you know what? I just ordered a dvd burner that comes with software (or so it claims) to burn dvds from avi files. I can't f*** around with this mpeg-1 stuff anymore. I can't handle it. For the past week I have been stressed out over this thing, and it has gotten me nowhere. So, I ordered the most expensive dvd burner I could find in the hopes that it will alleviate this stress a little and I can start having some fun with this software, my computer, my camera, and everything else I have pumped money into Sony to get. I'll probably need to buy more sh**, but isn't that the way, really? I mean, does anything work the way it claims to these days, especially in these times of economic crisis and large companies clenching down on their buck even harder.

I should be a postwoman. I'd be perfect for that job.

Computers are incredibly complex machines. One of the neat things about PC's is that you can buy a vast array of different stuff (hardware + software) from different vendors. One of the bad things is that they rarely immediately work together perfectly.

I get frustrated working on them sometimes and I consider myself an "advanced" user.

Ana,
The most expensive DVD burner? Must be the Sony DRU-510A. If so, you'll be glad to know that it works just fine and the DVD authoring software it is packaged with (MyDVD) makes authoring DVDs very easy. I was burning my first DVD within an hour of returning from the computer store with the DVD burner. Note that MyDVD has it's own own MPEG encoder so you just need to render your Video Factory projects to AVI first. Hang in there! It DOES get easier as you go along :)

-Dave

Ana, I'm with you. I have spent the whole week so far just trying to put a few still pictures with background music and a menu on a VCD that will play on my DVD player and give decent quality. I know it is not going to be great, but I'd just like decent.

1) xatshow provides the best quality images on my HDTV, but it continually hangs up. I can create a simple slideshow but as soon as I add music, it bombs. I have been on their forum for days - tried everything - if it (the program) had mass I would throw it out the window (pun intended).

2)Ulead Picture Show 2 works great - very easy to use, never bombs and may be what I will have to use. However the quality of the pictures on my HDTV is a little less than XATshow. (Once you have seen a better quality, you don't want to settle for less)

3) Video Factory is old, difficult to use (in my opinion) and can only create a single slide show - no menu capability, no multiple slide shows, AND the quality of the image display on my HDTV is absolutely TERRIBLE! I'm talking VCD here. I can preset it to higher resolutions, but when I burn the VCD, it reverts to 352x240 and renders junk.

So to me, since this product can only do one part of the workflow (and it does it poorly) and I have to have some other product, like Ulead Movie Factory 2 (as many of you have stated) again (for creating VCDs) I don't see any value in VF2.

I MUST have some VCDs with slideshows to hand out to friends tomorrow - it looks like I will have to degrade my Canon G3 4 mp photos to poor quality. I'm not looking forward to comments like "I thought you had a 'good' camera - the pictures were pretty poor".

Ana, could you e-mail me with the Make and Model of the DVD burner you bought. I am not opposed to the idea of running out and buying one this evening just to get SOMETHING decent done. This is SO frustrating!

Thanks Dave. I ordered the Sony DRX510 external drive that comes with My DVD. I'm glad to hear the thing will work. Now I can concentrate on making movies, not contending with buggy software.

So thank you for the heads up about the burner and software. You don't know how the weight has lifted, although it was my own fault the weight was there int he first place... well, STILL! Now it's gone and I'm happy:)

ana

Hey Gus,

the make and model of the "do all" dvd burner I ordered (online, since I didn't want to run to each Best Buy I could looking for the thing) is Sony's DRX510 external drive (since I have a notebook computer). It claims to do it all, and DaveCT up there says the same.

I'm sure it would make slideshows for you. I'm getting it for moving video, but slideshows seem like they would be easier for a burner to handle. Although, as I have found out for the past week of my life, I don't know jack about anything computer. I'm Sony's best customer.

