User Guide

15
Preface
An Introduction
to DVD Studio Pro 4
DVD Studio Pro is software for authoring DVD-Video
titles. It is both powerful and easy to use.
DVD Studio Pro lets you work with audio, video, graphics, and text materials that you
have already created and edited and orchestrate them into a DVD that can be played
on a DVD player or a suitably equipped computer.
If you have used such production tools as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Media 100,
or Discreet cleaner, DVD Studio Pro will be easy for you to learn. You can use
DVD Studio Pro for everything from constructing sophisticated training materials,
corporate presentations, sales tools with web links, or high-quality event videos, to
preparing a motion picture for release on DVD.
When you install DVD Studio Pro, you have access to the following tools (in addition to
the DVD authoring software) to help you prepare your material, learn the program, and
view your DVD:
• QuickTime MPEG Decoder, for viewing MPEG-2 streams with QuickTime
• The Apple Compressor application, for encoding QuickTime video to MPEG-2 streams
and uncompressed audio to Dolby Digital AC-3
What’s New With DVD Studio Pro 4
There are a number of new features, enhancements, and changes in this version of
DVD Studio Pro, the most significant of which are introduced below.
Support for Authoring DVDs With HD Video
In addition to authoring standard definition (SD) DVDs, DVD Studio Pro 4 adds support
for authoring DVDs containing high definition (HD) video that conform to the new HD
DVD standard. This makes it possible for you to author DVDs using a variety of HD
video sources that can be burned to either red laser or blue laser drives and played by
the latest Apple DVD Player.