John Pugnale
Forum Replies Created
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OK, but it appears that he is looking for alternatives. TMPGenc Authoring Works 5 is a viable one. I will admit that I am not a DVD Architect expert. I keep my DVD menus pretty simple. My target market is the novice video user who may become confused with fancy menus. If they new how to operate a complex DVD menu, then they probably wouldn’t be bringing me their camcorders and tapes to create DVDs for them.
I dare say that TAW5 is much easier to use than DVD Architect. I have toaught housewife with little computer skills and virtullay no video editing skills to use it. Plus, my experience is that it is much more bulletproof with regards to the flavors of video (and still image) files it can suck in. It can even re-author an existing DVD.
The only weakness I see with it is that it is not as flexible to customize menus. It does have the tools to build custom menus its just that there are come navigation constraints.
But as far as:
“- Allow me to drag all the files to the timeline and apply transitions. I can do that with Sony Vegas but am listing this as part of my wants.”
TAW5 has a transition editor. Once you have your clips in the program you can open the transition editor and apply a transition to the clip.
“-Have a DVD menu which allows me to drop all my video clips into it and have it display a thumbnail showing the first frame. Ideally, I’d like to drop in 50+ files and have it build the entire menu. I can do this individually with DVD architect but if I have a 100 clips it will get old fast.”
TAW5 excels at the above. I regularly have customers who bring me there hard disk camcorders full of video files. I can easily build a scene selection menu by dragging the files to my hard disk then dropping them into TAW5. The menu building system allows me to create a track menu(s) with the desired number of thumbnails per page (99 chapters per track) I usually do six per page – this is a nice size to visualize the first frame. If need be I can tweak the frame displayed on the thumbnail. Similary, a top menu can be included that can have thumbnail displays for each track (99 tracks per DVD).
John Pugnale
MVP Video Creations, Inc. -
Try TMPGEnc Auhtoring Works 5 from Pegasys-Inc.
https://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/taw5.html
We use it everyday. Very easy to follow the steps for DVD Authoring. I have setup some “Template” Projects. Workflow goes something like this: Vegas: Edit, Render Export Chapter Marks; TAW5: Add File (automatically finds keyframe file i.e. chapter marks), apply menu template, output DVD folder and burn disc (happens together).
TAW5 can do some basic cut editing. Also can import JPEGS to make slideshows with transitions.
Easy to learn, simple interface, yet very powerful. Can import many typs of video and image files.
John Pugnale
MVP Video Creations, Inc. -
Yes, I had the same problem, quite irritating. Delete the EULA.txt file in your Sony Vegas install folder and it will go away.
John
John Pugnale
MVP Video Creations, Inc. -
Called Boris, got a good deal on a crossgrade to Boris RED from Grafitti 5. Spent yesterday moving a bunch of Vegas veg files with Grafitti plug-in over to Proudction Assistant 2 templates with the RED plugin where the Grafitti text was. All went well (I think). I will know more as I start usign the templates and RED.
John Pugnale
MVP Video Creations, Inc. -
Steve,
That’s a very good question. I’d like someone to chime in too. Ihave been a Graffiti(and FX) user for about 9 years. Started on the MAC with Video100. Now using Vegas v9 and v11 (skipped 10). I am intrigued with the 64-bit support so I am ready to give up my cc to upgrade to Graffiti 6 so I acan run on my “new” Vegas 11/Windows 7 machine. Presently using Vista/Vegas9 32-bit, then I swithc to V11 64-bit after I have rendered and replaced all of the grf’s with rendered avis. BTW, I have been having good success with Vegas 11 64-bit. I don’t seem to have the GPU problems others have. Vegas 11 64-bit performs for me.As for Graffiti, despite the many years< i would not term myselff a power user. That noted, I have found it easier to use, more powerful, and more robust than any other titler. New Blue and the built in Vegas 11 titlers puzzle me sometimes. Graffiti also has some really nice built-in Text styles that I can’t duplicate with the other titlers.
So, I am ready to upgrade. What stops me? Well, the $199. Actually, it the $699 for Boris RED. Or, the NAB special of $995 for the boxed set. The boxed set deal is sooo tempting, but I just don’t have customers that pay for those features. Same issue is true for RED $. I am so close to just upgrading Graffiti and living without the Boris FX features on my 64bit Vegas 11 station.
Soory, I didn’t answer your Graffiti 6 question, but thought I would stir the pot anyway since no one else chimed in.
John
John Pugnale
MVP Video Creations, Inc. -
Bill,
I have not used version 3 for quite some time, but I seem to recall have this issue before. Have you tried doing a shutdown and restart on the computer, then start an entirely new project, add the clip, edit the chapter points, then build a new menu?
I know it is a pain. but I am betting that the project has somehow embeded a Widescreen thumbnail in its settings. I’d be interested to know if the same thumbnail position is widescreen on pages 2, 3, and 4. If so, then that’s a tell-tale sign. If not then that’s very strange.
BTW, Authoring Works 5 has a lot of new features plus excellent file format support.
Sorry it took so long to reply to your post. Not much traffic here for Pegasys TMPGenc Authoing users. It is really a slick, easy to use, yet powerful DVD authoring app. That said, it does have some limitations and quirks.
John
John Pugnale
MVP Video Creations, Inc. -
Add the Piano Brothers to the list. $247 per year licenses their music. They have a library of 400+ songs. Some are recognizbale versions of Broadway tunes and Movie scores, Americana, Faith, etc. Really well done, but does rely heavily on Piano.
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I use a script that I downloaded (and modified) to write a “keyframe” file so that Markers set in vegas can be loaded as chapter points into Pegasys, Inc. TMPEGEnc DVD Author application (TDA). The script writes the keyframe file into a rendered folder with the filename – project_name.keyframe. Then, I render the MPEG file to that folder as the project_name.mpg. When I load the MPEG into TDA it finds the keyframe file and prompts me to determine if chapters should be loaded from file. One you have the file in TDA, you can add and remove capture points. I find TDA much simpler to use than DVDA. The simplicity does come at the expense of customization, but TDA does offer quite a bit of options- you just have to spend some time learning where and how to find them. Just like any other software. I use TDA on a daily basis to “reauthor” DVDs made from conversions of VHS, 8mm, and MiniDV, etc. originally captured using commercial off the shelf DVD-Recorders.
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Marlon,
Thanks for the suggestion. Moving the eula file worked. It sure is nice to get rid of this annoyance. Thanks again!
Pug
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I can 2nd the recommendation for MovieStuff and Roger Evans. We use his equipment for our conversion services. His equipment is great. I am sure his conversion services are good as well. If you want done for Christmas, now is a good time. The Christmas rush usually begins mid-October. If you wait till after Thanksgiving it may be tough to get done.