13 replies to this topic

[Hing]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy some software by Roxio and wondering if anyone can answer a few questions and also provide advice/suggestions.

All I really want to do is make a Wedding DVD, so want to spend as little as possible considering I already wasted some money on other software that didnt meet my requirements.

So looking for a basic package that can provide the following. So which Roxio package can provide me the following and can any of it do these.

1) Multiple layer DVD menus - So I can have the main fancy contents on the main menu, and the original footage in a sub-menu

2) Slide shows, but I presume that most DVD builders have this

3) Basic Background image positioning and re-sizing (last package I had, you selected the image, but couldn't resize or move it, meaning having to use a paint package instead).

4) Subtitles - This would be handy, as the wedding speech is in english and relatives wanted me to speak in chinese (at the actual reception). So I need to be able to put chinese subtitles. If chinese not supported, I must be able to add an over-lay with the software.

5) Basic Footage editing and adding music to the footage.

4 and 5 isn't essential, as I can easily use other software that I already have, but being able to add chinese subtitles would be really handy without doing it via an overlay.

[sknis]

See colored text below for answers

If you don't want to get into the professional software (cost) consider buying the full EMC V8 Deluxe Edition but only after making sure that your computer exceeds the basic requirements.  For best results, you must have a real video card; on-board chips can be a problem. If you post your computer specs, perhaps we can make some suggestions.  If you don't know what you have, download and use "BelarcAdvisor."  Some people simply post that they have a new computer or that it worked with other software.  That is insufficient.

I have made some suggestions but there are many ways of doing things so other might comment on their favorite way also.  

You will do most of your work in VideoWave and then use MyDVD to set up your menus and do the actual burning. If you do buy the set of programs, use the full applications from the Home/Applications menu rather than to use the Assistants ("lite" versions of the programs.)

Hing, on Jul 11 2006, 07:33 AM, said:

Hi,
I'm looking to buy some software by Roxio and wondering if anyone can answer a few questions and also provide advice/suggestions.  All I really want to do is make a Wedding DVD, so want to spend as little as possible considering I already wasted some money on other software that didn't meet my requirements.
So looking for a basic package that can provide the following. So which Roxio package can provide me the following and can any of it do these.

1) Multiple layer DVD menus - So I can have the main fancy contents on the main menu, and the original footage in a sub-menu   Yes in the deluxe version of EMC 8.

2) Slide shows, but I presume that most DVD builders have this  Yes, in all versions

3) Basic Background image positioning and re-sizing (last package I had, you selected the image, but couldn't resize or move it, meaning having to use a paint package instead). I'm not sure what you mean by background image.  EMC V8 has overlay tracks where you can put an image, move and resize and adjust the transparency..  Like the previous program, the main image cannot be moved.  EMC 8 has Photosuite that people can use to fix pictures a lot of people use a program like image cropper to resize images.  It can be done in a batch mode.

4) Subtitles - This would be handy, as the wedding speech is in English and relatives wanted me to speak in Chinese (at the actual reception). So I need to be able to put Chinese subtitles. If Chinese not supported, I must be able to add an over-lay with the software.  You can add text  on both the main video track or on an internal track.  There is no subtitle function per se.  There is a way of using Chinese characters but this is a function of Windows and your computer.  Several months ago (on the old boards) a person posted how to do it.  Perhaps someone saved the instructions and will post them. As an alternate, and perhaps a better solution,  you could also add a narration track to the video.  This would probably be better but you would have to make sure your timing would match the length of the scene.

5) Basic Footage editing and adding music to the footage.  Yes, in all versions.

4 and 5 isn't essential, as I can easily use other software that I already have, but being able to add Chinese subtitles would be really handy without doing it via an overlay.

[Hing]

Its a laptop that is 1.8 GHz with 512MB memory with 128MB Graphic Card

1) Does myDVD8 have multiple layer menus? EMC 8 Deluxe version @£90 just to create a Wedding DVD...

3) Background for the DVD menu.

4) Narriation track... can you turn this on and off? I don't want to be creating an english and chinese version.
Yeah, my laptop and computer already supports chinese characters.

Thanks for the info

Edited by Hing, 11 July 2006 - 05:29 AM.

