Disc Authoring Problems
By Erik Hanson 
posted Jul 20th 2006 11:21AM
posted Jul 20th 2006 11:21AM
EMediaLive has an article about some of the issues and problems with authoring advanced content for next-gen DVDs such as Blu-ray and HD DVD. As we've discussed in the podcast, both formats have had their troubles creating advanced content on their discs beyond just a high-definition version of the movie. Up until recently, even HD DVD has only had the same extra content as on the standard DVD. While content providers and studios struggle with the new tools for authoring discs, currently the process is more likened to writing code line by line than using a drag-and-drop graphical tool to create advanced interfaces, picture-in-picture, and telestrator-like overlays while the movie plays. Surely just as DVD before it, once the tools mature, and authors have more experience creating content, we'll see some really great features and applications coming out from both formats.[ Thanks wifispy! ]
Very overstated article, refers more to smaller scale DVD creation rather than the studios etc.
There are plenty of 'graphical' tools for HD-DVD creation, Apple's own DVD Studio Pro has supported HD-DVD creation using the same interface used for SD-DVDs.
Don't think for a second that any of this will hold up HD content creation....
Not really Ben, the tools I'm referring to go way beyond what is included with simple authoring of menus in DVD Studio. I'm talking about the overlaid director's commentary with the director walking around the frame as mentioned in one of our articles, and downloading trailers from the internet using the interactive layer programming. That sort of thing isn't included in those tools that just make menus. It gets a lot more in-depth than just showing scene selections. Perhaps you should go check out a high-def disc and compare it to the simple menuing systems found in current DVDs.
Your right Erik, DVD Studio's HD DVD menus don't even work. HD DVDs authored using DVD Studio Pro 4's H.264 codec don't play either, also did I mention that Dolby 5.1 also doesn't work?
The only solution as of now is Sonic's Scenarist HD 4 (60-150k USD)
or the consumer Ulead tools.