No clue what software to use !?

[plasmascreen]

Hello !

For my project i have downloaded different trial/demo software like the packages from Sonic / Ulead, DVDLab, etc.. but I can't seem to achieve what i want.
By reading forums like this one I conclude that i should you DVD Maestro with DVD Menu studio ? Let me try to explain my goals:

I have received my wedding video on dvd without menus.
This video is in 4:3 and is streched on my plasmascreen.

I want to:

- make a new dvd with the video on it in the same quality without any loss of detail and if possible converted to 16:9 so I can view it widescreen without being streched

- make a main and submenus with high quality bitmaps like seen on professional DVD's, maybe with a motion menu as the main menu

- i have an amateur movie as well that i would like to include in the special feature section of my dvd


with most packages i was not able to re-use my VOB-files on the DVD and so I converted them but always WITH quality-loss ? Then I found DVD-lab which directly imported my VOB-files without problems but like already stated in other threads on this forum DVDLab give lousy compressed images for the menus?
To be able to use my VOB-files in DVDMaestro i should probably demux them ?

So if someone could give me some direction i would be very pleased !

thank you already now,

cheers,

Olivier

[SomeJoe]

Originally posted by plasmascreen
- make a new dvd with the video on it in the same quality without any loss of detail and if possible converted to 16:9 so I can view it widescreen without being streched

This is not a DVD authoring problem, this is a problem with your plasma screen. You need to find the mode that will pillarbox the video, so that 4:3 video is displayed in the center of the 16:9 screen without being stretched horizontally to fill it.

Unfortunately, there are some 16:9 screens that don't have this mode, and you are forced to watch all 4:3 material stretched. I hope you are more fortunate.

Originally posted by plasmascreen
- make a main and submenus with high quality bitmaps like seen on professional DVD's, maybe with a motion menu as the main menu

Many DVD authoring packages can do this. If you have DVD Maestro that's part of it, but you also need a graphics package like Photoshop to make your menus and subpictures. I'm not familiar with DVD Menu Studio, but it can probably achieve this also. For editing the video for the motion menu, you'll need some type of video editing package. Doesn't have to be a full-featured one like Premiere ... it is possible to edit video with freeware tools like AVISynth.

Originally posted by plasmascreen
- i have an amateur movie as well that i would like to include in the special feature section of my dvd

Maestro will do that. As will several other authoring packages like Encore, DVD Lab, DVD Workshop, Scenarist, Producer, DVD Studio Pro.

You don't have to have a DVD authoring package which will import .vobs directly. You can take your existing .vobs and demux them with DVD Decrypter, getting .m2v and .wav/.ac3 audio files which can then be used in any authoring package.

[plasmascreen]

Originally posted by SomeJoe
This is not a DVD authoring problem, this is a problem with your plasma screen. You need to find the mode that will pillarbox the video, so that 4:3 video is displayed in the center of the 16:9 screen without being stretched horizontally to fill it.

Unfortunately, there are some 16:9 screens that don't have this mode, and you are forced to watch all 4:3 material stretched. I hope you are more fortunate.


First, thank you for your answer... Fortunately my screen is capable of showing a 4:3 video in this "pillarbox" mode but I thought there must be a way to record the video in a different format to a DVD so my plasmascreen can display it fullscreen. Does my video have to be recorded with a widescreen camera or can i artificially change the aspect ratio afterwards ? As far as i understand from your comments i can't.


[B]Maestro will do that. As will several other authoring packages like Encore, DVD Lab, DVD Workshop, Scenarist, Producer, DVD Studio Pro.
[/B}

I have downloaded the trial version of DVDLab and created a menu for my weddingmovie that looked very nice in edit-mode but when viewed in preview-mode or on my plasmascreen the image gets like it is reported in other threads on this forum sort of compressed and lower in resolution..
How do the professionals gets these very clear images on the DVD ? I have not yet tried the output of DVD Maestro since i wanted to ask for experience from anyone before putting time in a project...

thanks again for your help,

cheers, Olivier

[mudda_t]

...and if possible converted to 16:9 so I can view it widescreen without being streched
Very simple, just patch your vobs to 16:9 with Dvdpatcher.
.
For now rip your dvd to your hdd. Patch vobs to 16:9. Now open your ifo's with IfoEdit and change your aspect ratio to 16:9, leave the static field blank(perm. display). Burn back to dvd and you now have widescreen.
.
You may even be able to get away with changing your ifo's without patching the vobs (i can't remember). But you will need to patch them if you do reauthor them into a new dvd.

[plasmascreen]

Originally posted by mudda_t
Very simple, just patch your vobs to 16:9 with Dvdpatcher.
.
For now rip your dvd to your hdd. Patch vobs to 16:9. Now open your ifo's with IfoEdit and change your aspect ratio to 16:9, leave the static field blank(perm. display). Burn back to dvd and you now have widescreen.
.
You may even be able to get away with changing your ifo's without patching the vobs (i can't remember). But you will need to patch them if you do reauthor them into a new dvd.

SUPER ! going to try it right away !

thanx