Can I "Autoplay" and Still Have a Menu?

InterceptPoint wrote on 7/9/2004, 10:19 AM
Most of the DVDs I make are for kids riding around in my van. Because menus are a pain in the you know what, I normally just make simple non-menu DVDs (but with chapters) so the DVDs just play and I don't have to fool with the menu system (when I can't see it from the front seat of the van.).

Along comes my 6 year old grandson asking me why I don't have menus. I explain to him the reason given above but it is not selling well. He wants to play with the menues with the remote and he knows how.

So the question is: can DVDA 2.0, which I am using, create a menu system that is accessible but will be bypassed when the DVD is loaded? That way I would have what I want - "autoplay" and the grandson could hit the menu button and bring up the menu to navigate his way through the DVD?

IOW, can I have my cake and eat it too?

Hoping you guys have the answer so I don't have to dig through the manual.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

Express wrote on 7/9/2004, 11:05 AM
Not 'exactly' what you want, but it is quite easy to have a menu, and have the DVD autoplay as well (using DVDA2).

1) Create a menu
2) Specify the menu length (if it is a still menu, otherwise just leave it to auto - playing your menu background video)
3) Change the end action for the menu from HOLD to ACTIVATE BUTTON (the button you choose should be the one that would play the 'autoplay' segment you desire.

This will show the menu for however long you identified in step 2 (I use anywhere from 15 seconds on up, depending on application), then will activate the button you selected - giving you 'autoplay'.

Chris
InterceptPoint wrote on 7/9/2004, 11:18 AM
Chris:

Much Thanks. I will give that a try. It looks like it is exactly what I was looking for.
bStro wrote on 7/9/2004, 12:53 PM
Along comes my 6 year old grandson asking me why I don't have menus. I explain to him the reason given above but it is not selling well.

Heh heh. Kids make tough audiences, don't they?

So the question is: can DVDA 2.0, which I am using, create a menu system that is accessible but will be bypassed when the DVD is loaded?

Sure. First add all your media and create menus. Then go to the Project Overview window, right-click on the video you want to autoplay, and choose "Set DVD Start." All there is to it.

When you put the disc in the player, it will go right to that video. Your son can hit the menu button to access the menu.

By default, the menu will also come up after the video is done. If you'd rather the disc just stop when the video is done, double-click the video in the Project Overview window and then find the End Action section of the Properties window. Change the Command setting to "Stop".

Rob