Looking for MiniDVD to DVD Authoring Software

[shelleyevans]

Hi!

Have spent much time lurking on this board, and appreciate all the very thoughtful advice, and tutorials. I create very simple DVD projects (movies/slideshows) from MiniDVDs, and/or computer based MPEG2 files, all recorded in high quality (given that it's mpeg). Up until now I have been using TMPG DVD Author 2.0 because it has been the simplest way to create high quality DVD's-- as far as I can tell, it doesn't render the project at all, so the input quality equals the output quality. I am growing a little tired of the lack of features, however.

I do NOT want an editor, which is way more than I have time for, and feel that MovieFactory would be the right next step for me (some transitions, more flexible audio and menu creation). Will MovieFactory allow me to create "lossless" DVDs? I see there is a project setting that says, basically, "Don't render compatible MPEGs". Does that mean that my imported miniDVD footage will be left alone (except for transitions)? If so, could one of you experts suggest the optimal settings to preserve original MPEG image quality?

Fancy effects don't matter too much to me, but image quality is VERY important. Thanks in advance for your help.

[DVDDoug]

...as far as I can tell, it doesn't render the project at all, so the input quality equals the output quality... Will MovieFactory allow me to create "lossless" DVDs? ...I see there is a project setting that says, basically, "Don't render compatible MPEGs". Does that mean that my imported miniDVD footage will be left alone (except for transitions)?

Yes Ulead calls it Smart Render. Smart Render will only re-render where necessary, and Do Not Convert will instruct Movie Factory to ignore the Project Settings and go with whatever you feed it.

If so, could one of you experts suggest the optimal settings to preserve original MPEG image quality?

Again, with Do Not Convert checked your project's settings will be ignored. I think it will still convert the audio, if you choose a different audio format (i.e. Dolby).

I do NOT want an editor, which is way more than I have time for... (some transitions, more flexible audio and menu creation).

Technically speaking, transitions and cutting & spicing are editing. But, Movie Factory can do this type of basic editing, and it's probably the right program for you. Ulead DVD Workshop is a higher-end DVD authoring program, but it can't do any editing and we suspect it's getting phased-out.

Movie Factory (and Video Studio) has a really nice DVD Import feature, which can import your DVD as one big MPG file (without altering or re-rendering it). If you are currently splicing your VOB files together "manually", there is probably a glitch at the splice.


A couple of WARNINGS -

Try the trial version before you buy!

When I used cross-fade transitions between MPEGs, they were highly pixelated. I don't remember if this was true of all transitions. Some of us have had strange problems when editing MPEGs with any of the Ulead programs. (Occasional crashes & "lip-sync" problems.) Some users don't have these problems, but I now use Womble for the editing step.

Some users are also having trouble with the DVD Import feature. It seems to have trouble with DVDs from some cameras and some stand-alone DVD recorders. You need to try it with DVDs from your camera.

[shelleyevans]

Thank you for confirming what I think I was thinking. I have downloaded the program and will experiment, also comparing output to DVD Author, which is my "Womble".