Hi all. I had a previous post that asked about comparing Nero to Roxio
for DVD authoring features. Now, I am happy to say, I've seen the light
of DVD-Lab and DVD Author (thanks to newsgroup input). These are both
way more powerful for DVD authoring and are in the same price range.
I've downloaded trial versions of each and am playing around.

So now my question is--what are the opinions of DVD-Lab vs. DVD Author?
Any recommendations for features I should check out on one or the other
during my trial runs?

Thanks again,

Ken

"kk_oop<no spam> @yahoo.com>" <"kk_oop<no spam> wrote in message
news:41333fd1$0$19726$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...
In TMPGEnc DVD Author, be sure to read the Help
section. Try clicking on menu elements and check out the
"open files" drop down for the kinds of video/images that
you can use to replace that element. Use the font and color
buttons on the text entry windows.

Luck;
Ken

"Ken Maltby" <kmaltby@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:41334a25$0$48752$a32e20b9@news.nntpservers.co m...
about a week ago at alt.video.dvd.software
/Ken

Ken Maltby wrote:

worms and meant .

Seriously though, it was quite helpful. I think I'll go with DVLab for
now, then if it seems too overwhelming, I'll find out before the 30
trial is up and switch to DVD Author. Note that I'm thinking I'll be
able to do my MPEG encoding using my copy of Adope Premiere Pro 1.5,
however, that's still on its way to my house, so I haven't opened it
yet, and so cannot be sure. We'll see....

Thanks again!

Ken K.

Ken Maltby wrote:


I've been playing around in DVD Author, and I have a few questions about its capabilities. These are things that seem pretty easy to do in DVDLab, but that don't seem readily available in DVD Author.

1- How can I play menu background music if I am not using motion menus?
2- If I choose to "Specify Image for the Thumbnail Frame", what kind of image should I use? How would I make it so that part of it would be transparent? In DVDLab, I was able to import a .PNG file that had transparancy built in. DVD Author does not accept PNG files. The problem is that the center of the frame needs to be transparent, so the thumbnail will show through.
3- If I have a theme in place that I've been customizing, and I decide that instead of having 3 chapter thumbnails on a page I would prefer to have 5 on a page, how do I change this without having to start over from scratch? That's easy to do in DVDLab. Can't see how to do it here.
4- Is there a way to control the shadow effect for text?

Thanks for any input!

Ken K.

I am dizzy, what is DVD-Lab and DVD Author...I have an unopen Nero 6
package!


"kk_oop<no spam> @yahoo.com>" <"kk_oop<no spam> wrote in message
news:41339ad6$0$19720$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...

What is DVD Author and DVD-Lab....I have an unopen package from Dell of Nero
6.0 Ultra Edition.

"kk_oop<no spam> @yahoo.com>" <"kk_oop<no spam> wrote in message
news:41333fd1$0$19726$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...

DVD-Lab is a powerful DVD authoring package that requires very little time
to learn but still has so much depth and functionality that you could spend
long periods of time trying out many options that are professional
appearing. It uses a flowcharting metaphor for viewing objects (e.g.. A
menu) and their connection to one another. Study this page and decide if it
makes more sense to you than most of the DVD authoring software on store
shelves.

http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/index.html

Regards TMPGEnc DVD Author, I have never used it. However, TMPGEnc makes one
of the most powerful tools for creating MPEG files from AVI, MPG, and other
formats. They make a freeware version for personal use but the DVD authoring
package, I believe, is for a fee.

http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/tda.html




"leo" <dusty-roads@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:fDOYc.3180$8d1.1810@newsread2.news.pas.earthl ink.net...

Hi.

I've been playing around with various free trial licenses of DVD
authoring software. What I've found so far is that if you want to do
DVD menus, chapters and things like that, DVD Lab or DVD Author is the
way to go. These products are under a hundred bucks and focus on just
DVD authoring. Something like Nero has lots of other goodies, which may
be good, but the DVD Authoring was clearly lacking when compared to
these other products (I tried a trial of Nero, too). So while Nero may
serve you well in other areas, I'd recommend trying a trial of DVD Lab
or DVD Author to have in addition to Nero.

See ya,

Ken

leo wrote:

"kk_oop<no spam> @yahoo.com>" <"kk_oop<no spam> wrote in message
news:41339ad6$0$19720$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...
but that don't seem readily available in DVD Author.
From the www.tmpgenc.net TMPGEnc DVD Author BBS

apachelance 06/30 (Wed) 03:07 ( ID:5ur4qxqjw.w ) [ Edit / Delete / Reply
with quotation ]
Hi,

simply insert the mpeg-file in the background menu. Setting for background
motion should be disabled. Just choose the length auf the motion menu
depending on the length of your mpeg-file. This works fine for me. It is
important that the mpeg-file has only stereo/surround sound, no ac3 output.
So you can create an working mpeg file in TMPEGenc by using mp3 or wav
input.


Greetings, Michael

Basically, with the background motion disabled, the first frame of your
..mpg will be the thumbnail image.

I use the short Intro. Clip that most TV shows run at the start of every
episode as a motion menu w/sound and then cut it out of each of the six
episodes I save on a DVD. A 20-60sec clip works great with not that
much impact on the space available on the DVD.

transparent? In DVDLab, I was able to import a .PNG file that had
transparancy built in. DVD Author does not accept PNG files. The problem
is that the center of the frame needs to be transparent, so the thumbnail
will show through.

If you are using one of the supplied frames, just select an image file of
any one
of the listed formats, TDA will take care of the thumbnail layer.

If you want to make your own using a .psd Photoshop file (The free Gimp2
makes them also) see the following:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/b/a/2004_07_28.htm

5 on a page, how do I change this without having to start over from scratch?
That's easy to do in DVDLab. Can't see how to do it here.

You might want to make a theme with six thumbnails to start with then.
Remember you will be able to rearrange the items on your menu (including
thumbnails) however you wish with the "Edit menu theme" button. There
can only be, up to, the number of thumbnails in the theme on a menu page,
but you will only see as many as you allow with the "Menu display settings">
"Chapter display" tab. The changes you make to your theme are only good
for the current project, unless you save it. Just don't save it, and the
next
time you use it, it'll be back to normal. Of course if you will be using it
that
way again, then you might save it with a descriptive name You can save the
theme with all the graphics, including a motion menu clip, so it will be
ready to go next time.


right click on a text object in "Edit menu theme" and select
"Shadow setting".

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:40:13 GMT, "Pat" <hotpatpar@hotmail.com> wrote:

Yes

I have, and it's much simpler than DVDLab, both in use and in
features. If you do not need sophistication in Menus, then it is the
ideal authoring program -no learning curve at all, does all that is
usually requested from a simple DVD. If you need sophisticated Menus,
then you'll better go with DVDLab.