Author DVD without re-encoding MPGs?

[Ranguvar]

I have several already converted MPEG-2 videos with MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. I am sure they are DVD format. Are there any authoring tools you know can at least semi-easily create a nice menu, while being able to import my clips and not trying to re-encode them?

Freeware preferred, but commercial is fine. I already have Nero, I don't _think_ it works.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

I don't think you'll find such freeware that includes menu making capability.

An easy to use program, including menu creation, is (commercial) TMPGEnc DVD Author

[pc_speak]

Hello.

I use this http://www.dvdstyler.de/downloads.html

Love it.

[r0lZ]

Any authoring program should be able to import directly the DVD compliant MPEG streams.

Personally, I like very much DVD-Lab pro, but it is relatively expensive. BTW, it can also import VOB files directly, and that's really rare!

You might want to have a look at MuxMan too, but the free version has no GUI to build a menu. However, it is possible to create a menu with the free version, but it's not intuitive at all.

[Ranguvar]

Got TMPGEnc, and it's awesome, except for one thing...

Hard to tell how to account for overhead so I can encode the video to fill the DVD.

[setarip_old]

You should be able to fit up to 2 hours of MPEG-2 video (and audio) on a DVD-5 (single layer)...

[CWR03]

You should be able to fit up to 2 hours of MPEG-2 video (and audio) on a DVD-5 (single layer)... Since the OP is shooting for video that he doesn't want to re-encode for DVD, he'll need to calculate the bitrate to the task. The blanket statement you made is not of any real benefit in this situation.

[setarip_old]

@CWR03

Actually, "Ranguvar" initially stated:I have several already converted MPEG-2 videos with MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio. I am sure they are DVD format.

[pc_speak]

Hi All

@Ranguvar
I still like DVDStyler for the money. :)

This is really nice. All kudos to Bincsoft.
http://www.bincsoft.com/?page=download

http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/157b05b7bb.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

Can it get easier?

[Gussy]

Nero is not free, but I've easily done compilation using drag and drop.