"Easy" DVD authoring tool with support for VobSubs or SUP/IFO?

0xdeadbeef · 26th July 2009, 22:54

I'm looking for a quick'n'easy DVD authoring tool that can create "pretty" menus with some clicks (from a template) and is able to import image based subtitles like Vobsub or SUB/IDX.

I'm currently using ConvertXtoDVD which fulfills all these requests, but is not able to import a DVD compliant MPEG2 without re-encoding it with its own sub-standard encoder. And unfortunately, the developers don't really seem to realize that this is a pretty bad idea and don't want to change it. So I need to remux the M2V later which is kinda annoying.

TmpgEnc Author would come to mind, but it can't import image based subtitles.

DVDLab (Pro) supports only very obscure subtitle formats.

DVDStyler supports only text based subtitles and doesn't seem to have any neat menu templates.

Muxman can import SUPs I guess, but from the looks of it, creating good looking menus which a few mouse clicks doesn't seem to be its strength either.

I guess that covers most of the free or affordable solutions.
Any other suggestions?

setarip_old · 27th July 2009, 01:34

Hi!

You might check out "DVDFlick" ("Flick DVD Creator")...

0xdeadbeef · 27th July 2009, 11:28

I already did, but forgot to mention it. Yet it supports only test based subtitles as well according to its feature list:
http://www.dvdflick.net/features.php

turbojet · 27th July 2009, 21:49

GUI for DVDauthor
DVDauthor GUI

0xdeadbeef · 28th July 2009, 00:38

Probably I should have made the point "pretty menus with some clicks" clearer.

Fo this use case, I don't want to draw buttons and create menus from scratch. I want to select a template, load some subtitles and some audio tracks and the tool should create a subtitle and audio menu automatically. Same for a chapter menu. This is exactly how ConvertXtoDVD works and that's one of the main reasons why I bought it and still use it - apart from obviously being more or less the only (kinda) authoring software that let's you import VobSubs.

If automatic creation of subtitle/audio/chapter menus is not possible, there should be at least some spiffy default templates for this which can be adapted to the project with a few clicks.

Besides, loadings SUPs alone is not enough as well since they're missing e.g. the palette. Import of the palette from either a dummy IFO or a text file (e.g. PGCEdit format) would be mandatory. I'd prefer VobSub import anyway and it's kind of a mystery to me that so few tools support it.

It's hard to believe that this kind of program simply doesn't seem to exist. But 99% of the DVD authoring tools I investigated the last days (most of them being shareware or commercial) are really extremely simple to say the least. Especially subtitle handling is pretty much non-existing or completely unsatisfying.

gyzel01 · 31st March 2012, 11:29

hi, i 've just seen your post. You have decribe excactly what i am looking for.
3 years passed. Any chance?

26th July 2009, 22:54	#1 \| Link
0xdeadbeef Author of BDSup2Sub Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 478	"Easy" DVD authoring tool with support for VobSubs or SUP/IFO? I'm looking for a quick'n'easy DVD authoring tool that can create "pretty" menus with some clicks (from a template) and is able to import image based subtitles like Vobsub or SUB/IDX. I'm currently using ConvertXtoDVD which fulfills all these requests, but is not able to import a DVD compliant MPEG2 without re-encoding it with its own sub-standard encoder. And unfortunately, the developers don't really seem to realize that this is a pretty bad idea and don't want to change it. So I need to remux the M2V later which is kinda annoying. TmpgEnc Author would come to mind, but it can't import image based subtitles. DVDLab (Pro) supports only very obscure subtitle formats. DVDStyler supports only text based subtitles and doesn't seem to have any neat menu templates. Muxman can import SUPs I guess, but from the looks of it, creating good looking menus which a few mouse clicks doesn't seem to be its strength either. I guess that covers most of the free or affordable solutions. Any other suggestions?

27th July 2009, 01:34	#2 \| Link
setarip_old Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 16,267	Hi! You might check out "DVDFlick" ("Flick DVD Creator")...

27th July 2009, 11:28	#3 \| Link
0xdeadbeef Author of BDSup2Sub Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 478	I already did, but forgot to mention it. Yet it supports only test based subtitles as well according to its feature list: http://www.dvdflick.net/features.php

27th July 2009, 21:49	#4 \| Link
turbojet Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,840	GUI for DVDauthor DVDauthor GUI

28th July 2009, 00:38	#5 \| Link
0xdeadbeef Author of BDSup2Sub Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 478	Probably I should have made the point "pretty menus with some clicks" clearer. Fo this use case, I don't want to draw buttons and create menus from scratch. I want to select a template, load some subtitles and some audio tracks and the tool should create a subtitle and audio menu automatically. Same for a chapter menu. This is exactly how ConvertXtoDVD works and that's one of the main reasons why I bought it and still use it - apart from obviously being more or less the only (kinda) authoring software that let's you import VobSubs. If automatic creation of subtitle/audio/chapter menus is not possible, there should be at least some spiffy default templates for this which can be adapted to the project with a few clicks. Besides, loadings SUPs alone is not enough as well since they're missing e.g. the palette. Import of the palette from either a dummy IFO or a text file (e.g. PGCEdit format) would be mandatory. I'd prefer VobSub import anyway and it's kind of a mystery to me that so few tools support it. It's hard to believe that this kind of program simply doesn't seem to exist. But 99% of the DVD authoring tools I investigated the last days (most of them being shareware or commercial) are really extremely simple to say the least. Especially subtitle handling is pretty much non-existing or completely unsatisfying.

31st March 2012, 11:29	#6 \| Link
gyzel01 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 7	hi, i 've just seen your post. You have decribe excactly what i am looking for. 3 years passed. Any chance?