reliable alternatives to Adobe Encore DVD?

[peter]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

What are some alternatives to Adobe Encore DVD?

I tried to add subtitles with Encore v1.01, and it crashed after a few
minutes. In addition, when it crashes, it corrupts the current project even
though I did not save after the crash. I found that sometimes just letting
it idle causes the project to corrupt. I have not seen a more buggy program
since premiere 5.

Is ulead dvd workshop more stable, considering that it is version 2?

Are there freeware that can create subtitles?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I like Ulead DVD Workshop. But, I also have a couple of problems with it.

1. It doesn't handle some flavors of video files. I have about 2 dozen
videos in AVI, MPG, etc. that it won't load. In general I have to either
convert them using something like Canopus Pro Coder or use another program.

2. The interface isn't as straight forward as it should be. It seems to me
that many things are hidden and just plain hard to find and access.

Once you do get past that I have found it to be a stable and reliable
program. The DVD's and VCD's it creates are good and I have had no
compatibility problems with them.

Jerry

"peter" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:NLvkc.6311$sK3.226@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...
> What are some alternatives to Adobe Encore DVD?
>
> I tried to add subtitles with Encore v1.01, and it crashed after a few
> minutes. In addition, when it crashes, it corrupts the current project
even
> though I did not save after the crash. I found that sometimes just letting
> it idle causes the project to corrupt. I have not seen a more buggy
program
> since premiere 5.
>
> Is ulead dvd workshop more stable, considering that it is version 2?
>
> Are there freeware that can create subtitles?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Peter,

I have similar problems with Encore. One of the reasons for me to try to
solve the problems is its multilingual support which not many reasonably
priced applications had last summer.

There are a few things you can try and you can find information about that
on the Adobe Forum. My experience has got me to always keep three copies of
the project file and only update two of them. As you say at times when
working with subtitles the project occasionally will be destroyed and the
previous copy then comes in handy. The third copy a few generations back in
the project saves me - just in case.

I have an one hour project and all works fine from inside Encore and all but
one out of six timelines burns fine onto DVD now. I have started a new
project with only the problematic timeline and one working timeline both
with subtitles in two languages. I have had frequent contacts with the
Swedish Adobe support during the previous two weeks but so far no solution.

If you use avi assets be sure that they are Microsoft DV codec. There are
issues with Canopus DV codec and Encore unfortunately. I prefer Canopus but
in this case I have saved in msdv. However if you use Canopus Procoder it is
ok to transcode from Canopus codec to m2v. Do not use program streams.

You can also try Subtitle workshop which people have reported work with
Encore. I normally use text scripts saved in unicode in Notepad or direct
typing in the Encore monitor window. However, at times, as you say the
project then goes poof!

I have also tried killing as much as possible in my PC while in Encore but
nothing yet. There might be an issue with some other process but hard to
tell which!

If you come across a working solution please let me know.

Good Luck!

Peter (also)
Sweden


"peter" <nospam@nospam.com> skrev i meddelandet
news:NLvkc.6311$sK3.226@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...
> What are some alternatives to Adobe Encore DVD?
>
> I tried to add subtitles with Encore v1.01, and it crashed after a few
> minutes. In addition, when it crashes, it corrupts the current project
even
> though I did not save after the crash. I found that sometimes just letting
> it idle causes the project to corrupt. I have not seen a more buggy
program
> since premiere 5.
>
> Is ulead dvd workshop more stable, considering that it is version 2?
>
> Are there freeware that can create subtitles?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> > Is ulead dvd workshop more stable, considering that it is version 2?

I tried the trial version and it seemed pretty stable but it had a
_very_ annoying trait to me. It loaded a program (ulcdrsvr.exe) that was
not in the Startup group and other than shutting it down via
services.msc, there was no way I could find to keep it from loading as
it wasn't in the Run or RunOnce section of the registry. I can't stand
when programs do that, as they can sometimes have effects on overall
system stability, so I uninstalled it. It's pretty steep pricewise too,
at $495 USD, especially if you've already purchased Encore.