[ggrussell]

Hing, on Jul 11 2006, 09:29 AM, said:

Its a laptop that is 1.8 GHz with 512MB memory with 128MB Graphic Card

Would probably work, but most likely the video chipset will not support 3D transitions/effects.

Quote

1) Does myDVD8 have multiple layer menus?

Not sure what you mean. Submenus? yes, you can create multiple submenus. Sometime they will be created automatically like if you have 20 chapter marks and select to have the submenus created automatically.

Quote

3) Background for the DVD menu.

Something that MyDVD does thta NO OTHER DVD authoring app that I have used will do.  You can edit the background just like a video in the Deluxe version. You can add pic in pic, animated text, overlays, etc, just as if you were editing a regular video. MyDVD  has no way to edit STILL IMAGES built-in so those would have to edited before adding as a background. Photosuite 8 is included.

Quote

4) Narriation track... can you turn this on and off?

Not sure what you mean. MyDVD can not create multi-language DVDs.  If you need multi-language support, then a more expensive DVD authoring app is needed.

In Videowave, you can change the volume of the narration track, but that is permanent once burned to the disc.  There is no feauture in MyDVD to turn narration on/off like Director's comments on a commercial DVD. You would need a more expensive DVD authoring application.

[Hing]

Thanks for the info. The 128MB is a 3d Graphics card (used to play games) so hopefully it can deal with 3d transitiosn.

1) So myDVD8 can create sub-menus. The software I have only allows one top menu unless I upgrade

3) I want to add a still image as a background at the DVD menu. But want to be able to just simply position the image to where I want it or zoon in.

I would rather now use a paint package to resize the image to the correct TV screen size (not sure what that is) and then drag it into the DVD menu creator. Would prefer the package to do this, annoyance really, but not essential I guess

4) Guess I'm stuck with subtitles.

So I'm still stuck with the decision... spend £35 for MyDVD8 or £90 for ECM 8 Deluxe.

Is there anyway to try the software out before I commit to buying? I would rather go with Roxio, as the alternative is upgrading my existing package (Pinaccle Studio 9 SE)

[snarfy]

Get Roxio Media Creator 8.0 deluxe.  It does everything you need.  I suspect it will work on your computer but may be a little on the sluggish side.  No big deal though, considering that when it outputs your video the quality should be good.

Snarfy


quote name='ggrussell' date='Jul 11 2006, 07:02 AM' post='37509']
Would probably work, but most likely the video chipset will not support 3D transitions/effects.

Not sure what you mean. Submenus? yes, you can create multiple submenus. Sometime they will be created automatically like if you have 20 chapter marks and select to have the submenus created automatically.

Something that MyDVD does thta NO OTHER DVD authoring app that I have used will do.  You can edit the background just like a video in the Deluxe version. You can add pic in pic, animated text, overlays, etc, just as if you were editing a regular video. MyDVD  has no way to edit STILL IMAGES built-in so those would have to edited before adding as a background. Photosuite 8 is included.

Not sure what you mean. MyDVD can not create multi-language DVDs.  If you need multi-language support, then a more expensive DVD authoring app is needed.

In Videowave, you can change the volume of the narration track, but that is permanent once burned to the disc.  There is no feauture in MyDVD to turn narration on/off like Director's comments on a commercial DVD. You would need a more expensive DVD authoring application.
[/quote]

[ggrussell]

Hing, on Jul 11 2006, 10:41 AM, said:

Thanks for the info. The 128MB is a 3d Graphics card (used to play games) so hopefully it can deal with 3d transitiosn.


3) I want to add a still image as a background at the DVD menu. But want to be able to just simply position the image to where I want it or zoon in.

When you install EMC8, Videowave and MyDVD has a graphics test to see if the card will handle 'hardware' 3D rendering.  If the card was designed for earlier version of DirectX, it still may not handle this.

Yes, you can position a still image and zoom in on it as a background image, but not as simple as it should be.

[deeppowder]

Hing, on Jul 11 2006, 04:33 AM, said:

Hi,

I'm looking to buy some software by Roxio and wondering if anyone can answer a few questions and also provide advice/suggestions.

All I really want to do is make a Wedding DVD, so want to spend as little as possible considering I already wasted some money on other software that didnt meet my requirements.

So looking for a basic package that can provide the following. So which Roxio package can provide me the following and can any of it do these.

