Here's some background information on the folks who have contributed articles, tutorials and case studies to this web site. Even though I am listed first, it is only because the list is in alphabetical order.
[inline:1=right,Larry Applegate]
Larry Applegate is President and Owner of Rivergate Software Inc., the developer and publisher of DVDAfterEdit. Larry designed the structure and wrote the original software for what has become DVDAfterEdit (Mastering Edition), but was joined early on by John Brisbin, who has rewritten and solidified much of the code. Larry is currently overseeing the continuing development of DVDAfterEdit and its follow-on product, HDAfterEdit.
Larry wishes to thank his curent and past contributors for their help in the support forums. During the next few months we promise to continue giving top-notch support during our transition to new products. To help us in this, if you have an answer or suggestion to a support question, please join in the forums, and let us know if you wish to become a contributor.
[inline:12-1.jpg=Uli Plank]
My background is that of a cinematographer and animator, now teaching as a full-time professor at Braunschweig University of Fine Arts in Media Arts and Design. We started working on DVDs when DVD Studio Pro still was DVDirector from a small German company called Astarte and the only application we could afford as a public university. We have come a long way since then: in the meantime DVD Studio Pro is based on Maestro by Spruce, and I'm writing my third book on DVD authoring right now. And while my second book had just one chapter on DVDAfterEdit (after all, I'm proud to be the first one to have published about that program in German), about half of my new book is dealing with DVDAfterEdit (formerly TFDVDEdit).
Why? Well, my foreword to the new book states something like "No limits, team up the two best applications for unrestricted DVD authoring". My stay at NAB on invitation of Trai, has convinced me of two things: Apple is listening (even it takes a while), as can be seen in DVDSP 3, and DVDAfterEdit is the perfect companion to it (and every other authoring app out there). DVDAfterEdit allows you to explore the potential of DVD far beyond what an abstraction layer system will ever allow, even if Apple continues to listen. To me, being an artist, DVD is so appealing because of it's yet unexplored possibilities of non-linear storytelling, reliable video-installations for exhibits and museums or in live performances. Only DVDAfterEdit allows me to explore the DVD-spec to its very limits, having access to every little piece of the structure, all at a price for software and equipment that is still accessible to independent producers and art folks.
One of my first projects I tried with DVDAfterEdit was animating button overlays, something you just can't achieve in DVDSP, and it was an immediate success. I came to NAB 2004, just having prepared some material to play around with, and within two days I was able to not only get what I wanted, but even to explain in public how to do it! You'll find the article as one of the first here in my department. Currently I'm working hard on finishing my third book, but be prepared to find some of the finest results of my research for that book translated into English, sometime soon here at dvdafteredit.com .
Enjoy,
Uli
[inline:95_ian_shepherd.jpg=Ian Shepherd from SRT]
I've been using this application for several years now, and it has literally transformed the way I work for many of my projects. Don't let the apparent simplicity of the interface fool you - it hides a wealth of powerful, sophisticated features. This is even more true of the new version - HDAfterEdit - I am currently working with our beta-testing team to refine and develop the stunning new Cocoa interface and HD support - Blu Ray and HD DVD formatting and editing capabilities, even the ability to convert Standard to Advanced HD DVD content, so you can add HDi features to any HD DVD.
There really is an amazing scope to the program's feature-set. In fact, the new possibilities it opens up have led regular users to coin an entirely new term for working with the software - "Post-Authoring". This is because, as described in the overview, the software works on pre-existing DVD projects - albeit sometimes created specifically for the purpose. We are making further enhancements and modifications to the DVD after the traditional authoring is completed - hence post-authoring.
So, a typical project might proceed something like this:
When you add to the above feature-set the ability to correct bugs from existing authoring applications, or add and remove CSS Copy Protection flags, or add ISRC Codes to your disc, or significantly speed up navigation by re-authoring from scratch, or exploring other available DVDs to learn more about how they have been authored... I hope you can understand why I'm so excited to be involved with this particular piece of software.
You'll find a variety of my articles here, detailing several of the above topics. One of the main areas I have focused on is expanding and enhancing the capabilities of "abstraction-layer" based DVD Authoring applications like Spruce Maestro and DVD Studio Pro. I think their combination of power and ease-of-use often actually makes them a better choice than some of the most expensive authoring software out there; especially when you can repair all of their little quirks using 'Edit.
Some of the articles are quite specific, for example How To Skip Menu Transistions in DVD Studio Pro, whereas others apply equally to a much wider range of authoring applications - Advanced Techniques - Manipulating Menus contains many ideas which will be useful for post-authoring any DVD project, regardless of how it was authored, for instance.
As far as possible I've tried to make the articles self-explanatory, but as a starting point you'll need to be clear on standard authoring techniques in your chosen software, and of course you should read and re-read Ben, Larry and Uli's PDFs and articles.
The other strategy I can't recommend enough is simply using 'Edit to dig around inside commercial discs to see what you can find. It's often interesting, it's a great way to understand the wealth of information that 'Edit makes available to you, and you might pick up some interesting new authoring techniques along the way. Download the Demo, check out the Guided Tour, and ask any questions you may have in the forums.
I hope you enjoy the articles and find something useful and interesting to you.
Cheers,
Ian
[inline:dept38.jpg=Ben Weinrach]
Hi everyone and welcome!
I'll use this area to investigate ways DVDAfterEdit can improve DVD projects, especially in regards to DVD Specification authoring (or re-authoring, if you will). Every time I work with DVDAfterEdit, I get inspired to find new (and more!) ways to use it for projects. In fact, I now do the bulk of my authoring with the application, and use DVD SP4 primarily as a multiplexer (and to make jacket pictures, of course). I've even returned to old projects and re-authored those abstraction layer builds, bringing them up to spec, so to speak, by improving navigation performance and organization.
Way back at NAB 2004, a group of us casually formed a contingent we called "The Nav Pack". Our objective: to push and abuse the DVD Spec in ways that can only be accomplished with DVDAfterEdit. Unlike authoring applications, we now have direct access to the smallest unit of the DVD structure, the nav pack. There are numerous parameters to experiment with - many of which are directly related to the way overlays are displayed. At NAB, The Nav Pack tossed around some exciting ideas for ways to use this unique capability, and we'll continue to share them here (once we know they work, naturally).
Though quite different from authoring applications, modifying projects in DVDAfterEdit is a breeze once you have a little experience, and quite fast too! You can quickly copy and paste commands and parameters all over the place, which is impossible in Creator/Fusion. Since it works with fully multiplexed VIDEO_TS folders, your projects are ready to test right away - whether with the built-in Tracer feature or a software DVD player, no building required. Experimenting with the DVD Specification has never been so productive and easy.
Tracer is much more useful than an authoring application's simulator, since it not only works directly from the build being tested but also allows the user to step through each command, forwards and backwards to help isolate problems.
I intend to include before and after DVDAfterEdit-modified build files to accompany each article where applicable, so you can jump in and get hands-on experience without having to create or modify an existing project. These files will be small and available in the Members Download area, and should be especially helpful to those coming from DVD Studio Pro, Maestro, and other abstraction layer authoring applications.
I encourage you to obliterate the abstraction layer, and enjoy doing it!
Thanks for visiting,
Ben