What is best DVD Authoring Tool - abandoning Nero Vision

[p23185]

What is the recommended DVD authoring tool that will allow me to take already completed MPEG2 clips and create a menu structure and then burn the finished DVD to a hard drive (or directly to disk) with all the appropriate VOB and IFO files?

I have used Nero Vision for many years but when they released Ver 4 (inside Nero 7 Ultra) it produced a very annoying flicker in high motion scenes (like basketball game motion). I contacted Nero and even sent three comparison DVDs over to Germany. Although Nero would not answer my question: Does Nero Vision 5 have a different transcoder than Vision 4, the recently released Nero 8 with a new Vision ver 5 raised my hopes. BUT No, this is even worse. With proven good MPEG2 files that I have already used in a menu structure and burned onto disk, now only play for about 10% of the total time (two MPEG2 files were tested with a simple one page menu structure) and then the pic goes black and audio disappears utilizing Nero Vision ver 5. Turning on the "Time Remaining" feature on te DVD Player still shows the movie is playing but screen is blank.

I returned newly purchased Nero 8 and want to try something else, but do not know what is out there since every company today wants to sell the "Total Package" and that is not what I want. I love Studio 11 and am going to stick with that for capture and editing, but now need a DVD Authoring tool. The actual buring is a minor aspect, but right now I can only get a good finished DVD on the hard drive with the old Nero Vision ver 2 or ver 3.

[NightTran]

If you need menu then FAVC if not DVD Flick they are all free ware and you can get them here

[p23185]

I'm sorry, but where is "here"?

[admin]

DVD Flick:

http://www.digital-digest.com/software/dvd_flick.html

FAVC:

http://www.digital-digest.com/software/favc.html

But these are freeware solutions, and although the video quality and encoding speed isn't too bad, they won't produce fancy menus and such.

The comparable DVD authoring tools to Nero Vision are TMPGEnc DVD Author, and to a less extent, Cyberlink PowerProducer 4. You can read a roundup I wrote here:

http://wiki.digital-digest.com/index.php/DVD_Authoring_Tools_Roundup

Even these are fairly limited in the kind of menus that you could make (a lot of hand-holding and over reliance on templates - it's very hard to customize it exactly to do what you want, although I believe TDA is better than Nero Vision in this regard at least).

For truly advanced DVD authoring that gives you exactly what you need, you'll have to look at DVD-Lab Pro, Sony Vegas DVD Architect, or if you have a spare couple of thousand dollars and the will to take half a year to learn the software, Sonic Scenarist.

But I think you should give TDA a try, since it's the closest to Nero Vision, and I feel it suffers from less bugs and limitations. You can read the TDA guide here:

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/TMPGEnc_DVD_Author_3_DVD_Authoring_Guide_page1.html

[GlenK]

I just built a PC with lots of HD / Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe MB / AMD Athalon 64 X2 6000+ processor / 4 GB mem / ATI Radion X1650PRO 512mb PCIE. I use Studio 9 to for producing my DVD content which is presently burned using a Sony DRU 500a. I have just ordered a Samsung SH-S203N SATA LS from Newegg.

I don't think the Samsung burner is going to included software for doing Lightscribe burning. Is that a correct asumtion?

I have burned using Roxio & Sonic in the past but i'm not sure if the reason for all the coaster was the software or the Sony DRU 500A I was burning with.

what are the opionoins on what I need Software wise (one that incudes a program for lightscribe labeling) and what is best?

[doctorhardware]

It all depends how the drive is sold. My samsung included the lightscribe software and nero software.

[Chewy]

why would you build such a nice new computer and use such an old poor dvd burner?

that doesn't make any sense

all this technology is just getting mature

[p23185]

I just built a PC with lots of HD / Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe MB / AMD Athalon 64 X2 6000+ processor / 4 GB mem / ATI Radion X1650PRO 512mb PCIE. I use Studio 9 to for producing my DVD content which is presently burned using a Sony DRU 500a. I have just ordered a Samsung SH-S203N SATA LS from Newegg.

I don't think the Samsung burner is going to included software for doing Lightscribe burning. Is that a correct asumtion?

I have burned using Roxio & Sonic in the past but i'm not sure if the reason for all the coaster was the software or the Sony DRU 500A I was burning with.

what are the opionoins on what I need Software wise (one that incudes a program for lightscribe labeling) and what is best?

My original post was not meant to demean Nero - I love their Burning ROM and it has never make a coaster for me using either Mem or Pion burners. The latest two versions of Nero Vision transcoder, however, is horrible. I still use the Vision ver 3, and it seems to work OK, but doesn't have all the latest updates and goodies. Nero has released two new versions of Vision since v.3.

[GlenK]

why would you build such a nice new computer and use such an old poor dvd burner?
that doesn't make any sense

all this technology is just getting mature

Chewy, I did want to do lightscribe, hence the samsung. Is there something that does lightscribe and is also SATA that you think would be appropriate for my machine? THANKS!

[Chewy]

Chewy, I did want to do lightscribe, hence the samsung. Is there something that does lightscribe and is also SATA that you think would be appropriate for my machine? THANKS!

I was responding to the original poster that started this thread not you

[ed klein]

Since I am from the old school methods, I prefer old school methods.

If I remember correctly, TMPGEnc DVD author can author (video, audio, subtitle and chapters to a hard drive with a menu.)

If you are looking for something much more simple IFO EDIT can author the video, audio, subtitle and chapters to the hard drive and be DVD compliant ready to burn with something like Imgburn.

[GlenK]

I was responding to the original poster that started this thread not you

So Chewy do I understand that you were not refering to the Samsung SH-S203N SATA LS as a old poor burner? Is it IYHO a decent burner??- also sorry about the caps in my other message.

[Chewy]

the old sony wasn't very good when new, not that the new samsung is free of problems?

if you have problems with it, please start a new thread instead of hijacking another person's thread