Authoring program: Need recommendations

[arrirc]

Hi

I am still a learner in the DVD Authoring field and I am planning to do it professionally in near future. After going through various authoring programs' descriptions available in our forum, I have zeroed down to two : (i) Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 and (ii) DVDLab Pro 2.0

I mainly work with AC3 5.1 channel audio and encode my MPEG2 files separately using standalone encoders like CCE. The authoring program should be able to give me the opportunity to create very professional quality DVD Menus apart from producing flawless DVDs. I use separate program to burn so I do not intend to use the authoring program to do that.


I have used DLP 2.0 for two of my projects, it is a great program but to create really professional quality menu I need to take help of external program like Photoshop or DVD Menu Studio. But the trouble with this is I can not export the psd file with all the layers, only the "subpictures" are recognized as separate layers which does make the end result a bit sloppy.

The PC on which I work is bit old, with AMD Athlon 1800+ processor and 640 MB of 266MHz RAM.

My requirements are professional rather than basic.

I would like to have opinions from experienced seniors in this field regarding the following:

1. Is my above two choices are judicious?

2. Provided the two choices above are correct, which one should I finally go for?

Please suggest.

Thank you.

[crusty1]

If you truly want to do it professionally then Sonic Scenarist is the one, although the cost is prohibitive. As far as I know the two programs you have listed are pro-sumer and work on abstraction layer technology.Scenarist truly lets you get down to the nuts and bolts of the DVD-spec and you will learn lots from it.

Good Luck

[Yenaphe]

I totally agrees with crusty1. In my company we only work on scenarist workstations, but the cost is really high for a "traditional" consumer.

I would recommand you to work with Adobe Encore, it lets you enought freedom to xcreate something quite professional, and it is well integrated with other usefull Adobe soft like Premiere, After & Photoshop.

[arrirc]

Thank you very much for your inputs :)

Yes a $5000 piece is nothing short of an Atom Bomb. I shall try Encore, though I really liked DLP 2.x, but it needs some serious improvement in the Menu Design front, at least a seamless integration with DMS.

[kingtim]

Encoding wise you'll have to update your computer. Or even get a specific computer for the job (if you're wanting to do it professionally).

2nd, as mentioned before neither program if you're wanting to do it pro level, Scenarist is the best still available or I still use DVDMaestro. But out of the two I would recommend Adobe Encore 2, I do still use Encore 1.5 now and again, but rarely. It has some great features (and some gapping holes) but is at most a prosumer application. That said you can make a great professional looking DVD's with it, they'll just lack the edge of a professional authored one.

I think you need to address what programs are needed to create fully functional DVDs professionally, a DVD app & PS aren't gonna be sufficient for DVD creation. The basic programs needed IMO (my recommendations)

Photoshop - Menu creation
Premiere or Avid Xpress Pro - Motion menu & Video editing
Sonic Scenarist - DVD authoring
Canopus Procoder or CCE - Video Encoding
Softencode or Surcode - Audio Encoding
And probably something like Audition or Wavelab

People may have their own preferences, but it gives you some sort of idea of the programs needed (and needed to be learned) to create professional DVDs.

[arrirc]

As far as I have read opinions of very experienced authors, there is hardly any difference between DVDMaestro and DLP 2.x, it is a general consensus that DLP picked up from where Maestro stopped. :)
Give it a try, if you have not done it.


I am planing to upgrade to Core2Duo [1.86GHz] with 512 MB DDR2 800FSB RAM.

Thanks.

[jeffy]

I am planing to upgrade to Core2Duo [1.86GHz] with 512 MB DDR2 800FSB RAM.

Thanks.
Unless this is too much expensive for you, I would get a Dual Channel memory, at least 2x512 MB 800MHz DDR2. The prices are so low now and the difference is significant, or do you like pagefile that much? :) Other opinions welcome!

[smok3]

iam definatelly not a pro in this area, but as much as some people dislike encore, it is the most productive app i have tryed so far... (but like i said, my usual authoring is few thumbnails that are used for navigation, and thats it.)

[SergF]

Photoshop - Menu creation
Premiere or Avid Xpress Pro - Motion menu & Video editing
Sonic Scenarist - DVD authoring
Canopus Procoder or CCE - Video Encoding
Softencode or Surcode - Audio Encoding
And probably something like Audition or Wavelab

Wow:) , i use the same (almost) software. The only exception - i use Avid Liquid Edition 7.1 for videoediting&DVD motion menu creation (with Boris Red 4.1 for some effects).

[arrirc]

Unless this is too much expensive for you, I would get a Dual Channel memory, at least 2x512 MB 800MHz DDR2.
You mean 2 DIMMs of 512MB each right? So 1GB of RAM?

[jeffy]

You mean 2 DIMMs of 512MB each right? So 1GB of RAM?

Yes, it might cost you just about $100 (NewEgg, etc.) for both modules, 1 GB is the minimum, I would say.

I suppose you know, but quoting anyway:
" When the amount of memory being used in the main memory chips, called random access memory, exceeds the RAM capacity, the computer uses a special "page file" on the hard drive to handle stuff for some of the programs that have overloaded things.

The slowdown is dramatic, because moving data about on RAM chips happens at the speed of light, while even the fastest hard drive is far slower."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/columnists/chi-0611200117nov20,1,4948622.column

"If you're into heavy Photoshop work, the more RAM the better. At the very least, make sure you have twice as much available RAM as the size of your largest file. (One Adobe expert says that for better performance, you may want up to five times the RAM assigned to Photoshop.) If you spend a lot of time editing video, you'll definitely want to invest in more RAM."
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3038_7-5020358-7.html


Single Channel vs. Dual Channel
(I don't have anything better handy right now.)
(Sandra Results) "System
---------
E6400 @ 3.0Ghz
Asus P5B Deluxe / WiFi Edition
2x512MB Samsung DDR2 @ 375Mhz (750Mhz effective) 4-4-4-12

Results
---------
Dual Channel: Int - Float = 6472MB/s - 6475MB/s
Single Channel: Int - Float = 5478MB/s - 5484MB/s"
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/625781.html


(Old comparison 2003: http://www.legendmemory.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=317)

[Doogs]

If you do decide to go down the Adobe Encore route then please feel free to browse and download video tuts from my site... i have nearly 70 tuts there available to download...http://asvideoproductions.com/doogs/downloads.htm

Hope these are of some help to you, you may need to download and install the techsmith codec in order for you to view them, link is on my site..

[arrirc]

@jeffy

Thank you for the clarification, I shall surely try to go for 2 512 MB RAM modules.

@Doogs

Thank you very much for the link. BTW, I still use PS7, so do you have any link where I can find some tutorial to make Menus using PS7? I have checked your site, it appeared to be very informative, but the PS titorials are applicable to CS2. As far as my knowledge goes, CS2 has some major differences over PS7.

[Doogs]

Hmmm.. unsure if PS7 supports the Encore Parenthis.... only thing I can suggest it to try making a folder with the (+) parenthis (the (+) informs Encore that this is a button folder and contains other layers, also try the (=1) and the (%) and (!) parenthis, and if you have the Encore trial then try and export from PS7 and import as a Menu into Encore...if all this works then the proceedure i have in my tuts will suffice for you on menu creation using PS7

[Doogs]

just found this over @ Adobe.com...... looks like PS7 will do the job..
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/encore/articles/enc15menu.html

[arrirc]

Thank you so much Doogs for taking so much trouble for me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your effort and help :)

[Doogs]

No worries, you're welcome it was no trouble at all

[arrirc]

Could any one please provide me a link to a good guide of Scenarist?

Thank you.