AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Discuss which third party applications you use to help create your slide shows using ProShow Producer. This is not a forum to promote other slide show software programs.
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AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby saramcd » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:30 pm

Oh, my...I've been pouring over old posts trying to find definitive direction. After several days, I've decided there is no definitive direction :|

I'm discouraged and frustrated over working on a show only to have less than stellar output to DVD. I understand the limitations of TV resolution, so I realize therein lies unattainable perfection. But for those who are professional photographers, those who produce shows for income, or even for those who are just victims of chronic a*al retentiveness, like me, how do you get your mind past creating a beautiful product only to have it have to be so-so in the final product for end user consumption?

Do you distribute your shows to others only with .exe so they can truly see the quality you want to preserve in the show by forcing the viewing on computer monitors?

Do you just go for it, placing both DVD versions and .exe's and not fret about Suzie Q probably not having enough brainpower to adjust her set to prevent image distortion? There are just so many darned variables, and I can't seem to wrap my head around any sort of output workflow that is satisfactory.

I read a post from BarbaraC :::waving to Barbara::: where you said, "...though, the quality of the output definitely surpasses ProShow's" in referring to using DVD Architect. Do you mean to render to AVI through Producer then author through DVD Architect; therefore, producing a superior output? If so, I'll buy it in less than a second :D

I have more questions, but I'd better move in bits and pieces.

Thanks!

dnmilikan

Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby dnmilikan » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:06 am

I think that one must have a work flow in video just as one needs a work flow for processing photos. I use After Effects CS4 and as an adjunct to that program I use Topaz Enhance as the backbone of my video image processing.

http://www.topazlabs.com/topazlabs/03pr ... z_enhance/

The price is fairly steep for these two programs but one gets what one pays for.

Best wishes,
Don

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby BarbaraC » Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:03 am

Sara, that's the routine, except I don't necessarily use uncompressed AVI depending on the size of the show. Also, DVD Architect is relatively inexpensive, which is always a great big plus. The single problem with Architect is that it assumes you know the video lingo, and so it's a bit like walking through a swamp at first. The online help is good, though, and they also have tutorials right there on the screen that walk you through basic operations.

I recommend it, and I believe that Mikey recommends it too. After all, he's the one who clued me into it in the first place. :D

Barbara

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby saramcd » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:26 pm

dnmilikan wrote:...and as an adjunct to that program I use Topaz Enhance as the backbone of my video image processing.

http://www.topazlabs.com/topazlabs/03pr ... z_enhance/

The price is fairly steep for these two programs but one gets what one pays for.


Thanks, Don. I checked out Topaz Enhance, and whoo-eee, that is steep! <sigh> Not sure I want to invest that much right now, but as you say, I'm sure you do get what you pay for in that case. If it truly does create significantly better DVD output, however, the price may outweigh my frustration.

BarbaraC wrote:I recommend it, and I believe that Mikey recommends it too. Barbara


Thanks, Barbara, for the info on DVD Architect. I think I'm definitely going to have to give this a go. Any improvement is going to be worth the inexpensiveness of the product!

Thanks!

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby nannybear » Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:58 am

Ok I am confused. I burn right from PSP onto DVD. Check it on the 60" rear projector, the 32" Flat Panel and a small 20" TV/DVD combo. Looks great on all of them. Am I just blessed or my eyes so old I don't notice imperfections?? cheers Jan
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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby bob walden » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:59 am

I am confused also! I mostly make exe files because I have yet to see a dvd that looks good enough to me. Does using either of these softwares improve the output on standard tv with dvd's. Hd is coming quickly so that should help but for now I just don't see good quality on dvd's. I'd buy the software if it made a difference.

Bob W.

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby BarbaraC » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:03 am

I created two DVD's of the exact same show, one done from an ISO built in Producer and another done using Architect, and to my eyes, at least, the Architect version was sharper and cleaner.

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby nwenban » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:23 am

Hi Barbara/Mikey,

In this discussion, it appears that the focus is on Architect, do you feel that this particular app is superior to other similar apps for authoring DVD's?

