The 'other product' I'm using has a truly excellent user interface but falls far short when creating the final product. I've bought that product and it appears I may still need some of it's features.
I'd love to completely move to SB MS but don't think I can at the moment. My needs are simple but the forums indicate they're not possible with the boxed version of this code (I can't test because you can't download MyDVD).
A typical project for me is about 2 hours. I capture from DV camera. I edit as needed. I much prefer simple transitions like a cross fade and/or a fade to-from black (I hope my terminology is right). I often add a rolling title to give a bit of information on time, date, event, etc.
In the past I'd then add DVD menus at this point but due to errors with the other product and the way this product is structured I guess the next step is to render, probably twice, one in DV and one in MPEG-2 (DVD) format.
My menus are also fairly simple. Usually I have a single menu up front with multiple pages. There will be one item for each chapter point. There will be up to say 30 chapter points. I prefer chapter points at a scene change and then a bitmap from later in the scene to identify it.
Now, my understanding is that MyDVD doesn't have enough functionality to allow these chapter points with bitmaps (and I can't test it since I can't download it). Is that true? If not, that leaves three main choices. 1) Import to 'my other' product and use it for the menus. 2) Step up to Vegas 5 with DVD Author (I've not bought this product yet and am using the 30 day trial). 3) Buy a 3rd party product such as DVD-lab ($99) to get the required menu capabilities.
My price point is actually at about the $100 dollar mark. This is a hobby, not a profession or for any use but my own enjoyment. I have children in college and can get student discounts. Still, SB MS with DVD-lab is about $150. Vegas 5 + DVD is about a hundred dollars more. Way beyond my price point but sometimes you have to bite the bullet. With that in mind I've one other feature I can't seem to identify for SB MS. V5 clearly states that they can adjust the bitrate so automatically size the DVD files to fit on a DVD. Actually it seems to me that this is probably a function of the DVD program. At any rate, I can do that today with my 'other product' but need to understand how this would work in the Sony environment.
BTW, as I write this, and collect my thoughts I've sort of convinced myself to go with SB MS for the capture. edit and render and then import into my other product to add menu's and create the VOB's. Sounds a bit kludgy but not when taken in the context of the non-integrated approach used by Sony. It also makes sense from the other products perspective. Although they have an integrated approach there are some serious bugs in their rendering routines. One standard work-around is to do a render to DV after the capture and edit. As such this is a very logical breaking point. I guess the issue now is whether I can output from SB MS, preferably in MPEG-2, not DV, and into the other product.
Sorry this was so long. I'm sort of thinking out loud and I'd love some feedback. I guess ideally, as stated elsewhere, Sony would integrate a reasonable DVD Menu product with SB MS.
I'd love to completely move to SB MS but don't think I can at the moment. My needs are simple but the forums indicate they're not possible with the boxed version of this code (I can't test because you can't download MyDVD).
A typical project for me is about 2 hours. I capture from DV camera. I edit as needed. I much prefer simple transitions like a cross fade and/or a fade to-from black (I hope my terminology is right). I often add a rolling title to give a bit of information on time, date, event, etc.
In the past I'd then add DVD menus at this point but due to errors with the other product and the way this product is structured I guess the next step is to render, probably twice, one in DV and one in MPEG-2 (DVD) format.
My menus are also fairly simple. Usually I have a single menu up front with multiple pages. There will be one item for each chapter point. There will be up to say 30 chapter points. I prefer chapter points at a scene change and then a bitmap from later in the scene to identify it.
Now, my understanding is that MyDVD doesn't have enough functionality to allow these chapter points with bitmaps (and I can't test it since I can't download it). Is that true? If not, that leaves three main choices. 1) Import to 'my other' product and use it for the menus. 2) Step up to Vegas 5 with DVD Author (I've not bought this product yet and am using the 30 day trial). 3) Buy a 3rd party product such as DVD-lab ($99) to get the required menu capabilities.
My price point is actually at about the $100 dollar mark. This is a hobby, not a profession or for any use but my own enjoyment. I have children in college and can get student discounts. Still, SB MS with DVD-lab is about $150. Vegas 5 + DVD is about a hundred dollars more. Way beyond my price point but sometimes you have to bite the bullet. With that in mind I've one other feature I can't seem to identify for SB MS. V5 clearly states that they can adjust the bitrate so automatically size the DVD files to fit on a DVD. Actually it seems to me that this is probably a function of the DVD program. At any rate, I can do that today with my 'other product' but need to understand how this would work in the Sony environment.
BTW, as I write this, and collect my thoughts I've sort of convinced myself to go with SB MS for the capture. edit and render and then import into my other product to add menu's and create the VOB's. Sounds a bit kludgy but not when taken in the context of the non-integrated approach used by Sony. It also makes sense from the other products perspective. Although they have an integrated approach there are some serious bugs in their rendering routines. One standard work-around is to do a render to DV after the capture and edit. As such this is a very logical breaking point. I guess the issue now is whether I can output from SB MS, preferably in MPEG-2, not DV, and into the other product.
Sorry this was so long. I'm sort of thinking out loud and I'd love some feedback. I guess ideally, as stated elsewhere, Sony would integrate a reasonable DVD Menu product with SB MS.