[photomark]

URGENT! PLEASE HELP.

I have serached the forums for a solution to this problem, but I am having no luck...I have EMC8.0 Deluxe and build 806***

I am making a dvd presentation of swim meets for my kids swim team.
We sell the discs out at the awards presentation for the price of the discs and box--We want the kids to have a keepsake.
We normally have about 12 slideshows (of about 100-150 slides), and they run about 60-90 min in total.

I have tried all of the standard tricks to get EMC8.0 to behave, Updated videocard, Ms DX 9.0C, I had to run that hotfix for the button issue. ..I have tested dxdiag, I no longer get errors in making the dvd. I verify and have no broken links or missing files. I have updated the microsoft installer.

I use the the video editor to add pictures to a video production and then I add about 12 different videos (the slide presentations) to a the (default--blue stream) background.
The problem is that I can not get the resultant video to play all the way through. Sometimes the 2-4 videos will show sequentially, sometime only one will...

In DVD builder, each video has its own button, On the settings for each button, I select the file that should play next. the final menu button bounces back to the main menu. The problem is that i will get a DVD that will play 1-3 videos, and the default back to them main menu. I need to get the dvd to play through all the way without stopping at the different videos.

I have checked the settings and they all point to the next file, so I am confused as to the problem. I have checked the production and verified that all buttons are linked?

Could the problem be related to me renaming the button on the main menu display? Please help quick!!!
Our swimteam is a summer only team, and we are having our final get together this Saturday..

Thanks
Mark

[sknis]

Don't know if this will help or not bur when you have your project ready (and buttons linked), click burn and select to make the iso (image file). Uncheck all other options. When the file has been encoded, use disc copier to copy the iso image to your DVD. This method separates the encoding from the burning and results in better quality with fewer problems. You can just copy that iso file to as many DVDs as you want. Try it first with a RW disc to see if it works properly.

Are you viewing the other DVDs on your computer or on a stand alone player. Sometimes those can be a problem as well as the use of poor media (disc blanks). What type are you using - Many people have problems with Memorex but Verbatim and FujiFilm (made in Japan, not elsewhere) are usually much better. You might also want to see what your burner manufacturer recommends.

photomark, on Jul 24 2006, 07:34 AM, said:

URGENT! PLEASE HELP.

I have serached the forums for a solution to this problem, but I am having no luck...I have EMC8.0 Deluxe and build 806***

I am making a dvd presentation of swim meets for my kids swim team.
We sell the discs out at the awards presentation for the price of the discs and box--We want the kids to have a keepsake.
We normally have about 12 slideshows (of about 100-150 slides), and they run about 60-90 min in total.

I have tried all of the standard tricks to get EMC8.0 to behave, Updated videocard, Ms DX 9.0C, I had to run that hotfix for the button issue. ..I have tested dxdiag, I no longer get errors in making the dvd. I verify and have no broken links or missing files. I have updated the microsoft installer.

I use the the video editor to add pictures to a video production and then I add about 12 different videos (the slide presentations) to a the (default--blue stream) background.
The problem is that I can not get the resultant video to play all the way through. Sometimes the 2-4 videos will show sequentially, sometime only one will...

In DVD builder, each video has its own button, On the settings for each button, I select the file that should play next. the final menu button bounces back to the main menu. The problem is that i will get a DVD that will play 1-3 videos, and the default back to them main menu. I need to get the dvd to play through all the way without stopping at the different videos.

I have checked the settings and they all point to the next file, so I am confused as to the problem. I have checked the production and verified that all buttons are linked?

Could the problem be related to me renaming the button on the main menu display? Please help quick!!!
Our swimteam is a summer only team, and we are having our final get together this Saturday..

Thanks
Mark

[ggrussell]

If you renamed the buttons AFTER linking them, that could possibly cause a problem. But sounds like you have done everything correctly. Don't think we have seen this problem posted before. The only thing I can suggest is double check the end links in settings again to make sure something wasn't accidently changed.

I find it odd that people insist on having multiple buttons on the main menu and THEN want them to play in sequence. It's more like having a 'Chapter' submenu as the main menu. Try something more like this. I whipped that up in a few minutes. You can define the TEXT as buttons. The 'Play Movie' will play all video in sequence. The 'Individual Meets' would then take the viewer to a submenu where they can select which meet they would like to view.

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[photomark]

Thanks for both responces.

I have been doing dvd building (for our swim team) for a few years with the different Roxio products, so I am familiar with some of the quirks of the older versions.

