DVD menus: Continuous audio or delayed button links?

[Colmino]

I've seen it several times in several different DVDs. A menu will come into being with motion video and sound, and the first button isn't highlighted until some point later. I am positive that the audio isn't transitioned or cut or crescendoed or faded or interrupted in any way. Since this is supposed to be "impossible", I have to imagine that perhaps the button links' functionality is being delayed until a specific relevant moment. Furthermore, the user can use the skip button to jump directly to the moment when the buttons are usable, just as though there were indeed two different menus playing sequentially.

Any ideas? Secret VM code?

[offline]

Simply the menu is part of the intro video or motion background.

Like this:

motion menu - > motion menu overlay with menu picture -> real menu

When I make my menu I take a snapshot of it, copy the graphic
and paste that graphic image of the menu into the video I use for motion background. I then stretch it across several frames (about 5 seconds) and thats it.

If you use an intro video as a 1st play item, you can add the menu
graphic to that so when you hit next or play you can skip the intro
video and go directly to the menu.

[Colmino]

Man, I shouldn't be trying to understand the above post during my lunch break. :P Can anyone elaborate a bit, or perhaps point me to a link which provides an example of what is being explained? I'll give it another shot after work. Thanks.

[adam]

The reason the audio and video are seamless is because it is, in fact, all one clip. Yes the subpictures (buttons) are delayed. How you do this depends on your authoring software. You can simply set the subpictures to only appear X seconds into the clip, or you can set a chapter point at that location and have the subs start there.

Typically these types of menu's are done with two clips. One with some sort of intro and then the menu part with the buttons and highlights. Again its all one clip. Then you have a separate clip which is just the menu part.

When inserted, it plays the first clip. If you hit next, or if later on you hit a button to return to the main menu, the link takes you to the second clip instead. This way you skip the intro and go right to the menu part, which if done right, will loop continuously.

[offline]

Sorry Colmino

Late at night and tired. Adam explained things correctly.

[Colmino]

Yes the subpictures (buttons) are delayed. How you do this depends on your authoring software. You can simply set the subpictures to only appear X seconds into the clip, or you can set a chapter point at that location and have the subs start there.

Doesn't look like DVD-Lab has the ability to set chapters in menus, nor is the ability to delay subpictures a built-in function, although it is possible that this could be accomplished with VM commands since it does give that option for each individual link. What the relevant code would be, I haven't a clue.

Typically these types of menu's are done with two clips. One with some sort of intro and then the menu part with the buttons and highlights. Again its all one clip. Then you have a separate clip which is just the menu part.

When inserted, it plays the first clip. If you hit next, or if later on you hit a button to return to the main menu, the link takes you to the second clip instead. This way you skip the intro and go right to the menu part, which if done right, will loop continuously.

I suppose it's out of the question to set things up so that all attempts to return to the root menu in fact return to chapter 2 of the root menu? (This assumes there turns out to be a way to set up menu chapters in DVD-Lab.)

[guns1inger]

You are right, DVD Lab doesn't support this at the moment. The simplest solution would be a first-play clip, then your menu clip, and some form of transition in between where the audio and video fade out. It would make any delay in the transition less obvious, and save you coding for the menu return as the first play would be ignored anyway.

I have done this a few times pretty successfully, you just have to plan ahead for it.

I believe scenarist and probably maestro can do it. I haven't tried DVD Architect 2 to see it if can.

[adam]

I suppose it's out of the question to set things up so that all attempts to return to the root menu in fact return to chapter 2 of the root menu? (This assumes there turns out to be a way to set up menu chapters in DVD-Lab.)

That's usually what I do, but I use Scenarist.