[George Wing]

yes, that’s what I do…

[George Wing]

DVD Workshop 2.x — Full or Express
-very user friendly
-nice set of templates
-customizable menus
-multiple subtitles
-multiple audio tracks
-builtin mpeg encoder
-Dolby Digital Audio encoding (2 channel)
-slideshow support
-burning engine
-offers CSS and Macrovision Flag setting (for adding to your DVD’s that will be sent to a replicator)

DVD LabPro 1.53
-no encoder (but offers an addon external encoder at a reasonable price)
-not as many templates
-builtin burning engine is not as robust as Ulead’s — but they do offer burning software at a good price
-much steeper learning curve than DVDWS

BUT, this program offers the most control and advanced navigational commands/features that are not found in most other PC packages (outside of Scenarist). IMHO, the learning curve is worth it if you plan to Author DVD’s professionally…

hth,
George

[George Wing]

What programs on the PC are you looking at? It would be easier if you provided a list so that people who know a particular program can offer their comments…

Also, what Authoring requirements do you have? In terms of flexibility and features? Do you need full navigational control with multiple audio tracks and subtitles? A builtin mpeg encoder? Other requirements?

[George Wing]

Sounds like you are all set then with DVD WS 🙂

You could use the savings to get another piece of equipment 🙂

[George Wing]

What kind of DVD’s do you plan to make — simple navigation, couple of menus, traight forward playback, etc…

Or more complicated navigation with different playback order, and multiple angles?

[George Wing]

[Jason Casey] “If only they would allow you to make a simple pop-n-play DVD with no menu at all.”

Funny you should say that — I just read a post where someone was asking if there was such a unit — that will record, and then just play without any menus. You mean there isn’t such a unit anywhere?

[George Wing]

well, staying within your current logic/structure, add chapter 29 to be a dummy chapter right before the movie ends (just don’t link it to any menu).

Then check if gprm0 >= 28 to go to the menu you want…

[George Wing]

Thanks Tim, this works!

Initially, I was not seeing it working either, but then I re-read Tim’s post, and realized he said TRACK Fx (not Event Fx). So adding the TRACK Fx, and toggling to POST-Apply will carry it to the children tracks 🙂

Interesting that if you do this to a regular track (i.e. no parent/child relationships), that it will apply the Fx to all tracks below the current.

[George Wing]

Thanks for your reply 🙂

I was thinking of doing what you suggested, or saving off the parent/child composite as its own project, then adding the saved project to a track.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything…

Thanks again,
George

[George Wing]

Forgot to mention, I think the initial layout is stored in all the saved layouts (0-9). So you can follow the directions to recall a saved layout, and just select a number from 0-9 (not the numeric keypad)