As for media, I am using DVD+R (Memorex I think). I have a lite-on drive, and will check and see what media they suggest. But I don't think that the problem is media related, but the point is well made.

I always burn the image to my hard drive frist. Earlier I was having problems with the burner part of the program, it was erroring out, so I just figured that it was easier to just create the image on my harddrive and then use the image copy to get the image to the DVD media.

I normally don't trust the DVD player on my computer, and pop the DVD in both of our stand alone models to see how the DVD works. (The DVD plays well, it just stops after a few pseudo"chapters")

OH-- I also always browse for lost files, and validate the DVD during the authoring portion-- if there is an error I back up and correct.

GGrussel: I love your image, and ideas. I was thinking that it might make more sense for me to put int the chapter functions. WHere did you design the background? Photoshop? I have never used chapters, but was thinking that might be the way to go. But let me ask a stupid question.. I can not get the videos to play in sequence, will going to chapters allow me to play one after another? then the individula meets can be viewed as a chapter menu? A problem that I have is that I usually get about one try a night as it takes about one to two hours to encode the movie, so I try to get it right.

Due to the number of picture and overhead of the programs, I usually break up my videos, into swim meets-- all about 4-10 min long. Once I tried to do everyhing in one batch, but go extremely confused, and my system slowed to a crawl (think of 60 minutes filled with 3-5 second images-- that is a lot of images"

[ggrussell]

I always use Videowave to put everything together. I create just one large video file. I then OUTPUT TO FILE to DVD compliant MPEG. I make sure that it will fit on one disc. MyDVD will NOT render the MPEG file. it doesn't cut down on total creation time, but does seem easier to find problems if MyDVD hangs. The only thing MyDVD will have to do is render the menu structure.

I then open MyDVD. Add the video file. Design the menu, buttons and chapters (in your case, mark where the individual meets begin). Final output to video folder. I then play it back using PowerDVD 5. I check all the buttons for highlight color (which I usually miss lol) and links to make sure they work as anticipated. If everything is ok, I burn the folder to disc.

Since you have the Deluxe version, you can be more creative with menus. Take my idea above and think about the swimmer art as a cutout that has video inside it. Fairly easy in the Deluxe version.

I can't take credit for that design. LOL I read a lot other video editor forums and other video editing web pages to get ideas. I try to figure out how they did something and try to duplicate it. I think you would be really surprised how powerful Videowave really could be with more experience and a few good ideas.

This post has been edited by ggrussell: 24 July 2006 - 09:23 AM

[photomark]

First off.

Thank you for your time and dedication. You have some very good ideas, and I appreciate your time in answering me.

</rant on>I am sure that Roxio and Sonic have put together a fine product when it works. Right now, I am trying to figure out what doesn't work as I anticipate it should, and what just plain does not work. Needless to say, I think that the root of the problem is the OS, but I have to have a program that works reasonably well. WIthout the user group, it would have been impossible for me to find my "product version number" I am also underwelmed by the technical documentation that came with the product (none and no box for the rebate, but that is another story...) I did find a PDF manual here, but in my opinion it is very rudimentary.</rant off>

I think that your idea of rendering video into MPEG for each video section is a good one. That will allow me to work on a chapter/swim meet/ and render it, (while taking a break) and then come back to the project refreshed... I am not familiar with rendering video-- is it fairly easy? I would assume so.. Does it go into an iso format, or is an mpeg format? or is it folders (I don't know how to work with the folders)

The menus should be easier to design as well. I will have to try and look what the difference between video presentations and "chapters" is....


thanks again

mark

[ggrussell]

I've been using computers so long I just accept the fact that software doesn't run on ALL computers equally well. With the OS and software being so complex with millions of lines of code, it's amazing that it runs at all.

After finishing one segment in Videowave, just click the OUTPUT TO FILE icon (looks like a film reel). Then select:
Purpose: DVD Playback
Video Quality: MPEG-2 for DVD, best quality
Choose a filename and folder. Click 'Create Video File'

That's it. Keep track of the total TIME of all segments. You can get about ONE hour at 'best quality' on a single 4.7 blank disc.

[photomark]

Thank you vmuch for your help. I will try that tonight. Lastnight, my wife spent the evening "editing the video presentations-- removing pictures from the presentation to make it more suscinct. This will help the overall feel of the video, but I did not get to see if anything would change....

Do you have any suggestions as to how to make a play all screen and then link to a "chapter" index-- like what I am building right now? I like your presentation, but am unsure how to implement it. I did read through the manuel-- It is extensive--but not detailed enough for each application (in my opinion).

