Need DVD authoring opinions

[fmctm1sw]

I'm really torn on this one. I bounced this off the videohelp community as well. I'm looking for an authoring program that will:
1] Not reencode already compliant MPEG-2 files
2] Creat Dolby Digital compliant AC3
3] Not cost me a fortune
and 4] Be able to work with Win2k. (had to add that one)

I've already ruled out pretty much everything under $200. They either won't make AC3 or try to reencode my MPEG2. I concentrated on dvd-lab (but no AC3 encoder), ReelDVD (am told it's old) and DVD Workshop (may be just out of my price range). I just need an authoring app. I don't want an MPEG2 encoder, I already have one. Any opinions appreciated...

Oops: Forgot to mention, I use a standalone computer (not connected to the internet) for all my video work. So TMPG's products are out of the question...

[The Geek]

1) I'm pretty sure no authoring programm would do that. At least there has to be an option which you can deactivate, so that DVD compliant MPEG-2 streams won't be re-encoded.

2) Well, that contradicts with your statement "I just need an authoring app.", and is probably your biggest hurdle here.
But why do you want an authoring programm to encode AC3 ? I would treat AC3 just like MPEG-2. Means: Create it with another application, and then just import it into the authoring program. There are freeware programs available that do AC3 encoding.
That way you have a bigger choice of products.

3) When you encode AC3 extra, like you do with MPEG-2, you should find many programs that don't cost alot.

4) Which one wouldn't ? Any authoring program should work under Win2K (except probably the Adobe products, but they are too expensive anyway)

The Geek

[dragongodz]

Tmogenc dvdauthor only requires to be online if you use the ac3 sound plugin. that needs occasional online checks. if you create the ac3 audio with something else (as The Geek said) then that doesnt matter.

the thing is, do you want menus ? multi vts ? what exactly ?

some free authoring programs can do menus etc, for example dvdauthorgui and dvd styler. have a look in the dvd author section of "tools" on videohelp and you will see there is a large selection.

of course if you dont need a menu then you have even more with programs such as Muxman etc mentioned in this very section of the forum. :)

[Paulcat]

TMPGEnc DVD Author will do all those things. The connect to the internet option can be disabled in the settings menu.

It does not recode anything but simply multiplexes compliant files, I have made dvds with ac3 audio (as long as the original audio is ac3).

It can also pull video from existing dvds to add to yours. And it can do basic (and motion) menus. It's drawback is you can only have 1 video and 1 audio streams and no subtitles, which can be a BIG drawback if you want to do more complex authoring.

I sound like a commercial!

[fmctm1sw]

I could have been more specific I guess. I've been at this the better part of 3 years. For AC3, I've been using the AC3enc.dll through besweet, then author with DVDauthorgui. I plan on doing this for others and want a certified AC3 encoder for maximum compatibility. I also am looking for a "prosumer" or "commercial" authoring app with good features but not a $1000 price tag.

@ the Geek: Roxio Easy CD/DVD creator came with my burner. It had a "high quality, " "medium quality" and some other setting that had to be chosen. It reencoded everything. I saw a tutorial for Mydvd that looked like it had the same kind of menu pulldown box. I also cannot find a (Dolby certifed) AC3 encoder for less than $500. Sonic DVDit (and others if memory serves me will only work with XP), not Win2k.

@ dragongodz/Paulcat: It is my understanding that all those new TMPG products require periodic validation. I really liked my trial of DVD-lab but it has no AC3 encoder and the site specifically mentions to use something else for "commercial type" production. I don't plan on being a DVD creating giant or anything, but I was a little turned off by that.

[Paulcat]

Originally posted by fmctm1sw
@ dragongodz/Paulcat: It is my understanding that all those new TMPG products require periodic validation. I really liked my trial of DVD-lab but it has no AC3 encoder and the site specifically mentions to use something else for "commercial type" production. I don't plan on being a DVD creating giant or anything, but I was a little turned off by that.

It says it on the Pegasys site that periodic validation is required (just to blacklist pirated serial numbers no doubt) but I've not had to do it yet and it can be turned off in the preferences (like what if you live in an area with no internet?) I don't have their AC3 encoder, so I don't have any idea if it's good.

