lifeson99
5th June 2006, 23:51
The last few months I have been working with a lot of DVD and conversion programs, so I figured I would post my own comments about them here. You may disagree - this is just my own results and opinions:
MediaChance DLD Lab Pro - very counter intuitive and very hard to learn and understand. It takes ALL source clips and demuxes them to elemental streams. Although working with elemental streams is supposed to be "the best way" and I have heard Pro's do it that way . . . but I prefer to use MPEG-2 program files directly and save time and drive space.
SONIC Reel DVD - like DVD Lab Pro - it also only works with elemental streams. At least it does automatically convert program streams. BUT it took every single "DVD Compliant" MPEG-2 that I threw at it and complained about problems (except for Womble exported MPEG-2 files). The most common error was "GOP length" errors but there were a few others. Even TMPGenc converted "DVD-cinmpliant" MPEG-2 files resulted in import errors. Very confusing program too.
TMPGenc DVD Author v1.6- stay away from v2.0 as you have probably read. I downloaded it and for me it was a nightmare. But v1.6 is the most user-friendly of all. But it has major menu limitations. Only the Main menu can contain "tracks". All sub-menus can ONLY contain "Chapters". In otherwords, each sub-menu is a single Track, and that single Track contains multiple "Chapters". You cannot create a sub-menu that has buttons that link to other sub-menus. You cannot play a "Chapter" on a sub-menu and have it return to the sub-menu when completed - it will always play ALL subsequent chapters. For example, if you click on Chapter 3 and there are 11 Chapters in that sub-menu, then it will play Chapters 3 through 11 before returning.
You cannot create a custom menu EXCEPT for those based on the Templates. When you click "Edit Menu Theme" you are shown a series of "Templates" to choose from, and you cannot add objects to them.
ULEAD DVD Workshop 2.0 - the best - great interface and you can have any menu link to any other menu. Great player within lets you view every clip. But for my own case - both v1.3 and 2.0 have no sound with certain PC's, including my Dell Dimensions. I spent 2 years emailing ULEAD about this and working with them to get it fixed. Never happened - so on both of my Dell machines, it has no sound in the final DVD output (works fine in the DVDWS player). It does have sound on my other machines but they are slow. It could be the Powerleap upgrade CPU and not the Dell, because both my Dell's have a Powerleap processor installed. But I doubt it.
Video ReDo and Boilsoft Splitter & Joiner - this combo of utils allows you to rework a DVD movie where you juist want to cut out and keep portions - FAST. Redo is a cool "one-of-a-kind" utility that converts VOB to MPEG2 without re-encoding. Then use Boilsoft Splitter to cut out the parts you do not want and Boilsoft Joiner to recombine. Nothing is as fast as Video Redo . . . nothing. We're talking a few minutes for a 1 GB VOB file to MPEG2 conversion. It is a bit expensive though, for a 1-trick pony ($50). Boilsoft utils also work without re-encoding, so they too are very fast.
Nero Recode 2 - trumpeted as the "holy grail" of compression, it is not what it seems and I have not figured out a use for it yet. It is two utlities - an MP4 (proprietary codec) converter, and a recoder. Like DVD Shrink, you can use this to throw out certain parts of a DVD and recook it. But you can't use its MP4 compression for DVD's - at least not that can play on anyone player. This utility makes MP4 files in a proprietary format, that can only be played on WinXP with the Nero codec - or with the 3ivx codec installed and using WMplayer v6.4. To me, the compression is not better than DivX or Xvid - sure you can compress way, way down - but the video becomes blurry and unusable if you do that. The fact that Nero Recode MP4 files require users to have installed a special codec, makes it pretty useless for the masses. Great potential though, if Microsoft releases an upgrade that has the codec, so everyone can play the files.
Womble MPEG Video Wizard - the fastest, smoothest MPEG2 NLE (timeline) editor. You can scrub through an MPEG-2 clip smoothly on the timeline - amazing because no other editor I know of can do that. This is GREAT - GREAT !!! It lets you set up In and Out points, split, join, etc - then create a batch process to output all the clips to MPEG1 or MPEG2. I love this program !!!
WinAVI Video Converter - the fastest VOB <--> MPEG2 converter that re-encodes (Video ReDo does not re-encode). Su, unlike Video ReDo you can change display size, framerate, etc. Also works with RM and WMV and AVI. This is the fastest converter I have tried and I have a ton of them. However it has incredible errors in the program itself. Clipping is there but does not work unless you clip all 4 sides. The Quality setting for WMV has no effect on the output at all. You cannot name your output file. You cannot set your output folder and have it "stick" - it always goes back to the default folder setting. etc etc etc. I emailed their "support" 3 times and they replay with "non-answers" such as "the clipping function does not work with clipping because that would slow the program down" - STUPID answer !! BUT for doing what it does - convert fast - it works very well.
CuCusoft converter - works with mutiple formats but I had flashing white artifacts in my MPEG-2 converted files that had light, flowing grey backgrounds (cannot handle slightly varying shades apparently).
Total Video Converter - has many many formats, but I do not like the interface. You have to go to a separate window to select the format and then come back to the main window.
Ultra Video Splitter - converts and splits VOB files to MPEG1/2, AVI, WMV. It is a nice converter but a bit slow. Resizing really wrecks the quality in many cases.
IMtoo MPEG Converter - my favorite so far. Very small, simple interface. Does virtually any format to any format, including iPOD mp4 (both 30GB and 60 GB iPod - has a profile for each). Also can quickly and easily create custom conversion profiles, and can stack up videos in a list and even apply different conversions to each file !!! Then let it run as you go watch TV. Incredible converter - the BEST !!
