Need help determining which is the best DVD burning software for WMM. I've been reading the post and noticed there are several out there compatable with WMM. Therefore, what do you suggest?

Hi Tim,

I suggest considering the Sonic line of software packages because they work
with WMV files as an option to DV-AVI, they are recommended by Microsoft,
and the Sonic CD burning engine is used today in PhotoStory when it burns a
VCD. It seems like a technical alliance between Microsoft and Sonic, so you
can expect them to work well together.

There are a number of Sonic packages that you can pick from, depending on
your needs and budget. See the DVD burning section of www.papajohn.org to
see some comments from those who use them.

PapaJohn



"Tim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:5BEA2E07-9FB1-4A1C-AC84-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Need help determining which is the best DVD burning software for WMM.
I've been reading the post and noticed there are several out there
compatable with WMM. Therefore, what do you suggest?

Not so fast.

I just purchased the Sonic software because of this supposed compatibility. I found that (1) you cannot create a DVD longer than 70 min from a Movie created with WMM2, and (2) there is no automatic scene/chapter transfer from WMM2
to the Sonic software, so if you spend a lot of time setting up your scenes and transition, these will have to be refound
in the Sonic software (and my experience is that this is VERY difficult in Sonic.)

PapaJohn, I would be happy to have you refute me. I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to create a basic 2 hour DVD, and so far have gotten no response from the Sonic Support as to how to do this. So if you show me how it can be done, I'll happily withdraw my reservations.

I won't refute you. My only experience is with MyDVD version 4.... other
than that I have read a zillion posts.

My personal rule of thumb is to expect an hour of video on a DVD...

Looking at the MyDVD help page about 'How much can I fit on a disc?'... it
says that for a 4.7 GB DVD, you can expect 60 minutes of Best quality, 120
of Better, and 180 of Good.... and it's only for video captured in MyDVD. If
you use other files like DV-AVI from Movie Maker, it assumes you want the
best quality and gives you about an hour.

The feedback I see from those who use MyDVD is generally very positive... So
is feedback about Ulead software, and TMPGEnc has a great reputation.

It seems like the standard tradeoff of file size/quality/playing time....

PapaJohn


"Flauto Dolce" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:329EE544-DE9B-4008-AF32-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Not so fast.
>
> I just purchased the Sonic software because of this supposed
compatibility. I found that (1) you cannot create a DVD longer than 70 min
from a Movie created with WMM2, and (2) there is no automatic scene/chapter
transfer from WMM2
> to the Sonic software, so if you spend a lot of time setting up your
scenes and transition, these will have to be refound
> in the Sonic software (and my experience is that this is VERY difficult in
Sonic.)
>
> PapaJohn, I would be happy to have you refute me. I'm pulling my hair out
trying to figure out how to create a basic 2 hour DVD, and so far have
gotten no response from the Sonic Support as to how to do this. So if you
show me how it can be done, I'll happily withdraw my reservations.

Guys...
I had the same experience with Sonic 4.5. It won't allow any automatic
scene/chapter transfer from WMM2 (bummer). When I import the WMM2 DV-AVI to
"author it", I end up with just one clip an hour long. However, since I got
it for free with my new Dell, I'm not complaining. It does a good job
burning the final movie. Yeah, It didn't let me add a menu in the beginning
of my movie, but since it is a remake of a 1959 family film...so
what......in those days we didn't have menu's or sound, and neither does my
movie.
PapaJohn......your site is awsome.....I learned an awful lot from
you.....Thanks.
DIck

