Can 6 be installed side by side with 5.2?

Installed? Yeah. Also, both versions should run. In fact, I had three builds of DVDA installed at one point.

I've never had any issues with side by side installs of any Sony software versions. As long as the developers ensure they don't break existing program API's in newer versions of updated software components, everything should work normally.

Can 6 be installed side by side with 5.2?

I bet it can. It's a different number -- 5.2 to 6.0 -- rather than the same number with a change in build.

On a side note, version 6.0 is not showing up under My Account/My Software as an available upgrade. And when I launched DVD-A 5.2 last night, the snooper didn't going and and say "Hey there is an upgrade available!"

Kimberly,

I just saw it in the sticky.

Dave T2

The old 'Use Net Notify...' (selected in VPro Prefs. / General) worked for me when I opened versions 10, 11 and 12.
Both 5.2 and 6.0 seem to be working OK here. Just this reminder for essami
If you save a project from an earlier version of DVD Architect software in DVD Architect 6.0, it will be unusable in earlier versions of the software. Use the Save As dialog to save the project with a new name after editing it in DVD Architect 6.0.

Overall DVD Architect Pro is a well designed advanced authoring tool except for one design choice under the hood that contributes problems in cascading fashion as Nick elaborates on in his summary post.

For a professional product of this caliber - it should not have been designed around creating an auto VTS (Video Title Set) disc parameter. In doing so this product is seriously hampered with further issues. Give the professional author the ability to create his own VTS and subtools - like more identified script values - and this product would leap upto compete with $3,000 authoring systems.

Subject: RE: Free DVD A 6.0 Reply by: Nick Hope
Date: 11/19/2012 9:05:41 PM

Bugs/issues remaining in version 5.2 " and most likely 6.0"

- Blu-ray next button bug
- Title menu button bug
- Non-smart-rendering of HDV
- Subtitles "off" issue

Original Message of Nick slightly edited by VideoItGuy

Excellent and thanks SCS.

Just one observation...

In the My Software page for DVDA 6.0 is states download is "Not Unavailable".

Yes I got mine from the link in the sticky but will it eventually be available in My Software?

my gripe - the templates (not that i've ever used one) look absolutely awful. seems arch. can't decide whether it's a hobbyists play thing, corporate be all, but it certainly isn't pretending to be a professional tool.

I would have to agree. THE TEMPLATES $UCK!
They truly need some 'Creatives' in the mix.

I don't recall for sure but can't you dump in a photograph instead of a template?
JJK

Template term can create some misunderstandings- with DVDAPro you have always been able to create your own theme file and save it for a future authoring project.
A Theme is actually an XML markup for allocating resources like a background photo of your choice along with some placement of objects like buttons.

THIS IS NOT A TEMPLATE - in the sense that the config of the buttons, depth of menus, or even the project properties is actually held so that you can just load assets to the new project. I would not call this a template.

The closest you can get to creating a template is to create .dar file and save your base version and in which (in the future) you do a media replace of the assets.

Well, on the face of it, it's generous of SCS to give us a free upgrade to the next generation of DVDA. Except...it's not really the next generation is it? It's 5.3. I can't see what the point of it is without fixing the VERY well known bugs listed above.

Have just created my first test-MVC-based 3D-Blu-ray with menus with the DVDA6. Works fine so far. Two short teststreams from the TD10 pal version was prepared in Vegas Pro 12, renderd to 720 50p with the MVC-encoder. Audio was rendered with the AC3 Pro encoder to AC3 5.1 for the first and AC3 2.0 for the second stream. Neither the video nor the audio was recompressed in the DVDA, only the small menu had to be calculated.

Menus are in 2D, and there is no 3D preview from the DVDA6. Playback works fine with the Sony S590, and it switches from 2D to 3D if one choose a menu.

So far so great.

The wood grain backgrounds and still there.
And the birthday cake stuff, thank goodness!
These are professional graphics of the highest order.
Head turning stuff you won't find just anywhere.
And proof that DVDA 6.0 is a testament to human creativity is that new sort of faded Christmasy theme.

May I suggest dumping the terrible, cruddy themes and backgrounds.
Better to have nothing at all than risk a professional editor getting even a glimpse of that stuff.
I nominate the bamboo BG as the worst of the top ten,... or it is asparagus? LOL
Still, the software is somewhat intuitive and works, and that's what counts.

If you don't use DVDA, what do you use?

DVD LabPro from MediaChance out of Canada is a great product for DVD authoring -no update for Blu-ray. It is getting long in the tooth however, as the original author has abandoned any development plans due to current market conditions.

Encore from Adobe in it's earliest version 1 form was available at the right price and offered a lot - albeit non-intuitive Adobe programming style. Since then Adobe has just priced themselve sky-high and really is overpriced if you try to purchase it. Because of the hideous dongle install it carries with it, that makes it impossible to borrow from a friend. That is really too bad. It also is a problematic interface if you want VegasPro to be an efficient input service to supplying the best Encore video stream.

That does leave Sony's new flagship Blu-ray authoring from DoStudio (they bought it, did not develop it) at $3,000 starting price.

Dongle install for Encore? Sorry to flaunt my ignorance, but what are you talking about? I have CS6 Production Premium Suite, which includes Encore, and I can open it with no need for a dongle. Yep, I'm at a total loss about your point.

As to DVDA's themes....<shudder> I treat them like I do the 300 whizbang transitions in Vegas or any other NLE. Roll your own if you have any design chops.

Sorry for colloquial terms - the install of Adobe writes a unique harddrive signature - which unlike most software installs can not survive a harddrive image and restore. That kind of difficulty encountered for restoring you license in everyday drive function is a pain in the.

My work practice as adopted from the IT world is to have multiple harddrive images ready to load with these images saved on Blu-ray. 99% of usefull software takes this in stride - Adobe products do NOT.

Heh heh. OK, I understand. Your remark made me remember the encumbrance of using physical dongles. You know, way back in, say, 2000.

I think Avid still requires the USB dongles.

Dave T2

If you don't use DVDA, what do you use?

For faster jobs I use TMPGenc Authoring Works. If it didn't lack the ability to put a "resume" button in a menu, I would use it for everything.

For me, the main 2 other alternatives are Encore and DVD-lab Pro.

Both tools have some advantages - TMPGenc Authoring for example is great to author also AVCHD 2.0 files, what allows also 108050p/60p.
BUT none of that tools allow the authoring of s3D with menues. For that one has to use tools like Cyberlinks PD10/11, Pinnacle Studio 16, Magix Pro X4 - or on the professional side the Scenarist or DoStudio.

So for s3D the DVDA 6 is now a great tool - that keeps Vegas competitive against other NLEs like Magix Pro X4 or even the smaller tools for beginner.

And remember: it comes for free for most of us who have the DVDA 5.2 - so for all Vegas Pro 12 and Vegas Pro 11 user for sure, I do not remember if the 5.2 was launched also for Vegas Pro 10.

So you loose nothing, but maybe you gain a lot (like me who is focused to s3D).