Windows 7: Software to author DVDs

Some time ago I posted a thread about software to compile DVDs. It was suggested back then that I try DVDFlick. I typically grab a movie, watch it from my hard disk and burn it to DVD and put it away. More often, I use DVD for compiling a season's worth of a serial, like two and a half men for example.

DVDFLick has an inherent problem that the audio sync wanders off. It is well documented and discussed at length on the DVDFlick and other forums.

So my question is this - Is there are free software program available that anyone knows of? It would need to support multiple formats like AVI, MP4, MKV, FLV etc. and be able to generate menus and chapters.

The ability to burn single and dual layers DVDs would be a bonus.

I've spent hours seachin g the net for such a program - a single step simple to use program - but haven't found anything.

Thanks
Tanya

Have you tried the Windows DVD Maker?

Windows DVD Maker - How to Use

Not sure about .flv but I know it will work with .mkv .avi .mp4

AVStoDVD - Video software and downloads - VideoHelp.com

I think it's better to output a VIDEO_TS folder then burn with Imgburn. Also free. There's a guide on the Imgburn forum how to burn DVD9 with setting the layer break etc..

I use a custom DVD size of 8032 MB rather than full DVD9 and set chapters every 5 minutes. That way the automatic "set optimal layer break" in Imgburn can set the layer break for you like 99% of the time.

If your DVD player can play .avi/.divx then an alternative may be:
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Quick_AVI_Creator

I've just started using this but it seems to give good results. In fact I edited the xvid.presets file to add an xvid "one pass mode"

It uses AvsP for AviSynth scripts. It seems daunting that it pops up an editor with this script, but unless you are downsizing from HD to SD you usually do not need to edit the script. Just go into the Tools folder and click Encode Video. Plus it can encode with x264 if you have a set top box. Great for HD with manageable file sizes.

I see the .divx company itself is switching to .mkv for it's divx players in the new generation called "Divx Plus" so it looks like .mkv is the new way to go.

Yes. The new one doesn't like reading files from a network location, which a registry hack is available to fix, bu more importantly, it has a limited set of formats it can process, and flv, mkv and mp4 are not on it's list of valid media types.

But thanks for the suggestion

Thanks MilesAhead, I'll give it a go...

Later the same day ...

AUDIO ENCODING. Please wait ...
-------------------------------
H:\Temp>"d:\Program Files (x86)\AVStoDVD\Wavi\Wavi.exe" "H:\Temp\SVU Season 11_0
_Title_01_law.and.order.svu.s11e04.hdtv.xvid-notv_1.avs" - | "d:\Program Files
(x86)\AVStoDVD\Aften\aften.exe" -b 192 -pad 0 -dynrng 5 -bwfilter 0 - "H:\SVU S
eason 11_0_Title_01_law.and.order.svu.s11e04.hdtv.xvid-notv_1.ac3"
Aften: A/52 audio encoder
Version SVN
(c) 2006-2007 Justin Ruggles, Prakash Punnoor, et al.
Found PCM audio: 2 channels, 48000 Hz, 16 bits, 2463.936000 seconds.
Writing WAV file...
input format: Microsoft WAVE Signed 16-bit little-endian 48000 Hz stereo
output format: 48000 Hz stereo (2/0)
SIMD usage: MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3
Threads: 8
progress: 99% | q: 299.8 | bw: 38.0 | bitrate: 192.0 kbps WAV file written successfully.

Then application crashed...

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: wavi.exe
Application Version: 0.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 46c49fdf
Fault Module Name: StackHash_293f
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7600.16385
Fault Module Timestamp: 4a5bdb3b
Exception Code: c0000374
Exception Offset: 000cdcbb
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 3081
Additional Information 1: 293f
Additional Information 2: 293fbae3474d6802d910723b0606b2e6
Additional Information 3: 57da
Additional Information 4: 57da5992b3b4b7bcd56140d1a878b609

The AVStoDVD author supports his software. Not me. See forums on VideoHelp.com - Forum, Guides, Tools and hardware lists and on doom9 forum.

I just use Nero.

That's what I started with. Version 6 Ultra.

lol. I know. I wasn't asking for support, sorry. I've posted a thread on their forums.