Need help with DVD templates

[Chris B]

Hi (again),

This is a different issue than that of my previous post.

When making DVDs in X2, I found some DVD templates that I liked – they were simple and didn't have a lot of objects getting in the way. In X4, all the templates are new and I haven't yet found one that doesn't have a lot of objects that tend to clutter up the screen. (Hiding objects or changing their opacity makes it look all right until the user moves the menu “cursor” around and finds it landing on spots that appear random, but still work). Renaming the X2 template files to fit the X4 format and copying them to the appropriate folder didn't work. Are they just not compatible with X4?

Basically, I am looking for a way to make a Title menu that uses my own background and only allows the user to click on the links associated with the different projects or number of chapters the video has. I don't want a play button or any other button that might be confusing or allow the viewer to access the video content without first going through the links provided.

So, for example, I make a video of my daughter's soccer game. I want the main Title screen to have just my background, the title of the DVD, and links to each game (each game is a different project). Then, when the user clicks on that game link, they get another menu that only allows them to choose the first or second half of the game to watch. I don't want other buttons or any way for them to play without choosing the link they actually want to watch. One of the problems I am finding is that people don't realize they can choose these chapter links and just hit enter on their remote. That action starts the game playing from the beginning and they have to skip ahead to get to the correct game or correct half.

Can I do this?

Thanks, in advance, for any help on this matter.

- Chris B.

[BrianCee]

I am not at all sure I understand exactly what you are doing - and judging by the fact that a number of other forum members have by passed your question they are also not sure.

When you modify a DVD template by moving and hiding objects then those objects do not appear on the final menu - even as 'ghosts' which people can select - once you hide them they are gone from the final production , even though you can indeed find them again when editing your menu - I cannot understand how people watching your DVD can find objects that you have hidden, they are just not there on the final DVD - use the 'preview' option in the create disc module to check for yourself. If you have a number of items to select can I assume you are using the thumbnail templates (as they give most choices) or are you using some other format.

I regularly do a similar thing to you for my local school but what I do is make every single performance a video 'title' in it's own right - in your case that would mean making each half of a game as a title - not using chapters. Doing it that way gives me one DVD title only with a number of thumbnails on it - 9 seems to be the most in X4 but there is a 12 around which works in previous versions but I haven't made it work in X4 yet. So you could have 4 games (8 halfs) on a DVD with a single menu. It does not matter if you choose a template with more thumbnails on than you need - VideoStudio only uses the right number and does not show any excess.

Just copying menu templates from previous versions into X4 does not seem to work - but I have found a way to get some of them to work by creating a .ini file to go into the 'favourites' folder with the template, but at the moment it's a bit hit and miss as to which ones work.

This is the DVD title for one I did at Christmas where there are only 5 performances - this is the one and only menu on the DVD - clicking on any one of the thumbnails plays just the one performance - I still leave the 'play all' icon on - people who press 'Enter' on their remote when the DVD starts soon learn that that plays every thing and if they want an individual performance they have to select it.

[Chris B]

Brian,

OK, it looks like I was in error in some of what I posted. You are right, hiding most objects does mean they are not visible or accessible. I had been playing with a lot of different templates and misremembered some of what transpired. However, it looks like the “play all” button you described does appear – even after it is hidden – when the user cycles through the menu options. (I hadn't realized that was the object showing up in some of the tests I did.)

I'll try your method of no chapters and see how that works for me. But, is there any way to be rid of the “play all” button or is that just part of the deal with the DVD templates? I suppose it is not so bad if the DVD player defaults to the first menu option, leaving most users unaware of the “play all” button.

Thanks for your input, in any case. I am going to try copying to the “favorites” folder as you suggested to see if that will work, as well.

- Chris