Menus do not show active selections

Baldy2 wrote on 7/23/2003, 9:06 AM
Hi,

Maybe hardware related (hope not!) but I've got the following problem:
When authoring a DVD+RW with DVDA the menu selections do not show up as being selected when using my JVC XV302S or my client's Philips player (recent model, can't remember what type). The menu selections actually do work but you can't see what is being selected. Real PITA, ya know.
Anyone else had the same experience? Solution?

btw my older 'reference player', a Sony 7700, does play the DVD without probs...

Comments

PeterWright wrote on 7/23/2003, 8:49 PM
You didn't say which highlighting style you're using - there are several, and you can choose colours and how much transparency.
rwizard wrote on 7/23/2003, 9:19 PM
I found that using type that turns hot when selected in dvda is not always particularly visible, depending very much on the type face.

If you're using a type face menu list and one line looks fuzzy, that's the current selection.

More of an issue is that dvda doesn't know what the current play is (ie: apparently it doesn't set the bit) so on returning to the menu it always defaults to the top of the menu list.

Richard
Baldy2 wrote on 7/24/2003, 2:07 AM
Thanks for the replies.

I've tried every possible highlighted style, lots of different colors, with/without transparancy using text only, image only or both. Still no go :(
Just found out it's happening with DVD+R as well (Sony 7700 is fine, JVC XV-S302 is not).

Could this issue be DVD type related?
Can't try DVD-R(W) though as I'm using a NEC-1100A.

btw Richard, it would certainly be great if DVDA can set the bit for the current play.
Baldy2 wrote on 7/24/2003, 2:45 AM
Hi,

Did some further testing using Sonic DVD-It SE. Don't like the app but it came with my Dell system.
Guess what? Menu selections are perfectly visible (with DVD+RW)!!
So, it seems to me DVDA is the culprit here.

Looks like I will have to re-author my DVD's again using DVD-It.
Hours and hours... what a terrible waste of time! :(

Hope Sonic Foundry finds the 'bug' and kills it off real soon ;)
Baldy2 wrote on 7/24/2003, 4:36 AM
Hi again,

Just couldn't let go... ;)

I've authored the same DVD with DVDA using the NTSC standard as I formerly used PAL. THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM(!)

Definitely a DVDA bug and a nasty one indeed!
PAL is a requirement for me.

Does anyone from Sonic Foundry care to comment?

Something else: are there any apps out there that can make changes to the IFO and VOB files afterwards?
Looking for an easy way to make the menu selections visible again. :)
Moonshine wrote on 7/24/2003, 6:28 AM
I'm suprised somebody didn't jump in earlier and ask if you were using PAL as this issue has been known about for a while now and has been discussed elsewhere.

DVDLab also suffers the same problem at the moment so I warn you not to go there!

TMPGEnc DVD Author works for me and provides the important support for AC3 audio, although there is not the same level of flexibility for menu production.

On a totally different topic (and not related to the menu problem) as you are using DVD+R RW media I recommend you take a look at the info on Book Type settings for compatability here.

http://www.dvdplusrw.org/resources/bitsettings.html

After following the advise here I achived 100% compatability on DVD+R discs delivered to over 35 different people :-) before doing that I had 3 people who couldn't play the discs.
Baldy2 wrote on 7/24/2003, 6:55 AM
Moonshine,

Thanks for your quick response. :)

<grumble>
Why isn't the issue mentioned in the FAQ and/or Readme?
Would have saved me lots of precious time.
</grumble>

Already found dvdplusrw.org as I was searching for hardware related issues. Very helpfull.

Thanks again!
Baldy2 wrote on 7/27/2003, 7:37 AM
Okay, so I've handed my client a PAL Wide version of the job (like NTSC works fine) to be replaced by a PAL version when the SoFo has sorted out the bug (very soon I hope!).

Really love SoFo products. They are usually very stable and a joy to use (even without reading a manual). VV works excellent and extremely fast (bye bye Adobe Premiere), now if only DVDA had some of the missing basic stuff added... end actions being one of them!
PeterWright wrote on 7/27/2003, 7:55 PM
Could you elaborate a bit more on this PAL "bug".
I'm mystified, because I've authored more than a dozen PAL DVDs without any highlighting problems - what exactly is it that you cannot do?

Peter
Baldy2 wrote on 7/28/2003, 1:44 AM
Hi Peter,

Thanks to Moonshine I've found an older post about this issue:

http://www.sonicfoundry.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=179544&Page=0

Even replied to that message but I should have memorized it as well. Would have saved me a considerable amount of time! :(

Simply put: on several recent (domestic) DVD players menu selection colors are not visible when authoring in PAL format with DVDA.
The actions are there, menu options can be selected but there is no visual confirmation which makes navigating impossible.
Other than authoring in PAL Wide or NTSC there is no solution to this problem (yet).

Authoring a DVD with Sonic DVDit! works fine.

Also, the issue seems related to more recent DVD players like the JVC XV-S302 and the Cyberhome device mentioned in the message above.

- Sony DVP-S7700 works fine
- Software DVD players work fine