What's the BEST DVD Authoring Program???

bravado15 wrote on 2/8/2003, 9:14 AM
Ok. I have Sony DVD burner on order (the one that burns both DVD+R and -R. I understand the DVD software that it comes with is nothing to write home about.

Well, I want to write home about my DVDs. What software is best?
I've read about DVD Complete and Ulead Movie Factory 2. Which is the better software for what I want to do?

And, here is what I want to do: Make DVD Slideshows using Video Factory (because of the great Pan and Zoom features, among other reasons). Then I need a program that I can create the DVD using the MPEG2s or AVIs from VideoFactory. I need the viewer to have a great opening when they pop in the DVD- moving menus, but nothing tacky. Just slick, smooth, easy to navigate.
I would like a certain amount of control (but I understand there is very little in the way of editing the templates in either program). But I would like my own backgrond pic or vid- not some predone "Our Wedding" picture.

I want to be able run a business on the side- so quality must be of the utmost import as well.

Please, help me decide, so I don't pull a "Roxio." You know, get all excited, buy a program, use it for a few days only to realize there is no fix for the horribleness of the out of synch audio. Thanks so much!

Comments

mdotnet wrote on 2/8/2003, 5:41 PM
DVD Complete is a pretty good program. I actually like it allot, and made a few DVD's using that and Video Factory before we just upgraded to Vegas 4 + DVD.

One thing to realize about Dazzle though, is that you can't move thumbnails. That gets frustrating real quick. Outside of that, you have incredible control, especially over navigation (how you jump from one button to the next, what a clip does when it finishes, etc..) It also does the pre-title logo's (called Overtures in Dazzle) very well.

My biggest complaint however, is the menu auto-generation. When you import your movies, you have to set the chapters then, and if after you get your menu's all set up (backgrounds, sounds, thumbnails, etc..), you find that you need to move a chapter point even one frame, or if you want to add, or remove a clip at some point later, Dazzle regenerates all the menu's and you have to start all over. It's very frustrating, and there’s no way to avoid it. You can work around it, sort of, you just have to make sure everything works exactly like you want it to *before* designing your menu’s. But one mistake, and you have to start over.

It’s unfortunate that you can’t buy DVD Architect as a stand-alone, because it is a fantastic authoring program.
bravado15 wrote on 2/8/2003, 7:04 PM
thanks for the imput... anyone want to counter this and tell me to buy Movie Factory, because that seems to be the rave on this board. Some insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
the_ripper wrote on 2/11/2003, 3:08 PM
I have ULEAD Movie Factory 1, search around my posts. I have had issues. The movies are choppy, long clips seem to lose sync, so far I am not in love with it. I also seem to have to convert to a CONSTANT bitrate. VBR aliasing drives me nuts, I see it in dark shadow regions pulsing at me as it is adjusting. I agree, I would like a nice DVD package that renders and burns for a fair price. Whats fair? Oh $50 is fair to me. the_ripper
ralphied wrote on 2/11/2003, 9:04 PM
I've used several low end DVD authoring programs (< $50) and, in my opinion, Ulead DVD Movie Factory does the best job for the money. Version 1, while decent, had some issues (I never ran into the choppy long clips or sync problems that 'the_ripper' mentioned, though.) For example, it constantly crashed when creating chapters points and the menus were very limited.

However, Version 2, which came out last month, seems to be significant improvement. I've been using the 30-day trial and the program has been very stable. I use to use TMPGEnc to encode all of my DV .AVI file to MPEG-2. But, I did several tests of encoding right from MF 2, it did a very nice job (comparable to TMPGEnc).

I still believe Ulead DVD MF2 is the best authoring package FOR THE MONEY.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 2/12/2003, 7:06 PM
I would suggest you download both Dazzle DVD Complete and DVD MovieFactory 2 and decide for yourself. They both have full-featured 30 day trials. I used the trial of Dazzle and couldn’t stand it for all the reasons Michelle (mdotnet) mentioned. It also has a nasty habit of wanting to encode each file as you load it instead of doing them all at the end in batch mode like DVD MovieFactory 2. It depends on your workflow habits. I bought DVD MovieFactory 2, which was half the price. While it only creates DVD’s with thumbnail links i.e., you can’t make a Hollywood style Play, Scenes, Special Features, DVD like DVD Complete can, it’s very easy to use and works well.

Even though I bought MovieFactory, based on your requirements, you probably want to take a good look at Dazzle DVD Complete. DVD Movie Factory 2 does not do motion menus, so if motion menus are a must, you want Dazzle. Also, if you do intent to make DVD’s with text links as well as thumbnail links then you might like Dazzle better because it has a template for the Hollywood style menus with text links to Play, Scene Selection, & Special Features. Once again, DVD MovieFactory 2 only does static thumbnail links. Finally Dazzle has a nice feature of making Disc jackets for you. If you’re thinking of a business on the side this could save you some time and make your delivered DVD’s look more professional.

It all depends on whose DVD templates you like because they’re both template driven and you can’t move things around on the templates. You can only make substitutions. Like I said, download the trials and give them a workout.

~jr
bravado15 wrote on 2/12/2003, 8:15 PM
Well, I have tried them both by now and (drum roll please)... I have officially gone with Dazzle's DVD Complete. I think the templates are much better looking and I really dig the motion menus and overtures.
I'm still waiting for my damn Sony external DVD writer, but I went to my brother's house yesterday and burned my 21 minute slideshow on the first try- and it looks excellent! Thanks for all of your imput.
TLT wrote on 2/22/2003, 12:40 PM
Dazzle
jsdtx wrote on 2/23/2003, 7:24 PM
I have been using MyDVD and MovieFactory 2 for about a week with tmpgnc plus. The Movie Factory gives me jagged video during movement. I am ready to spend some more money on a video vegas or premiere.