How to put multiple mpegs on 1 DVD with menu

[DVD Sheep]

Problem:
I have several divX episodes from anime series (for example hunter hunter). These .avi's are about 300 Mb in size. I want to put several of them on 1 DVD preferable with a menu so I can choose which episode I'd like to view. It would be nice if the menu had a background picture but I would be happy if I'd just have a menu. Furthermore, I would like to be play the disc on a standalone dvd player. Obviously the standalone does not play divX, so I'm guessing I will have to convert the .avi's to (S)VCD format (mpeg 1).

Question:
How would one go about this problem? What software would you use? I am quite experienced in authoring, although I have never produced the source myself: I only edit dvd-video's to fit on a single disc. I know there are some great programs out there (Ulead?) but have never used any of them. Instead of downloading them all and test for myself, I thought it wiser to just ask for everyone's opinion.

[Navellint]

hi DVD schaap,
i mostly produce the source myself, but have never converted DivX to dvd-compliant. I think you'll need TMPG with some sort of DivX-filter to import the avis and get (crop) the resolution and colorspace of your material right. Then, as you know, you'll need Scenarist or Maestro or whatever authoring tool.
You probably want to convert to dvd-mpeg2 (720x576) with a low bitrate, as I haven't been able to get a lot of vcd-mpeg1 (352x288) or svcd-mpeg2 (480x576) on a dvdr. Import the separate streams you get from TMPG into your authoring tool.
I'm confused about what you know and what not, as you say you're quite experienced in authoring.

[zeus163]

There is a guide that Doom9 wrote up about a month ago and I've used it to convert my anime divx files to MPEG2 that I can use for authoring. I also used Procoder, but CCE is much faster and seems to do a slightly better job. I use ReelDVD to author, but the finished files were pulled into Maestro without complaint. In fact, the first time I simply used DVD2SVCD (under miscellaneous there is an .avi input button). I changed bitrate settings and away I went. The created files were accepted by Maestro, but not by ReelDVD. When I followed Doom9's guide using CCE with the .avs file, those files are accepted by both authoring programs.

Look under guides and conversions and you should be good to go. I've now done 2 DVD+R's (Naruto and Heatguy J) and have been pretty happy with the results.

[DVD Sheep]

Thank you all for the fast reply. Zeus163, as you have accomplished exactly what my goal was, I will attempt to use your method. I will let you all now what the results are.