Apple To Ship DVD Studio Pro 2

Priced at $499, DVD Studio Pro 2 brings a new user interface plus new features such as customizable Apple-designed templates, a menu editor, timeline-based track editing and a world-class MPEG-2 encoder, according to Apple.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said DVD Studio Pro 2 sports a "breakthrough" user interface that provides easy navigation for editors using its Final Cut Pro video/film editing software, as well as users of consumer DVD authoring applications like Apple iDVD. The Apple-designed templates include a selection of styles, buttons and backgrounds, so users can start creating DVDs quickly. Users also can build their own templates from scratch.

DVD Studio Pro 2's menu editor provides tools for creating professional-quality menus, and it integrates with popular graphics applications such as Adobe Photoshop, according to Apple. Context-sensitive drop palettes also let users make connections in one step, speeding DVD authoring.

The software's timeline-based track editing feature, based on Final Cut Pro 4's timeline, provides a linear view of clips, audio and other content. It can arrange up to nine video angles, eight audio streams and 32 subtitle streams, allowing users to do basic trimming, clip merging and chapter marker management in one location.

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DVD Studio Pro 2's integrated MPEG-2 encoder delivers pristine video at low bit rates, Apple said. The software comes bundled with Compressor, a batch transcoding tool that lets users export directly to multiple formats, including MPEG-2 for DVD and MPEG-4 for streaming media. Also, the A.Pack tool encodes uncompressed audio into highly compressed Dolby Digital AC-3 streams, which can be used for 5.1-channel surround sound or as a compressed 2.0 stereo track.

Apple said DVD Studio Pro 2 rounds out its suite of professional digital production software, which includes Final Cut Pro 4 (video/film editing), Shake 3 (compositing and visual effects), Soundtrack (music/audio production) and Logic Platinum (computer-based music production).