Disc menu link to non-video files?

LeeTride · Post by **LeeTride** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:34 pm

I'm trying to create a DVD that includes both movie files and PDFs, with a disc menu that allows for the selection of the PDFs when the disc is played in a computer.

My local repro house says they can do it for less than $500, but if I can do it internally, we can save our money for the actual disc replication.

Can it be done using Ulead VS 10 or 11? Or is there a way to add links to non-video resources when creating a custom menu?

Thanks much in advance -- I checked the help, the KB, and these forums, and didn't find another issue on this topic.

Best,

Lee

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:40 pm

AFAIK, you cannot do that with any of the NLE editors or DVD creation software. It requires a hybrid disk and none of the consumer level programs can create those. Also, from within a DVD menu, you only have access to the chapter points within your movie.

LeeTride · Post by **LeeTride** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:46 pm

I was afraid that was the case.

Many thanks, Heinz!

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:50 pm

Don't take my word for it though. This is only my understanding of it. I have been proven wrong before but I am quite certain in this instance.

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:22 pm

I assume that would be a violation of the video-DVD spec, because the menu wouldn't make sense to a DVD player.

My local repro house says they can do it for less than $500, but if I can do it internally, we can save our money for the actual disc replication.

Before you give them the go-ahead, make sure they show you an example first... Just to make sure you're both "on the same page".

I don't know exactly how to do it, but I think the "right way" to do it would be to make an autorun file that runs a "computer menu" (maybe HTML) first when you insert the DVD into a computer. That menu could have an option to start playing the DVD and display the video-menu. (I think autorun takes precedence over autoplay.)

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:30 pm

I'm not sure how it is done but I have seen a DVD which acted differently when played on a PC vs. playing it on a set top DVD player.

On the PC there was a section, looking like html, where there even were links to web pages. This section does not play on a DVD player, only on the PC.

I doubt that navigation to this section from within the DVD menu would or could be possible. The DVD player would not know how to handle the instructions.

MrA · Post by **MrA** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:05 am

Couldn't this be done with DVD Workshop 2?

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:09 am

You should know, you use it. I don't

MrA · Post by **MrA** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:35 pm

Actullay, LOL, I had to look to be sure, and yes you can. Havn't done that yet, but, nice to know I can.

LeeTride · Post by **LeeTride** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:56 pm

Thanks, gentlemen...

Since it's obviously a non-trivial effort, I'm waving the white flag and producing just the DVD with video clips, and enclosing the documents in hard copy. Oh, well...

Does DVD Workshop 2 only run on Kaypro, or is it something I should look into? (I gather there's a joke here, somewhere...)

Thanks for the feedback!