Simple editing program for quickie DVD's
 

I use Adobe CS3 for my serious projects (weddings, live performances, ...). I am still using several Sony PD-170's to collect my footage as I haven't popped yet for a new set of HD cams.

In my spare time I teach Pickleball, a game similar to Paddle Tennis. Sometimes my students want a DVD of their lesson that they can take with them. I have been using Premiere and Encore to create these DVD's from the tape captured during the lesson. However, there are a lot of steps to creating a DVD using these tools and I'd like something simpler with less overhead. In particular, I'd like something where I can:
1. capture a tape
2. edit the tape to get rid of unwanted footage at the beginning or end
3. make a simple modification to a standard menu template to include the person's name
4. create the DVD

A bonus, but not mandatory feature, would be to be able to capture multiple tapes and put them onto the DVD as separate menu items, again with a minimum of work.

I have never used any of the consumer editing programs like Premiere Elements, or Pinnacle Studio, ... so I don't know if these programs would work well for this simple application. I also wonder if these simpler programs have stability problems with longer projects. (My lessons are 1 hour long). Does anyone have a recommendation on which of these simple programs that would meet my needs?

Thanks.

To be honest with you, I'm not sure there's much out there that will be simpler than what you're currently doing with Premiere and Encore. The importing and trimming process is the same with most packages, and there's nothing simpler than just clicking "Export to Encore."

There are direct-to-DVD burners out there, but you can't do much editing and I've found them to be unreliable, requiring several attempts to get a decent DVD, resulting in lots of coasters and more time than doing it through Premiere and Encore. I've never once had a coaster from the latter process.

I've also had some limited success with Nero, but you might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire going this route.

Guessing you are on a PC...

But on the Mac, if I want a fast DVD that has no menu and just plays the content I use iDVD and the Quick DVD option. Point it at the media and it burns it. Done.

Hi................
 

Download the freebie tester for Ulead Video Studio. It has two basic operating modes - long and detailed and quick and dirty.

Both work extremely well and I haven't managed to crash it in over three years.

The freebie most likely won't handle HD but if it does what you want in SD, it won't exactly break the bank to upgrade to the real deal.


CS

Movie Maker should do what you want. It's standard with Windows.

If you are on PC, try MPEG Video Wizard DVD...

You could always purchase Replay Converter from the people at Applian Software. Drop a video file and set it to convert it and write to DVD. For a mere $10 you'll be happy.

Andrew