What is a good DVD Authoring Program

[black_samurai85]

I have MPEG format movies that I wish to burn onto DVD, and also create chapter selections and the lyk for them, can anyone help me out, if they know of any good programs that lets you do such things. Also will these DVD's be playable on most DVD players out now.

 

[rebootjim]

Probably the best authoring application is DVDLab.
There are others more suited to beginners, however their quality may be suspect.
TMPGEnc DVD Author.
Ulead DVD Studio 2 or 3
Sonic MyDVD
NeroVision Express

 

[Laz]

As above really only to add the excellent NeoDVD to the list.

Though for newbies based on price and ease of use I would have to say that IMHO TMPGEnc DVD Author is very, very hard to beat.

 

[ChickenMan]

The new DVDLab Pro would have to one of the best authoring tools around and at the price, it really cant be beat. Then again I still use Maestro for all my authoring as there is nothing it cant do. All the others have some form of limitation.

 

[rebootjim]

Agreed! Bang for the buck is definitely DVDLab/DVDLab Pro.
Maestro is nice, but only for the more savvy user.
TMPGenc DVD Author is reasonably good for a beginner, however, such as Sonic MyDVD and NeroVision Express are well suited for the technically challenged
So far, I haven't found anything in DVDLab Pro that would make me want to spend more on it. Plain old DVDLab 1.3 works perfectly imho.

 

[elsamay]

For the dvd authoring technically challenged like myself ,one should not forget Ulead dvd movie factory disc creator 3. All my Inspector Rex Episodes do look good (and are fully playable on standalone dvd players ) after going through movie factory. And it also handles ac3 audio

 

[anotherbozo]

I use DVDIT PRO. I just ordered the upgrade DVDIT V5. The program is expensive, but easy to use once you get the hang of it. The company that makes it is Sonic. It sucks so don't expect support. It makes a good menue and is easy to make chapter points. You need a good sized machine for it to work well. I drag an avi into it and DVDIT encodes and burns the disc for you fairly fast.

AB

 

[rebootjim]

I guess you'd have to define "fairly fast".
I found it tediously slow, slower than tmpgenc at the same quality.
You want fast encoding, try CBR in Canopus or single pass VBR in Mainconcept.

 

[ChickenMan]

Or even faster again, use D2VRoBa plugin with DVD2SVCD using CCE. Does both speed and quality. It authors using freeware DVDAuthor as well.

 

[The-poacher]

I go with the CM for divx <> since he brought up using D2Vroba with DVD2SVCD & CCE I get really good results & quicker than before

I too use DVDLab 1.3 & I luv it.I believe authouring S/ware is hard to get yer head round (well it is for a dummy like me) & I reckon if U find one that does what U want it to stick with it!!