It would be nice to have a ripper/transcoder/authoring program all-in-one, it seems there are so many tools out there that do the same thing, with one being marginally better than the other in a few limited ways...I guess no one can afford the licensing fees!

[dragongodz]

It says it on the Pegasys site that periodic validation is required
for dvd author it ONLY says this for the AC3 plugin and not the main program. so if you are not using the AC3 plugin it should never need to dial home at all.

it can be turned off in the preferences
that would be check to see if there is an updated version. thats also mentioned as the only other reason you would need an internet connection. however it can be disabled(as you say) and doesnt have anything to do with validation so will not stop you using dvd author on a pc with no net connection..

[Arky]

Originally posted by The Geek
1) I'm pretty sure no authoring programm would do that. At least there has to be an option which you can deactivate, so that DVD compliant MPEG-2 streams won't be re-encoded.

I wish that was the case! :( :

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89433



fmctm1sw, how serious are you about this potential purchase? 99.9% of Doom9 members are Windows users, so I often get rebuffed for pointing out what the Mac platform has to offer. I use BOTH a PC and a Mac - I perform all editing and video encoding tasks on my PC and then transfer assets to the Mac for ac3 encoding with A-Pack and DVD authoring/muxing in DVD Studio Pro 3. Why do I go to all the bother of transferring assets to the Mac, to author with DVD SP 3? Because its featureset is TOTALLY UNMATCHED, in the current marketplace. Nothing comes even close to it, for the money, and the output is, by and large, Spec-compliant. It's not perfect (the abstraction layer can be a hinderance when authoring very high-spec Titles, but 85% of authors do not consider the abstraction layer to be a hinderance at all). You can now buy a Mac mini for $499 ( http://www.apple.com/macmini/ ), and DVD Studio Pro 3 is the same price ( http://www.apple.com/dvdstudiopro/ ).

In short, this combination is the most compelling (and powerful) proposition for DVD authoring in the current marketplace, and by a very, very, considerable margin. I would seriously urge you to approach this with an open mind and see what you can achieve with DVD SP 3, and bear in mind that this authoring program is heavily derived from Spruce Technologies' DVD Maestro, which, in its heyday, used to fetch somewhere in the region of $30,000. It may look similar to Adobe Encore, on the PC, but peel back the layers and you'll see it is in another league (for instance, you can't interleave multiple angles, as yet, with Encore).

Let me reiterate that I am not suggesting you 'convert' to Mac, abandoning PC in the process - I'm simply saying that I use both, for the above reasons, and there is nothing stopping you from doing the same, provided you consider the possibility with an open mind. My primary allegiance remains with the PC platform - it is what I began with and I still enjoy the flexibility the platform offers, in terms of both Hardware and software. However, the current DVD Authoring marketplace is an uneven one, and definitely makes the use of DVD Studio Pro 3 totally viable and logical, even allowing for the cost of the Mac mini, to run it on.


Arky ;o)

[Trahald]

does dvd studio pro do real ilvu? i thought i read that somewhere when i was searching for a pc product ( available to consumers ) that does seamless multistory (still looking btw).

[Arky]

Originally posted by Trahald
does dvd studio pro do real ilvu? i thought i read that somewhere when i was searching for a pc product ( available to consumers ) that does seamless multistory (still looking btw).

DVD Studio Pro does Multi-Angle interleaving, but not 'Partial-Interleaving', which is necessary for true Seamless Multi-Story.

At the present time, there is no commercial PC authoring tool that suports Partial-Interleaving. The only programs capable of accomplishing such a task are the Toshiba proprietary system, the Panasonic proprietary system, and TFDVDEdit (http://www.tfdvdedit.com/public/134.cfm), on the Mac platform (http://www.tfdvdedit.com/public/83.cfm), which can take the multiplexed output from DVD Studio Pro (or any Spec-compliant authoring system, for that matter) and interleave the VOB on the basis of multiple-PGC logic.

The HD DVD Spec is still some way off, especially in terms of significant market penetration, but it will be interesting to see how seamlessness of playback of multiple alternative PGCs, referencing the same VOB, will be accomplished. Certainly, the video frame buffer will be hugely increased, so the tolerances are unlikely to be so tight, in terms of ILVU calculation. Only time will tell... :)


Arky ;o)