Creating menus with mixed content on DVD

[MelRay]

I am going to make a series of videos for people to use to learn to play guitar. I have power director 14 and know how to create the menu(s). My question is if (if not) it is possible to have a menu link that will open a folder which contains pdfs with chord diagram, or scale diagram for the student to use for printing and practice after reviewing the video?

As an example lets say I have 5 individual videos and the corresponding menu system in place. Then while in the process of editing the sub menu for video 1 is there a way to enable another menu button when clicked that would open the folder burned onto the dvd to allow access to copy/paste/print the file(s)?

I hope this is clear in what I hope to accomplish. I did find an authoring solution (commercial) that is for creating e-learning videos. But it is a hassle to try the demo of their software.

Thanks,

MelRay

[Cornucopia]

Not possible with standard DVD. Possible with enhanced or eDVD, but the ONLY apps capable of making such would have been Scenarist and DVDMaestro (who used incompatible competing proprietary methods).

Blu-Ray is a little better at this (part of its basic spec), but you still need a top authoring app.

My rec: don't do it. Just link to a menu screen which describes where the files are on disc. What WOULD be cool would be multiangle and optional chord/beat overlay using graphical subs.

Scott

P.s. I know this - made a few edvds way back when...

[MelRay]

Ok thanks. Can you point me to where I can read up on the multi angle with overlays?

[_Al_]

It is hard to read something with DVD, there is not much resolution. Multi-angles, hard to work with, encode etc. People are not used to work like that.
I'd recommend YouTube for things like that. You can design overlays over video to right bottom corner, or just provide links to download images etc.
-Much easier to do, even first time
-easy to distribute
-higher resolutions, easier to read texts
-person can use any device
-if you are one of of a kind and have lots of visitors, you can make money, there is a lots of guitar tutorials, I went through lots of them, so quite a competition
btw. I ended up here, it is quite stunning: http://plus.ultimate-guitar.com/tab-pro/browse/
So this is how are the things done today, there might be things done on DVD some time ago, by today it could be done differently.

[manono]

is there a way to enable another menu button when clicked that would open the folder burned onto the dvd to allow access to copy/paste/print the file(s)?

As Cornucopia mentioned, it doesn't work like that. I've seen lots of DVDs where you can go to text screens which then explain something about the DVD or historical background or information about the actors. But that's not what you want. I'd do it by creating a menu button labeled as 'Extra PDF files' or something like that, which when clicked takes you to a short text screen saying something like 'To access the PDF chord and scale diagrams, place the DVD in your computer's DVD player and open the EXTRAS folder'. Which is also what Cornucopia suggested. Just more reinforcement for his suggestion.

[Cornucopia]

It is hard to read something with DVD, there is not much resolution. Multi-angles, hard to work with, encode etc. People are not used to work like that.
I'd recommend YouTube for things like that. You can design overlays over video to right bottom corner, or just provide links to download images etc.
-Much easier to do, even first time
-easy to distribute
-higher resolutions, easier to read texts
-person can use any device
-if you are one of of a kind and have lots of visitors, you can make money, there is a lots of guitar tutorials, I went through lots of them, so quite a competition
btw. I ended up here, it is quite stunning: http://plus.ultimate-guitar.com/tab-pro/browse/
So this is how are the things done today, there might be things done on DVD some time ago, by today it could be done differently.

YT is one way and a good way, but I totally disagree with your negative assessment of Multi-angle and of overlays. Not that hard to do (with the right tools). Both methodologies take a bit of effort (usually in the organization/vision/setup).
DVDs & BDs are easy to distribute. DVD & BD players are common, popular devices (STILL). Yes DVD is SD rez, but BD is HD rez (both have subs and both are capable of multi-angle). If you're going to be showing it on your TV anyway, that's good enough! Particularly if you use a large portion of the screen. Check out Homespun's or Hudson Music's DVD/BD tutorial selection - many of them have used either Multi-angle or graphical subs overlays (chords, musical staff, bouncing ball beat, etc), or both, to great effect. (They also do have download options, but those won't have those extra features.)

@MelRay, I'll PM you this weekend...

Scott

[MelRay]

Thanks everyone for the helpful input. Cornucopia I'll watch for your PM. As an aside I just want to create the discs to help others to learn how to play guitar so I'm not looking to try and compete and make money off of it. As was already stated there is so much competition. This is a learning exercise for me because it interests me and I have had many others help me along the way.

MelRay