| Authoring, DVD Authoring |
| WHAT IS AUTHORING? | DO I NEED AUTHORING? | WHY DO I NEED DISC MAKERS AUTHORING? |
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What is Authoring?
Authoring is the process of combining materials such as video, graphics, sound, animation, documents, and files into a format suitable for viewing on the appropriate device. Such devices include but are not limited to DVD players, computers, and the Internet. Often authoring involves the creation of an interface, allowing the user to navigate and access the different assets or files easily and conveniently. In the case of DVD authoring, this interface consists of a menu or menus with play and chapter (scene) buttons. For CD-ROM and ECD authoring, this interface is called a splash page. For more information about authoring see DVD authoring, CD-ROM authoring, or ECD authoring. |
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Do I need Authoring?
You have a finished video, film, or CD and you're ready to send it in for replication. So you may ask “My project is finished so why would I need authoring?” Even though your video, film and computer files may be finished, these materials still may need authoring and mastering to be ready for replication. So what does “ready for replication” mean? There are specific standards set for DVDs, Audio CDs, ECDs, and CD-ROMs to ensure your discs will play as expected on the appropriate devices. For example, if you send us a videotape for DVD replication, we cannot make DVDs directly from that tape. A videotape is not in the correct format to create DVDs and will need authoring. Even though both a videotape and a DVD contain and play video, they are two completely different formats. There are steps called authoring required to convert that tape into a format that meets the DVD specification. Likewise, just placing some audio or files on a disc does not mean it’s ready for replication. The authoring of those files to disc must meet the specification for it’s appropriate format. If not mastered and authored correctly, you run the risk of paying for discs that don’t perform the way you expected.
So how do you know if your master is ready for replication?
A good rule of thumb is, if it plays and performs the way you want it to on the devices you want it to, then most likely it’s ready for replication. This isn’t 100% fool proof, but it’s a good place to start. So if you put your master into a DVD player, does it work? Does your audio CD play in your CD player? Does your ROM disc play on both Macintosh and Windows computers? If they do, most likely you have a master that’s ready for replication and won’t need authoring. It’s very important to test your master on the devices you want your replicated discs to play on. Putting a QuickTime file on a DVD creates a disc that can be replicated, but the act of putting a file on a DVD does not make it a DVD Video. This disc can be replicated but as a DVD-ROM not DVD-Video. Your discs will only play on computers with QuickTime™ installed, they won’t play in DVD players. This QuickTime™ file needs to be converted or authored (authoring requires additional charges) to meet the DVD specifications. After thorough testing, if your master doesn’t work the way you intended then you need authoring.
If your disc is not performing they way you intended or you cannot author your project to meet the standards required, contact one of our Product Specialists at 1-866-744-3549 to discuss what the Authoring House at Disc Makers can do for you. Or please see the services section of the Authoring House website for more detail.
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Why Do I need the Authoring House at Disc Makers to Author my project?
One question we often get is: “With all the software programs available today, why should I hire you to do my authoring?” The answer is simple: An authoring software program can’t ensure your project will work as expected or at all.
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Can it ensure your DVD will play on a majority of DVD players, or
will play in Europe or Mexico? |
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Can it create the type of professional design that comes from a
mixture of raw talent and years of design training? |
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Can it tell you what computer systems your multimedia CD or ECD
will work on and which ones it won’t? |
Very simply, even the best authoring software programs can’t provide the type of expertise that comes from talent, training, and years of experience creating DVD/multimedia projects year in and year out.
For DVDs and CD-ROMs to play in appropriate devices and to ensure maximum compatibility, the authoring must conform to certain standards. For DVD the standard is the DVD specification. For CD the standards are Red Book (audio CDs), Blue Book (ECDs), and Yellow Book (CD-ROMs). These standards were created to help provide consistency and compatibility across multiple devices. But even with these standards no DVD or CD is 100% compatible. There are numerous manufacturers, devices, and authoring programs designed to play and author CDs and DVDs, and there’s no guarantee they will conform to the DVD/CD specifications.
In addition, how the authoring of your CD or DVD is performed can also have an effect on its compatibility. Unless you have the proper authoring tools and experience, it will be difficult to avoid the pitfalls that can affect the playability of your final disc. So knowing what can cause a disc to fail or to produce unfavorable results is key to authoring a successful product that will be as close to 100% compatible as possible. Staying up to date on the latest technology and authoring techniques is one way to ensure a quality product but this can be difficult and time consuming at best.
The Authoring House at Disc Makers takes great care to ensure your discs will play on a wide variety of players and computers. We stay up to date on the technology to ensure your product will be a success. And because we have been manufacturing optical discs for over 20 years, we understand not only the content but the science behind how a disc is actually made. We put this experience from years of authoring and manufacturing CDs and DVDs to work in every project we do. So let the Authoring House at Disc Makers handle your project from start to finish and help ensure it is a success.
Feel free to browse our services section to see the wide variety of services and packages that we provide, such as; DVD Menu Design, Multimedia Development, Enhanced CDs, DVD Authoring, Closed Captioning, Motion Menus, and DVD Encoding. And let us at the Authoring House be the first to welcome your project home. |
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