what is the best dvd authoring software
 

what is the best dvd authoring software i a very interested in trying to get a program like this a start fixing some of my dvd sets the way i want them to be so could someone give me the name of some good authoring software and where to buy it from

Without a doubt, there are two really excellent programs, which are fairly easy to use, and the possibilities are almost endless.

For the PC, you have Ulead DVD Workshop 2. You've seen my the first half of my X-MEN set, and that is what I used to create that menu system. Johnny Bravo is another I made in DVDWS2. Almost all of my DVDs are assembled in DVDWS2 these days, I've been using it since the summer of 2004. You can indulage in any number of motion menus, still menus, and various special effects. It's not cheap software, but a few of us are generous to new set creators, if you know what I mean. Guides for this software are going to be posted on digitalFAQ.com within 2 weeks, both a "basics" guides and an "advanced" guide.

For the Mac, you have DVD Studio Pro available. This is truly professional software, a competitor to something as complex as Scenarist, and based upon the likes of Maestro (outdated, difficult pro PC software). You can literally do anything your heart desires. There are guides for the older version at digitalFAQ.com, and the newer ones are more drag-and-drop like DVDWS2. Markatisu uses this, and then anybody that has seen Talespin 13-DVD set has seen a project done on it. Costs are also not cheap, but same situation as DVDWS2.

Newbies to video all jump up and down saying TMPGEnc DVD Author (TDA) is the best software, but it's baby garbage for the most part. Allaboutduncan was the only person I have ever seen that could do some decent advanced work in TDA, but the flaws of the software (there are many! they destroy your work!) has even forced him to move to DVDWS2. TDA is fun to learn on, but the menu text will never look good (aliasing errors), linking errors are common, and then audio/video sync is a huge issue with a high probability rate. It's built-in MPEG editor is terrible, sloppy cuts, and known to mess up your a/v sync. This is a warning against getting too attached to it.

My main issue with TDA turned out to be it forcing audio out of sync when it was already encoded to AC-3. I used Womble to edit the MPGs and then TDA to author them. They were recorded on my JVC. This never happned using MPG captures from my ATI card.

However, after using DVDWS2, it's very easy to use and I'm not sure why I haven't been using it all along. It took the exact same files that TDA was messing up and correctly authored them the first time.

OK, I'll print the manual and give it a whirl.

I don't want to be a BABY anymore.


Joker

Most of the problems with TDA's audio synch have been related to AC3 source audio, not MPEG1/2. Most authoring software have flaws that some users have run in to, and others haven't. I've been using TDA to develop some decent menus and titles, and found the newest Pro version to have some cool features.

If someone could update this thread when the guides are posted on digitalfaq for DVD WS2 that would be great. I am currently a TDA user as well and wouldn't mind a guide to learn the ropes on DVD WS2.
Thanks.

I'll create the DVDWS2 guides sometime the week after the Super Bowl.

so are you going to make me an offer i can't refuse on the software that you were talking about

I always have used dvdlab pro.Always worked fine for me,tried a few others but just used to the interface in dvdlab.

yes dvdlab pro has always worked well for me also, actually I'm using it right now, for a set I just started.

I use dvd Maestro for special projects whrere I have to be very specific about certain items (or commands on where and what they do), but for the most part I have been using dvdws2. It does a lot, decent menus and its very quick.