How to create professional kind of DVD menu?

[milan_np]

I would like to create a DVD menu which has following items in the first screen;

1. Play Movie
2. Chapter List
3. Credits

Upon selecting 'Chapter List', user will be taken to the screen where the list of chapters can be seen. Similary, 'Credits' menu will take user to anoter menu where various submenu can be seen. The idea here to create hierarchy of menus.

I am not sure if this can be done with VS10. Is it possible to create such menu template from PhotoImpact as well?

[sjj1805]

I think that what you are looking for is the more sophisticated abilities of DVD Workshop 2. With this you can start with a blank screen and create almost anything - like an artist with a paintbrush.

http://www.ulead.com/dws/trial.htm

Please also view
Create a 'Life On Mars' style DVD Menu
DVD Workshop and MenuEdit

These will give some indications of the abilities of the program.

[DaisyK]

Can anyone tell me where to find instructions on how to have your DVD return to the main menu after each video? Mine plays from first video to next video, etc. I would like it to return to the menu page in order to select which video to watch and I have not found this option.

Thanks...

[Black Lab]

When you click Share>Create Disc a new window opens where you can add media clips and set your chapters. Down in the lower left corner are 3 icons. The middle one (cogwheel) are your Project Settings. Click on that and a new window opens. Near the bottom are the Navigation Controls. Unchecking the Auto Repeat box allows you to modify the Clip Playback properties, which include Back To Menu.

[DaisyK]

Thanks a bunch... I was looking for the option at the wrong step...

[milan_np]

Thanks sjj1805,

I gave a try DWS 2 and it worked great. The links for the tutorials were very helpful.

However, I had a problem with VS 10 with my own smart scene menu. Let me tell you what I did, step by step;

1. Created background and other decorations graphics including one scene and scene frames in Photoshop CS.
2. Open PSD file in PhotoImpact 12.
3. Saved the design in PI format, i.e. UFO.
4. Added all other necessary elements for smart scene menu, for instance, page number, title, scene texts etc.
5. Used DVD Menu maker plugin to assign each object with proper ID.
6. Checked with DVD menu maker, everything is perfect.
7. Created projects and added few video clips in VS 10.
8. Selected menu created in PI 12 from favourite folder worked fine.

Now the problem is, whenever I tried to change the navigation buttons from VS 10, it crashed. I tried changing buttons for other existing menus, but they worked.

I am not sure what I might done wrong but VS is not accepting my menu. It is for sure that DVD menu maker is not warning me for any unusual objects. Does the file size of menu really matter? It was around 1.8 MB big where as existing menu for VS 10 are all couple of hundres KB only.

[sjj1805]

Please place a copy on MediaMax
and I will inspect it for you.

[milan_np]

Please download the file from MediaMax

http://www.mediamax.com/milan_np/Links/41955E14F9

[sjj1805]

I checked your Menu and found NO errors. worked perfectly my end.
Possibly your video file is corrupt, try using the menu with another video.

All the buttons were OK and I also used the Customize Option and selected other sets of buttons, no problems.

If you still have a problem if using a different video, please let me know what steps you took after selecting your menu and the subsequent crash.