Thanks.

I can't seem find DVDAP as a stand alone. It is always bundled with Vegas.

Nor can I find and documentation listing DDP output to disc.

I will keep on searching.

Correct -- I believe the PRO version is only bundled with Vegas Pro at this time.

But you can buy the full package (Vegas Pro + DVDA Pro) for a fraction of the cost of Scenarist :) Bonus -- you get a pretty darn good editing package (imho)

Regards,
George

Adobe Encore first play.
 

Hello everyone,

I am starting to wonder whether there is really a good dvd authoring program out there other then encore.

What i was looking to do is having an animation first play then it conclude to the menu without any black/blank screens appearing. Is there a way to transition from first play to menu without minor pauses or black screens inbetween?

I am using windows.

thanks

encore is an excellent dvd authoring program it's ability is most utilized as part of the adobe cs3 production suite. if you create your intro in after efffects it will seamlessly integrate into encore and will not have any delay.

however you should be able to create your intro in encore. have the opening sequence end with the very last frame(s) the same as your menu selection.

the end action of you intro will be the main menu. since the last frame of the intro is the same as the main menu it should be seamless. this is somewhat
dependent on the dvd player, some handle the transition better than others, most recent plyaers will work fine.

note: when previewing the intro/menu transition in encore it will always have a delay, the delay will not be in the final disc.

you can always build your project to a folder on your hard drive and then view the dvd in a software program such as nero showtime or powerdvd
to verify the project is correct before burning to a dvd.

hope this helps

Kalulu,

If your animation and the menu are two separate items, then there will always be some sort of pause as the player changes to the menu. The length of this pause will vary depending on the player.

What you might consider for the first play, is to have your animation continue on to the menu. That is, to include the menu screen in your animation. Then when you have had the menu screen up for 30 seconds, or whatever, that you then transition to a different asset that is just the menu screen itself. Set that asset up to be the main menu that you would come back to after playing video clips. The animation would truly remain a "first play" item only.

Hope this helps. Have fun!

Rob

Encore: HDV to SD DVD-keeping it 30i
 

I've shot and edited a 2:15 car racing project. It was shot HDV 30i and I want to output the video in SD at 30i because the action looks better, to my eyes at least, with interlaced footage rather than progressive.

What would be the correct Encore settings to output SD 30i? I've tried setting the fields option to lower to conform to SD and the fields come out reversed yielding jittery video especially on source footage slowed by 50%. Since it takes 8 hours to render the project, I thought I'd ask if upper fields first would work.

Also, I left the "deinterlace" box on the output tab un-ticked. Anyone know how that may or may not help me preserve the interlacing on the footage?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'm afraid no setting will give you the desired results; read around this forum, importing HDV directly into Encore for the purpose of burning an SD DVD is the best thing you can do for a low quality, full of artifacts video.

Try resizing to DV in Virtualdub, or create a new SD project in Premiere (I assume that's what you use for editing) and import your HDV footage into that. Export as mpeg2 and import that into Encore (no more encoding in Encore).

There are other alternative workflows.

Ervin... I'm wondering if this is more a PP question than an Encore question.

I guess I didn't make myself clear on my workflow, which is not unusual. Edit in HD. Export from PP using the "Export to Encore" function which yields an mpeg2 video file which Encore doesn't need to transcode and a wav file that it does.

I have to edit in an HDV project as portions need to be output in HD.

My problem is that I don't want a progressive DVD. Interlaced should give me better slow motion sequences, of which there are a few. However, I don't know how or where to make the conversion from HDV with upper fields first to SD which needs lower first. PP or Encore? A little in both? It's a black art I don't quite grok.

Both Premiere and Encore use the same transcoding engine, so it should not make a difference - and both should change the field order automatically for you. But do not be surprised if the quality of your DVD will be unsatisfactory... read around this forum.

You need a different workflow.

Ervin... I appreciate the comments but some direction would help. I can't edit in SD/DV as I also need to output to HD. Would outputting to DV from the HDV timeline work better? It might be worth the extra 6-8 hours of rendering time for the quality.

