DVD menu navigation

[breadman]

Hello everybody
This is my first post. I'm trialling VideoStudio 11+.
I've really just started.
Made two vsp slideshows.
Then went to 'Share' and let the program make a DVD menu. What I wanted was for Slideshow1 to play to its finish and then return to the menu but it just runs on to slideshow2.
It's as though the menu will drop you on to the start of a section and it will always play to the end.
Serif MoviePlus gives you the choice of returning to the menu or continuing.
Is there the option to return to the menu?
I'm trying VS11 because I need blu-ray writing to DVD and I understand I would be able to do that in 11.5. Is that right?

Thanks all

[breadman]

sorry folks
found it on the cogwheel
But can somebody tell me they've had good experience using blu-ray on 11.5?

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forums!

If you are talking about a hybrid disc (i.e. high def AVCHD burned in that format to a standard DVD for playback on a Blu-Ray player), then yes, I have had experience. By trial and error, I learned not to accept the default settings VS11.5+ uses, which is a variable bitrate max. 15000. This, in my opinion, is too low. Using that bitrate, I fit 56 minutes of video on a single layer DVD. While my PlayStation 3 (Blu-Ray rated) had no difficulty recognising it immediately and automatically when I inserted it, and playing it with no trouble, I found the quality not be as high definition as I had hoped. It was certainly better than standard defintion, but just not very good high definition.

The only way I have found to change the settings is to put the project file into the burning timeline, instead of first converting it to AVCHD in the editing module (Share > Create Disc > AVCHD). That way, conversion occurs during the burning process. But in that same cogwheel icon you have already found to adjust your menu setting, at the very top of the box that appears, there is a window with the default burning settings for an AVCHD disc. And immediately below that little window is a button 'Change MPEG settings'. I then change the bitrate to constant CBR 16800 kbps. This is what many AVCHD cameras use as their default. This gives very good high definition when played on my PS3. Be prepared for a long wait for this process to be completed, though.

The downside, if you can call it that, is that using a higher bitrate creates larger files, which in turn means you can fit less video on a standard DVD. In this case, it allows around 40 minutes, or a little less, of video on a single layer DVD. But with the price of DVD blanks so low these days, that does not really matter to me. Here in Australia, for instance, I can buy 100 of my favourite DVD blanks for the same price as a single Blu-Ray disc...!

[breadman]

That's brilliant - thanks for spending the time and giving me all that valuable information.
Only just got pc blu-ray write drive and frankly know nothing about the whole subject - any recommended websites - didn't know you could use standard disks for high def

thanks again
Mike

[Ken Berry]

Sorry, when you said "I need blu-ray writing to DVD", I thought you meant DVD as in DVD, and not DVD as in Blu-Ray disc! Well if you can burn Blu-Ray, how will you play them back? Do you have a stand-alone Blu-Ray player linked to a high def TV? Or have you got your computer connected directly to the TV?

And I am also sorry to say that I have no special website to refer you too. What little knowledge I have came originally from another member here who, sadly, has not been around for several months now. And trial and error, which is a great teacher!!! You could try a Google search, of course...

You also might want to read this link, which someone else referred to this morning: http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... 449#147449

[breadman]

Thanks for the link.
I'm going to be starting a slide (transparency) scanning business using professional grade Nikon scanners. (Like Jimmy87 I'm a 60 year old wanting to keep the grey cells glued together).
I want to offer slideshows as well and thought some time somebody will say 'do you do high definition slideshows?' I would then reply either 'Don't know what you're talking about mate' or 'Yes of course.' I thought the latter sounded better so when I recently got a new pc I went for the blu-ray writer.
I've no blu-ray player yet.
I'm sure I'll also be doing work with camcorder output from several members of the family, so I need to know about that as well

Thanks again
Miike