Linking to a URL/Website From a Button/Image

brentnhunter wrote on 1/2/2008, 5:22 PM
Hello,

I would like to create a way so that when a little image/button appears during my movie on DVD playback, and the user clicks it, it takes them to a certain web page. Does anyone know if DVD Architect Pro 4.5 can do this? If not, does anyone have any suggestions?

(obviously this won't work if used on a TV but it would work if played on a computer)

Thank you!

Brent

Comments

MPM wrote on 1/3/2008, 8:34 AM
Brent, there's no way to do this within a std DVD itself because it's a self-contained package designed for players ~ a decade ago with relatively simple electronics. You can however have the software playing the DVD on a PC provide some interaction with the OS, and Hollywood uses this approach on some of their retail movie DVDs. There's an autorun.inf file that launches the program when the disc is inserted, and the software used can do something like play the DVD in an html frame with added controls, just like online video on the web. The hard part AFAIK is providing a DVD player on a disc [you can't depend on which player is installed on a viewer's PC]. Check out a few retail DVDs to see how they work this end of things.

Most of the DVDs I've seen have Interactual branded code, but you *MIGHT* be able to get something working based off of the "Portable" version of VLC which is designed as part of an open-source alternative to Sandisc's U3 memory sticks. I put the emphasis on "might" because reading their forum there's problems using both embedded VLAN & it's ActiveX control (which would require installation) on an HTML page; you've also got ie's built-in refusal to execute locally stored code &/or active content.

There was (maybe still is) a program that you could include for installation using DVD Studio Pro I think, and this program would sit between the player and OS to intercept calls (like going to a web page). It had it's own share of issues, plus required installation, and if you used it, support for your customers.