I'll be glad to adopt a different workflow. Any suggestions?

Tripp , for PPro

1) Reverse your field order of the clip on the timeline - R Click ,Field options -
reverse field dominance. The export or encode.

2) Study the following link for methods on downrezz -http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=70792&highlight=tmpgenc

Hope this helps.


Windy - Cape town.

Herman... thanks for the good info. I'll try reversing fields as a test although this could get a little spikey for my normal projects that are about 2hrs long.

I also reviewed the link. Someday I'll have to sit down and figure out this frame serving thing. It seems to solve a lot of problems.

Adobe Encore Motion Menu and Buttons
 

I have recently edited and now want to author a DVD from my Kauai trip that I shot in 16:9. I am using Adobe Premiere and Adobe Encore. I have heard from many different sources that a 16:9 project can only contain 18 different links. Since I have a lot of footage I will be using a Dual Layered DVD (8.5GB) instead of that standard 4.7GB. I was just wondering if you could have more links with a dual layered DVD or can you sub link two menus, because I believe I am going to need more than 18 links or (buttons), because I also have pictures that are in the form of sideshows that I will be adding to the menu as well. I am just wondering if there is any way to get more than 18 links for 16:9 project in Adobe Encore. Let's say I have 2 links on the first menu, a video link, and a picture link, the video link goes to another menu with 6 links or so, and the picture link goes to a menu with around 15 links, this is possible correct, each new page is considered a new menu which can house 18 links correct? Or am I confused?

Never heard of an 18-link (or button) limitation, either 16:9 or 4:3. Are you sure you aren't referring to the number of levels you can have in your menus?

I know I've done 16:9 DVD's with much more than 18 total buttons in Encore CS3.

Martin

I think maybe it is 18 links per menu, or level? How many levels can you have I wonder?

Don't know the limits, but I'm sure it will be one less than what I need for some critical last-minute job :).

Eighteen buttons per menu screen would be pushing it. The most I ever had was eleven (I think), eight for chapter selections, two for previous/next, and one for Main Menu. The screen was pretty busy.

Martin

Yeah I thought it was 18 for the whole menu including the sublinked menus...But yeah It shouldn't be a problem..Thanks for the help

Encore: 16x9 video to letterbox DVD
 

Encore is driving me buggy. I want to take a 16x9 SD video and create a standard DVD in letterbox format. I know that I could export from PP using AME but it seems to lose more quality that way.

If I take the video (740x480, 1.2PAR) and drop it into an Encore project, no combination of transcode settings will give me letterbox video. Everything comes out with a pixel aspect ratio of 1.2.

Any settings suggestions that would help me fix this?

There is no such thing in Encore. You either author a 4x3 or a 16x9 DVD - any decent DVD player will interpret the wide screen material as such and output with the bars.

It seems DVD players are smarter than I am. Since I have no 4:3 TVs here, I told two different DVD players that the TVs were and it worked fine.

I feel stunningly stupid.

Encore Error Code 6 Issue
 

I am trying to burn my first Blu-ray program on my new LG GGW-H20L burner and everytime i try to burn the program i get the "Blu-ray: fatal error, code 6, Note".

I encoded blu-ray from PPro CS3 and authored in Encore CS3.

I get the error when trying to burn to disc, image or folder. Any recommendations?

I haven't had this issue yet but Try some of these possible fixes:

Adobe Forums - Blu-ray Error: "fatal error", Code: "6", Note:"

http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3c05ee1d

Blu-ray: fatal error, code 6, Note

let us know how it goes.

Josh, thanks for your quick reply.

I searched around and found something that worked.

When you recieve the following error when you try to burn a blu-ray disc with encore cs3.
"Fatal Error", Code: "6"

Download and install msxml 6.0

It should fix the error

Download details: Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0

I had this issue and the patch solved this!