Have any members done a comparison of other authoring apps?

Thanks

Neville
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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby cherub » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:50 am

I haven't done a comparison with Producer ver. 4, but with previous versions, I have used Nero Vision and TMPGEnc DVD Author.
Both create a rather simplistic DVD menu. I could see no difference between the two programs in terms of the quality of the video. Both were better than Producer.

It all amounts to the fact that you must start with a good input (the video that comes from Producer) and that is generally avi uncompressed. When using mpg, the differences are rather minor.

My choice for these two programs was based on the fact that I found no other program which was capable of writing Hebrew properly. Of course, not many would seek such a feature :D

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby saramcd » Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:37 pm

I downloaded the trial version of DVD Architect and set out to playing with it last night -- just dove right in.

I took my recent Cathedral show, output to AVI and pulled the AVI into DVD Architect and burned. Of course, the AVI file was huge, but I didn't worry about that at this point.

My result: There is absolutely a noticeable increase in quality!!

Enough so that I would not be hesitant whatsoever to give this to someone to view on DVD and worry that what they were seeing not being as sharp and vivid as the "original pc show."

Now, I don't know what all the variables mean yet. For instance, it told me it would have to transcode the AVI file and the mp3 files and suggested:

"To avoid unnecessary transcoding or recompression, save your media files in the following formats prior adding them to your DVD Architect Studio project:

The Sony Creative Software Inc. Dolby Digital AC-3 Studio and MainConcept MPEG-2 encoders provide templates that will produce files that do not require recompression (unless the file size is too large to fit on a DVD)."


So I guess I'll try again that way. ??

At any rate, I am wicked encouraged :!:

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby saramcd » Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:53 pm

nwenban wrote:In this discussion, it appears that the focus is on Architect, do you feel that this particular app is superior to other similar apps for authoring DVD's?


I focused on Architect for three simple reasons:
1. I know squat about DVD authoring/software
2. Price = cheap
3. Reading Barbara's conclusions based on her personal use; i.e., increased quality of DVD output

So far I am very encouraged and look forward to time to do more testing and learning.

The quality of the end result of my DVD I burned last night truly was significantly better.
But why????
What's the technical difference in doing it this way that makes it better?

~Sara

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby saramcd » Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:57 pm

nannybear wrote:Looks great on all of them. Am I just blessed or my eyes so old I don't notice imperfections?? cheers Jan


Both? :P

I dunno. My eyes are absolutely horrible, and the difference I see between monitor and TV is so distinct -- and the end product on the TV (42" Vizio 1080p) is so poor -- I want to cry!

~Sara

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby BarbaraC » Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:57 pm

Sara, I haven't yet figured out what to give Architect to make it stop complaining. The quality is excellent as it is, but if someone (Mikey?) can tell us exactly what format to use in Producer so that Architect won't whine at us, we'll probably both be happy little campers. Better yet, you figure it out, and then you can proudly give me the answer. Either way, I won't have to rattle my brain cells. :D

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby frgarcia » Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:41 pm

I am not sure if this is the right forum to post my question. My name is Frank and this is my first post here. I recently upgrade to version 4. My first interest isthe Bluray output. I don't have a Bluray burner at the present time. What I did is generate a Bluray file recorded as an Iso file. I tried burning a DVD both from an Iso file and to my amazement it plays in my Bluray player with some problem. The Video quality blows me away. The problem is the audio. It lost sync after around 10 minutes and the audio just died. I found out the if you hit pause on the bluray player for a couple of seconds, it sync again. Did anybody tried this and have solution. I do slide show for hobby only. Thanks if someone can help.

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Re: AVI->DVD Architect to Make Superior Output?

Postby BarbaraC » Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:32 pm

Frank, your best way to get an answer is to start a new thread in Producer's "Troubleshooting" section. Contact Mike, the administrator with a PM and ask him if he'd move your post from here to Troubleshooting. With your question buried in a thread about Sony's DVD Architect, it's likely to get lost.

In any case, welcome to the forum!

Barbara

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