Comments

bStro wrote on 4/28/2004, 1:15 PM
No.

DVDA2 itself cannot be used to create the transistions.

But you can have menu transistions in DVDA 2.0.

To achieve this, you would create a transistion video outside of DVDA (for example, in Vegas). The generally accepted process is, in DVDA, take a snapshot of both of your menus; drag these snapshots onto the Vegas timeline; do whatever you want to them to "transistion" from one to the other; and render the timeline as an AVI or MPEG2.

Then, back in DVDA, drag your transistion video file into the project. Set the end action for a button on your first menu to go to the transistion video. Set the end action for the transistion video to go to your second menu.

Rob
clearvu wrote on 4/28/2004, 1:48 PM
What's the best way to take a "snapshot"? I've tried it a couple of ways and I noticed that the resolution was not as good. The result was that the menu would go to the create video file with the lower quality resolution and then move to the next menu within DVDA.
laffTrax wrote on 4/28/2004, 2:14 PM
laffTrax wrote on 4/28/2004, 8:11 PM
SCRATCH my last reply. I got the media in the project, and finally figured out how to link the appropriate end actions. However, when i preview the menus in DVDA, there is at least a 5 second delay from when the menu links from the transition media and back to the next menu. This is CLEARLY no good. Is there a setting perhaps to solve this, or is this just the way it'll be on final completion. If so, then i will scratch menu transitions once and for all!

Amen
mdotnet wrote on 4/28/2004, 10:29 PM
No, I've experienced that too. The preview in DVDA isn't as good as it probably should be. Just MHO.

But that gap will not be there when you burn the DVD. It will transition immediately and smoothly without the delay. At least it always has for me.
farss wrote on 4/29/2004, 6:30 AM
One reason why the preview will never be the same as a burnt DVD is where the files are om the HD and the video is not yet a multiplexed stream. To get a better preview prepare and then point a DVD player app such as WinDVD or PowerDVD to the prepared folder and preview that.
Still may not be quite the same as off a burnt DVD if the files become fragmented on the drive.
Most things perform better of a burnt DVD in a STB, after all its using hardware designed for only one purpose.
ImdurC wrote on 5/30/2004, 5:25 AM
The delay between the menu transitions... I was setting up this very experiment cause I suddenly realised it was possible. This delay was in my preview too, but it was a long delay and I wondered why it was there. I checked and realised that because the transition is a video, it therefore needs to have proper IN and OUT points placed, to work.

And yes, the delay for the intro vid to the first menu will always have a slight delay with the -preview-. But the end results of two dvds have shown me that there isn't a delay when it's all thrown together.

Now, to further this discussion, I'd like to know something. I've successfully created the transition effect and it's very nice. But I'm left with TWO separate buttons - 1=The transition video button and 2=The original menu2 button.
This creates a problem because these both show up on the menu. And if I delete the menu2 button, Menu2 is deleted along with it! How can you remove this button without losing Menu2? Otherwise the transition created will not be able to point to menu2.

Peace,
Adam.
bStro wrote on 5/31/2004, 12:03 AM
Go to the Project Overview window. There, drag Menu2 to the root level (designated by the disc icon). This will make it a standalone menu instead of a submenu. If you have a "return to previous menu" button on Menu2, it will now be broken (because there is no previous menu any longer). You can change its link to go to Menu1, though.

Rob
ImdurC wrote on 5/31/2004, 11:30 AM
Rob, you genius! This is a much needed addition to my dvd creation as I'll be producing a 2-disc set for my theater by August time. THANK YOU!!!

Peace,
Adam.