DVD Authoring software suggestions

[Bassman]

Nope.. I'm using CS5 and it's the same as CS4 as far as quirks/bugs go.

This is quite sad as CS5 is the third version of Encore to have Blu-ray. Makes me wonder what they are going for with Encore or if it is forgotten. It would seem to favor an Adobe only workflow.

Do you still have to dynamic link motion menu assets for BD menus? As Jerry mentioned, this was a big letdown for me as I upgraded from Encore 1 to Encore CS4. I used to make the motion backgrounds in Edius and import them directly into Encore. This still works for DVD but for Blu-ray the menus will not repeat if made this way. They only work with dynamic link.

The other parts of the suite look to be a nice improvement. I might end up with the production premium anyway.

[ATL Media Group]

Same bugs. It's still 32bit also. I don't think they updated it much if at all. I think it only got two changes over CS4 and both had to do with Flash output AFAIK.

[Jerry]

I was told at NAB that the biggest improvement was the way that it handled MPEG during playback.
I will probably get it later this year. As I have said before, for quick turnaround projects I still use CS3. Plus I can clear the cache very easy in that version.
In CS4 it had a 'pool' cache system which made it a little harder to clear.

Guess I'll stick with Encore for now. It still has it's issues.. It's VERY picky about Blu-Ray encoded files to the point that some will import and say "Don't Transcode" but they still won't be right at the build stage unless you transcode them with AME. (Leave it to Adobe to require it's encoder)

I have never had an issue with files that I have provided to Encore. They are coming from PC3. I did start using AME in CS4. It was a much better encoder than was in CS3. I was able to get close to, if not the same quality as in PC3.
I do use AME when doing H.264 for BD. I can use a profile 4.1 and take the bitrates quite high. Those files look stunning.
It is a shame that PC3 hasn't had an update in a few years.

[Bassman]

I guess it is glaring which program out of the CS5 suite Adobe does not make. I get a gamma shift when letting AME do any encoding. The low-mids go foggy for some reason. It would be easiest to produce only an HD .avi file, have only one Encore file and produce a Blu-ray and a DVD. But the files encoded in Edius just look better (I should say as they should).

If they improved the AME in CS5, maybe some "hoop jumpin'" could be avoided for me.

[Jerry]

I have found most of the files produced with the exporter to be of less quality than those from PC3. On a recent SD project I did put that to a test. PC3 had very clear backgrounds and the exporter for mpeg produced backgrounds as blurry.
PC3 is much slower than the exporter, but does produce cleaner images. I was getting images from AME that were close to as good as PC3. I was also matching settings on both products.

[Bassman]

I have the AME settings on the best they can be. I even have the secret highest quality checkmark on. The gamma is off in the encoded file. I have seen a few posts on the Adobe forum with the same issue. I don't know the cause of it but it there for me. I don't have PC3 either.

I was using a Canopus HQ file for my tests and also in normal uses. Maybe a different file format would work properly? If I get CS5 I will output a bunch of file formats and give it a test to see if the gamma issue is still present for me.

[ATL Media Group]

Be warned.. AME CS5 won't accept Canopus HQ files as they are 32bit. It'll only accept 64bit files. Crazy huh?

[Bassman]

Crazy that Adobe would put (or allow) one title (Encore) that is 32bit when the rest of the suite is 64bit. I think we need to go to 64bit. My guess is that Edius v6 will be 64bit along with a new verison of Canopus HQ. If it is not, then I have to wonder.