Menu Sizes

Galeng wrote on 6/24/2007, 9:07 AM

I recently started using Photoshop to make custom menu backgrounds, masks, etc for DVDA. My background media is the .psd file.

The problem I am running into is the size (either in inches or pixels) for the background-01 layer. What size are you folks using for a standard 4x3 display? I've tried 655x480 or any combination with the same ratio.

When I create a backgound layer with that aspect ratio it seems to be a bit large. My frames, masks, etc are all in the safe area, but when seen on a television they end up getting real close to the edge of the screen or even a little off the edge.

Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks,

Galen

Comments

richard-courtney wrote on 6/24/2007, 9:36 AM

655x480 is what a photo scanned can be cropped to so it fits without
stretching.
720x528 is what I design the graphic page to. When placed on a Vegas track
make sure you right click to edit the properties.

Chienworks wrote on 6/24/2007, 10:36 AM

You're doing nothing wrong. It sounds like your television is cutting off a lot of the edges, more than most televisions would normally do. Try looking at it on other, newer TVs or on your computer monitor.

The fact that you are creating your graphic externally and importing it into DVDA has nothing to do with the safe area problem at all.

Galeng wrote on 6/24/2007, 9:36 PM

Thanks for your responses.

I actually have tried it on several different TVs, both new and old, with the same result.

I happen to be in a book store today and saw a magazine specifically on Photoshop. It has an articale about PAR. If I remember right it said that in photoshop to open the original picture that you want for the background, then open a new file and give it the dimensions of the 4x3, then drag the first pictured that was opened into the new file.

I should have bought the magazine.

I'll keep trying.

Thanks.

richard-courtney wrote on 6/25/2007, 6:28 AM

Do you have maintain aspect ratio checked in the media's properties when plaving on
a track or background? In the preview window do you see black bands on the edges?

Galeng wrote on 6/25/2007, 10:29 PM

I received an email from John Meyer suggesting the same thing. I went into the background media properties and set stretch type to letterbox. Now I see the black on the edges.

I will burn another DVD and see if that fixes the problem. Hopefully so.

Thanks for your help.

Galen

Galeng wrote on 6/26/2007, 12:36 PM

Thanks for your help. That did the trick.

Galen