Resume: how to?

[Instant Martian]

Hi guys,
here I am again in search of help.
This is the scenario:
I am trying to author a 2-movies DVD with DVD-lab PRO, structured as follows:

If I hit the menu button during playback of movie01/movie02 I return to the menu but when I select "Play" the movie starts from the beginning again.
I would like to be able to resume whichever of the 2 movies from the point I stopped.
How can it be done?

[aedipuss]

there is no random access storage on a dvd. it's not possible.

[Instant Martian]

Either we aren't talking of the same thing or I didn't make myself clear.
I have hundreds of DVDs that resume the movie if you return to playback from a menu (e.g. after you change the audio track via menu) so it has to be possible.

[aedipuss]

that is a convenience feature function of some standalone players, not part of the dvd. it's normally used after pressing stop, the position is written to the player's memory so it can start there next time you play it.

[MindController]

Hmmm. In this case, aedipuss appears to be incorrect. While dvds don't have random access storage, they do use registers. I don't use DVD-lab PRO, but I do use DVDRemake Pro and that program does allow you to add resume to titles.

I just made 2 example dvd's; one with resume and one without. VLC media player lets me resume on the dvd with the resume function, but does not resume with the other one. Also confirmed it on my Playstation 3. So it doesn't appear to be based off of hardware either.

Let me know and I'll upload the example files for you.

[Instant Martian]

It would be very kind of you.
Can you upload the files on Rapidshare or another site of your choice and post the link to download?

[MindController]

https://rapidshare.com/files/3822588243/Test_WITH_Resume.zip

https://rapidshare.com/files/2956356833/Test_WITHOUT_Resume.zip

[aedipuss]

afaik the resume command in a script will only resume at the point it is used. you would have to have a resume button with an attached sript on the menu for the user to click on.

[Cornucopia]

IIRC, normally when you are in a title and you hit the [MENU] button, it takes you to the appropriate home menu. Hitting the [MENU] button AGAIN takes you BACK to the same spot on the title (because it has kept you "place" in its registers. This IS a form of random access memory).

However, if you are choosing another menu in between (changing audio, for example), then you lose that memory continuity.

How the titles are authored can change how this reacts (as it depends A LOT on how the authoring app maps the user interface commands to true DVD VMGR machine commands. Sometimes, combining title1+title2 into a single asset and using playlists to navigate each segment (and the play-all) can fix (or break) this kind of navigational difficulty. Scripts could help in this respect, but things get much more complicated with user-generated scripts (almost ALL authoring apps generate some simple VMGR scripts, even for regular navigational needs)

Scott

[MindController]

That's why I prefer using a program like DVDRemake. There aren't any user scripts or "tricks". It's just you learning how to use the DVD navigational commands and registers. It's no frills, but still very powerful. Just an opinion.

[aedipuss]

IIRC, normally when you are in a title and you hit the [MENU] button, it takes you to the appropriate home menu. Hitting the [MENU] button AGAIN takes you BACK to the same spot on the title (because it has kept you "place" in its registers. This IS a form of random access memory).

Scott

it's still not a part of the "dvd". it is a function of the player. not all handle things the same. only writing a script with a resume button would guaranty it especially if he's returning to a main menu that probably already has a script attached to it by the authoring software.

[MindController]

Not to go back and fourth here, but it is still part of the DVD. A hardware DVD player can support Resume all day long but if the DVD isn't built with the proper commands to support it, the DVD player won't be able to take advantage of it.

So, it's really both. The DVD has to have the functionality coded in, and the DVD player has to support it as well. But, even with the cheapest, piece of crap DVD player you can find today, it will more than likely support Resume, so it falls on the DVD side.

[Instant Martian]

Ok, here I am again.
@MindController
Thank you very much for the files. That's exactly what I was talking about.
My goal is to author a disc that works exactly like the "Resume ON" of yours.
Only I have to do it with DVD-lab PRO.
Any suggestion?

[MindController]

Sadly, no. I messed around with DVD-lab Pro a little, but was unable to figure out how to implement resume.

[Instant Martian]

Doesn't matter.
I authored the disc with DVD-Lab and (at least on my player) it works.
Thanks anyway.