Presenting a Website on a DVD at DVinfo.net

Gavin Ralbag · March 12th, 2008, 09:47 AM

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this. What I'm trying to do is put an entire website on a DVD so that it can be navigated with a TV and a set top DVD player. I haven't really seen anything like this but my boss wants something like this. So I was just wondering if anyone has tried this or seen something along these lines.
Thanks so much in advance
Gavin

David Stoneburner · March 12th, 2008, 11:42 AM

What you can do is author your DVD to emulate a website. Actual web site coding wouldn't work on a DVD player, that I know of. I have seen actual web site coding on a CD or DVD, but in order for it to work it had to be played back on a computer.
For my master's program, I took my portfolio and authored it to DVD with an authoring program, that gave the feel of a web site with links, video, graphics, etc. My idea was that someone could go through my portfolio in their living room on a DVD player or they could play it back on a computer. Works either way. A couple words of caution:

1. When you make your pages/backgrounds, fonts and graphics need to be a little bigger to be readable. I would try to stay away from going any smaller than around 25pt size. People tend to watch a television from much further away than a computer screen. When picking fonts, Arial (block style) fonts usually look better due to TV screen interlacing. Also basic black, white and shades of blue look best for colors.

2. Remember that graphics and pictures will be at much lower resolution, meaning you won't be able to zoom in as well. What I did was make a hybrid DVD. Meaning that for papers that I had and for hi rez pictures, I put a little disclaimer on the page that said that they could get a hi rez or complete PDF copy off of this DVD by using a computer and selecting the DVD as a source. That way they could look at complete papers, not just a summery.

I like the way it turned out and with most people doing a powerpoint or website, I think mine is most versatile, of course except for web access from another location.

Gavin Ralbag · March 31st, 2008, 11:53 AM

hey thanks a lot, that's some great information. I'll defintly put it to good use.
thanks again

March 12th, 2008, 09:47 AM	#1
Gavin Ralbag Tourist Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Oneonta, NY Posts: 2	Presenting a Website on a DVD I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this. What I'm trying to do is put an entire website on a DVD so that it can be navigated with a TV and a set top DVD player. I haven't really seen anything like this but my boss wants something like this. So I was just wondering if anyone has tried this or seen something along these lines. Thanks so much in advance Gavin

March 12th, 2008, 11:42 AM	#2
David Stoneburner Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 493	What you can do is author your DVD to emulate a website. Actual web site coding wouldn't work on a DVD player, that I know of. I have seen actual web site coding on a CD or DVD, but in order for it to work it had to be played back on a computer. For my master's program, I took my portfolio and authored it to DVD with an authoring program, that gave the feel of a web site with links, video, graphics, etc. My idea was that someone could go through my portfolio in their living room on a DVD player or they could play it back on a computer. Works either way. A couple words of caution: 1. When you make your pages/backgrounds, fonts and graphics need to be a little bigger to be readable. I would try to stay away from going any smaller than around 25pt size. People tend to watch a television from much further away than a computer screen. When picking fonts, Arial (block style) fonts usually look better due to TV screen interlacing. Also basic black, white and shades of blue look best for colors. 2. Remember that graphics and pictures will be at much lower resolution, meaning you won't be able to zoom in as well. What I did was make a hybrid DVD. Meaning that for papers that I had and for hi rez pictures, I put a little disclaimer on the page that said that they could get a hi rez or complete PDF copy off of this DVD by using a computer and selecting the DVD as a source. That way they could look at complete papers, not just a summery. I like the way it turned out and with most people doing a powerpoint or website, I think mine is most versatile, of course except for web access from another location.

March 31st, 2008, 11:53 AM	#3
Gavin Ralbag Tourist Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Oneonta, NY Posts: 2	hey thanks a lot, that's some great information. I'll defintly put it to good use. thanks again