Exit to DVD-ROM content from a DVD menu

[SCDVD]

I have been asked to do a DVD that will have content on it in addition to the video itself. It's simple enough to include additional content on the disc by using Build mode in ImgBurn. But the question is; Is there any way to have a menu function that exits the DVD video and calls the function on the DVD-ROM portion of the disc? It needs to open a web browser to a web site address.

[Number Six]

Why would you need to do this - a DVD player can't do this, and if you are watching the disc on a computer, you can just exit the player software and click on the web site address in an explorer window.


BTW - I think Disney used to sell discs that would install software on your computer when you inserted it to watch the movie. This feature was naturally ignored by DVD players.

[SCDVD]

I'm not referring to DVD players; It's pretty obvious that a player can't access the Internet. This is for use in a computer.

[guns1inger]

You can't do it with standard authoring tools and standard players. Sonic used to have (and may still have) eDVD, which uses the Interactual player. This is the method Disney used, and only works if the user install the Interactual player on their PC. It doesn't work with standard players.

Edit : Just found this link : http://www.dvdstudiopro.co.uk/tutorials/dvdccess/ which indicates that DVD Studio Pro can do this, but that it really only works properly on Macs, and requires extra software to be installed on Windows PCs and even then doesn't work very well. They even recommend that if your audience is wider than the Mac community, eDVD is the better option.

[Supreme2k]

to add to gunsl1nger:

That function is not in the DVD spec. It is only achieved through specialized software (as noted). It may eventually become a standard as the gap between media and the web is closed, but for now, no.

[usually_quiet]

If the disc needs to be playable via a hardware DVD player, I guess you have your answers already.

However, if the disc doesn't need to be playable via a hardware DVD player, would it be acceptable to create a multimedia DVD instead? I've never done that, so I can't suggest software for it, but I am certain others on this forum have.

[SCDVD]

Thanks guns1inger, the article that you provided the link to pretty well says it all. I'm going to suggest to the person who wants to do this that he forget it. It's full of problems. The DVD is a promotional DVD about a company and its product. I'm going to suggest that he simply invite the viewer to visit the web site address that is displayed and let that be it.

[guns1inger]

You always have the option of creating an autostart.inf for the DVD and opening the browser or a flash-type menu when the disc is inserted into a PC. This will be ignored in a standalone player, so you can kind of have both options available. You can even include Media Player Classic to play the DVD content, so you could have a start menu that allows the user to chose on a PC which way they want to go. Of course this cuts out the Apple and Linux crowd.