I was searching around for a good software to convert my home videos into a proper menu based DVD. After trying out a number of package, including Nero Vision, WinDVD Creator, and Adobe Encore - and being dissapointed by all - I finally stumbled across Sony DVD Architect 4.0
Though the interface seems a bit more complicated han Nero Vision or WinDVD, this is not a difficult software to use. Let me start at the begining -
[BREAK=Before you Begin]
DVD Architect will only help you to create the DVD for you. You have to prepare your video / audio files beforehand. Use any application of your choice to edit your video and render it as a single mpeg2 file. I would recommend using Sony Vegas, as it has a DVD Architect preset for rendering the video, thus ensuring perfect compatibility.
Here is my video in Vegas.
The DVD Architect render preset only includes the video. You will have to render out the audio separately, either as 6ch/2ch AC3, or as PCM (wav). If your source file has 5.1 sound, then you can create a DVD with ac3.
Save the video and audio with the same filename, and DVD Arch. will pick them both automatically.
[BREAK=DVD Architect Overview]
Here is the DVD Arch window again. Lets see how it is divided into sections. On top, as usual, we have the menubar and toolbar. Below that, from left to right we have the Project Overview Window, Editing Toolbar, Workspace, and Properties Window. Below that, there's the Window Docking Area, and finally the Timeline.
We start at the window docking area, which contains the Explorer, Themes, Buttons and Backgrounds. All are pretty self explanatory. The Project Overview Window shows our entire DVD in a tree structure. Now, lets start the fun
[BREAK=Building our first DVD]
Faced with a blank canvas, what do we do? Click on new, of course
Select 'New Project'. There are 4 types of DVDs we can create. We'll start with 'Menu Based', which is the most versatile of all. Select the desired video and audio format.
Now, in the Window Docking Area, open the explorer, and browse to where you've kept your mpeg2 file. Drag it onto the workspace.
The clip will appear in the Project Overview Window,under Menu1. A button will be created, as seen in the workspace.
Now to add the scenes and chapters.
[BREAK=Adding Scenes and Chapters]
Double click on your video in the project overview window. It will appear in the Timeline. Here you can separate it into scenes and chapters to ease navigation.
Scenes: These are break points, which you can use to create a menu.
Chapters: These are break points which don't appear in the menu, but aid in navigation.
Position your cursor at the required place in the timeline, and click the Insert Marker button (or press M). A Scene/Chapter marker will be added. Add all the markers you need. You can even name the markers while creating them.
After adding a marker, you can even change its type.
Right click on the clip in the project overview window or the workspace, and select "Insert Scene Selection Menu". Select how many links you want per page.
This will add a number of new pages, depending on the number of scenes in your video, and how many you want to be shown on one page. I added 5 scenes to my clip, and wanted 3 links per page, so I got 2 pages, as seen below
[BREAK=Previewing your DVD]
Ok, so what we have achieved till now, is a Top Menu with two buttons - the first will play the entire video, and the second will take us to the Scene Selection Page. The scene Selection page(s) has buttons for next/previous and home automatically generated
So lets check out our magnificent DVD now. Click the Preview button on the toolbar. You are taken to this screen -
You see our DVD, along with a nice remote, through which we can test if everything is working fine. Play around with it, check if the buttons work properly, and if the scene / chapters are working correctly. When satisfied, close the preview window.
[BREAK=Customizing your DVD]
Now to spruce up your DVD. You can select any of the preset themes, or create one of your own. You will need to change the theme for each page individually. To select a Background of your own, select the page, then in Properties window, go to the Background Media Tab, and select Video > Replace...
Here, you can select a still image, or a video clip Similarly, you can add audio for this menu page.
In the general tab, you can set the Menu Length. If you set a loop point, say - at 5 sec - then the menu video will start playing, but the buttons will appear after 5 secs :hap2: In the End Actions tab, you can set the menu to loop. It will loop from the loop point.
[BREAK=Tip of the Iceberg.]
This is just the begining. You can add a Picture Compilation, a Music Video collection, add multiple languages, add subtitles, and so much more!
Heres a little idea - If you don't like any of the provided buttons, then create your own. Now, instead of dragging your clip onto the workspace, drag it onto the root level of the project overview window. This way, it gets added to the project, but a button is not created. Now, goto Insert > Empty Button. An empty button will be inserted, for which you can specify image file, including jpg, bmp, png, gif etc. Even animated Gifs are supported Just link it to your Clip, and you are done! :clap:
Enjoy!