I wish you a lot of luck, and I mean it. Sometimes we just have to open our wallets and let em have it in exchange for peace of mind. That's my opinion, anyway...

take care,
ana

OK, I did it. I am now the proud owner of a Sony DRX-510UL DVD+RW/+R/-RW/-R. Got the last one on the self at CompUSA. The tech told me they were flying off the shelves and not one has been returned. $400 is a lot of money, but this unit will write either the + or the - DVDR and DVDRW which avoids having to make a decision on that issue. I will be doing still photos right now, but I have a big stack of Hi8 Movies that I want to put on DVD, so I will definitely make use of it.

Goodbye VCDs!

I also picked up Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2 for $29.99 a kind of strange in-store $20 reduction on the website, but the local store honored it.

So now I feel like I have some good tools, I'm putting on my movie-maker apron and going to work. Thanks, Ana for pushing me in this direction.
Gus

Hey Gus, don't mention it.

What's this about Ulead? Can you put special effects into movies like you can with Video Factory?

Ana,

I don’t mean to discourage you, but MyDVD is a very problematic piece of software that has its share of problems (video / audio sync issues, crashes, etc.) Just check out their forums. It’s filled with DVD burning problems, capture problems, etc. with posts that have titles like “Does Sonic even care?????????” which starts off “As one post stated, "is anyone at Sonic reading these posts?"” I would say that Sonic is right up there with Pinnacle in the world of quality software and customer support. read: What quality control and customer support?

MyDVD also doesn’t allow you to create chapter points from your MPEG files. You must capture your video in MyDVD in order to assign chapters points (while you capture) and you can’t edit the video later without loosing the chapter points. IMHO it is possibly one of the worse DVD authoring programs you could buy. If you are frustrated already, MyDVD is NOT the software for you.

You would have been much better off buying the new Pioneer DVR-A06 ($299) which comes with Ulead VideoStudio 7 , DVD MovieFactory 2 , DVD PictureShow 2 and writes both –RW and +RW format just like the Sony. But you didn’t ask us what to buy, you just went out and bought the most expensive DVD burner you could find. (your words not mine). Cost does not imply quality.

Since others are now asking advice about what you bought, I felt compelled to step in with this post. I see its too late for Gus who just dropped $400. As long as you’re happy I guess that’s OK but I’d rather spend $299 for the same functionality and quality. (Pioneer is a very respectable company in the DVD writer business)

Please don’t take it the wrong way, but I would encourage those others to spend a little time investigating what might be the best DVD burner for them. The older Pioneer DVR-A05 can be had for as little as $199. I have the original Pioneer DVR-A03 and its been burning DVD’s without a problem for 2 years now. Since Pioneer was the first to have a consumer DVD writer, all the DVD authoring software supports it. BTW, the DVR-A05 comes with MyDVD as well. It just wouldn’t use it as Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 is so much better and more stable.

~jr

Ulead is just for creation of the DVD, menus's and stuff. Sort of like MyDVD that comes with your SONY.

Good choice Gus. I love the Ulead software. You can create nice slide shows directly in the program.

John - I didn't realize that the DVR-A06 was even available yet - I have been waiting for its release for a long time! I don't think that the Pioneer DVR-A06 has actually been available for very long. In fact, TCWO still only carries the DVR-A05 (at $265 no less). No trace of a DVR-A06 on the BestBuy or CompUSA web sites. Not even Pioneer lists the DVR-A06 yet!!!! Check it out yourself ( http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/Pioneer/CDA/ServiceAndSupport/SelfHelpForIndList/1,1458,60~6020~6020600,00.html ).

But your mention of all the packaged goodies kept me searching for it and I finally landed on an available copy at www.googlegear.com ( http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=171008 ) for $256 (w/free 2nd day air delivery). HardDrive.com also carries the A06 for $296 in every possible color.

I’m sorry I should have posted references with my prices. I was quoting from www.VideoGuys.com. They were one of the first to get the original Pioneer A03 that I bought way back when. They have some pretty good deals, they are willing to help you configure things, and their site has an unbelievable amount of great information about tweaking your system and which card is best for you... etc.

~jr