BTW, I did get an answer from Roxio Technical Support: Here it is for browsing. You were correct, that the best way is to render presentations is in videowave, (I use it because of the lower overhead)

Here is what they sent me:
Thank you for Contacting Roxio Technical Support

This is a limitation in our software that will only let you create 99 slides per slideshow. However, Videowave can break this. If you create a slideshow in Videowave, then click on the Output As button (looks like a Movie Reel), make sure the purpose is for DVD Playback, then on the bottom, click the Create Video File button.

After you have done creating all 12 slideshows into videos, import them into MyDVD and burn.

Regards,

Roxio Technical Support
http://support.roxio.com

[ggrussell]

To create what I suggested above for a 'play all ' button and then a 'scenes' button:
First, ALL of the swim meets will have to be in ONE MPEG file. One can achieve that in Videowave. Then output to a single MPEG file.

Create a new MyDVD project
Select a 'menu style' that has only text buttons. Deluxe version has several.
Add the MPEG file
Rename this first button 'Play All' or whatever you like
Select the button and copy to clipboard (cntl+c)
Move the button from that location. ( you can arrange later)
Paste the button from the clipboard (cntl+v)
Rename this button 'select scenes' or whatever

RIGHT mouse click on the 'scenes' button and Edit Chapters. Make sure the 'make submenu' is checked. Now add a chapter mark at the beginning of each swim meet. When finished, this will create a submenu for that button only.

You should be back to the Main Menu now with two buttons that 'point' to the same MPEG. One plays through the entire file. The second button should take you to a submenu where the viewer can select one of the swim meets.

You can also 'edit' the submenu. Color, fonts, background, etc. Just like the main menu.

This post has been edited by ggrussell: 25 July 2006 - 08:05 AM

[Merv]

Hi, Mark. Here is another option to get what you want in addition to what Gary posted. The only basic difference is that you do not need to combine all your swim meet projects into one MPEG. In fact, you can use the Videowave project (dmsm file) rather than outputting each to a MPEG file. This process makes use of the unlinked button option that you have since you have the Deluxe Version.

1. Open MyDVD, click File/New/DVD.
2. Click Change Menu Style in the Edit window and select a style with text only buttons. Remember, you can always change the background and background audio, but the basic layout will always remain the same.
3. Click DVD Menu/Add New Unlinked Button
4. Highlight the button text and type in Play Movie (or what ever title you want to play the entire movie).
5. Click Add Sub Menu in the Menu task window and rename the resulting button Select Chapters.
6. Navigate to the created sub menu and click Add New Movie, navigate to location of your projects, select the project you want to play first and then click Open
7. Rename the resulting button as desired.
8. Repeat 6 & 7 for all additional projects. Note, it is best to add the projects in the order you want them to play the first time. Things seem to go wrong if you try to reorder the sequence after adding them the first time.
9. Return to the Main Menu, point to the Play Movie button, right click and select Show Settings
10. In the Link window, drop down the Go To: menu and select All movies in project.

What you end up with is click the Play Movie button plays all the projects you added to the submenu one after the other without returning to the menu until the last project has played. If you click the Select Chapters button, the sub menu will appear with the buttons for each individual project. Clicking on any button will play that project only and then return to the sub menu.

Hope this helps and provides you an additional option.

[photomark]

Again thanks for all of you help. I took ggrussels comments to encode the slideshows in MPEG-2 (normal) mode for dVD I now have 10 or so individual mpegs for the slide shows, But I am still using the main menu to move between the slideshows. and encode the entire thing

I like how fast the encoding of the entire DVD is, AND if there is a problem with a chapter, I don't have to reencode the entire enchalada.

However...

My DVD still does not play each video MPEG one after another. For some reason, the software bounces back to the main menu EVEN though I have selected to play the next MPEG after the last was played. I have checked after authoring, and have checked on a couple of DVD players... UGH!.

I suppose that I could try Merv's suggestions, but did not see them until this morning and have not thought about too much (as I need to do some work at work!!!). I suppost that his method keeps the video segements out of the main menu-- where there seems to be some problems mentioned on other boards--it seems that others are having problems having their videos either playing all the way through, or stopping like mine.

Does anyone know of an easy way for me to concatonate the MPEGS together so that I can author ~10 Mpegs individually and then combine them all into one long playing movie. I could then use the chapter function to call out the individual meets and schennanigans. That way, I have a play all and I have the individual chapters..

One intersting thing, is that when you import and MPEG on the DVD builder menu-- the button is animated. I have not figured out how to turn that off, but that issue is so inconseqeuential that I probably won't worry about it.

