Each step in bold is an individual guide, or in some cases several guides, each for a separate piece of software. Where a particular software title is listed in parentheses it will be used in a guide. If a particular step only has 1 piece of software listed, it's required software for that step. Additional software may be optional.

 I. Prepare Sources

     A. Download Source Files

     B. Analyze Source Files (GSpot)

         1. MPEG-2 files

             a. Frame type

             b. Framerate

             c. Resolution

             d. Bitrate

             e. Colorimetry

             f. Audio encoding 

         2. AVI files

             a. Codec

             b. Frame Type

             c. Framerate

             d. Resolution

             e. Bitrate

             f. Colorimetry

             g. Audio encoding

     C. Prepare Audio Assets

         1. NTSC

             a. Demux MPEG-2 files (DGIndex)

             b. Frameserve MPEG-4 files (AviSynth)

             c. Demux MPEG-4 files (VirtualDub)

             d. Resample/Encode non-compliant audio files (DVD-Lab/TMPGEnc AC3 Plugin)

         2. PAL

             a. Demux MPEG-2 files to be kept as-is (DGIndex)

             b. Frameserve MPEG-2 files to be sped up (AviSynth)

                 i. IVTC

                 ii. Change framerate

             c. Frameserve MPEG-4 files (AviSynth)



                 i. IVTC files to be sped up

                 ii. Change framerate on files to be sped up

             d. Demux audio from frameserved files (VirtualDub)

             e. Resample/Encode non-compliant audio files (DVD-Lab/TMPGEnc AC3 Plugin)

     D. Prepare NTSC Video

         1. MPEG-1 / MPEG-2

             a. Index (DGIndex)

             b. Frameserve (AviSynth)

                 i. IVTC

                 ii. Color Correction

         2. AVI

             a. Frameserve (AviSynth)

                 i. IVTC

                 ii. Resize

     E. Prepare PAL Video

        1. MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 

             a. Index (DGIndex)

             b. Frameserve (AviSynth)

                 i. IVTC

                 ii. Color Correction

         2. AVI

             a. Frameserve (AviSynth)

                 i. IVTC

                 ii. Resize

     F. Calculate Video Bitrates

         1. Calculate Weighted Lengths

             a. Determine Weght (importance) of each titleset

             b. Calculate combined length of titleset

             c. Determine Weighted Length based on weight and actual length

             d. Add weighted lengths together to get total weighted length

         2. Calculate size for each titleset by comparing total Weighted Length to titleset Weighted Length

         3. Use Bitrate Calculator and custom size for titleset to figure out the bitrate to use when encoding

     G. Encode Video Assets

         1. NTSC

             a. Encode MPEG-2

             b. Add 2:3 Pulldown to 23.976fps video

             c. Add 2:2:3:2:3 Pulldown to 25fps video

         2. PAL

             a. Encode MPEG-2

             b. Add 2:2:2:2:2:2:2:2:2:2:2:3 pulldown to 24fps video 

 II. Author DVD

     A. Organize DVD Structure (DVD-Lab)

         1. Use VMG

         2. First VTS for main feature and menus

            a. Main menu

                i. Play Movie

                ii. Scenes

                iii. Special Features

            b. Scenes

                First group

                Second group

                Third group

                Fourth group

            c. Special Features

                i. Trailers

                ii. Cartoons

            d. Trailers

            e. Cartoons

                i. First group

                ii. Second group

         3. Second VTS for trailers

         4. Third VTS for cartoons

     A. Create Menus

         1. Capture frames from video (VirtualDub)

         2. Edit images (GIMP)

         3. Make menus using edited images for background and buttons (DVD-Lab Pro)

         4. Compile DVD with dummy titles to test menus (DVD-Lab Pro)

     B. Finish DVD project

         1. Add movies to DVD project (DVD-Lab Pro)

         2. Compile DVD

         3. Test DVD

             a. Chapter points

             b. Standalone playback

             c. All menu buttons

         4. Burn DVD (ImgBurn)