Lots of questions....
If I use the 'Make Movie' option it appears as if I can burn a DVD directly, or make a copy to my HDD but not both. So if I want to make a DVD and download a copy to my IPAD (for example), it appears as if should render to my HDD and then use DVD Architect to burn the DVD.
Please advise if that is not correct.
That seems a reasonable work-flow - you could render both from Vegas or simply use DVDA to do the format conversion. Remember that you can run two instances of Vegas at the same time so could render at the same time.
I like to make NTSC versions and PAL versions for family outside the USA. Do I have to render twice, specifying the different formats or can DVD Architect make a PAL DVD from an NTSC MPEG2?
I do have a ripping program that will rip PAL VOB file from NTSC movie and author a PAL DVD, but it is cumbersome and time consuming.
These are difficult questions. The frame rate conversion from 30 to 25 fps usually inserts jittering or stuttering. Many players in the UK can cope with 30FPS DVDs (especially in these days of flat screen TVs) so it may be worth checking if you audience can play them.
Many short movies will fit on a CD, but it appears as if Movie Studio will not write to a CD. Is there a way around that?
The filesystem that a DVD uses is not supported by CDs. You might be able to force it with a nasty hack but the actual cost difference between CDs and DVDs is so small is it worth the likely incompatibility?
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