Menus with X8

[Weeination]

I was wanting to know if there is a way to have a menu on X8 where I use the image of a menu that is the same as what is produced from my DVD recorder. I am using the image for the menu but what I want to do is to remove any trace of the menu options within X8's programming. If possible, I would prefer to have the menu function the same way as the menus created on my DVD recorder. The recording has multiple titles. The menus on it allow me to have a thumbnail image for each title. Is it possible to have a menu function the same way as it would using an image from the DVD recorder? That way I could begin playing any one title at random from the menu, just like I am able to do on the DVD recorder. I already have the image for the menu with all of the titles and thumbnails just as it would have appeared on the DVD recorder. I obtained that from another copy I made of the disc that wouldn't finalize onto another DVD-R via a real time transfer from one DVD recorder to another. If that is not possible with X8 then can I at least have just the menu (using the image taken from DVD recorder) without any part of the menu image options in X8 being visible? Then when I press play the first title will begin.

I am trying to make the menu for the disc look the way it would have been had the disc properly finalized and to also have it the same as my other recordings for that same series for the sake of consistency. If that is not possible then of course I can still make a nice menu with X8 for similar recordings like I have done in the past with VS 9 & 10.

To explain, the disc didn't finalize on the DVD recorder and now can't be finalized. I then used a program called IsoBuster to obtain the data. X8 however would not recognize those files and so they were then converted with DVDVob2Mpg. After that conversion, X8 was able to recognize the files and allow me to create video files with no editing involved. Throughout that process it appears that the video quality has been maintained as no re-encode was involved in the first two steps along with X8's excellent smart rendering capability in step 3. With the real time transfer I mentioned above, that re-encode resulted in a tiny loss in picture quality.

[lata]

Hi

Video Studio authoring can create Thumbnail menus up to 8 thumbnails available.
If you require more then there are some available on the forums Downloads sharing section.
http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php ... 60#p303696

We can use any background image or indeed video.
However Motion Menus are limited to 30 seconds.
The image showing on the thumbnail uses the first frame of the Title, we can change this to any frame from the video.
If you were to provide an image of the menu you would like to create, maybe give us some idea of exactly what you are trying to do.
If the image already contains thumbnails then maybe consider a Text Menu, that way you could place the Text adjacent to the existing thumbnails.

The Navigation Controls allows us to set a few options when playing the disc.
1 / Continue to play forever, repeat play.
2 / Play from any Title to end of disc
3 / Play any Title and return to menu to allow selection of another Title.
4 / All options above can also Play All from beginning to end.

[BrianCee]

Unfortunately you did not tell us which DVD recorder you have - so we could check the menu options - or even show us a picture of what you want - my DVD recorder produces a menu similar to the one below - which I have just made in VideoStudio - show us what yours looks like and I'm sure we can make a close copy in Videostudio

[Weeination]

Hello to both of you.

The DVD recorder is a Panasonic. Here is the menu from the disc with the re-encoded copy of the original disc that won't finalize.

[Weeination]

By the way, in setting chapter marks X8 doesn't allow me to click on the hour/minutes/seconds counter (0:00:00:00) and then change the position of the marker to place chapter stops by using the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard. I was able to do this with VS 9 & 10. Is there any setting I can change to allow me to do so? I find it easier and quicker to use the up and down arrow keys when setting chapter marks.

[Weeination]

When setting chapter marks I just noticed on at least one of the recovered files (from that disc that won't finalize) that part of one of the recovered files is a little damaged. It doesn't play that way on the unfinalized disc or on the re-encoded copy. That however is a matter involving another software program. Even if I don't go ahead and make a menu for the those files, I will still want to make the same kind of menu for that other episode I had Lata look at a couple of months ago.

[Weeination]

Video Studio authoring can create Thumbnail menus up to 8 thumbnails available.
If you require more then there are some available on the forums Downloads sharing section.
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=19453&start=60#p303696

I have yet another episode I want to have a menu for. For this one I want to have just one thumbnail image. The only thumbnail image menu available through X8 has the images slanted which I don't want. On VS 9 & 10 there are a few menus with thumbnail images to choose from. I checked the link you provided but I didn't see any other menus available.

[BrianCee]

Where are you looking at the thumbnail menus ? I have quite a number and none of them are slanted

just use any of them - if you only put one video in them then only one thumbnail will show

[lata]

Hi

Please confirm that in your original post you mentioned using Titles, these are automatically created for each video added to the burner module.
Later you mention Chapters, these are links added to each Title creating Chapters within the Title.
I assume you are using Titles and not Chapters
Note that my explanation of the navigation controls referred to Titles
The Navigation Controls do not affect Chapters.

Hi Brian, nice to see you back, I assume you had a good time?

[Weeination]

Hi Lata!
To confirm I am using Titles and I do not want a chapter menu. If possible I would like a menu that would look and function exactly like the one I provided in the image from my Panasonic DVD recorder.

For the episode that will only have one title, I am fine using a screenshot image from the program's title screen but I still would like one thumbnail image for the one title on that disc. If I can't have a menu that looks and functions exactly like the Panasonic menu for the disc that will have multiple titles, then I would at least like one or more thumbnail images on a menu that also has a screenshot image of the program's title screen.

Where are you looking at the thumbnail menus ? I have quite a number and none of them are slanted

Hi Brian!
For some reason on X8 I only have one thumbnail menu (the one with the slanted images). I am at the same screen that you show in your image. I actually only have 5 menus total when I select ALL in the gallery. I have three smartscene menus, one thumbnail menu and one text menu. That is all. From the image you show that is similar to the number of options I had with VS 9 & 10.

[canuck]

I have a total of 39 menus: 12 SmartSCene, 19 Thumbnail and 8 Text menus. None of them show a "slanted" menu; perhaps you could post a screen shot of that menu

Are you sure you installed the contents file which I believe adds most of the menus?

[lata]

Hi Weeination

I have to agree with Canuck you have to install the Contents pack that completes the installation of Video Studio.
The file is called “VideoStudioX8_2Contents.exe” it is 863,622 Mb, contains a lot of samples including extra stuff for the library / video filters and additional Menu Templates taking Thumbnails to 19.
Yes there are some that have thumbnails on the slant.
In addition additional templates are available from the Do-More downloads, Menu Pack, and MenuPack2

Weeination

When you add a title / Video to the burner module a link is created on the menu it could be a Smart Menu, Thumbnail or Text menu.
You have chosen to use a Thumbnail Menu, for every Video added a thumbnail will show on the menu page.
The Gallery displays “templates” having a few thumbnails, some have 3 with a max of 8
But adding a single video will only use one thumbnail to any template

Does that make sense?

[Weeination]

Thanks for your help on this guys.

I went ahead and installed the Contents pack which gave me many more menus including more with thumbnails. Of course I then used the image of the menu from my Panasonic recorder and covered up the original Panasonic images with the VideoStudio thumbnail images by re-sizing and re-positioning to simulate a working Panasonic menu.