Creating Menus

[muzer]

We had our family 8mm films professionally converted and recorded onto a DVD.
I would like to modify these DVDs by creating my own menus.

Can anyone suggest a good software to accomplish this.

I do not want to spend a lot, as I will not use this software very much after accomplishing this.

[atifsh]

Tmpgenc for converting to mpeg2 incase u want to edit [free]
videostudio7 for any editing [trial/ or buy]
Tmpgenc for menu creation [free for 30 days]

[robguy]

I just finished a 9-month project with a family film (1959-1963) that had been transferred to videotape. I tranferred it to DVD (using a Philips DVDR985 standalone recorder).

Next, I used TMPGenc DVD Author 1.5 to transform the video into MPEG-2 files. DVD Author converted the DVD's *.vob files to MPEG-2.

I then ported the MPEG-2 files into Pinnacle Studio, did my editing, added music (note that my 8mm film had no sound orginally) and output the files as MPEG-2.

Next, I went back to DVD Author and imported the files, made a menu, and burned the DVD from within DVD Author.

Hope this helps. One last note: You can use any number of video editors once you get the *.vobs made into MPEG-2. Pinnacle Studio is but one. Some people like ULead Video Studio, others like Intervideo WinDVD Creator 2 ... others like other editing programs.

[atifsh]

Originally posted by robguy
others like Intervideo WinDVD Creator 2

i wanna know these othersss....................

[ashy]

DVDlab is very easy to use and good for Novices and professionals alike.
You can use the templates to create a decent professional looking menu or your own. You can whip one up in minutes with this software and it will author the DVD and burn it too.

[muzer]

Multiple Programs for Conversion, Editing and Menus

Thank you for your input.
I visited Pinnacle Systems Web site, they offer a lot of different products.
Just to confirm, we are talking about their Pinnacle Studio version 8 correct?

Originally posted by robguy
...I used TMPGenc DVD Author 1.5 to transform the video into MPEG-2 files. DVD Author converted the DVD's *.vob files to MPEG-2.

Would Pinnacle Studio 8 do the conversion?

Do the videos loose on quality during the conversion?

Originally posted by robguy
Next, I went back to DVD Author and imported the files, made a menu, and burned the DVD from within DVD Author.

Is DVD Author 1.5 better for the menus and the final burning than Pinnacle Studio 8 ?

I am trying to avoid buying multiple apps if possible.

[muzer]

Editing and Menu Creation

Originally posted by atifsh
...videostudio7 for any editing [trial/ or buy]
Tmpgenc for menu creation [free for 30 days]

Thank you atifsh.
Is Tmpgenc so much better for Menu Creating than Ulead and Pinacle?
For Editing you seem to prefer Ulead over Pinacle, did you try both? Can you comment on any pros and cons?

[muzer]

DVDlab Editing Features

Originally posted by ashy
DVDlab is very easy to use and good for Novices and professionals alike...

Thank you ashy.
How would you grade DVDlab's editing features?
Do you know of any limitations?
Do you have any experience with other editing tools?

[ashy]

DVDlab is more of a DVD authoring program than an editor. If you want to cut and merge scenes then something else would be more appropiate, but for menus the sky's the limit if you want it to be.
Put it this way most authoring programs are not easy to use and take some time to get used to. With DVDlab things are so much more simpler than most yet can acheive much of the same.

Some like TMPG DVDauthor for it's ease and simplicity. I would say DVDlab is just as easy to use, but with far more features.

Maybe you should just test the full trial.