Can you create DVDs?

[Jeff]

I thought I'd do a poll to see our forum members capabilities as far as DVD authoring. Can you create a DVD from MPEG files on your computer?

[Chow Hound]

I have all of the equipment needed, I just have to install it all on the same computer (a task that's been on my to-do list for quite some time). I think I will get to it by the end of August, because my wife doesn't want the parts laying around the living room anymore.

[dnestorjr]

I consider my work pretty good.

[Jeff]

I consider my work pretty good.

Hehe, good to hear.

[dnestorjr]

:) yeah I know you are hoping Jeff lol. Just a lot practice :)

[radrat]

I have authored at least 500 DVDs and I've had nothing but positive feedback from fellow traders. DVD authoring is a creative outlet for me and I enjoy it.

[dnestorjr]

Maybe we should also state what authoring software we are using.

I am using TMPGEnc DVD Author 1.6 I use other software from time to time.

[radrat]

I use TMPGEnc Plus 2.5 & 3.0 Xpress for processing and Ulead Movie Factory 1.0 for authoring and burning. When I do trades, to retrieve cartoon shorts from my DVDs I use DVD Shrink 3.0, what a great program and it's free!!

[dnestorjr]

I use DVD Shrink as well as DVD Decrypter. Awesome Combo.

[frizfrelengfan]

I've made a few. The more I make, the better I get at it. I enjoy doing it when I have the time.

I just bought a new DVD burner to replace my first one, which went south on me after only about two years. The new one, which I've had for less than a week, impresses me with its speed.

[gilligan fanati]

I have made many DVDs before including a few Looney Tunes ones Including Golden Collection Vol 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 A lot of the shorts I put on them are on Golden Collection Vol 3 which realy stinks for me

[Philo & Gunge]

I can only do it via recording off TV.

[Cool Cat]

I have created some dvds using Intervideo Windvd Creator 2.
I used it to convert some vhs home movies, a 3d animated series created by me and my cousin, a dvd with public domain cartoons and some cartoon series.

[oldgreypole]

I am mostly experienced with creating VCDs. They are easier to create and take up less resources on the computer. So far, I created seven discs of Warner Brothers cartoons on VCD. The seventh VCD has a feature-length cartoon on it; the rest have short cartoons. Starting with the seventh VCD that I created, I decided to call the series of discs the "Looney Tunes Bronze Collection."

Of the cartoons that I put on VCD, only two of them also appear in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD series: "Porky's Road Race" and "The Film Fan."

[Dan Porceddu]

Yes. However, the computer I use the most (a laptop that belongs to me) cannot write DVDs; I have to use a desktop in the house that isn't mine. I have fairly easy access to it, though. I've written a lot of DVDs, mostly copies of Region 4 DVDs for use on Region 1 DVD players (since the copies are region free).

[rex racer]

I've just gotten into this lately but am enjoying it as a new hobby. Have transferred a bit of my laserdisc collection, but also my old Nickelodeon Looney Tunes VHS stuff has been done. (I've "Buddy" on DVD! :rolleyes: )

The fun part is eliminating the cheesy window box effects, and editing in proper title cards when possible. I've actually been able to return a few Betty Boops to original Paramount beginning and end card presentations, as well as get rid of the "dubbed" overprinted and wrong year end cards for Merrie Melodies. Same with the MGM cartoon films. It's time consuming to realign soundtracks and make it look seamless but with patience it is can be done ... Also occasionally compose and "render" my own "galleries" and bonus features.

Using the Roxio 7.1 processing & burning suite and the DVD Shrink / DVD decrypter....

[Jeff]

I've just gotten into this lately but am enjoying it as a new hobby. Have transferred a bit of my laserdisc collection, but also my old Nickelodeon Looney Tunes VHS stuff has been done. (I've "Buddy" on DVD! :rolleyes: )

It is fun. I've been making DVDs for over half a year now, but my latest project is to transfer all of my Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies (over 800) on to my PC's hard drive. Making DVDs at this point will be as simple as dropping some files into a new TMPGEnc DVD Author project and creating a menu...

I'm working chronologically and so far I have from "Sinkin' In The Bathtub" (1930) up to "Cracked Ice" (1938). That's mouse-click access to over 200 VHS/DVD quality cartoons. Right "now" Porky is in his hey-day, Daffy and Egghead are rising stars, and an early Bugs' prototype has made its debut ("Porky's Hare Hunt")...it's great to see that Avery-Tashlin-Clampett evolution from 1935 to 1938, but I can't wait to get into the true Bugs Bunny era (1940+)...

Being able to put all my cartoons on "Shuffle" is the end goal, but it's an enormous undertaking though so I don't anticipate being done any time soon.

I've actually been able to return a few Betty Boops to original Paramount beginning and end card presentations, as well as get rid of the "dubbed" overprinted and wrong year end cards for Merrie Melodies. Same with the MGM cartoon films. It's time consuming to realign soundtracks and make it look seamless but with patience it is can be done ...

Wow, that's awesome. I haven't done anything so ambitious, the most I've done is to remove audio hiss by tweaking the audio track in GoldWave or Audacity. It really helped for "I've Got To Sing a Torch Song" which had a very low, barely audible soundtrack in my copy.

One day I'd like to really get into it and be able to repair DVD authoring mistakes like on LTGC2's "Book Revue", but that would require extensive understanding of the MPEG format and I'd have to write some software for that, I suppose. Another dream would be to try and digitally fix up the white splicing lines in "Have You Got Any Castles?". This would be possible if you work frame-by-frame and use art from other frames where the pan is taking place.

[Cartman]

I could if I had a DVD recorder, but unfortunately my player only plays DVDs and doesn't record them.

[Larry T]

I can make them- at the moment I'm trying to assemble chronological compilations of many of my cartoons from their respective sources to DVD, where I find my best possible copy and render it as a best existing copy. Mostly I use an older version of Adobe Premiere (when it was more professional, before all the great control effects were removed).

Another dream would be to try and digitally fix up the white splicing lines in "Have You Got Any Castles?".

Done it, (manually, a frame at a time). :) If I only had the original titles to tack on there too.

[Miss Marnie]

I'm very good at authoring, but since I have a CD-RW drive (external, USB 2.0), I can only do VCDs and not DVDs. But the hard part is finding a good video editing/authoring software. Pinnacle works on my computer, but there are times where it crashes (and I've heard stories that it doesn't burn VCDs and DVDs well) and I don't like using Windows Movie Maker.

So the real pain is finding a software that can burn VCDs and DVDs, not just the hardware.

[frizfrelengfan]

In my experience no software is perfect for all stages of VCD/DVD creation. I use a potpourri of products. That can cost some money, but some of it is freeware and some of it came bundled with hardware.

I have not, however, done fancy editing on my DVD's such as Larry T did on Castles. That can get tedious. My enjoyment is in the authoring (menus, chapters) part of the job.

[radrat]

[QUOTE=frizfrelengfan]In my experience no software is perfect for all stages of VCD/DVD creation. I use a potpourri of products. That can cost some money, but some of it is freeware and some of it came bundled with hardware.QUOTE]
That is certainly true frizfrelengfan, I've also found a lot of work arounds to get my programs to do what I want them to. Just recently I've found some good use of windows movie maker, then afterwards I use TMPGEnc to convert back to MPG. I restored some beginning and end titles doing this. Very time consuming but worth the outcome. With TMPGEnc and windows Paint you can use bitmap files and make your own title cards.