Fade up to Slide then Black

Question

I put together a simple DVD layout -- 1 video + audio program and 1 slideshow (27 slides). The Disc Info under Build shows 1.27 GB for the video and 527 KB for the DVD-ROM content. The slides range in size from 500 KB to 1.3 GB.
After setting up a 10 second duration and cross dissolve for each slide, the Build checks out OK and the preview runs fine. After the DVD burn however, the playback of the slide sequence jitters through the fade up, shows each slide briefly then cuts to black.
Using just a Cut transition produces video tearing on the DVD playback.
Are the graphic files too big? What else could be at fault here?
(Vista Home Premium, 3GB ram, quad duo)

Answer 1

Chris,
Just to make sure I am following your info. The Project plays fine in Encore's Preview - completely. The burned DVD plays fine on the computer through a software DVD player - completely. The DVD plays the Video portion in your set-top player, but not the slide portion. Is that correct? Have you tried it in another set-top player? [See below for why I asked that question.]
Not sure that the images size is THE cause, but it takes a lot more horsepower to work with the larger files. This extra overhead *could* be causing problems with regards to RAM usage.
Going to DVD, and no Pan/Zoom, there is nothing to be gained by having images larger than your Project settings. It's more like having a boat anchor in the trunk (boot in the UK) of your auto. It's of no use and only adds weight to your Project.
Now, knowing that your DVD plays fine on the computer, but the problem exists on your set-top player does point us into one possible direction - the incompatibility of the set-top player to handle that DVD.
No set-top player is required by spec. to play ANY burned DVD's. Most do, but some not without problems. To address this *possible* issue, I'd look at the media, the bit-rate and the burn speed of this DVD.
For media, Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim are probably the two most highly recommended brands. Setting a max. bit-rate to about 7 is also recommended, though some have good luck with a setting of 8. If you read the DVD specs., you'll see that 10 is the max. setting, but remember a couple of things: that's for replicated discs (not burned ones), and it's also a combo of Video AND Audio. Last, by burning at the slowest speed that the combo of your burner and your media allows, will yield a better burn. Encore will query your hardware and also the media chosen and give you options. I always choose the slowest possible. Saving a few seconds on the burn is very often nulified by having to re-burn. Go slowly and just have a cup of coffee, or tea.
I'd re-size the images as is necessary, and would do so in Photoshop. Re-Import these by Replace Media. Don't do what lazy folk, such as I, have been known to do and that is re-Save the files with the same name and in the same location and let Encore just find them and update them. I get yelled at all of the time around here for doing that, as it is likely to cause errors in the Project. I'd re-size and Save_As in a new folder. Then in the Project Panel, choose each "slide" and Replace Media from that new folder.
Then, I'd burn slowly (as slowly, as is possible) on a T-Y (or Verbatim) blank. If you let Encore automatically choose the bit-rate, you should be OK. If you set the Transcode rate, try for a max of 7.
Last consideration is the media type, i.e. -R, +R, etc. Some set-top players like one over the other. Differs by brand and model. You might want to read up on your brand/model and see if there are recs. for one vs the other, or try both as a test. Now, if the DVD still has problems, take it to a friend's or to an electronics shop and try another brand set-top player. Remember: no DVD player is required to play any burned DVD.
Good luck,
Hunt
[Edit] Also see: http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.59b665f7/26
Neil Wilkes explains it much better, than I have.