Free DVD Menus

[KeithC]

I recently purchased VS X4 Pro. There are only 5 DVD Menus in the Gallery. Is there a source for more?

Thank you,
Keith

[Black Lab]

Have you downloaded extras via the Do More/Get More button?

[KeithC]

Jeff,

Thanks for the hint, but I don't see any actual DVD "Menus" in the "Do More" and I don't see a "Get More" link. I have downloaded a couple of animated "Templates" to insert into the timeline, but no mention of "Menus". Would appreciate more info from you. I'm probably overlooking something. I have SP1.

Thanks,
Keith

[Ron P.]

You must also be referring to High-Def, Blue-Ray type menus, and not the standard-def DVD menus. You're correct, there are very few of those. I think Corel would love us here on the board to tell you how you can customize each one of all those 5 menus, so in reality you have many more. Yup Corel would want us to do that... However I'm not going to. I've recently made the strong suggestion to them, that they utitlize their brand new website, http://www.photovideolife.com/ to provide DVD and Blue-Ray menus. How their competitors have been providing DVD menus for quite some time. We have also pointed out how killing PhotoImpact severely hurts the capability of creating menus, since they use the PI proprietary UFO format.

But hey, you have 5 menus what more could you want...

[KeithC]

Actually, I'd be happy with a few more standard def "menus" like either came with or was available for download for VS 10 and VS 11. Anyone else have a source?

Keith

[teknisyan]

You can also download more templates here http://www.photovideolife.com, I see this was suggested already.

[Ron P.]

You can also download more templates here http://www.photovideolife.com, I see this was suggested already.

No I did not suggest that he could download more DVD Menu Templates from that webpage. Photovideolife, provides Instant Project Templates Only. I have made the suggestion to Corel, they offer DVD Menu Templates too.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Keith

Did your purchase of X4 come with additional files/discs.

A Bonus file/CD
A Content.exe file.

The "content file" completes the installation by adding library clips and templates to the program.

When I view the Gallery — All — I see 41 separate menu templates, but only after installing the Content.exe file

[KeithC]

I checked the box. only one CD and no content.exe on the disc. Still searching for free, standard DVD Menus for X4.

Keith

[vidwanbe1545]

Add me to the list of folks who'd like a solution to Keith's problem. I had VS12 before VSX4 and it had a lot more titles and transitions with it. Does anyone know how to access those from VS12 and move them to the appropriate folder in VSX4? Perhaps there are menu templates in there too. I'm using the downloaded trial version which I authenticated with the authentication code. Is there more content if I install from the disc? I see a Bonus Content section of Audio, Image, and Video clips. Do I have to uninstall the download v. before installing from the disc? I hope Corel listens to you about providing more and better menu templates, Ron P. They've built a great product, but it's like after completing a marathon they've decided not to step across the finish line.

[BrianCee]

Please read this topic regarding moving menu templates between versions : - -

http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41444

I still fail to understand this desire by many members to download DVD menu templates - using the supplied menus - you can modify every thing and any thing about them WITHIN VIDEOSTUDIO - you do not need new templates or another programme. You can change the background picture - to a video if you want to - you can change the music - you can change the number of thumbnails or text items - you can change the shape of the thumbnails - you can move them all over the menu wherever you want - you can change the font and it's size and position - end up with a totally different menu - then save it to use again or modify further in another project.

PLEASE play around under the 'Edit' tab in the DVD creation modules and you will be amazed that you can produce hundreds of different menus - starting from just one.

Please look at the picture below - I promise you it is a genuine and working disc menu (although I never actually used it like that - it is just a demonstration of what you can do) - do you see one like it in your system - no because I made this within videostudio and saved it - the thumbnails are deliberately different sizes to show the flexibility that is possible - I have dozens of personalised DVD menus - all made in VideoStudio.

and this one is a menu I used - you will not have this in your version either because I made it - just as you can make yours personal :-

please experiment - what is it you want from a menu that is so different that you think only somebody else can do it for you ????


.
climbs down from soapbox.

[BrianCee]

and one more that I use regularly (not just for the Christmas shows) :-

[Black Lab]

I had VS12 before VSX4 and it had a lot more titles and transitions with it.

Not entirely true. While there appears to be more transitions in earlier versions, many of those are simply customized samples of various transitions. For example, in VS10 there appears to be 14 Flashback transitions. In X4 there is only one. But that one can be customized to look like those 14 in v10. The same can be said about the Titles. For whatever reason Corel decided to do away with the customized samples.

As Brian said about the menus, all the various F/X, titles, menus, etc. can be customized.

[vidwanbe1545]

Thanks, Brian and Jeff, for a wealth of information. I am just finishing my first video with VS which has been a year in the making and I was frustrated and confused by the menu process. It didn't seem intuitive to me. Now, bolstered with your advice I'll take another try at it. Thanks.

Dan

[vidwanbe1545]

Brian, if you can't understand "this desire by many members to download DVD menu templates" maybe my experience can enlighten you a little. Since your reply to my post I thought I had missed something and have spent many, many hours working with the program, watching the help videos, studying the manual and perusing Marc Bech's book on VSX4. I don't think I've ever encountered such a draconian piece of software as the Menu Creator program which comes up after clicking Create DVD. The work space is so tiny you can't tell if I've made a typo let alone position text or thumbs accurately, there's no "undo" option if you accidentally erase or distort something, there's no saving your work or creating a template, and I can't figure out how to create sub-menus. On top of all that it's crashed twice while I've struggled to create the menu I want. How you've been able to create your menus is way beyond me. My Gallery of menu templates consists of exactly 5, only one of which is a Thumbnail menu and it only has 3 titles on the page and no way that I could find of putting more on it. Sure it swirls around and comes together fancy but is impractical for me. Both the photos in the book and the videos I've watched show templates that I don't have. I suppose I've exacerbated my frustration by creating one long video consisting of 9 chapters and I haven't been able to put in chapter points and have them show up on the main menu. The book said I could render my project as a DVD and put in chapters later but that doesn't seem to be true. This is the best video editing program I've ever used coupled with the worst authoring program and it's caused me to change from an enthusiastic cheerleader to someone who won't recommend the program because the final step is so frustrating and leaves such an unappealing result. It's at the point where I have to decide to decide between ever showing my video to anyone or investing hours more work going back and breaking it up into separate chapters and hoping they fall into place on the one thumb template adequately.

I could go on, but that's why I'd liked to have had a simple, none-exploding, none-moving, simple cover screen on a pleasant background which I could choose to change, with fields into which I could put my thumbnails and type my chapter titles, all done simply and easily.

On another subject is there a way of merging two .vsp files to make one larger, editable file with the timeline elements available throughout the larger clip?

Dan