Yeah they talk about the patch in the first link. Glad it worked for you :)

Can Encore CS3 do the following?
 

These are the things I am hoping to learn how to do, if possible.

1. Switchable subtitle tracks either by Menu Selection or DVD button push (or both)
ex. 1. No Subtitles 2. English 3. Chinese

2. Subtitles in the black bar under video rather than floating over the movie. They were shot with 1.33 PAR and will be finalized in 1.0 PAR to have the black bars top and bottom. I'd like to insert the subtitles in the bottom black bar.

3. How many levels of sub-menus can be made?

I need to check but from what I understand CS3 has a 1GB limit for menu material but I cannot find any talk of a specific number except for older versions.

On one note the adobe site talks about 32 subtitle streams so you are good there.
"Add up to 99 separate timelines, each with up to 99 chapter points, 8 audio streams, and 32 subtitle streams."

Also with subtitles I think it lets you type them in your self where you want possibly. Closed captioning I think is the one that is stuck in the bottom over a black bar.

"Powerful video subtitling
Type and format subtitles directly over video, or import and format a script containing multiple subtitles."

Sorry I could not give you exact answers but hopefully it helps.

Curious about one thing. Why are you converting the PAR to 1.0? If it's simply to accommodate 4:3 TVs, don't bother. DVD players will take that into account when the user initializes them.

If you down-rez to letterbox you're throwing away something like 15% of your vertical scan lines. Ya ain't got that many to start with. If you have other reasons for doing this, I'll shut up.

Mixing frame rates in Encore
 

I'm making a 24p DVD in Encore, but I need to include about 4 minutes of 30p footage into one of the timelines. When I do this I get a horrible strobing effect on the 30p footage. Anyone know a work around on this? I've tried to make new timeline for the 30p segment and then linking it to the other footage via "end action", but that gives the same result.

Edit: Nevermind, the fault was in the coding of the m2v files in after effects :)

So what did you do to fix it?

need B.I.G. help for DVD Studio Pro -> Encore
 

If I could get some help from anyone here....
So here is the background where I am coming from...
I am doing some editing and DVD authoring as freelance for this wedding photo studio, and I ran into a conflict when I needed to make a menu for the DVD. I use Adobe CS3 (Encore) and they have been using Mac (DVD studio Pro) and they have this unique menu and transition that they use for their DVD. I went their studio to export the empty template of the menu and transition and failed... apparently no one there who is editor or video related...
I figured out the name of the temp. which are "rough rect halo larrge blue.pox" for the menu, and "blue master look.ntsc.v2.mov" for the transition. I could not locate those 2 files anywhere in their computer, unfortunately...
Menu is 30 sec loop and transition is 3 seconds. I tried to burn a DVD with no text but couldn't do it... I only had 2 hours to figure this thing out, but I had to leave before I could look into it any more. Their studio is like 1.5 hours away, I am not planning to make a trip down any soon. For PC guy, it was not that easy to figure out how to export a menu animation...
Could anybody export that to useable video file (i.e. mpg, m2v or any type that would look decent to normal TV)? They said the computer will be occupied for next week or so for their photo album use for wedding couples. I can't find anyone with DVD studio Pro near me, and I would greatly appreciate if anyone can help me with that!
Thank you so much , everyone.

regards,
JJ

DVDSP Help
 

JJ,

Unfortunately, it looks like all of DVDSP templates and transitions are formatted for DVDSP only. But here is an idea. Make a 10 second movie. Go into DVDSP and set your menu and transition. Make sure there are no text or buttons. (I think the problem you had before is that there was not a movie in track 1). You can now take this DVD and play into your camera or deck or use a program to strip the footage from the DVD. Good luck.

Jon Schwartz
CA Video Productions

ah~ that's pretty good idea... I will try to explain to the studio coordinator there (since I am not going there for a while) to do that.. hope she understands what I am trying to do...
Thank you for your help, Jon!

JJ

Encore DVD2 first time panic! - commentary.
 

