Vs10+ DVD authoring - Creating submenus

perttu.tuovinen · Post by **perttu.tuovinen** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:02 pm

I have started to create dvd menus for my movie. I'd like to create menus like this:
In main menu: Play movie, Scene selections, Set Up and Bonus Materials
In bonus materials: (some bonus clips, deleted scenes etc.)
In Set Up: english subtitles on/off, commentary on/off

So it would look like "real" movie menu. Is it possible with VS10 or other Ulead products?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:32 pm

I don't think VS10 can do what you want. Certainly, it cannot do real sub-titles -- and I am guessing from your Finnish name that these may be important to you. Only Ulead DVD Workshop can do proper sub-titles of the Ulead products. I think Workshop should also be able to do the other things you want. I think also that VS10 can do some of those other things -- using a Smart Menu or a Text Only menu, you could set up a scene menu (really a Chapter menu), and another menu for your bonus materials. But I don't think VS10 could do your Set-up menu.

I am also not sure whether Workshop could do that either. But I just don't know for sure. I have only just started using Workshop myself, and am only a newbie at it. Hopefully, someone more experienced with it might jump in here and offer more specific comments. You could also consult the Workshop Forum.

I might add that Workshop is now a very old program -- I think it came out in its current version 2.0 at least 4 and possibly 5 years ago. While an excellent authoring tool, it is thus limited to the technology available when it, and it susbequent patches, came out. You might be disappointed, for instance, in its ability to handle widescreen, and it cannot handle Dolby 5.1 at all. But as I say, other members more experienced in Workshop might be able to offer more detailed and accurate comments than I can.

perttu.tuovinen · Post by **perttu.tuovinen** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:39 am

That's bad. I don't think DVD Workshop would be a good solution - I want Dolby 5.1 and widescreen for my movie. But Ken, as you said:

I think also that VS10 can do some of those other things -- using a Smart Menu or a Text Only menu, you could set up a scene menu (really a Chapter menu), and another menu for your bonus materials

So, could you tell me how to do chapter and bonus material menus? At least, those are more important for me than set-up.

(EDIT) AND Is there a way to change the pointing arrow and/or the navigation objects in menus?

perttu.tuovinen · Post by **perttu.tuovinen** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:32 pm

And... is it possible to make sub-sub-menus? Like: From main menu to bonus materials--> from bonus materials to trailers.

Please answer... I'd really like to know solutions to problems I've asked.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:00 pm

Despite its age and limitations Ken is correct, to achieve the kind of DVD Menu structure you are seeking, you require DVD Workshop 2.

As for the limitations of DVD Workshop 2.
For Dolby 5.1 you have to prepare the video beforehand with some software that is capable of creating a DVD compliant MPEG2 file - you can use VideoStudio 10 to do this. then when you pass that file to DVD Workshop to author the DVD - You instruct DVD Workshop 2 NOT to convert a compliant Video File - therefore your Dolby 5.1 will be preserved.

Regarding the Widescreen DVD Menu.
Firstly ask yourself which is the more important - the widescreen display
(a 4.3 menu will stretch and fill or the screen anyway - you will not get black bars or borders on the DVD Menu)
OR
The navigational structure you are looking for with sub-sub menus, Selectable alternative audio and subtitle tracks.

One of our members has also provided a workround for the 4.3 / 16.9 aspect ratio issue.
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=12880

perttu.tuovinen · Post by **perttu.tuovinen** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:17 pm

Thanks. I think I'll stay in VS10+ at the moment, widescreen is important for me. I looked at the workround for the 4.3/16.9 aspect ratio issue and it seemed difficult to do (for me, at least).

Is it possible to change the pointing arrow (it shows what section is chosen, if you understand my bad english) of dvd menus to something else (like highlighted text or something) in VS10+ or DVD Workshop 2? The original one looks stupid. And is there a way to edit navigation buttons (I found them in Ulead VS10+ folder as ".ufo" files, so how to open and edit them)?