Comments

ScottW wrote on 7/1/2005, 8:23 AM
Can't do it with DVDA. You need a software player on the PC that knows how to do this.

Go to www.sonic.com and take a look at the eDVD product.

--Scott
CKC wrote on 7/1/2005, 8:25 AM
Thanks Scott...in reading through forums, it seems that there is much that DVDA can't do...is that true, or is the expectation just too high? I will check out your recommendation. Thanks, again.
Craig
ScottW wrote on 7/1/2005, 8:35 AM
There is no DVD authoring software that can do what you want as regards linking to a web page. This is mainly a function of the software on the PC that is playing the DVD in conjunction with some software you use to create the "cues" used by the player software.

Basically what eDVD does is take a prepared DVDA project and allows you to insert cues at chapter points - so when you encounter a particular chapter, the player on the PC then causes a web page to be displayed, or a PDF file or some graphical image. You then take all the files created by eDVD and burn them (along with the DVD project) to the DVD (you will need Nero or CopyToDVD to do this, since DVDA2 won't create hybrid DVD's).

DVDA2 is fairly limited in certain areas; DVDA3 is certainly better but still falls way short of what something like DVD Lab Pro provides. On the other hand, DVDA2 and DVDA3 are easier to use than DVD Lab or DVD Lab Pro.

It could also be that your expectations are set incorrectly - sometimes there are things that people want to do that no authoring software will allow because the DVD specification doesn't allow it.

--Scott
PeterWright wrote on 7/1/2005, 11:52 PM
The ironic thing is that 4 years ago I was producing mini DVDs, which were full DVD specification on CD, with Spruce Up, and these could have live website or email links, or click to open embedded documents.
They achieved this with the help of a specially licensed version of Win DVD called "Syzygy".

I'm sure this would be a popular feature if Sony decided to reintroduce it.

JSWTS wrote on 7/2/2005, 6:40 AM
Peter,

The concept of offering web linking and the like has indeed been around for some time. Spruce technologies allowed for it with dvd content on CD's--which basically forced the viewer to watch it on a computer, since no (or very few) set top players could play such discs (DVD content on CD's). The web linking interface was carried out through the Syzergy player, which was included on the build and burn of the project to the CD. Without it, the linking would not work, and that's because such linking is not a part of the dvd specs. All such links are only possible because of a unique software interface with the contents of the video_ts folder that can only be carried out on a computer. Back when SpruceUp was first launched, viewing DVD's on a computer were in their infancy. Many of those I distributed such discs to back then didn't have a dvd player on their computer, and hence, no dvd emulation software. My disc's would allow them to watch dvd content on a computer that otherwise wouldn't be able to, and since there was not competing dvd player software, the Syzergy player was the only way to view it.

Jump ahead several years, and things have changed. Spruce is gone, and just about every computer sold today have a means of viewing dvd's. Because of that, they often have their own bundled dvd player software (which is often set as the default player). Those old discs won't play the links without the Syzergy player, and since Spruce is 'bye-bye', those discs will only work on a handful of computers. eDVD is based on Interactual Technologies player, which is the defacto Hollywood solution for this. It's preloaded on many of the dvd releases today, and is already installed on millions of computers. If you want a reliable way of offering such links, then eDVD is a great way to go. It works with any version of DVD-A (I've made titles with version 1.0), in fact, it really is authoring app independent. You are guaranteed (as much as one can be in an every changing software world) that your projects will play on most computers out there that has the Interactual Player installed, and if the computer doesn't, it will auto-install it if the user wants, and if the user doesn't, then your dvd will still play like it would have without it (like the set top experience would be). It's cross platform compatible to boot.

Apple's DVDSP has DVD@ccess included, which accomplishes much of the same things. However, its software interface is installed on far fewer computers out there, especially PC's. It doesn't have an auto install feature, and even when installed has a lot of 'bugs' on PC's. Besides Apple's offering, there really isn't another viable alternative, and I reccommend to DVDSP users to get eDVD (rather than DVD@ccess) for ROM linking if their project demands it.

Sony can't 'reintroduce it', because they don't own the rights to the technology. They could come up with an app of their own, but are destined to be behind the eight ball in trying to catch up with computer penetration that the Interactual Player has already captured (and is gaining more computers each day).

Scott,

eDVD4 (and eDVD3 for that matter) comes with RecordNow so you can output the dvd video and rom content.

Craig,

If you are going to do projects with web links and the like with any regularity (which once you have the ability to do so, you will find more and more ways of enhancing your discs), then I'd get eDVD4. It works great, and no matter what authoring app you use now or in the future, the chances are you will still be able to use it.

Jim