2 questions concerning authoring

[Dannyjaye05]

I am new to digital video and authoring. I have spent a few years working as a 3d animator, but am now interested in venturing into vcd, svcd and dvd authoring.

2 questions to begin.

1. What is the best PC based program to purchase in order to do vcd/svcd and dvd authoring?
2. If I start by creating a simple vcd, will my menus be interactive and work accordingly in a dvd player?

[UncasMS]

1. based on what value for money relation?

2. i never tried vcd authoring but one can never say a menue will work on EVERY player since they can be very picky at times.

i should think a google search will provide you with better feedback, since most people dont really care for vcd or svcd menues. only dvd menues are becoming slightly more popular.

you know as soon as it takes a little effort most user turn their back on this stuff.

[Dannyjaye05]

Thanks for the help Uncas,

I downloaded the dvx, and read through the dvd guide. I can see where this would help me, unfortunately I am creating an animation based dvd or vcd from my own avi's, but before I do the final encoding and streaming, I need to build interactive menus.
Maybe I didnt see it,....but does dvx provide the functionality of using my own photoshop and 3d designed image files for menus and buttons etc?

[Dannyjaye05]

I need to buy the best dvd authoring software that money can buy. But if there are any good free ones out there, then Ill be happy to start from there before blowing some big bucks away.

[setarip]

At the lighter weight end of the spectrum, you might want to examine/explore trial versions of "DVDLab" and "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (NOT "TMPGEnc") as a means of "getting your feet wet" regarding menus, chapters, etc...

[shiny#3]

welcome!!!!

since you have spent that long time on being a 3 d animating
author i guess you should know that it is just alike.
any developer company cooks a special soup.
the only thing to be sure of is some standarts of video and audio encoding
that can be used to create a certain filestructure, which can be read by most players.

as you might have experienced in 3 D animation there is nothing like an absolute tool. each has its purposes its strenght and its weaknesses.

It is the same with video edititing and storing!!

and now as I read that.... you should know that.

and doubts come into my mind!!!

[Dannyjaye05]

to: Setarip,....thanks for the wise words, now I need to know the best place to get my eager hands on TMPGEnc dvd author. I do have my claws on TMPGEnc though.

to: shiny#3,.......shouldnt have any doubts,.....just trust the force behind you....

[setarip]

"I need to know the best place to get my eager hands on TMPGEnc dvd author"

Simply click on the link to "DVDR Digest" at the top of this page...



"thanks for the wise words"

My pleasure ;>}

[UncasMS]

DVDLab is my best bet when it comes to value for money

importing psd works like a charm - i cannot judge 3d modelling though

[Dannyjaye05]

Thanks, I am now on my way....., will be waiting to receive the programmes, once I do,.....Ill be throwing questions around all over this screen.

[Dannyjaye05]

I am confused about something that has been on my mind for a while now.

Im creating some animations that will eventually go onto either vcd/svcd or dvd. This disk will then be playing on a 40 inch plasma screen, as well as PAL tv sets

What I would love to know is all about aspect ratio. The problem is that Im confused about creating the animation at the appropriate size,......should the raw avi be created at 800x600 for 4:3 display purposes?.....there is more confusion,.....if its going to be mpeg1/2,.....shouldnt the raw avi be initially created at 720x576?.....but how does this size find its way to 4:3 display? wouldnt the final video be stretched or squashed or something?

Please help,....Im highly confused.

[Dannyjaye05]

Does anyone know anything about Sonic Scenarist?

[Thingy]

720x576 is the Pal standard for DVD-movies. You could happily use that for 4:3 tv sets, if you want to create anamorph DVD-vidoe best thing is to create it with 1:1 pixels in avi using 1024x576 resolution. this way it's only to resize the movie when encoding it to 720x576 hence getting a stretch image that will be restretched to fit the 16:9 tv with maximum use of pixels.

For svcd there is no anamorph standard but 16:9 tv sets still handle anamorph video regardless of what the dvd-player use. To get compatibilty with 4:3 tv-sets and the svcd-standard you need to add borders though. Tmpgenc does this for you if you use the correct setting.

[shiny#3]

"but how does this size find its way to 4:3 display? wouldnt the final video be stretched or squashed or something? "

depends on!!!!

I assume that you intend to use the pal resolution in full width

to encode your initially created avi file.

this means your avi file will be converted to a 720x540 of displayed picture with two black bars of 720x18 that need to be added at the top and the bottom of your encoded moviepicture
to meet the full resolution of 720x576.

there are several avisynth plugins out there that will assist you in
finding the proper resize instruction for avisynth and similar working frameservers.

since you´ve talked of mpeg1 and mpeg2 I assume that you also intend to encode to vcd and svcd format.

so maybe you ´d like to try Fitcd to create usable avisynth scripts,
in order to maintain a correct aspect ratio in these
formats also