I did this last night:

I exported some slideshows in videowave into MPEG-2 format using videowave (slideshows are 50-160 images long and run 3-9 minutes...). I exported about 5 videos for a total of about 1.2gb. I then used the DVD creator to put them together and link mpeged slideshows. I am still having the problem of getting the slideshows to automatically move to the next mpeg show.

I after burning, I ran the DVD--the production plays some "titles" sequentailly, and will return to the main menu for the others. I then checked all of the settings for the title buttons on the main menu and , all of them, indicate that the next presentation should be shown after the current one is finished. What can I do Now?

THanks

Please hurry, I have to have these done by Saturday.

[photomark]

I guess the next question is what is the most successful route to making a DVD slideshow presentation.

I understand that MyDVDbuilder has some limitations, but is a powerful program.

Should I concatonate all of my MPEGs and use the chapter function to get to individual portions of the video, or is that opening up a new can of worms...

I think that the issue is that I am working with a large amount of picture files, and/or the main menu is not a good place for placing placing videos if you want to play one after another.

Thanks again

[ggrussell]

After placing each MPEG on the Main Menu, you did click on each one and go to settings to change what plays next? You're saying this did NOT work? You MUST do this for each thumbnail. Otherwise the default will be to go back to the main menu.

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This post has been edited by ggrussell: 26 July 2006 - 08:09 AM

[photomark]

Yes absolutely, for each thumbnail link on my main menu, I previously opened up the settings and selected the video to play next (not the default return to main menu). I have done it for each thumbnail before encoding.

Afterc hecking the DVD in a DVD player, and finding that the DVD stops and returns to the main menu before finishing all videos, I then check the source file with MydvdBuilder. In all video presentations, I have reloaded the MYDVD builder with the DVD layout file that was just burned and check the settings. My idea is to see if my changes "took" or if it somehow did not. In all recent cases, I have had the seting set properly.

My settings for the link button look like:

Go to: <video selected>
Play from: <Main menu title>
Afterplaying <play next video>



Thank you so much for your screen captures, but I am making that adjustment for all videos. Perhaps it does not work well from the main menu?

[ggrussell]

Works fine for me. In my example:
Go to: dec2002 (this is the button I selected)
Play From: Chapter 1 (where to start playing IN THAT FILE if that video has chapter marks)
After Playing: easter2001 or church-pool (I would have to select one of those to conitnue playing and not go back to main menu)


Really odd that this is not working for you. Maybe your 'Play From' is not correct. (?)

This post has been edited by ggrussell: 26 July 2006 - 10:56 AM

[photomark]

My PLAY FROM: <file> designation should be OK as it was referenced from the previous button-- but it is in the main menu perhaps this is a problem. The DVD generally dumps back to the main menu after the 3rd or fourth presentation. The first few presentations are shorter. But then, I will have to check perhaps when I renamed the "My Menu"

I do not know if the problem is due to the clip duration or size, or something else.

I wonder if it is a disc fragmentation issue, or perhaps the DVD builder program gets interrupted during the encoding process with an "open internet connection?" dialogue-- I can not figure out how to turn that feature off. I don't need it checking with the internet more than once a week. Sometimes during editing, it will ask me 5+ time consecuitively before I give in and connect. I like it when it checks CDDB, but don't need all that other stuff to be downloaded..

perhaps I should disconnect all of my USB hardware? that is not used?

How do you concatonate your MPEG files so that I can take ten segments and turn them into one really large MPEG file? I can put flags in the videos and use the flags as chapter markers....

System configuraton:

Nvidia nforce2 mobo,1 gig coursair memory, AMD 3200+ processor, Nvidia 5700 ultra graphics and lots of hard drive space...

[ggrussell]

Your machine sounds fine. I was questioning the 'Play From' because yours had 'main menu' instead of chapter 1 of the chosen file. I'll have to play around with the 'play from' choices to see if I can duplicate your problem. I think the 'After Play' is correct.

Only the Last swim meet, you would then have 'After Play' set for main menu.

[photomark]

Hello again,
Gary and Merv,

I spent last night doing a combination of your suggestions. I know that I have said this before, but I do appreciate you help and value your time.

Gary, I checked the "playing from" settings option and found that I can not change this option for the presentation that I was making.

