Thanks for your response.

This is just for home movies, so it's very simple. I ask because I have already discovered that nothing appears to be simple in the Video world.

For example, I have just put together my first video using Dazzle DVC-100 to capture from a VCR, MovieStar to edit the movie and do simple titles and transitions. When I use DVD Complete that was bundled with the Dazzle the audio doesn't synch with the video after importing into DVD Complete. Even the file rendered by Moviestar isn't perfect, but the captured file is fine.

I'm guessing that Vegas Video is sophisticated enough not to have those problems, even if it is more powerful than I need. But I honestly didn't realize it was so complicated to keep the adio and video synched and since some of the damage is clearly being done by DVD Complete, I was looking for a replacement.

Thanks in advance

It sounds like Video Factory from Sonic Foundry(very Similar to VV) might suit your edit needs. For DVD Authoring You have a couple of good choices for simple stuff. I know there are those that will shoot me because the older version stunk, but the latest version of MyDVD Suite from Sonic Solutions might be good for you.

Some folks like Uleads DVD Movie Factory for basic editing and DVD Authoring.

I use DVD Workshop (higher end) from Ulead among others and like it very much.

K

Hi there!

For what its worth, I use Dazzle dvd complete and have no problems with it!!! (I too only do home videos...) I can't comment on movieStar because I do all my editing on Vegas Video, and as I say have had no problems with synch with dazzle...I suspect the synching problem may be originating from the render through Moviestar. But to be able to help you out, please post your workflow, particularly as regards video/audio editing and when and where you render to mpeg-2.

My workflow is as follows: all editing video and audio is done in Vegas Video. Once complete, I render within Vegas to Mpeg-2 (USING DEFAULT DVD TEMPLATE - in my case Pal) both video and audio into one file. I then import the mpeg-2 file into Dazzle, author menus , chapters etc..and burn dvd...Perfect result at the end...

I have tried three diff authoring apps: MyDvD, DVD Moviefactory and finally Dazzle. I have settled for Dazzle mainly because it has more features and doesnt re-encode the mepg-2 files if they are compliant...

Feel free to email me if you need further help: paulbrown@eresmas.net

I've used DVD complete in the past & also never experienced any sync problems (whether I used the built in encoder or an external one). My footage was however all DV to start with.

I think the problem is more likely to be with capture than anything. Dropped frames are going to lead to sync problems. Is it out of sync from start to finish ? The same degree out of sync all the way through or progressively worse ? How much out of sync are you talking about ?

Have you tried Dazzle's forums to see if there are similar problems for oither people using your product ?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have done more research and am posting here just to make sure you guys think my conclusions are correct.

Firstly, this is home video mainly of a baby, and although there is a lot of talking on the tape, most of it is from lips off camera, and so it wasn't until the final render that I noticed the discrepancy.

Here is the path the video took from camera to DVD.

It was captured on a Dazzle DVC-100 direct to MPEG2. Because I only had the trial version of Vegas Video (I have subsequently purchased VideoFactory) I used MovieStar to render to DV AVI NTSC format since the trial version will not import MPEG2 files. On close examination, this is where the error crept in.

I have opened a new project and imported the MPEG2 file directly into VideoFactory and the audio now appears synched. I shall now totally redo my editing to produce a new MPEG2 file.

But that leads me to another problem. My DVD burner is a Sony DVD+RW DRU-120A. In the past, several months ago, I have successfully burned DVDs and played them in my Sony DVD Player. I *think* the software I used was a version of MyDVD that came with the unit. Nut it might have been NeoDVD. but the point is that it did burn a DVD and it was viewable in my DVD player.

When I burned the latest DVD using DVD Complete, it said it completed successfully, but the DVD won't play in my DVD player and more significantly, it won't even play in the DVD writer that burned it. I admit that I quite like the DVD Complete software - it seems pretty easy to build menus and chapters, etc so I want to use it. Is the problem with the DVD likely to be caused by DVD Complete or is it some other problem? I left the DVD burning while I went to bed, so the computer wasn't being used for anything else during the burn.

One other fact that may or may not be relevant - I initially built the DVD Image and did a "simulate" DVD burn in DVD Complete - this is supposed to be "non destructive" but after the simulation, the blank DVD was unusable.

Sorry to be so verbose, but I wanted to give you all the facts.

Thanks

ok see how much I can help from my limited knowledge..

1) if you import directly as mpeg-2, then edit and re-render as mpeg-2 you are going to lose a lot of quality due to double compression. try importing as avi, then edit, then render as mpeg-2.

2) I have had no problems playing dvd burnt on dazzle complete on my sony dvd player (standalone). but I make sure dazzle doesn't re-render my files: i import them into dazzle as dvd compliant using default template in vegas video 3. perfect results. It may be worth upgrading to vegas veido 3c: you get the mainconcept mpeg2 encoder which is excellent for speed and quality..and vegas video is the best!!

3) I always do all my preliminary work with dvd +RW, and re-use it until i am totally satisfied with the result i get when viewed on TV. This has several advantages: you avoid costs if you make a mistake, you can keep adding new vids at no extra cost etc...takes more time I know, but better than getting frustrated... Once I have filled a dvd with vids, i then burn a dvd+R...I have not tried the simulation option in burning so cannot say much to that, sorry!

anyway, hope this has been of some help...

Which version of DVD complete are you using ?
Have you intsalled the Px burner update to cover your drive ?

You can get the latest update for DVD Complete & burner compatability here:-

http://www.dazzle.com/support/updates_DVDComplete.html

If you trawl through their forum you will see issues & work arounds with Sony burners (if I remember correctly, it's a while since I've been there).

Editing in MPEG-2 is not easy because by it's nature not all the frames of video are complete frames. Some of the frames carry less information based on the changes from the last or previous frame only. Therefore in editing you should be editing only on full frame boundries when cutting & stitching together.

You are best off editing in .avi format with Vegas and then later converting to MPEG-2.

If you are still having problems burning from within the program you could always create the image file (Video_TS & Audio_TS folders are created seperately by DVD complete at the same time). These files can then be used burn with 3rd party burning programs like Recordnow Max, Nero, B recorders Gold Clip.

For advice on burning images & DVD folders (Video_TS & Audio_TS) with 3rd party programs look at this tutorial. Ther will be small differences depending on the program you use but it's broadly the same process.

http://www.highvid.com/DVD/recmax1/rec01.shtml