Though the interface seems a bit more complicated han Nero Vision or WinDVD, this is not a difficult software to use. Let me start at the begining -
[BREAK=Before you Begin]
DVD Architect will only help you to create the DVD for you. You have to prepare your video / audio files beforehand. Use any application of your choice to edit your video and render it as a single mpeg2 file. I would recommend using Sony Vegas, as it has a DVD Architect preset for rendering the video, thus ensuring perfect compatibility.
Here is my video in Vegas.
The DVD Architect render preset only includes the video. You will have to render out the audio separately, either as 6ch/2ch AC3, or as PCM (wav). If your source file has 5.1 sound, then you can create a DVD with ac3.
Save the video and audio with the same filename, and DVD Arch. will pick them both automatically.[BREAK=DVD Architect Overview]
Here is the DVD Arch window again. Lets see how it is divided into sections. On top, as usual, we have the menubar and toolbar. Below that, from left to right we have the Project Overview Window, Editing Toolbar, Workspace, and Properties Window. Below that, there's the Window Docking Area, and finally the Timeline.
We start at the window docking area, which contains the Explorer, Themes, Buttons and Backgrounds. All are pretty self explanatory. The Project Overview Window shows our entire DVD in a tree structure. Now, lets start the fun
[BREAK=Building our first DVD]
Faced with a blank canvas, what do we do? Click on new, of course
Select 'New Project'. There are 4 types of DVDs we can create. We'll start with 'Menu Based', which is the most versatile of all. Select the desired video and audio format.
Now, in the Window Docking Area, open the explorer, and browse to where you've kept your mpeg2 file. Drag it onto the workspace.
The clip will appear in the Project Overview Window,under Menu1. A button will be created, as seen in the workspace.
Now to add the scenes and chapters.
[BREAK=Adding Scenes and Chapters]
Double click on your video in the project overview window. It will appear in the Timeline. Here you can separate it into scenes and chapters to ease navigation.
Scenes: These are break points, which you can use to create a menu.
Chapters: These are break points which don't appear in the menu, but aid in navigation.
Position your cursor at the required place in the timeline, and click the Insert Marker button (or press M). A Scene/Chapter marker will be added. Add all the markers you need. You can even name the markers while creating them.
After adding a marker, you can even change its type.
Right click on the clip in the project overview window or the workspace, and select "Insert Scene Selection Menu". Select how many links you want per page.
This will add a number of new pages, depending on the number of scenes in your video, and how many you want to be shown on one page. I added 5 scenes to my clip, and wanted 3 links per page, so I got 2 pages, as seen below
[BREAK=Previewing your DVD]
Ok, so what we have achieved till now, is a Top Menu with two buttons - the first will play the entire video, and the second will take us to the Scene Selection Page. The scene Selection page(s) has buttons for next/previous and home automatically generated
So lets check out our magnificent DVD now. Click the Preview button on the toolbar. You are taken to this screen -
You see our DVD, along with a nice remote, through which we can test if everything is working fine. Play around with it, check if the buttons work properly, and if the scene / chapters are working correctly. When satisfied, close the preview window.
[BREAK=Customizing your DVD]
Now to spruce up your DVD. You can select any of the preset themes, or create one of your own. You will need to change the theme for each page individually. To select a Background of your own, select the page, then in Properties window, go to the Background Media Tab, and select Video > Replace...
Here, you can select a still image, or a video clip
Similarly, you can add audio for this menu page.
In the general tab, you can set the Menu Length. If you set a loop point, say - at 5 sec - then the menu video will start playing, but the buttons will appear after 5 secs :hap2: In the End Actions tab, you can set the menu to loop. It will loop from the loop point.
[BREAK=Tip of the Iceberg.]
This is just the begining. You can add a Picture Compilation, a Music Video collection, add multiple languages, add subtitles, and so much more!
Heres a little idea - If you don't like any of the provided buttons, then create your own. Now, instead of dragging your clip onto the workspace, drag it onto the root level of the project overview window. This way, it gets added to the project, but a button is not created. Now, goto Insert > Empty Button. An empty button will be inserted, for which you can specify image file, including jpg, bmp, png, gif etc. Even animated Gifs are supported
Just link it to your Clip, and you are done! :clap:Enjoy!