Hello all.
First time, trial and error user, who has just had a deadline announced and needs help!
Probably a real simple sollution, but as yet I'm stuck.

To simplify;
I have my feature's video clip (1.M2V)
I have my feature's seperate audio clip (1.WAV)
and I have my commentary audio clip. (2.WAV)

I have menu/button for 1.M2V & 1.WAV
I have menu/button for 2.WAV

So far I've imported assets; 1.M2V & 1.WAV and just dragged them to my 'Play Feature' button.
and I've imported and linked 1.M2V & 2.WAV via timeline to its menu button.
This process duplicates the 1.M2V file on disc, which is TOO LARGE.

How do I link both WAV files to the single 1.M2V file??
So simple I'm sure.. but I haven't stumbled my way there yet, and time is running out.

Thanks in advance,

Anthony

Create new timeline, put your video file on the video track, put both your audio files on audio track.

Thanks Bart for your suggestion.

I did try doing that before, so on my timeline I've got 'Video', and 'Audio 1' & 'Audio 2'.
Problem is I don't know how to tell Encore to link 'Video' and 'Audio 1' to one menu/button, and 'Video' & 'Audio 2' to the other menu/button. - without duplicating 'Video 1' on the DVD (which uses up all disc space)

Please help?

Many thanks.

Anthony


... OK I think I have it. Specify link for relevant button, select desired audio timeline option on audio drop down box. - Seems to have associated the files without carrying across a secondary video file. fingers crossed.. I'm getting thre..

Encore CS3 Navigation design
 

Hi all, started my first proper menu and chaptered DVD in encore and running into a few issues:

The assets are imported fine, created main menu and chapter menu, inserted chapter points and linked chapter menu to chapter points on timeline.

When I preveiw the DVD it seems fine the problems arise when I try to set end actions.

I have a play all button but when I try to link to chapter 1 to 2 and 3 to 4 its not working properly,
I select 1 to go to 2 but when I select 2 to goto 3, 1 goes to 3 instead and so on

does each chapter have to be in it's own timeline? that's how it seems

thanks for your help

Russ

First, did you run a "check project"? If you did and it comes up clean I have two thoughts. First, and I think this most likely, your menu links are simply pointing to the wrong point in your project. The most common cause (at least for me) is that I've linked the menu to the wrong chapter mark. I have done this more than once. Encore lets you make the links several ways. I find using the pickwhips for anything but connecting menus complete rubbish. In the flowchart view, I'll right click on the menu item I want to link and select "Specify Link". From there you select the timeline you want and the appropriate chapter mark within it.

Secondly. Do you specify thumbnails for your chapter marks? If so, is it possible you dragged the thumbnail mark rather than the chapter mark? I've done that too.

Please remember that the first chapter mark is always set at the beginning of each timeline. If you don't link a menu item to the very introduction of your piece, your count might be off. In most projects I do, the only link to the first chapter mark is the "Play Movie" link on the main menu.

Hi Tripp,
cheers for your reply
I have checked the project and the only problems that appear are next and previous > link not set,

Ive now set them to link back to main menu

I'm burning the project now but I'm pretty sure the "play all" is only going to play my first chapter I cant see how it's going to play all my chapters in one go

fingers crossed, it's a bit confusing at first but your input helped

cheers Russ

Tripp, you da man!

seems to play through ok from play all, for some reason I thought I'd have to tell it what to do when it got to the end of first chapter,
your explanation made me view the process in a bit diffrently and all seemed to fall into place then,

thanks for your help

Russ

Glad I could help Russ. When I first started working with Encore I found it completely counter-intuitive since it didn't work like other Adobe products. I think the core of Encore is OEM'd from Sonic, or was at some point. So the ergonomics weren't home grown.

Half a year ago I was right where you are now... wanting to head to the pub for a pint of bitter... but I've done over 20 DVDs since then and it get's easier. I now actually look forward to that part of the workflow. Not only does it mean that I'm almost done, but I get to play with graphics, which is fun for me.