> I have similar problems with Encore. One of the reasons for me to try
to
> solve the problems is its multilingual support which not many
reasonably
> priced applications had last summer.

While I've never had the kind of crashes that you all have had, I've
found Encore to be quite buggy for an Adobe product. I'm waiting to see
how Encore 1.5 is and whether the numerous bugs are fixed or whether new
ones have been added. For a $99 upgrade, it's probably the best bet, for
me anyway.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Morrmar" <morrmar@myway.com-no spam> wrote in message news:<rIPkc.35489$7a5.12483@bignews6.bellsouth.net>...


>
> While I've never had the kind of crashes that you all have had, I've
> found Encore to be quite buggy for an Adobe product. I'm waiting to see
> how Encore 1.5 is and whether the numerous bugs are fixed or whether new
> ones have been added. For a $99 upgrade, it's probably the best bet, for
> me anyway.

I've been disappointed with Encore. It doesn't support Half-D1, for
some bizarre reason (one would think a high-priced product would
support all valid DVD formats), and has awful debugging capabilities.
For example, import an AVI file which Encore doesn't like as an asset
and it simply tells you 'Can't import AVI file' without any additional
explanation (e.g. codec, resolution...). Also, the auto-routing is
brain dead. It could be a great product, but right now is way too
flaky. And where are the patches?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> For example, import an AVI file which Encore doesn't like as an asset
> and it simply tells you 'Can't import AVI file' without any additional
> explanation (e.g. codec, resolution...). Also, the auto-routing is

I ran into this the first time I used Encore and yes, it's very
frustrating. For me, it was an option in ProCoder I didn't set
correctly.

> brain dead. It could be a great product, but right now is way too
> flaky. And where are the patches?

I've only been using Adobe products for a short time and it's been my
experience that they don't issue "patches", they issue point updates
that cost money, unfortunately. In their defense, which I do reluctantly
because I have a kind of love-hate relationship with them, Encore is
their only product that I've used that really needed a bug-fix patch.
Premier Pro, in spite of it's non-standard Windows interface, is _the_
best NLE I've used and I've tried them all (other than FCP on an Apple).
I haven't heard from anyone who's used 1.5 yet but I'm hoping these
issues have been corrected. Luckily for me, subtitles aren't an issue.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Morrmar,

Do you remember which option in ProCoder you had set wrongly? I have seen
comments about the need to use closed GOPs but have not found where to
specify that in ProCoder. I´m using ProCoder Express which comes with Edius.


"Morrmar" <morrmar@myway.com-no spam> skrev i meddelandet
news:bt8lc.58576$oN1.18746@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
> > For example, import an AVI file which Encore doesn't like as an asset
> > and it simply tells you 'Can't import AVI file' without any additional
> > explanation (e.g. codec, resolution...). Also, the auto-routing is
>
> I ran into this the first time I used Encore and yes, it's very
> frustrating. For me, it was an option in ProCoder I didn't set
> correctly.
>
> > brain dead. It could be a great product, but right now is way too
> > flaky. And where are the patches?
>
> I've only been using Adobe products for a short time and it's been my
> experience that they don't issue "patches", they issue point updates
> that cost money, unfortunately. In their defense, which I do reluctantly
> because I have a kind of love-hate relationship with them, Encore is
> their only product that I've used that really needed a bug-fix patch.
> Premier Pro, in spite of it's non-standard Windows interface, is _the_
> best NLE I've used and I've tried them all (other than FCP on an Apple).
> I haven't heard from anyone who's used 1.5 yet but I'm hoping these
> issues have been corrected. Luckily for me, subtitles aren't an issue.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> Do you remember which option in ProCoder you had set wrongly? I have
seen
> comments about the need to use closed GOPs but have not found where to
> specify that in ProCoder. I´m using ProCoder Express which comes with
Edius.

I'm sorry, I can't remember but it wasn't related to GOP's.