"PapaJohn (MVP)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I won't refute you. My only experience is with MyDVD version 4.... other
> than that I have read a zillion posts.
>
> My personal rule of thumb is to expect an hour of video on a DVD...
>
> Looking at the MyDVD help page about 'How much can I fit on a disc?'... it
> says that for a 4.7 GB DVD, you can expect 60 minutes of Best quality, 120
> of Better, and 180 of Good.... and it's only for video captured in MyDVD.
If
> you use other files like DV-AVI from Movie Maker, it assumes you want the
> best quality and gives you about an hour.
>
> The feedback I see from those who use MyDVD is generally very positive...
So
> is feedback about Ulead software, and TMPGEnc has a great reputation.
>
> It seems like the standard tradeoff of file size/quality/playing time....
>
> PapaJohn
>
>
> "Flauto Dolce" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:329EE544-DE9B-4008-AF32-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Not so fast.
> >
> > I just purchased the Sonic software because of this supposed
> compatibility. I found that (1) you cannot create a DVD longer than 70
min
> from a Movie created with WMM2, and (2) there is no automatic
scene/chapter
> transfer from WMM2
> > to the Sonic software, so if you spend a lot of time setting up your
> scenes and transition, these will have to be refound
> > in the Sonic software (and my experience is that this is VERY difficult
in
> Sonic.)
> >
> > PapaJohn, I would be happy to have you refute me. I'm pulling my hair
out
> trying to figure out how to create a basic 2 hour DVD, and so far have
> gotten no response from the Sonic Support as to how to do this. So if you
> show me how it can be done, I'll happily withdraw my reservations.
>
>

Thanks Dick,

I knew that MyDVD could create chapter points, but didn't know that it was
limited to video captured directly by it.... so you can't do it with movies
saved from MM2.

But, like you, I got MyDVD with my new laptop and was happy that the whole
process works fine.... I haven't found a DVD player that wouldn't play the
discs I burned with MyDVD. I can work with whatever constraints there are,
and I assume that the higher end Sonic software has more features, if and
when I want to move to it.

Tim is looking for suggestions.... maybe others will recommend their DVD
software. I'm back to my old movies too.


PapaJohn



"Richard M Sartori" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:rSDTb.7376$gl2.2200@lakeread05...
> Guys...
> I had the same experience with Sonic 4.5. It won't allow any automatic
> scene/chapter transfer from WMM2 (bummer). When I import the WMM2 DV-AVI
to
> "author it", I end up with just one clip an hour long. However, since I
got
> it for free with my new Dell, I'm not complaining. It does a good job
> burning the final movie. Yeah, It didn't let me add a menu in the
beginning
> of my movie, but since it is a remake of a 1959 family film...so
> what......in those days we didn't have menu's or sound, and neither does
my
> movie.
> PapaJohn......your site is awsome.....I learned an awful lot from
> you.....Thanks.
> DIck
>

I haven't yet had any problems with Roxio 6... but I did not install the
updates..... mine is the original v6.0 from just after the release. After
ploughing my way through the Roxio forums, it seems there are real
pixelization problems with most of the updates... though I haven't checked
since mid-December so it might have been fixed now.

I have successfully gotten nearly 1 hour 50 minutes onto a DVD... and it
looks terrific on a standalone DVD player conected (via component) to a 65"
HDTV.

I believe Roxio will happily use WMV, but I do tend to use DV-AVI.

Cari
www.coribright.com

"PapaJohn (MVP)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks Dick,
>
> I knew that MyDVD could create chapter points, but didn't know that it was
> limited to video captured directly by it.... so you can't do it with
> movies
> saved from MM2.
>
> But, like you, I got MyDVD with my new laptop and was happy that the whole
> process works fine.... I haven't found a DVD player that wouldn't play the
> discs I burned with MyDVD. I can work with whatever constraints there
> are,
> and I assume that the higher end Sonic software has more features, if and
> when I want to move to it.
>
> Tim is looking for suggestions.... maybe others will recommend their DVD
> software. I'm back to my old movies too.
>
>
> PapaJohn
>
>
>
> "Richard M Sartori" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:rSDTb.7376$gl2.2200@lakeread05...
>> Guys...
>> I had the same experience with Sonic 4.5. It won't allow any automatic
>> scene/chapter transfer from WMM2 (bummer). When I import the WMM2 DV-AVI
> to
>> "author it", I end up with just one clip an hour long. However, since I
> got
>> it for free with my new Dell, I'm not complaining. It does a good job
>> burning the final movie. Yeah, It didn't let me add a menu in the
> beginning
>> of my movie, but since it is a remake of a 1959 family film...so
>> what......in those days we didn't have menu's or sound, and neither does
> my
>> movie.
>> PapaJohn......your site is awsome.....I learned an awful lot from
>> you.....Thanks.
>> DIck
>>
>
>