Shubin
20th June 2005, 13:03
Here it is. Yesterday I released me first DVD made completely from beginning to end using only free and open source tools. From DV sources to the burned image that is now being copied in the workshop, all done without any single piece of commercial software. Except for OS itself - I'm on Windoze. I think I'll write a guide on this, but now I'd like to discuss several questions.
There are many great tools for any task, but there is not so good compatibility and cooperation between them. Look :
QuEnc makes m2v+mp2 or mpg files.
mplex often says it can not mux QuEnc-made files
DVDauthorGUI accepts only m2v+mp2 as menu title, but both m2v+mp2 or mpg as chapters.
Muxman accepts only m2v+mp2, presumably has the best muxer ever invented, but can not make menu
DVDStyler does both variants, has better buttons, but can not join multiple mpg-s in one pgc.
The conclusion is : free and open source programs has very good overall quality, but poor interoperability. For example, before the latest version of DVDauthorGUI has been released, I had to make .m2v+mp2 separately by QuEnc and then has them muxed back again by DVDauthor. It is necessary to mention that QuEnc in some intermediate version could not make separate video and audio files.
I think that authors of these programs assume one method of usage and do not check abilities of other programs. What could be done here ? I'm not sure that my method of making DVDs is the best, but anyway all utilities discussed here are parts of a process, aren't they ?
There are many great tools for any task, but there is not so good compatibility and cooperation between them. Look :
QuEnc makes m2v+mp2 or mpg files.
mplex often says it can not mux QuEnc-made files
DVDauthorGUI accepts only m2v+mp2 as menu title, but both m2v+mp2 or mpg as chapters.
Muxman accepts only m2v+mp2, presumably has the best muxer ever invented, but can not make menu
DVDStyler does both variants, has better buttons, but can not join multiple mpg-s in one pgc.
The conclusion is : free and open source programs has very good overall quality, but poor interoperability. For example, before the latest version of DVDauthorGUI has been released, I had to make .m2v+mp2 separately by QuEnc and then has them muxed back again by DVDauthor. It is necessary to mention that QuEnc in some intermediate version could not make separate video and audio files.
I think that authors of these programs assume one method of usage and do not check abilities of other programs. What could be done here ? I'm not sure that my method of making DVDs is the best, but anyway all utilities discussed here are parts of a process, aren't they ?