Menu Creator

[Chana1]

What is the best menu creator out there? at the moment i use TMPGEnc DVD Author

This aint all that, im looking for a menu creator which is very good and quite easy to use and dont take long converting the output.

TMPGEnc DVD Author is preety easy to use and dont take that long converting dvd menus but you cant add audio to the menus or nothing.

Can anyone help me out please. Thanks

[redwudz]

You might try a more advanced authoring program like DVD Lab or DVD Lab Pro. If you want to save a few dollars, try GUI for dvdauthor. You will need to use other programs and do a fair bit of studying with that method.

[guns1inger]

Photoshop for stills, a good NLE for motion menus. Then bring them together in a good authoring program. I rarely do any menu design in an authoring tool itself. I use DVD Lab Pro, but other programs like DVD Workshop 2 and DVD Architect can use photoshop files.

FWIW, you can have audio in a TDA menu - but it has to be a motion menu. Create a short video clip with the audio in it and use for your background.

[Alex_ander]

Upgrade to TDA2 and you'll get what you want + adding resizable image objects, text objects, free moving of text buttons over background image, more selectable templates, first play video, second audio etc. Everything is still automatically generated (unlike any other software), always works as it should and is editable at any stage (e.g. if you edit a chapter point after final menu editing, you'll have to just re-type its name in menu page).

[Bjs]

Use dvdauthorgui ... simple , free , audio available inclusion , motion script's ... very newbie friendly ... no restriction's .

All you need to get it started , is rip a dvd logo of suitable format for the project ... ie , pal or nstc .
Demux it using vobedit to seperate the stream's .
Convert audio to ac3 if it is other .
Add it as first title , then you have access to menu feature's .

To put dvd title , and new menu together ... pgcedit .

Open dvd title in pgcedit , highlight the title , and right click it ... import menu
Import new menu from dvdauthorgui's output project folder , say Y to copy vob .

Then it's a matter of making sure all nav command's are correctly linked ... dont forget them button's .

Save , playback ... if problem appear's ... reload in pgcedit , recheck nav at problematic point in playback ... svae when done ... playback again ... if all is well ... burn the sucker ... and enjoy .

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Only problem is keeping an eye on the number of chapter point's in the dvd title you want to add menu feature's for ... best add "more" , not "less" ... as pgcedit can disable any extra button's not required .

[Chana1]

I just got DVD Lab Pro 2.20 and i aint got a clue how to use it can some one help me out please.

All i need is a programme which allows me to make a menu for a dvd which i have on my computer, on the menu id like it to have a nice layout and a audio track playing. And if possible a few cool effects.

Ill try to get my hands on dvdauthorgui and see how that is thanks for the help.

[guns1inger]

If you want to create a menu like that you need to plan it out and learn how the tools work. There are tutorials at the mediachance site (home of DLP) and a reasonable help file with the program. As I pointed out in my earlier post, I would do all the design work in Photoshop or Vegas (my editor) and bring the results into DLP to assemble.

If you want simple with a small learning curve, TDA 2 is probably as good a way to go as any.

[Chana1]

Has TMPGEnc got a new version were i can make menus with? like i had TMPGEnc 2 author fing but couldnt add sound on that?

[guns1inger]

Just to repeat myself : you can have audio in TDA 1.x menus - create a motion menu with the audio in it and you have you menu background. I believe TDA 2 is smarter, but even if it isn't, it's not hard to do.

[Alex_ander]

Has TMPGEnc got a new version were i can make menus with? like i had TMPGEnc 2 author fing but couldnt add sound on that?

When you open a generated menu page created from 'custom menu based on template' you have access to edit functions via right click and 'advanced' button below page. The background selection page enables browsing for image file and audio setting.

[Chana1]

Ok i got DVD Author PRO (TDA 2) now can someone please step by step show how to add my audio in my menu so it plays when ever on the menu please...

[pepegot1]

Get VideoStudio 10. You can have complete control over audio-fade in/out, decrease /increase volume, and it is not expensive.

[Alex_ander]

Ok i got DVD Author PRO (TDA 2) now can someone please step by step show how to add my audio in my menu so it plays when ever on the menu please...

1.Set TV system (PAL) in START window.
2.In SET SOURCE window import video for the current track the same way as in v.1.6, e.g. by dragging an MPEG or VIDEO_TS.IFO to the centre, select audio track(s). In case of 2 audio tracks an audio selection menu page for the track will be created later. The rest is the same as in TDA1.6 for track settings. Create other tracks.
You can also add first play video if you want (a button near 'new track' button).
3.Go to MENU wizard and select 'custom menu'. Select menu structure when asked (top and track, automatic selection etc. as in v.1.6), order of playback tracks and showing menus (the same). Then you'll be offered to select templates for each menu item (pages, buttons, background). When finished, you get to menu edit page. Right-click on top menu (in folder tree) => top menu settings=>motion menu: select 'still picture & background audio', OK. Right-click on page 1 of top menu=>Background & audio setting=>Background picture selection=>use file browser for your background image; BMG audio selection=>audio file setting: browse for your audio file.
Repeat this for each menu item (there are global settings for the whole DVD but for some reason they didn't work for me from here, maybe I used 'silent picture' at menu creation moment as I usually do).

[Chana1]

Cheers m8 check your messages i sent you a message just need another quick help on something but thanks 8)

[Alex_ander]

I've sent a positive reply but for some reason the message stays in output folder, not in sent items. Anyway, you can send your questions on the subject.

[Chana1]

Hey i was wondering is the a app where instead of a still picture as the background i can have parts of the film just playing in the background and a play button just to play the movie...???

[Alex_ander]

You can select motion menu in TDA2 instead of 'still picture @ audio' and add a video clip for background.

[Chana1]

umm...