I'm very new to DVDs, let alone DVD authoring. This has probably been asked before, but in searching, I couldn't find an answer. I have 4 videos that I've already converted to DVD format, ready for burning... I have the vob files in separate VIDEO_TS folders. What I'd like to do, is create a DVD, that will have chapters for each video... and a menu at the head. One of the videos has different songs on it, and it would also be nice, to have separate chapters for each song... but this isn't necessary. I could easily do this with ConvertXtoDVD, but it would re-encode the vobs I have already encoded. So, this doesn't make sense to me. Aside from learning DVD-Lab Pro, which is above me now, is there any simple way to load the separate videos, into a program, create menus/chapters, without re-encoding the videos, so I can burn it with ImgBurn? By the way, I've stayed away from Nero, because it's seems so bloated... so info about other apps would be appreciated... Any help is appreciated... thanks!
DVD-Lab is probably the way to go to do exactly what you want. Maybe PGCEdit. Both have a learning curve. I'd use TMPGEnc DVD Author. It's fast, easy to use, and version 1.6 is fully functional in trial mode. By the time you get up to speed with the others, you'd be done. http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/download/tda16.html
Yeah, I want to learn DVD-Lab, & seems to be the way to go, but right now I look at it, and haven't a clue So, for now, just to clean up the disk space, I'd love something a bit simpler. I'll have a look at TMGEnc Author, although when I briefly looked at the site, it seemed like only version 3, could import vobs. But, I may be wrong. As for size... one video has 2 vobs, totalling 1.23GB. Another one is around 800MB; another about 300MB; and the last is just under 600MB. The first and 2nd ones, have different songs, and ideally, I'd like to chapter them. I really appreciate the help, and any other tips anyone has... thanks!
TMPG 1.6 will import VOBs. If there is only one VOB for a title, just click the Add File button, change the file extension to all files in the Open dialog box, select the VOB, and Open. If there is more than one VOB per title, you'll have to have them in "DVD" form inside a compliant VIDEO_TS folder or add them one at a time and merge them in TMPG. Just use DVD Shrink to turn the VOBs into a compliant DVD folder on your hard disk. In TMPG use the Add DVD Video button, locate the VIDEO_TS folder with VOBs and import.
Thanks, laddy... I had some time last night, and installed v1.6, and was surprised how relatively easy it was, to built the DVD. I did have an audio problem, more related to the original conversions, to DVD format. I used ConvertXtoDVD, and the audio on the DVD I burned, was all over the place. So, I'll have to go back to step one, and re-convert my videos to DVD format. Do you have any recommendation, for a good conversion tool? ConvertX does ok with the video, but doesn't give any flexibility, in tweaking the audio. I still need something relatively easy, as I'm just beginning to learn about DVDs, but since these videos, and most I'll be burning are music-related, the audio is key, although my technical knowledge of some audio settings, is still in the newbie phase. One other question... you mentioned changing the extension, in the *open* dialog. Do you mean changing to *all files,* so it sees the vobs? I really appreciate your help... really emphasized!
Yes, changing to "all files" so it see the VOB. ConvertX is the best video converter around I've seen (consumer level at least). I think it's somewhat limited with sound or at least used to be. I think Nero 7's Nerovision Express has improved Dolby sound capabilities. Have you tried it? It'll also do editing, menuing, chapter marking, etc. It has its share of problems as well though. There's a lot of converters around. TMPGEnc Xpress is another although it likely requires adding an AC3 encoder. Just do a search for "avi to dvd". You need to find a converter that'll give you good Dolby multichannel sound and this is something I'm not well versed on.
Thanks, laddy... really appreciated. I tend to stay away of Nero, just because it's so bloated, but I'll have a look at Nerovision Xpress, to see how bloated it is So many of these programs, give little or no options. I tried AVS Video Converter... it did the best PAL to NTSC conversion I've seen, but gives no ability to configure, other than High, Med & Low. There seems to be no middle-ground... they're either directed to novice, or expert. It's funny, I used to be a Pro video editor. Worked with the most sophisticated video & audio equipment. Then everything went totally digital, and here I am a newbie again... go figure. Thanks again, you've been a great help!
I'd imagine the pro-level digital stuff still has the options. The consumer and pro-sumer, not so much. I don't do any avi to dvd conversions any more. I just use a dvd player that also plays mpeg4 files. You might want to check out TMPGEnc DVD Author 3. I believe it now has divx menu/chapter support. I just haven't had time to look at it and decide whether to upgrade from version 1.6 yet. Version 2 didn't have anything that made me want to upgrade. Since I'm using divx, an upgrade will likely be forthcoming for me as long as the menu support is good. It won't encode multichannel sound but I think will accept and pass through existing multichannel sound.
Pro level stuff, you can adjust anything... once you understand how each piece of equipment/software *thinks.* For me, since I want to understand the DVD creation process, doing the *grunt* work is good. Lots of trial and error... and wasted discs, since I haven't had a chance to buy any RWs lately. Good thing I got a great deal on 100 quality discs I did try TMPGEnc Xpress, on one of my videos. It's pretty straight forward, but the audio was still a bit distorted, and the encoding process took about 3 times longer, than ConvertX. I'll give TMPGEnc DVD Author 3 a look, although I'll probably wait a few weeks, to shake out any bugs, since it was released last week. Thanks, again for your help & advice!!
Hi there like you I am extremely new to this, I have a series of videos that I would like to put to DVD and tried win avi to convert them and dvd2one to create an image. They burned ok but I would like to create a menu for the various episodes of the series. when i had done this it seemed to be one big film with various cahpters but no menu strucure. Please can anyone help me solve this problem and what software is best for the task?? thankx in advance
Nerovision Express, part of the Nero suite of programs, and TMPGEnc DVD Author are probably the most often used and simplest to master for menuing DVD titles. http://www.nero.com http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/download/tda16.html
Strontium - - Since you've already converted the video, take laddyboy's advice to me... get TMPGEnc DVD Author 1.6. It's relatively easy to use, and works well. It has a few minor annoyances, like I had to adjust position of the thumbnail window, buttons, and text, on all the chapters I created, rather than just remembering the positions, for all the chapters. It wasn't much of a problem for me, as I only had 13 chapters, but it could get tedious, with lots more chapters. Another program that will do very simple menus, is ConvertXtoDVD, and it will do the conversions, from most video formats to DVD, too. Laddy - I want to thank you again for your help. I ended up reconverting my original videos, to DVD format, with TMPGEnc Xpress. Then, recreated some menus with DVD Author, burned it, and everything works great, looks great, and the sound issues were taken care of, with a couple of tweaks. You've gotten me through that first hurdle
