people who want to convert wedding videos, etc. to DVD, then a lesser capable authoring program would be in order.

Do you need subtitles? Scenarist and DVDMaestro are some of your choices.

Do you need .AC3 sound? Scenarist, DVDMaestro, DVDit PE, Spruceup (although no longer sold) are some of your choices.

Do you need CLOSED CAPTIONING? Scenarist and DVDMaestro are some (only?) of your choices.

Do you need multiple audio tracks? Scenarist and DVDMaestro are again your main choices.

Do you want audio in your menus? Scenarist, DVDMaestro and DVDit PE are some of your choices.

Do you want motion menus? Scenarist and DVDMaestro are again your main choices.

These are the programs that I am familiar with, and is definitely not all inclusive. I like Spruceup, because of its ease of use - but, I do not use it any more, because it does not have audio in menus. Today, I use DVDMaestro, because it does every thing that I want to put in my DVD's (motion menues, audio in menus, CLOSED CAPTIONING and subtitles).

Soooo, let us know what your target market is and maybe we can offer some good (well, at least "free") advice.

[MP3.comrad]

Yes on subtitles, ac3, angles, captioning, and motion menus.
My immediate market is corporate DVD and educational titles.
The main concern is to have the authoring program necessary to provide any features the client requests and eliminate any issues with the replicator.

I even looked into the possibility of going with DVDSP, but found this:

http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?14@9.piXkaXfPcf9.6@.3bb94c0d/0

Looks like that program has problems with authoring compliant DVD-9 titles, despite their claim otherwise.

I know Scenarist now, and yes, quite a steep learning curve. But is it worth twice the cost of Maestro? It seems like Maestro would be the best investment...?

[slk001]

I would go with DVDMaestro. It offers everything that you need to do, is quite complex, but has a very intuitive interface - what took me 3 weeks to do in Scenarist took me only 2 hours in Maestro... and at half the price.

[auenf]

good luck purchasing DVDMaestro, you might be able to find 1 somewhere, but doubt it since Apple bought Spruce.

Enf...