I went back to Gary's origional suggestion of having a more "movie" like beginning main menu. I had not done this as previously, the only way I had made DVDs in the past was to use a menu list of photos on "buttons" I liked that format, but think this is better. I used merv's directions to link a "button" to make it play the enitre movie. I then encoded the videos into mpeg format. I was tempted to leave the production in videowave, but thought that the number of slides/meet was probably more than the DVDBuilder could handle, so I burned them to MPEG. I used Merv's directions to add the submenu and make the "play all titles" link work.

--Thanks for your detailed directions, Merv---

It worked well the frist time!!!

**There are a few issues that i need to address such as button highlighting and STOPPING the intro movie from running under the "play all" link setting.

**If I use a linked button that says "play all movies" is there anyway to get it to not play the intro movie (Again)? Last night I did not add the intro until the last step, so perhaps if I add it first it won't play, or perhaps there is an option that I did not see?

For a background, I took my daughter's team suit, which is black with electric blue swirls on it, and photographed about ~5 x 7 inch area on the suit. I then photoshopped the image, increased color saturation, and slightly blurred the image, and I have a really nice graphic that is unique to our team.

I then placed white text on the black/blue (with a bit of white) and used the text editing tools to put an outline around the text and make it 'glow".

**The major problem now is that I can't see when the linked text is selected. I probably should take out the "glow" setting of the default unselected text and look into seing if I can get the text to glow when selected. The text turns grey once the item is selected, but that is too late as it starts playing..

I would also like a move movie like preview such as is used in "selecting chapters" but that can wait.

For the submenus, is ther a way for me to get at some of the themed backgrounds and animated backgrounds that are a part of EMC deluxe? I would like to use the aquarium or the river scenes for the background of submenus-- is this an option? At this point, I plan on going with what I have and later noodling around with the presentation for myself and neighbors...

I am also intersted in making one big MPEG of the entire movie and then selecting chapters off, but again, that can wait.

Anway, thanks again, and I now have something that I am satisfied with, I just need to tweak it to make it really work. These are minor items, you helped me solve my major problems.

[ggrussell]

photomark, on Jul 27 2006, 09:27 AM, said:

**If I use a linked button that says "play all movies" is there anyway to get it to not play the intro movie (Again)?

You are now getting into the fine detail work of MyDVD. I've never used the Intro, but I don't think it should play again after selecting the play button. Check the 'tree' to the left to see if it was accidently added twice.

Quote

I probably should take out the "glow" setting of the default unselected text and look into seing if I can get the text to glow when selected

.You should be able to do both. Keep the glow around the text which usually defaults to white glow. Click on the button and change the 'highlight' color to something else like a contrasting color that goes well with the background.

Quote

For the submenus, is ther a way for me to get at some of the themed backgrounds and animated backgrounds that are a part of EMC deluxe?

Yes, since you have the Deluxe version. Just select the submenu in the 'tree' and then click 'Change Mneu Style'. This will change ONLY the menu you are editing at the time and not the entire project. You can also mix and match button styles. Let say you wanted the background from 'Brooks', but wanted the text buttons from another style. Select the menu style first. Click on the button and View Settings (see below).

Lots of options.

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This post has been edited by ggrussell: 27 July 2006 - 06:19 AM

[Merv]

ggrussell, on Jul 27 2006, 10:19 AM, said:

You are now getting into the fine detail work of MyDVD. I've never used the Intro, but I don't think it should play again after selecting the play button. Check the 'tree' to the left to see if it was accidently added twice.

.You should be able to do both. Keep the glow around the text which usually defaults to white glow. Click on the button and change the 'highlight' color to something else like a contrasting color that goes well with the background.
Yes, since you have the Deluxe version. Just select the submenu in the 'tree' and then click 'Change Mneu Style'. This will change ONLY the menu you are editing at the time and not the entire project. You can also mix and match button styles. Let say you wanted the background from 'Brooks', but wanted the text buttons from another style. Select the menu style first. Click on the button and View Settings (see below).

Lots of options.

Gary, Mark,

I cannot duplicate the intro playing 2 times, at least not in the preview (I did not burn to a DVD to test). Mark, in addition to what Gary suggested, are you sure you added the intro by clicking the Add Intro Movie button. That should place the intro at the top of the tree just under the project title.

Gary, maybe something is wrong with my program, but I cannot add a different background to the submenu using the Change Menu Style feature. It always changes both the submenu and the main menu. The only way I could make the submenu background different than the main menu was to use Browse for Background, navigate to where Roxio stores the menu theme backgrounds (on my system they are located here - C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy Media Creator 8\VideoUI\Content\Video), and manually select a background, such as Aquarium.mpg.

Mark - Glad you got as far as you did. Maybe some of the above can get you one step closer.