Link automation? IFO editing?

Biomech wrote on 9/6/2004, 6:33 AM

Let me start by saying thanks to all who are willing to look at this dreadded topic one more time!

In a nutshell, is there a way to set a menu link to automatically be selected once an event (video clip) ends?

Yes, I am looking to automatically exit one menu page with a backgound video file I have placed in DVD Architect 1d and jump into the next menu page. Once this video clip is finished playing I would like to use the last frame of that clip to create a still image with actual links present in the next menu page (submenu if need be).

A friend of mine suggested I use DVD Maestro, but I will admit that the learning curve on this app. will set me back many weeks. If DVD Architect does not support this action can the automated linking I am looking for be created with IFO edit and if so does anyone also have any tips?

The information following is a quote from my friend on his setup with the menu tranitioning I am looking for:

"Ok, here's the difference then. Everything on the red rocks menus was rendered as video in premiere. To do transitions in maestro, you just make a menu with no buttons, and then at the end of it, it jumps to another menu. And yeah usually the first frame of that second menu will be the same as the last one from the previous.

So for red rocks, I drew all those buttons, boxes, and titles as layered images in photoshop. Then in premiere i opened them and put them over the slow motion black & white footage.

the intro starts black and the background fades in. Then the buttons fade in. this is stuff i designed in premiere, made an mpeg-2 movie, and then that part gets imported into maestro and put on a menu.

Maestro doesnt let you draw anything, put any text on the screen, or make anything move. all it lets you do is outline your buttons, and specify how your assets behave. You have to supply the backgrounds, buttons, and transitions already drawn up and rendered (using tools like photoshop and premiere).

Same thing with the audio tracks. maestro can use ac3 and dts, but you need to mix them and encode them with other software first."

End of Quote.

Again, anyone with suggestions on working around this seemingly common nuisance is greatly appreciated!

PS. Also looking to add to the menu the option for the viewer to select between PCM audio and 5.1.

Thanks to all,

Dave

Comments

ScottW wrote on 9/7/2004, 7:18 AM

First, if you are really still using DVDA1, give some serious consideration to upgrading to DVDA2. You cannot easily accomplish what you want with DVDA 1.0. Certainly IFOedit would be an option, but if you think the learning curve for another authoring application is pretty steep, the learning curve for the internal workings of a DVD is a lot steeper.

Using DVDA 2.0 you can easily do what you are talking about by inserting introductory media. Basically you build your menu as described. Then take your video clip and tell DVDA2 to use it as introductory media. Then select "Preview Disk" and you'll get the intro clip and when it ends you'll go right to the menu. Now, be warned that different players handle the transition between the intro media and the menu differently. Some players maintain the last frame of video played during the transition; other players may go to black. To do this seemlessly requires what's refered to as "sub menu (or picture) fade in" which DVDA2 doesn't currently support.

As far as the transitional stuff with the menu goes, I'd suggest a different workflow. Create your menu first in DVDA, then go to Preview mode and click the "copy to clipboard" button. Then use Paint and paste the clipboard and then save it out as a BMP file. You can then place this BMP file on the Vegas timeline after the background you used for the menu and then do whatever transition between the 2 that you want. Render this out as an MPEG-2 file to be used as your intro media.

One twist I like to do with the menu is to turn off button highlighting to capture my end view. Then turn highlighting back on for the final DVD prepare. This way the intro video transitions to the menu with no buttons highlighted and then when the end action takes me to the actual menu, the button highlight comes on.

I also like to do transitions from my menu to the item selected. For example, if there's a button that takes me to a clip that starts at black, I'll insert a menu transition clip that first fades the menu view to black, and then takes me to the clip to be viewed - so you get the effect of the menu fading out and then a fade up to the material.

I don't see any advantage to having PCM and 5.1; AC3 2.0 and 5.1 maybe, but not PCM. PCM just takes up more space, and most consumers have no idea what PCM is - Stereo and 5.1 Surround are terms they are familiar with. Again, for multiple audio tracks you need DVDA 2.0.

--Scott

johnmeyer wrote on 9/7/2004, 8:06 AM

DVDA2 will do what you want (if I understand what you are trying to do).

Biomech wrote on 9/7/2004, 9:45 AM

We are on the same page! I researched the updated capabilities of DVD A2 and was mapping out the same workflow in my head earlier. It does make alot of sense. The seamless transitioning is the main reason I looked at Maestro.

The only thing I'm not happy about with the clipboard copying is the clarity of the image. It can be cleaned up somewhat, but not 100%. I am looking at completely constructing the final frame with the button layout in Photoshop and then placing small links beside the text in the submenu. This should give me a cleaner image.

Thanks again for your responses!

Dave

ScottW wrote on 9/7/2004, 9:49 AM

How are you looking at the image from the clipboard? I've not been able to detect any visable difference on a TV, and last time I did this I really couldn't recall any difference when looking at the original background and the menu in Vegas (and really, I can't imagine why there would be any - I've not got the machine in front of me, but my memory says the attributes of the clipboard images were the same as the background that generated it).

Biomech wrote on 9/7/2004, 10:12 AM

I have only looked at the image in photoshop and once again back in the timeline of Vegas while viewing in the preview window (not on an External Monitor). I will render a short clip out and double check.

Thanks!

ScottW wrote on 9/7/2004, 12:51 PM

When using the preview window in Vegas you need to make sure you have the picture quallity set for Best - otherwise you will see significant differences.