Best Video Authoring Software???

I am looking for a good software program that will allow me to create slideshows from digital pictures and also work with home videos. Do any of you have experience with a program that offers alot of artistic features but is easy to use at the same time.

I have already created a few short "music videos" in a slideshow format using Windows Movie Maker. I found it to be alot of fun but the software is rather limited. I would also like the ability to convert home videos and other clips into one movie and put it all on to dvd.

Thank you for your time and input.

Dave

 

anyone???? Nobody uses this type of software??

 

I haven't tried to do a picture slide show so I'm not sure if this will do or not. Nero 6 ultra is a complete burning package that has many features. I think you may be able to do your project with the Nero Vision Express part. There is a free trial download for I think 30 days so check it out. Many good features for other projects too. Good luck.

Jerry

 

I've tried DVD-Lab (which also burned the DVDR), but the burned DVD-R only works in my computer and not in conventional DVD players. I tried authoring with WinAvi that worked fine when I burned with DVD-Lab, but I could not place menus at the movie thourgh WinAvi. Anyone could help me also with a softwar we could creat menu's and that would work great in conventional DVD players

 

Thanks for your input guys. It is important to me to be able to use in conventional DVD players. I have already successfully converted the .wmv files that Windows movie maker creates into DVD format using DVD Santa. It works just fine on conventional DVD players.

My problem is that I am looking for a more robust program to create the movie to begin with. Movie Maker is rather anemic when it comes to options. I want to be able to add better special effects and be more creative.

 

You could try Adobe Premiere. I believe it does what you'd like to do and more.

 

Thanks, I will take a look at it.

 

Adobe premiere is pretty good, but I suggest you have a rather good system to run dvd authoring software because they do like to crash/freeze often if your system specs aren't too good. Another one to try is Pinnacle's system studio plus 9 both seem to be very good according to PcWorld magazine.

 

I've had excellent success with Studio 9 for Slide shows and capturing from VHS sources. Studio 9 has storyboard and timeliness, plus ability to add sound over.
I create an AVI file from Studio 9 and then use CCEncode basic to create an MPEG2 file. Finally, I use TMPG Author to add chapters, menus, etc. and output Video Files. Nero is used to burn. I write to TYuden +R discs. It may seem long, but produces excellent results.

I use Canopus ADVC 100 to do the A/D conversion from VHS tapes.

 

I have had no problem with DVD Lab and stand alone players... but I have never used DVD Lab to burn the disc. I create the files and then use Nero to burn.

Adder.

 

Thanks guys. You are helping get me started in the right direction. I didn't expect this to be an easy slam-dunk process, and I figured I was going to have to use multiple programs to convert files and so on.

The file converter programs that you guys are using, did you have to pay for them or are they share-ware??

I already have nero, so that will save me some money.

Also, ShellyN1 mentioned converting an AVI file to an MPEG file. Is MPEG a DVD format?? Or does Nero convert MPEG into DVD???

One last question. For those of you using Studio 9, do you find that there are enough artistic tools to help you create semi-professional looking results??

Thanks again for all of your input guys. Sorry for all the questions, but I still have alot to learn.

 

Depending on how ddep you want to get into this Adobe's Premier Elements does a great job and not nearly as expensive as Premier.

 

Well, I guess right now it is kind of a hobby. I am glad you asked that question because I guess I assumed the price would have been comparable.

I guess another thing that is important is how easy they are to use. Is either one more user-friendly??

I don't need to create movies in 5.1 Digital or anything like that. I just would like alot of artistic tools/options to allow me to create several movies with enough variety. My problem with Movie Maker is that I used every tool that program had in one 9 minute slideshow. It was alot of fun, but now I can only create another re-hash of the same video. Kind of boring.

 

Auditech,
I have used MyDVD by Sonic, It is a great little program, it will not reencode your mpeg compliant video and will leave you with your original quality.

Also, you can create a movie and slideshow on the same DVD disk (space permitting) so you could have say a 1 hour video of a birthday and add aslideshow of all the still photos.

It's not bad at all.

m

 

I highly recommend Adobe Premier Elements if your just starting out.($99.00) You can easliy load from your DV camcorder or from file. You can edit out parts easily. Add transitions, etc. Try it.

 

There are various mpeg formats. DVD's use mpeg2. But you will not see the files with an mpg/mpeg extension on your dvd's. You'll see VOB files. But they are mpeg2.

DVD authoring programs typically can read in many different kinds of video digital files -- avi, mpegs of different formats -- and will convert them to mpeg2 (VOB) during the encoding process (also called transcoding).

 

ahhh. I was wondering why I always saw a VOB extension on the files that I encoded when ripping a DVD movie. You explained that perfectly, thank you.

So would DVD shrink or DVD Decryptor convert an AVI file to an MPEG2?? Both of those programs have worked well for me when backing up a DVD movie and I already have them.

 

No, DVD shrink and DVD Decryptor basically just copy the contents off the DVD onto your harddrive (see http://www.dvdshrink.info/guides.php) for more things DVD Shrink can do.

You need something like Nero Vision Express (NVE) or TMPGEnc to convert the AVI to MPEG2.

Once you have the file in MPEG2 format, then you have to convert to VOB. This can be done with several programs, like NVE, DVD Lab or 'TMPGEnc DVD Author'. These also create menus, add chapter points, etc.

Note that I mentioned NVE in both procedures above, thats because its an all-in-one type program...ie, give it an AVI file and you can end up with a burnt DVD. Some people say the quality isn't as good...up to you.

Have a look in the Software section, most of these tools have trial versions for download.

Adder.

 

Whatever you do DONT use Nero Vision express to encode your Files to Mpeg/DVD because it is well known for haveing one of the worst quality mpeg encoders of any Program...If you want Quality then use a High End Mpeg encoder to encode to Mpeg-2/DVD Like Canopus procoder or CCE SP or even Tmpgenc xpress.....

 

Another vote for DVDLab and Pro. For the money, there's nothing better.
http://www.videohelp.com/guides.php...=0&listallusers=&search=Search+or+List+Guides
DVDLab Guides

Edit: the stupid ubb code screws up the look, but the link still works