DVDAuthor is a set of tools to help you author the file and directory structure of a DVD-Video disc, including programmatic commands for implementing interactive behaviour.
It is driven by command lines and XML control files.
DVDAuthor is free and open source software and used by GUI frontends including ‘Q’ DVD Author, DVDStyler, DevedeNG and more.
Key Features
- Edit your footage into titles and convert them to the right MPEG format. Make a note of chapter points as desired. DVD-Video allows for up to 8 alternative audio tracks, which you can use for different languages, or surround-versus-simple-stereo etc.
- Design your menu graphics, position the buttons and decide which one links where.
- Optionally create subtitles as well, for alternative languages not covered by the audio tracks, or the hearing-impaired, or whatever. DVD-Video allows you to have up to 32 “subpicture” tracks, as it calls them (they’re stored and rendered as graphics, not text).
- Use spumux (part of the DVDAuthor suite) to “multiplex” the subpicture tracks onto the video and also create the menus.
- Use dvdauthor to actually put together the complete directory structure, including defining what the buttons do and marking the chapter points.
- Test the structure using a software player.
- Once you’re confident it’ll work, burn the result to a DVD and try it in a consumer player.
Website: dvdauthor.sourceforge.net
Support: GitHub Code Repository
Developer: Scott Smith, Lawrence D’Oliveiro
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
DVDAuthor is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| DVD Authoring Tools | |
|---|---|
| DVDStyler | Create professional-looking DVDs, photo slideshow, add multiple subtitles |
| DevedeNG | Python based DVD authoring using DVDAuthor |
| 'Q’ DVD-Author | Like DVDStyler, this is a GUI frontend. It's updated to use Qt5 |
| DVDAuthor | Generate a DVD-Video movie from a valid MPEG-2 stream |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| DVD Tools | |
|---|---|
| VLC | Multimedia player and streamer |
| mpv | Media player supporting a wide range of formats |
| HandBrake | Multithreaded DVD to MPEG-4 converter |
| QMPlay2 | Qt based video and audio player |
| fre:ac | Audio converter and CD ripper |
| Subtitle Edit | Editor for video subtitles |
| Asunder | Audio CD ripper and encoder |
| FFmpeg | Record, convert and stream audio and video |
| grip | cd-player and cd-ripper for the Gnome desktop |
| Shutter Encoder | Accessible and efficient video converter tool |
| cyanrip | Fully featured CD ripping software |
| GCstar | Manages a movie collection |
| Gaupol | Subtitle editor for text-based subtitle files |
| DataCrow | Media cataloger and media organiser software |
| Tellico | Collection manager for KDE |
| MPlayer | Very popular movie player |
| DVDStyler | DVD authoring application |
| Aegisub | Tool for creating and modifying subtitles |
| Q DVD-Author | GUI frontend for dvdauthor and related tools |
| whipper | Python CD-DA ripper |
| DVDAuthor | Generate a DVD-Video movie from a valid MPEG-2 stream |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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