Two big wows. The first is for your quick response and I really do appreciate it. I visited the MyDVD site and my drive is a little more recent than the last Sony listed there. I guess I might register in their forum and pose the same question but I don't think I can submit a tech support question though. Is Sony selling the same most recent version as Sonic?
The second wow is what is Sony's definition of "integrated DVD burning" if it comes from another company. Importantly, who supports the mydvd that comes with Screenblast;Sony or Sonic? This is the first negative thing I've found here. Screenblast has the features I want, is reputedly stable and this forum is active and enthusiastic. I want to make this work.
Thanks again.

I did a big WOW too when I heard Sony selected MyDVD 4.5 as the “integrated” solution with Screenblast. The way it integrates is that there is a button on the MovieStudio software that outputs an AVI file and launches MyDVD with your AVI file already loaded into MyDVD. Did is save you a few steps? Yes. Is that my definition of “integrated”? No, but Sony is allowed to make up their own definitions since it’s their product.

I got an earlier version of MyDVD packaged with my Pioneer DVD Burner and I got support directly from Sonic. Unfortunately, there was no support to be had. They weren’t going to fix the bugs and wanted me to buy the next version which had brand new bugs. I don’t make it a habit of paying for bug fixes so I bought something else instead.

So I don’t know where you go for support. I assume you get your support from Sony since MyDVD is “integrated” into their product. I wouldn’t let that stop you from buying Screenblast MovieStudio. The video editor is worth the price alone. You could always get another DVD authoring program if you don’t like MyDVD and it will be almost just as integrated. ;-)

~jr

I have a DRU500AX, and I had MyDVD make a few coasters. I downloaded the Ulead Movie Factory 2 trial version and it's worked perfectly so far.

After thinking about it while I was out of town this weekend it doesn't seem too bad to jump to another software; in fact that's probably the kind of flexibility I'd miss if I was tied down to one truly integrated solution. I am going to try Screenblast.

I tend to think of DVD authoring as a completely different activity. It takes a different presentation technique in thinking about how to lay things out. I hate the fact that products like Pinnacle Studio and Edition include DVD authoring on the timeline. A DVD is a hierarchy of menus, not a continuous line of events. It’s the wrong paradigm for presentation but people rave about making their DVD right from the timeline. I just don’t get it.

Quite often I will finish a few project rending each to a DVD MPEG2 file, deleting all the big AVI files and then start on the next project. When I have enough MPEG content to make a DVD, I do my authoring. So I like the fact that DVD authoring is a separate package. What is a great integration feature with Vegas 4+DVD is that you can mark your chapters while in Vegas and save it and then DVD Architect will transfer that to DVD chapters. That’s one of the reasons I use DVD Architect even though its missing some simple features like end actions. Something to look forward to when/if you upgrade. ;-)

~jr