[Craig Youmans]

I have used DVDit Pro SD and HD and Scenarist SD Pro.

Scenarist goes deeper into the DVD specification than any other SD authoring program and offers full GPRM control down to the cell level. However, it has a shameful interface with NO UNDO (that’s right not even 1 level of Undo). This means that you may not make a mistake. I have not used the scenarist HD version, which does have an undo command. Scenarist SD can do everything you see on “Block buster” DVDs, but it is very heavy handed to use.

I have recently abandonned Scenarist after 10 years of stuggling without an “undo” command and have certainly wasted many days, weeks and perhaps months because of this.

Scenarist SD cost about $5,000.– which makes it about 10 times more expensive than DVDit Pro (HD).

DVDit Pro (SD and HD) is very easy to use and highly recommended.

I is a great shame that Scenarist SD is so awfull to use, because it can certainly do some very cool things. What a shame.

[Craig Youmans]

Sonic knows they have the market share and as you said there isn’t much else out there that can offer DVD authoring down to a cell level with such great control.

However, Scenarist needs more user aids included in the interface.

I also use Fusion (eyeonline.com) which is a high-end video compositing and special effect software. It costs $5,000.–(US$ five thousand). Working with fusion is like driving a Rolls Royce compared to a very average car that is Scenarist.

Generally, as you said, you would not design menus in Scenarist. None-the-less, time is often of the essence and a few built-in features would make Scenarist more pleasant to use and perhaps accelerate the authoring process.

I have used Scenarist for a number of years now and certainly will continue to use it in the future. Hopefully one day they will improve the interface.

By the way did you have the “object design” problem?

Craig

[Craig Youmans]

I would use double-layer DVDs.

Craig

[Craig Youmans]

Duncan,

I had exactly this problem with software simulation. Sometimes Highlights would show and sometimes not.

I removed “Norton Internet Security 2008” and this fixed the problem. I now use Pctools “Spyware Doctor” with antivirus as a replacement for Norton and Scenarist 3.2 is working fine (so far).

I think Norton considered the “object design” to be a pop-up and somehow blocked it which causes Scenarist 3.2 simulation to malfunction.

I do not know if other antivirus programs such as McAfee will work with Scenarist or not.

I do not think it has anything to do with graphic card drivers or XP service pack 3.

With out Norton, Software simulation works for me.

The Hardware simulation does NOT work properly for me.

Hardware simulation always starts at chapter 1 regardless of which chapter has been selected from the menus. The SPRM page shows the correct chapter number but my video always starts at chapter 1. Have you had this problem?

Sonic told me it was a known bug.

Lets face it. Scenarist is certainly not worth the price Sonic charges for it. The absence of goodies such as an animated button generator or a menu creator certainly reduce its appeal. Its heavy handedness and the lack of an UNDO feature is shameful.

Scenarist is like Windows “Notepad” sold for the price of “Word for Windows”.

In my view Scenarist should be rewritten and made much more user friendly. Hopefully Sonic will some day get the idea.

Craig

[Craig Youmans]

I had the same MXF problem with Clip browser 1.0. Downloading clip browser 1.1 from the Sony web site will fix the the problem.

Note: by the end of June 2008 there will (should) be a version 2.0 of clip browser with a lot of new functionalities.