MediaChance DLD Lab Pro - very counter intuitive and very hard to learn and understand. It takes ALL source clips and demuxes them to elemental streams. Although working with elemental streams is supposed to be "the best way" and I have heard Pro's do it that way . . . but I prefer to use MPEG-2 program files directly and save time and drive space.
SONIC Reel DVD - like DVD Lab Pro - it also only works with elemental streams. At least it does automatically convert program streams. BUT it took every single "DVD Compliant" MPEG-2 that I threw at it and complained about problems (except for Womble exported MPEG-2 files). The most common error was "GOP length" errors but there were a few others. Even TMPGenc converted "DVD-cinmpliant" MPEG-2 files resulted in import errors. Very confusing program too.
TMPGenc DVD Author v1.6- stay away from v2.0 as you have probably read. I downloaded it and for me it was a nightmare. But v1.6 is the most user-friendly of all. But it has major menu limitations. Only the Main menu can contain "tracks". All sub-menus can ONLY contain "Chapters". In otherwords, each sub-menu is a single Track, and that single Track contains multiple "Chapters". You cannot create a sub-menu that has buttons that link to other sub-menus. You cannot play a "Chapter" on a sub-menu and have it return to the sub-menu when completed - it will always play ALL subsequent chapters. For example, if you click on Chapter 3 and there are 11 Chapters in that sub-menu, then it will play Chapters 3 through 11 before returning.
You cannot create a custom menu EXCEPT for those based on the Templates. When you click "Edit Menu Theme" you are shown a series of "Templates" to choose from, and you cannot add objects to them.
ULEAD DVD Workshop 2.0 - the best - great interface and you can have any menu link to any other menu. Great player within lets you view every clip. But for my own case - both v1.3 and 2.0 have no sound with certain PC's, including my Dell Dimensions. I spent 2 years emailing ULEAD about this and working with them to get it fixed. Never happened - so on both of my Dell machines, it has no sound in the final DVD output (works fine in the DVDWS player). It does have sound on my other machines but they are slow. It could be the Powerleap upgrade CPU and not the Dell, because both my Dell's have a Powerleap processor installed. But I doubt it.
Video ReDo and Boilsoft Splitter & Joiner - this combo of utils allows you to rework a DVD movie where you juist want to cut out and keep portions - FAST. Redo is a cool "one-of-a-kind" utility that converts VOB to MPEG2 without re-encoding. Then use Boilsoft Splitter to cut out the parts you do not want and Boilsoft Joiner to recombine. Nothing is as fast as Video Redo . . . nothing. We're talking a few minutes for a 1 GB VOB file to MPEG2 conversion. It is a bit expensive though, for a 1-trick pony ($50). Boilsoft utils also work without re-encoding, so they too are very fast.
Nero Recode 2 - trumpeted as the "holy grail" of compression, it is not what it seems and I have not figured out a use for it yet. It is two utlities - an MP4 (proprietary codec) converter, and a recoder. Like DVD Shrink, you can use this to throw out certain parts of a DVD and recook it. But you can't use its MP4 compression for DVD's - at least not that can play on anyone player. This utility makes MP4 files in a proprietary format, that can only be played on WinXP with the Nero codec - or with the 3ivx codec installed and using WMplayer v6.4. To me, the compression is not better than DivX or Xvid - sure you can compress way, way down - but the video becomes blurry and unusable if you do that. The fact that Nero Recode MP4 files require users to have installed a special codec, makes it pretty useless for the masses. Great potential though, if Microsoft releases an upgrade that has the codec, so everyone can play the files.
Womble MPEG Video Wizard - the fastest, smoothest MPEG2 NLE (timeline) editor. You can scrub through an MPEG-2 clip smoothly on the timeline - amazing because no other editor I know of can do that. This is GREAT - GREAT !!! It lets you set up In and Out points, split, join, etc - then create a batch process to output all the clips to MPEG1 or MPEG2. I love this program !!!
WinAVI Video Converter - the fastest VOB <--> MPEG2 converter that re-encodes (Video ReDo does not re-encode). Su, unlike Video ReDo you can change display size, framerate, etc. Also works with RM and WMV and AVI. This is the fastest converter I have tried and I have a ton of them. However it has incredible errors in the program itself. Clipping is there but does not work unless you clip all 4 sides. The Quality setting for WMV has no effect on the output at all. You cannot name your output file. You cannot set your output folder and have it "stick" - it always goes back to the default folder setting. etc etc etc. I emailed their "support" 3 times and they replay with "non-answers" such as "the clipping function does not work with clipping because that would slow the program down" - STUPID answer !! BUT for doing what it does - convert fast - it works very well.
CuCusoft converter - works with mutiple formats but I had flashing white artifacts in my MPEG-2 converted files that had light, flowing grey backgrounds (cannot handle slightly varying shades apparently).
Total Video Converter - has many many formats, but I do not like the interface. You have to go to a separate window to select the format and then come back to the main window.
Ultra Video Splitter - converts and splits VOB files to MPEG1/2, AVI, WMV. It is a nice converter but a bit slow. Resizing really wrecks the quality in many cases.
IMtoo MPEG Converter - my favorite so far. Very small, simple interface. Does virtually any format to any format, including iPOD mp4 (both 30GB and 60 GB iPod - has a profile for each). Also can quickly and easily create custom conversion profiles, and can stack up videos in a list and even apply different conversions to each file !!! Then let it run as you go watch TV. Incredible converter - the BEST !!