Worth upgrading to DVD Workshop Express?

videojanitor · Post by **videojanitor** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:21 am

Hi folks! This is my first time here. I have been using DVD Workshop 1.0 for some time, and it has been fine for my needs. I import MPEG files from DVD-RAM that I have recorded with a Panasonic stand-alone recorder, then I simply add chapters and menus and burn back to DVD. I do NO EDITING in DVD Workshop so the MPEG files are NOT RE-ENCODED when burning the disc. This not only saves time, but the quality is excellent.

Question: Are there any compelling features in DVD Workshop Express that are not in 1.0? There are only a few things about 1.0 that annoy me, which I would gladly pay to fix: First and foremost, when previewing the final product, there is no way to jump from one chapter to the next. You can "play," "stop" or go back to the menu, but that's about it. Has this been updated in the newer versions?

Also, does "Express" still have the option that says "do not convert compliant file?" I don't want my files re-encoded.

Lastly, if I choose to stay with 1.0, will it support newer burners? I'm considering upgrading my Panasonic drive to the latest model, the SW-9573-C, which is listed on the DVD Workshop compatibility list, but I don't know if that compatibility includes 1.0.

Thanks for any info!

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:48 am

I think it has many new features that are worth the upgrade.

Here's a comparison chart from WS 1.2 to WS 2.0 FULL (note, some items in the FULL are not in the EXPRESS version, but the EXPRESS version still has multiple audio tracks, playlists, subtitles)
http://www.ulead.com/dws/compare.htm

here's a comparsion between FULL and EXPRESS
http://www.ulead.com/dws/compare2.htm

You can download the TRIAL to see if it has the features you want.

Regarding the "Do not convert...", it has a better way of handling that. You can tell it at the video and/or audio level (each separately).

Regarding the upgrade of your drive, look around for a Burner that might include a version of DVD WS 2.0. I seem to recall someone posted their burner came bundled with DVD W -- it's probably a scaled down version like the EXPRESS, but it should have alot of the EXPRESS features

videojanitor · Post by **videojanitor** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:18 am

Hi George ... thanks for the reply!

I think I might download the trial version and try it out, though it appears as though you can only try out the "full" version, and not "express." Do you know if installing the trial version will alter my current 1.0 installation? I would hate to have that get hosed if I end up not liking the later version -- I'd like to be able to uninstall it and get back to right where I was.

I decided to order the Panasonic burner (because I absolutely need DVD-RAM capability, and I know these drives work well), and will cross my fingers that it works with WS 1.0. If not, I guess I WILL be upgrading

--Bill

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:46 am

You can have vv1 and 2 installed and working simultaneously without interaction, provided that you install them in different directories.

The full version of v 2 is useful only if you require more than 2 soundtracks or subtitle languages or produce tapes for pressing DVDs.

videojanitor · Post by **videojanitor** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:54 am

Thanks Devil ... that is good to know.

My needs are actually pretty modest -- nothing more than the main soundtrack, no subtitles, no need to send to a pressing plant, etc. The only things I am looking for in an upgrade are things that improve the usability -- things I mentioned before, like being able to preview the chapter points with the DVD player simulator. Can't do that with version 1. So far, no one has said whether v2 offers this.

I'd also love more control over how the menus flow. For instance, if I have two columns of text in a menu, when I get to the bottom of column 1, the "selection" doesn't jump to the top of the next column -- I've got to "arrow-right" to move to the other column, then "arrow-up" to get to the top. I'd be willing to pop for the upgrade if it offered those kinds of features ...

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 12:14 pm

yes and no...

In DVDWS2:
-yes, you can next/prev on the chapter points during the preview
-no, you cannot set the arrow navigation manually

videojanitor · Post by **videojanitor** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:46 pm

Well, one of out two ain't bad. Thanks for the info!

--Bill

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:05 am

I suspect navigation over columns, as you describe, may not be possible with any sysytem. This sometimes annoys me with Hollywood etc. productions. But certainly you can navigate either with arrows or numbers with the virtual remote, as GW (hopefully without a B!) described.

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:06 pm

Devil wrote:I suspect navigation over columns, as you describe, may not be possible with any sysytem. This sometimes annoys me with Hollywood etc. productions. But certainly you can navigate either with arrows or numbers with the virtual remote, as GW (hopefully without a B!) described.

Yes, there are some applications that will let you manually set the arrow navigation for your menu buttons. I use them in situations where I have a long column of text buttons (say 10 items going vertically). When I get to the bottom link, I set the DOWN arrow to wrap back up to the first button. Same thing when I am on the first button, the UP arrow wraps to the last button.

videojanitor · Post by **videojanitor** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:39 pm

George and Devil ...

Thanks for all your replies! The good news (for me) is that the new Panasonic drive arrived yesterday, and it is perfectly compatible with WS 1.0. I am stoked about that -- it burns a full DVD in about 8 minutes, versus 30 minutes with my old 2x drive. Sweet! I'll probably hold off on upgrading to a newer version of DVD WS until it offers features that are more compelling to me, like complete control over the button navigation.

Oh, one more question about the "preview" player in the latest versions. You said that it will allow you to jump forward/back to check the chapters, but will it allow you to scan forward/back, or jump to a specific time?

Thanks! --Bill

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 7:17 am

Word of warning: although you can write DVDs faster, now, I find from experience that I get max reliability by burning at a slower rate. For ex., if the media is 8x, I burn normally at 4x or even 2x for archival discs. I've examined the tracks through a metallurgical microscope and the slow burns have a sharper edge to the 0s and 1s. Also, for SL discs, I never burn to more than ~4.1 Gb, often less, as the outside tracks are more prone to damage.

videojanitor · Post by **videojanitor** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:00 pm

That brings up an interesting question -- when burning with DVD WS, how do you LIMIT the burn speed? At least with 1.0, the pull-down menu for recording-speed now shows only two options -- "MAX" and "8X." Uh, well that's not much of a choice!

Also interesting that this only occurs once a disc is inserted in the drive -- if there's no disc, the pull-down shows 4X, 8X, 12X, 16X, 24X. DVD WS must be gleaning some info from the drive/disc, because if I put a DVD-R that's spec'd as a 4X disc, then "4X" shows up as the only available recording speed.

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Worth upgrading to DVD Workshop Express?

Worth upgrading to DVD Workshop Express?

I think it's worth it...

yes and no

Maybe in future releases?