[5.4] What DVD authoring systems are available?

For more detail on the systems listed below, follow the links or see the comparison table of selected DVD authoring systems at DVDirect .

• Apple
  • DVD Studio Pro . Mid-level DVD-Video authoring tool for Mac OS. $1,000.
  • iDVD . Simple, drag-and-drop DVD-Video authoring, bundled with Macs that have DVD-R drives.
  • DVDMaestro . Windows. See Spruce, below.
• Authoringware
  • DVD WISE . Mid-level authoring system for Windows 95/98/NT. $950.
  • DVD Quickbuilder . Multiplexing software.
• Avid
  • Xpress DV . Video editing software with DVD-Video output (using Sonic AuthorScript). $1,700.
  • Xpress DV Powerpack . Xpress DV with other software, including Sonic DVDit SE. $3,000.
• Canopus
  • Amber for DVD . Amber MPEG-2 encoding hardware with Spruce DVDVirtuoso authoring software. $3,300.
• Daikin (Daikin US Comtec Laboratories)
  Note: Daikin's DVD business was acquired by Sonic in February 2001. Scenarist, ReelDVD, and ROM Formatter are now carried by Sonic.
• DreamCom (formerly Gunzameory)
  • DVDRich . Mid-level DVD-Video authoring/encoding on Windows NT. Uses MPEGRich encoder and Daikin Scenarist or Intec DVDAuthorQuick. $30,000.
• DV Studio
  • Apollo Expert Author and Apollo Expert DVDer . Mid-level DVD-Video authoring system for Windows NT, using DV Studio Apollo Expert MPEG-2 encoding hardware and Intec DVDAuthorQuick authoring software ( Author package, $4,000) or Sonic DVDit ( DVDer package, $2,500).
  • Apollo Expert Archiver . MPEG-2 encoding system for archiving video to DVD-RAM. $2,500 (DVD-RAM drive included).
• Futuretel
  • Crescendo.
• Houpert Digital Audio (HDA)
  • CubeDVD-A . DVD-Audio authoring plug-in module for Cube-Tec AudioCube digital audio workstation. Uses audio assets mastered by NuendoCube. Windows 2000. .

