Sony DVD Architect 2
DVD Authoring Software
by Stephen Murphy
A few issues back, I reviewed Sony's Vegas 5 video editing and multitrack audio application for Windows-based computers. I concluded that the combination of Sony’s professional video expertise and the creative programming of Sonic Foundry (acquired by Sony in July 2003) made Vegas 5 a tantalizingly easy-to-use yet powerful audio/video editing system.
Vegas is just one half of Sony's comprehensive
Vegas+DVD Production Suite
($999), which also includes DVD Architect 2 DVD authoring software.
Like Vegas
5, DVD Architect 2 represents a substantial leap in professional
functionality
compared to its earlier incarnation.
Features
First things first: In a move that has many scratching their heads,
Sony's DVD
Architect 2 is only available as part of the Vegas+DVD Production
Suite, and is
not purchasable as a separate application. Nevertheless, at a typical
street
price of $699, the Production Suite is quite a value as it includes the
excellent Vegas 5 audio/video editing software, DVD Architect 2
authoring
software, a Dolby Digital encoder, Boris Graffiti 3.0 LTD titling
software and
Red Giant's Magic Bullet Movie Looks software.
As with Vegas, it is impossible to cover all of the features of DVD
Architect 2
in an article of this length (the “Quick Start” manual is 100+ pages)
let alone
have room for a hands-on evaluation; to that end, please see the Sony
Pictures
website for a full feature list.
The combination of Vegas and DVD Architect in Sony's Production Suite
is
greater than just an editing-and-delivery software pairing. When used
in
combination, the two applications integrate together in two important
and time
saving ways: markers from the Vegas timeline are easily converted to
DVD
chapter points, and the use of the Main Concept MPEG2 rendering
template within
Vegas means that no decompression/recompression is necessary in DVD
Architect
(unless, of course, you are trying to cram more than 4.7 GB of data
onto a
single-layer disc).
An aside: DVD Architect does not support dual-layer burning as of yet,
though
it is planned for a future version. Incidentally, I have seen posts on
the Sony
DVD Architect forum reporting success using DVD Architect 2 to author a
greater-than-4.7 GB disc and then burning to a dual-layer disc using
third-party software and a dual-layer burner; this is not supported by
Sony so
try at your own risk.
The most prominent aspect of the program's interface is the workspace
area.
This area functions much like a WYSIWYG web page editor, where text,
background
images and buttons can be added and arranged in an intuitive manner.
Title-safe
and action-safe boundaries can be displayed, as can a grid with
adjustable
properties for providing assistance in laying out the various menu
elements.
On the left, the project overview window provides a hierarchical
view of
menus and titles in a DVD project. In this window, media elements and
menu
pages can be quickly added, rearranged or removed, and the linking
behavior of
menus can be specified. It also provides a quick means to plan the
structure
and flow of a DVD project, and the actual elements can be added later.
Another principal interface of DVD Architect 2 is the
properties/compilation
window that provides in-depth information and options for whatever
element in
the workspace or timeline window is currently selected. This is the
most
powerful interface in the program, as it allows the most detailed
object-oriented editing options.
A familiar multitrack video timeline interface provides additional
means for
the in-depth manipulation of audio and video files in a DVD project.
In/out
points, chapter points, background video, alternate audio tracks and
other
elements can be added and visually adjusted in a familiar manner within
the
timeline.
The most celebrated addition in this version of the software is
programmable
end actions. End actions allow the user to specify the action that
takes place
once a menu or media file finishes its life. End actions can be used,
for
example, to automatically select a menu item if none is chosen after a
timeout
period, reroute the viewer to a new menu following a media clip, or
they can be
used to create controls that specify audio track options.
Speaking of audio, DVD Architect now allows the use of multiple audio
tracks
for things like director's commentary, stereo and surround tracks, and
alternate languages.
Also new to this version is the support of text-based subtitle tracks,
24p
encoding, Flash (.swf) file support, fit-to-disc encoding and
elementary stream
media components.
In Use
While not as comprehensive as the top professional DVD authoring
packages –
especially when it comes to the more esoteric uses of DVD authoring
such as
creating contextually scored trivia quizzes, Easter eggs, delayed menu
functions and other cell-level programming – DVD Architect 2 certainly
makes
the creation of typically structured, professional-looking DVD discs
fast and
painless. This process is even easier if you are already familiar with
Vegas
and other Sony software applications. In certain cases, there are
workarounds
to emulate some of the missing programming options.
For those who use editing applications other than Vegas and wish to use
DVD
Architect 2, it may still make sense to use Vegas for setting chapter
points
and preparing files, menus and backgrounds, thanks to the tight
integration of
the two applications. There are several instances where the creation of
complex
menus and backgrounds is facilitated by preparing files within Vegas
prior to
import in DVD Architect 2.
Of the new features, the highly adjustable layout is the most
immediately
noticeable improvement – especially for those of us with dual monitor
setups.
You now have the ability to undock and freely arrange the individual
interface
elements in nearly any configuration that suits your working style.
Elements
can be split from the main window and re-docked to other elements, or
dropping
one interface on top of another can easily create multilayer tabbed
windows;
the custom layout is recalled upon restarting the program.
Along the same tack, DVD Architect now supports live previewing on an
external
video monitor using FireWire. I initially had some troubles with
getting this
function to work consistently, but this appears to be cleared up in the
latest
bug fix (version 2.0b). The DVD Architect 2 workspace can be previewed
on the
monitor while creating menu page layouts, or the whole project can be
previewed
in mock-DVD player mode and navigated using the program's simulated
remote
control.
Another new function I appreciate is the option to save the
incorporated media
assets with a DVD project file. This is especially useful for archiving
elements associated with a particular DVD project that have been culled
from a
large media pool.
While these are all welcome new features, it is the addition of
powerful
functions such as programmable end actions, multiple audio tracks,
subtitle
creation, and per-asset optimization control that has raised DVD
Architect 2 to
an entirely new level. These additions plug gaping holes that existed
in the
previous version and bring DVD Architect a lot closer to the
functionality of
top (and more expensive) dedicated DVD authoring systems.
There are still some bugs and consistent-behavior issues to address,
but none
in my estimation are show-stoppers; knowing the speed and
responsiveness of the
Sony programmers to their user base, it will not be long before these
gaps are
closed.
Summary
Like Sony's Vegas software, DVD Architect 2 is an intuitive and
powerful
application. While it is not as mature as its editing counterpart, it
shows the
same pedigree.
The leaps and bounds this version made over its prior incarnation once
again
demonstrates the Sony/Sonic Foundry programmers' abilities as well as
their
eagerness to listen to the user base and act in a timely manner – very
commendable traits for a media software company.
Stephen Murphy, contributing editor of Pro Audio Review magazine,
has over
20 years experience in audio/visual production. He can be reached at
www.smurphco.com.
Key Features: Programmable end actions; per-asset optimization;
multiple
audio tracks, subtitle creation and support; Dolby Digital encoder;
customizable user interface; real-time external monitor preview;
elementary
stream import; fit-to-disc optimization.
Price: $999 for the Vegas+DVD Production Suite