I have a shiny new Panasonic E-50 DVD recorder. So far I've managed to edit a concert, to remove ad breaks, using TMPGenc DVD Author. I added a menu also then burned the lot and have a working DVD. Excellent quality (to these untrained eyes and ears). Now, the only things I don't like about TMPGenc DVD Author are the relatively narrow choice of options for menu creation, and that it's not possible to edit down to frame level. Maybe the developers will add further menu creation options but for now the hunt is on for an alternative application. It could be my lack of knowledge that makes me regard the menu options as lacking, but I couldn't find a way to produce the simple menu I have in mind... So far I've not found anything that allows more freedom with menus and also retains AC3 sound. Admittedly I've become very confused with all the different software solutions having downloaded and tried several over the weekend... DVDLab would appear to allow me to keep audio in AC3 format - but doesn't allow 'proper' editing (just trimming of the end of the clip). Ulead Video Studio has reasonable editing options but not compatible with AC3. Pinnacle Studio 8 - not sure about this one as it crashed my system whenever I tried to load in the mpeg 'clip' I'd made using TMPGenc (another mpeg clip loaded fine so I don't know what the problem was with the concert 'clip'). I could be totally wrong about anything and everything above! I don't want to do anything too ambitious - just simple editing, keeping AC3 and decent menu creation. Does anyone have any suggestions please? If you do, what other conversion steps would be required to import my clips into the app? (bearing in mind I'll more than likely be recording on DVD-RAM). Is there some way to use another app. for menu creation only in conjunction with TMPGenc DVD Author? How would that flow? Thanks for any advice
The lastest version of TMPG DVD Author has the option to allow you to edit the menus. Have you tried that? I believe that the frame editing functions at the GOP level, hence the inability to cut on any arbitary frame. For the most part I find this acceptable. Rgds, jnihil.
Cheers for the reply! I've tried 1.5 (trial version) yes - it's those menu options that I feel are a bit limited. However, I think I was wrong about the DVDLab app not retaining AC3 as I've discovered something in the manual I'd over-looked.... Going to try using TDA to edit my clips and see if I can produce menus on DVDLab. So much to learn. I take your point about the GOP editing jnihil (although I'd still rather not see the remains of an ad. break etc. when edited in TDA. Thanks again for the reply.
Well DVD-Lab is a Great DVD authoring Program and it fully supports Menu"s with AC3 audio, But for editing you should use "Womble Mpeg2VCR" it will edit Mpeg2 and Vob files with AC3 audio and it is a Frame accurate editor and also has other exelent Features..You might also try "Sonic DVD Producer 3.51" it is an awesome DVD authoring Program but it sells for about $4500 but there is a Free version floating around...Cheers