1) Multiple layer DVD menus - So I can have the main fancy contents on the main menu, and the original footage in a sub-menu

2) Slide shows, but I presume that most DVD builders have this

3) Basic Background image positioning and re-sizing (last package I had, you selected the image, but couldn't resize or move it, meaning having to use a paint package instead).

4) Subtitles - This would be handy, as the wedding speech is in english and relatives wanted me to speak in chinese (at the actual reception). So I need to be able to put chinese subtitles. If chinese not supported, I must be able to add an over-lay with the software.

5) Basic Footage editing and adding music to the footage.

4 and 5 isn't essential, as I can easily use other software that I already have, but being able to add chinese subtitles would be really handy without doing it via an overlay.

I bought (download) EMC8 for the very reason you state.  I am sorely disappointed.  V8 installed but would not function properly:  1.) No Preview - would not show.  2.) Loads extremely slow  3.) Compared to V7.5 this version is a dog with no support.  My machine exceeds the minimum requirements.  This is so very familiar to V7 initial release.  Yes, the problems were eventually fixed and the program worked, but it was frustrating.

I bought Sony's Vegas Video + DVD  worked out of the box and no, I mean no, problems.  Produced a great video with outstanding FX's.

I still have faith that EMC8 will be fixed to work.  I have reinstalled V7.5 in hopes that V8 will have enough upgrades to work well.  But not today.  It took several months for V7 to be fixed, so I expect the same here.

[ggrussell]

deeppowder, on Jul 30 2006, 01:03 PM, said:

My machine exceeds the minimum requirements.

Unfortunately, I think that Roxio marketing set the minimum requirements too low. The number 1 problem is with integrated video or older video cards that do not support the new DirectX 9 commands.

I also own Sony Vegas Studio + DVD. Way too difficult to use for my taste.  I took it off my machine and will be selling it on eBay.

Edited by ggrussell, 30 July 2006 - 12:49 PM.

[adz]

wtf? so you're all happy to buy a piece of software that doens't work and then wait for updates?!?!?!

I need this project done today! what a crock - if the software doesn't work it shouldn't be on sale - that's like selling a car with no engine - pointless and irritating

[sknis]

adz, on Aug 1 2006, 04:44 AM, said:

wtf? so you're all happy to buy a piece of software that doens't work and then wait for updates?!?!?!
I need this project done today! what a crock - if the software doesn't work it shouldn't be on sale - that's like selling a car with no engine - pointless and irritating

It works fine for me (and thousands of others) with no upgrades. You were aware of issues about video processing so now don't come back and rant. Your analogy is wrong. I believe that one closer would be a person putting leaded gas (remember that) in a car that is designed for and needs unleaded and then complains that it doesn't run..

When people come in and say that they need it today, I find that they really don't. Poor planning on your part does not constitute a panic on ours. From your post, I thought that you went back to MyDVD Le. Why are you not using that?  Contact your computer manufacturer to see if they can send you a disc.

Clean up the language (even though it is an acronym.)

Now if you have a question or problem and still want to use V8, please create a new post and provide a discussion with a question; not just a rant. In the future don't hijack threads.

Edited by sknis, 01 August 2006 - 05:29 AM.

[grandpabruce]

adz, on Aug 1 2006, 04:44 AM, said:

wtf? so you're all happy to buy a piece of software that doens't work and then wait for updates?!?!?!

I need this project done today! what a crock - if the software doesn't work it shouldn't be on sale - that's like selling a car with no engine - pointless and irritating

Analogies don't hold water.  The program won't work very well on low end computers.  No update of the software will help it run on a low end computer.  The software works fine for most.

[johnnyU]

After reading this forum you  still want to buy Roxio?
I am an avid DVD author and this program has set me back weeks in my projects.

[d_deweywright]

johnnyU, on Sep 25 2006, 12:04 PM, said:

After reading this forum you  still want to buy Roxio?
I am an avid DVD author and this program has set me back weeks in my projects.

Maybe you'd like to start a new thread with the specifics of your problems.  This thread "finished up" almost two months ago.

Let us know what you're trying to do, the hardware you're running on, and what errors you're getting.  A new thread would be best.  Keep in mind, forums like this typically have only "problems" posted.  All the folks that are running the suite successfully don't usually bother to seek out a forum and post, "Hey, this thing is running like it should!"