Can anybody guide me in how to make a dvd with multiple titles(for movie trailers) and with a menu afterwards like retail dvds? I tried looking for a good DVD authoring software but I have a vague idea of what to specifically look for. So far I've used nero vision but it's limited. Any advice would help.
If you want top of the line DVD-authoring software, you need something like DVD-Lab Pro 2 or Ulead DVD Workshop. Both of those programs will create the transcoded files from properly encoded MPEG files. You still need a different program to turn your video files into compatible MPEG files (I recommend TMPGEnc; programs like Cucusoft fail *MISERABLY* when making DVD-compatible MPEG files). Once your video files are in MPEG, then you can use both DVD-Lab Pro 2 or Ulead DVD Workshop to make your DVDs. Both of those are very in-depth programs, allowing you control over menu, menu background sound, subtitles, various audio tracks, multiple tracks, etc., etc..
You could also just check the various VOBs of the DVDs. Many times trailers and such will have their own VOB as did the Dolby intros that were popular in the past (I wish they were still making them). It's very easy to import these into NeroVison Express (with Smart Encoding ticked) and make a nice project with various transitions and a menu if you like.
Thanks to everybody for the info! I checked DVDLab and saw all the linking that has to be done to make something that appears to be simple work. It looks challenging but fun for a hobby. I will come up with questions later but for now I'll work with the tips given here.
To be honest dvd-video authoring is very complex, and any of the "hold your hand" programs aren't really going to do it well, they're just doing the hard work for you. For relative ease of use and full functionality, dvd lab pro is the best to go with. To get it to do what you're talking about all you'd have to do is create a set of dvd compliant mpegs for your trailers, then do the following links. First Play --> (either trailer 1 or trailer intro screen with instructions to skip by pressing menu, which would also be another mpeg) --> trailer 2 --> *repeat until all trailers are done* --> Main menu. ----EDIT---- You could also combine all trailers into a single mpeg along with the intro screen to save load times in fact now that I think of that it would be better. Also note the more trailers that you have the less video that you can have, for that reason, figure out how much space you need BEFORE you add the trailers, then add them in after for your project.
OR u could use sony vegas and sony dvd architect and make ure lifes MUCH easier but go ahead and break ure head
Or since in his second message he mentioned the words "challenging but fun for a hobby" he doesn't want to get bent over the proverbial chair & have something else broken besides his head - I checked its website and that software package you're recommending is $524! OUCH! A bit much for a hobby. But it looks like a good software package for a small video production business. Might even be considered a deal if he was wanting it for that purpose... Just thinking.
