Need "play feature" option when authoring DVD menu

[timebender888]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to author a DVD, and can make chapters on a menu, but I want to be able to have a "play feature" option so I don't have to keep going back to the menu. Can someone help point me in the right direction of a technique, or a program? (freeware preferred, or reasonably priced).

Thank you so much
Jonathan.

[guns1inger]

If you create the DVD correctly, then the feature will be one file (title) with chapter marks set throughout. This is the standard method and supported by pretty much any authoring software. The only free solution for Windows that I know of is DVD Author and the assorted GUI's for it. Look in the tools section.

If you do something ugly like multiple titles instead of true chapters then things get harder and playlists are required to create a 'Play All' type button.

[borax]

Which authoring software are you using currently?
As a 'play all' feature is different for specific authoring software, we can't give you a 'technique' if nobody knows for which program.
In Gui for dvdauthor you can simply set the mark in the default settings at 'End action for Titles and Titlesets' to 'Next title'

[timebender888]

Currently, I'm using Ulead DVD Movie Factory. I downloaded DVDAuthor, but if I can do the "play feature" thing with Ulead, someone let me know. thanks so much

[guns1inger]

Do you have one title or a set of clips to make up one movie ?

[timebender888]

most of the mpg's I have are one file, but I do have one that is divided into smaller files, I can either do it that way, or piece it together again. I'm just not sure which way is best? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[borax]

If all the mpegs have the same properties: video resolution, aspect ratio, video system (PAL/NTSC), number and type of audio streams..., it is the best (or at least the most simple) to joint them all together and have chapters to select them specifically. This can be done (after demultiplexing) with mpeg2schnitt or cuttermaran. Then you don't need a special 'Play all' button any more. If the mpegs have different properties, you need to put them in different titlesets on the DVD. Then a play all button is not as simple, as the dvd specs don't allow to jump from one title to the next, if these are in different titlesets. Therefore some 'tricks' are necessary to do it (using VM commands). I don't know if Ulead DVD Movie Factory can handle this...