In case anyone hasn't noticed.

[Fred Dwyer]

Yesterday I used the Canopus DVD Creator for the first time. I like it. However, learning "how to" was a bit of a challenge. The User Guide for v 4.5 provides some basic information and directs us to refer to the "Reference manual." Huh? What Reference manual? With my 4.5 shipment I received an Installation Guide, a Hardware Settings guide, a User Guide, and 3 manuals in an oriental language, probably Japanese. Fortunately I was aware of http://ediustraining.grassvalley.com/ . What do you know? The Reference manual is there. There is also a collection of "How to" documents. The How to export to DVD document was just what I needed to learn how to use Canopus DVD Creator. Good work GV/Canopus. Thanks for a good tutorial.

[Fred Dwyer]

An additional thought. Was I unique in not receiving the Reference Manual? Did anyone receive it? I do find hardcopy easier to use. Can a hardcopy be purchased? Sure would have prefered a hardcopy Reference Manual to the 3 manuals printed in Japanese characters.

[Angelo]

I bought the Edius 4 upgrade which only had the User Guide and the Reference Manual along with the User Guide was on the CD.

Myself I a book person and PDF files don't cut it for me. I do recall asking about it but I never followed up, I guess I've been too busy.

I may call my dealer on Monday about it.

...Angelo

[THoff]

You can always send the PDF online to a Kinko's and have it printed and bound there.

[GrassValley_KH]

I believe we do sell the printed manual for those wanting one. Not everyone does, so it keeps the final cost+shipping down.

Depending on your perceived value, the Kinkos option may or may not be cheaper.

[Fred Dwyer]

Kenneally:
I've a great idea. Lets reduce the cost+shipping even more. Lets not send the Japanese language manuals in U.S. shipments. I'd love to save money on the next for-fee upgrade. :-)

[Ron Evans]

I figured most things out without the manual!!! I normally use DVDLab PRo and like the user interface. Have not yet managed to create from a blank style like I would in DVDLab and build using backround image clip etc but its good for quickly creating files to import into DVDLab. IT would be nice to have control over encoding or choose the Procoder encoder. I did some comparisons of time to encode with my latest 2 hour 15 min project. IT took 1hour 45 to create files. My normal way is to use Panasonic DVD recorder which by comparison would take realtime then a transfer to PC of 17 mins and then DVDlab de multiplexes files ( another 15 mins). Video quality was similar, Panasonic just slightly better. So I carried on and encoded in Procoder Express, 2 pass VBR Quality setting ( no point if i dont get better quality) it took 6 hours and 36 mins!!! SOoooooo I exported an avi ( 45 mins )and got TMPGenc 3.0 to encode too, same 2 pass VBR and bit rate settings it took 3 hours 45 mins and encoded audio to AC3 too. Quality between TMPGenc and Procoder was similar and both slightly better than either Edius DVD encode or Panasonic( motion artifacts on slow pans were not as visible with Procoder Express and TMPGenc 3.0, barely visible on Panasonic( no worse than cable TV!!!) and visible in Edius DVD encode). This particular video was characters on a dark stage in spot lights. FX1 was set at 12db, F4.
Edius DVD is a nice feature it would be great if it had a better encoder.
Ron Evans