Can DVDA3 do this?

grh wrote on 8/23/2006, 4:58 AM

While browsing through www.eeggs.com, I discovered an interesting feature on the Incredibles DVD. Details here: http://www.eeggs.com/items/44268.html. On many of the menus on the 2nd disc, if you wait for a bit an additional menu item appears; it then disappears just before the menu loops back to its starting point.

The question is, is there a way in DVDA to create somewhat dynamic menus, so that easter eggs can be added in this way? Or, more general, what other kinds of things can be done on a DVD, and how can we use DVDA to program them? Anyone knowledgeable about the spec and such possiblities?

Comments

ScottW wrote on 8/23/2006, 5:41 AM

You can set an in-loop point (see: "Delaying button display for a menu" in the help file)., but you cannot set an out-loop point (which would be required to have the button fade out before the loop point). In fact, what you need in DVD terms is a menu with 3, possibly 4 cells, and DVDA3 only lets you create menus with up to 2 cells. Now, you could fake this with just having the button fade in/out in your menu video - the user wouldn't necessarily know to try and navigate to that button if they don't see it on the menu.

There are lots of things that can be done on a DVD that DVDA does not give you access too, or would at best be difficult to accomplish with DVDA. However, with such power comes the requirement to know a lot more about how DVDs actually work.

If you're interested in looking at this further, I'd suggest www.mediachance.com and take a look at DVD Lab Pro. Another good web site is www.dvd-replica.com for information on how the underlying structure works.

--Scott

bStro wrote on 8/23/2006, 11:19 AM

This looks like a job for...Duplicate Menus! Make an exact copy of your menu, but add the "hidden" button and link. Set your first menu to link to the second menu after timeout. Most DVD players will pause a bit during the switch, though.

Perhaps DVDA4 will be able to accomplish it without a workaround.

Rob

grh wrote on 8/23/2006, 7:25 PM

Thanks for the comments. It's worthwhile to take a look at The Incredibles, just to see this hidden feature. It's incredibly clever and well done. I'm pretty sure they don't use 2 menus, as the video and soundtrack on the menu is seamless when the additional icon shows up. I'm hoping the new scripting/keyframing feature in DVDA4 will provide some of this functionality.

grh wrote on 8/23/2006, 7:26 PM

Thanks ScottW. Hadn't noticed the delay feature, so I'll check that out. Appreciate the URL as well.

Steve Mann wrote on 8/25/2006, 1:39 AM

DVDA4 wil easily allow you to do this.