• Margi Systems

  • DVPublish-to-Go . Simple DVD authoring to DVD-R or CD-R/W. Includes Margi's 1394-to-Go PC, MGI's VideoWave III , and Sonic Solution's DVDit LETx . Windows 98 SE or 2000. $300.
• Matrox
  • Matrox RT2000 and DigiSuite DTV . Video capture and editing in DV and MPEG-2 formats. Includes Sonic Solution's DVDit LE for simple DVD authoring. Windows 98. $1,300.
• Mediachance
  • DVD-lab . DVD-Video authoring software with some unique features. Windows. $100.
• Microboards
  • DVD AuthorSuite . DVD-Video authoring/encoding for Windows NT. Uses Intec DVDAuthorQuick software, Zapex encoders, and Sigma Designs decoder. $25,000.
• Minerva
  Note: Minerva DVD authoring software was acquired by Pinnacle in 2000, so it is no longer generally available. Impression was re-released by Pinnacle in July 2001.
  • DVD-Professional SL and DVD-Professional XL . DVD-Video authoring/encoding systems for Windows NT. Includes Publisher 300 and Minerva Studio. $100,000.
  • Impression . DVD-Video authoring/encoding system for Windows. $10,000.
• Minnetonka Audio Software
  • DiscWelder Steel. Basic DVD-Audio authoring software. Windows. $500.
  • A-Plus . Basic DVD-Audio authoring software. Windows. $2,000.
  • DiscWelder Chrome . Professional DVD-Audio authoring software. Windows. $3500.
• MTC (Multimedia Technology Center)
  Note: MTC was acquired by SmartDisk in 2000.
  • StreamWeaver Express and StreamWeaver Pro . Simple and mid-level DVD-Video authoring, and $900 premastering on Windows. $900 and $3,000.
  • DVDMotion . Authoring systems for Windows, oriented toward multimedia DVD-ROM production. Comes in three versions: Pro , SE (Standard), CE (Consumer). $1,000, $400, $95.
  • DVDMotion CE . Entry-level authoring system for Windows 98/NT4. $75.
• NEC
  • DV Editor . IEEE-1394 card and and software, plus Sonic's DVDit LE . Windows 98. Available in Japan only.
• Optibase
  • DVD-Fab XPress and DVD-Fab . Turnkey DVD-Video authoring/encoding systems for Windows NT. Includes Optibase MPEG Fusion MPEG-2 encoder and Daikin Scenarist authoring software. $35,000.
• Panasonic
  • LQ-VD2000S . Turnkey professional DVD-Video authoring system, including Windows NT 4.0 workstation. Uses Panasonic MPEG-2 encoder and LQ-VD3000 emulator. $120,000.
  • LQ-VDS120 . Additional workstation software for networking with LQ-VD2000S . $22,550
  • LQ-VD3000. DVD Emulator. $15,000
• Pegasys
  • TMPGEnc DVD Author . Basic DVD-Video authoring for Windows. $68.
• Pinnacle
  • DVD1000 . MPEG-2 video editing and DVD-Video authoring system for Windows. Pinnacle DVD1000 hardware with Adobe Premiere and Minerva Impression. $8,000.
  • Impression DVD . Mid-level DVD-Video authoring/encoding system for Windows. $1,000.
  • Pinnacle Pro-ONE . DVD editing/authoring package. Uses Adobe Premiere and Impression DVD-SE . $1,300.
  • Pinnacle Edition . Video editing with linear-play DVD/SVCD output. $700.
• Pioneer
  • DVDDesigner . An off-line design tool for DVD-Video planning and layout. Can feed an "authoring decision list" into other authoring systems. Available free to qualified developers. Windows and Mac OS.
• PixelTools
  • SimpleDVD . AVI-to-DVD converter for Windows. $1,500.
  • HDTVPlug-in . Simple encoding/authoring plug-in for Adobe Premiere. Generates single-program, autoplay images that can be copied to recordable discs. $1,000.
• Q-Comm
  • EasyDVD .
• Roxio
  • Easy CD & DVD Creator . Basic DVD-Video and VCD authoring for Windows. $80.
• SADiE
  • DVD-A Direct. DVD-Audio authoring package for SADiE editing and mastering system. Windows. 
• Sonic Solutions
  • Scenarist SGI . DVD-Video authoring for SGI. The original professional system. $25,000.
  • Scenarist NT . Professional DVD-Video authoring on Windows NT. Comes in two versions: Advanced , $15,000; Professional , $22,000.
  • DVD Creator . Professional DVD-Video authoring/encoding systems for corporate and industrial applications. Mac OS. Various configurations: DVD Creator All-in-One Workstation , $80,000; DVD Creator Encoding, $24,500, DVD Creator Authoring , $15,000.
  • DVD-Audio Creator . DVD-Audio authoring system (co-developed with Panasonic). Windows. DVD-Audio Complete Workgroup , $53,000; DVD-Audio Creator , $13,000; DVD-Audio Creator LE , $6,000.
  • OneClick DVD . Simple DVD-Audio authoring. Mac OS. $15,000.
  • DVD Fusion . Mid-level DVD-Video authoring system. Mac OS.
  • DVD Producer (formerly DVD Fusion for Windows ). Mid-level DVD-Video authoring system. Windows. $3,000.
  • ReelDVD . Low-end authoring for NT and Windows 2000. $1,500.
  • DVDit LE (limited) , SE (standard), and PE (professional). Basic DVD-Video authoring for Windows. $300 (SE), $400 (PE). LE version is designed to be bundled with other hardware and software products.
  • MyDVD. Simple personal DVD-Video authoring for Windows. $80. Generally bundled with DVD recorders.
  • PrimeTime. Addition to Windows XP Media Center Edition for burning recorded TV shows to DVD. $80.
• Sony Media Software
  • Vegas+DVD. Mid-level authoring toolset ( DVD Architect ) bundled with video editing software. $1,000.
• Sony Professional
  • DVA-1100 . High-end authoring/encoding system with one to eight stations. Price range starts at $175,000.
• Spruce Technologies  
  Note: Spruce was acquired in July 2001 by Apple. DVDMaestro is still available from some dealers.
  • DVDMaestro . High-end authoring/encoding systems for Windows NT. $25,000.
  • DVDConductor, DVDVirtuoso, DVDPerformer . Mid-level authoring/encoding systems for Windows NT. Also allow DVD content to be recorded and played from CD-R. $10,000, $1500, $?.
  • SpruceUp . Simple personal DVD-Video authoring for Windows (NT4/98/ME/NT/2000). $129.
  • DVDStationCX . Turnkey system using DVDConductor. $25,000.
  • DVDStationNLE . Turnkey system using DVDConductor and Heuris MPEG Power Professional encoding software. $10,000.
  • DVDTransfer . Turnkey automated tape-to-DVD system. $30,000.
• Ulead
  • MediaStudio Director's Cut . Video editing software with built-in DVD authoring. $190.
  • DVD Workshop . Basic video editing and DVD authoring. $300.
• Visible Light
  • Macarena and Macarena Pro . DVD-Video authoring for Power Mac G4. Software encoding or hardware encoding (Pro version). Uses Astarte DVDirector software. $10,000 and $15,000.
• Vitech
  • DVD Toolbox . AVI to DVD-Video. Write to CD-R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, etc. Windows 95/98/NT. $400.
  • DVD Cut Machine . Hardware audio/video encoder bundled with DVD Toolbox software. $800