I want to create a DVD of JPEG images

Question

I want to create a DVD of JPEG images from multiple albums in my catalog.  I am using Windows 7 and Premier Elements 11.  I have not been able to insert more than one menu marker in my "video."  Any suggestions?

Answer 1

BobHabig32453
I seldom ran across a question to which I could offer an abridged answer. Sorry about that.
There is an assortment of miscellaneous information to guide your path as to what you can and cannot do with regard to a Premiere Elements DVD Template that represent the Main Menu and Scene Menu set. The number and kind of menu markers that you place on the Timeline are linked to the Menus - Main Menu or Scene Menu depending whether you have placed a Main Menu Marker or Scene Marker on the Timeline. Again, do not put a Stop Marker at the end of the last file on the Timeline.
Each movie (in your case album) cannot have its own Scene Selection page or pages. All the Timeline scene markers representation found on the Scene Selection page or pages is there in the order that each was placed on the Timeline. There is a limited amount of space under each scene thumbnail, and you do want to avoid button overlap.
Each main menu and scene menu that came with the program is designed with a certain number of buttons per page (Main Menu page or Scene Selection page).  When the number of Timeline markers exceed the number of designed in buttons per page, the buttons spill over to additional pages (each a copy of the first).
Most Main Menu pages come with Play All button, Scene Selection button, and some with Main Menu or Bonus Movie button. Most are text type buttons, fewer are thumbnail type buttons for this Main Menu. You see the thumbnail type buttons in the Scene Selection Page, and typically the maximum number there is about 6, may goes to 8 in some rare instances.
Once you introduce Stop Markers to separate the multi movie type setup, your Play Movie (Play All) button on the Main Menu is meaningless.  And, the reminder, two menu markers cannot occupy the same spot on the Timeline.
Important to the project are the pixel dimensions of the photos and the duration of the content. If you are heading for DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc Standard or Widescreen, the pixel dimensions should not exceed 1000 x 750 pixel  (landscape) – classical recommendation here and elsewhere. Greater than that typically does not accomplish much other than stressing out the program.  The level of computer resources can often dictate whether the program stress will set in sooner or later. That 1000 x 750 which is not written in stone is close enough to the export standard and will leave some room for pans and zooms if needed. Look to the Premiere Elements burn dialog prior to burn to and look at the Quality Section’s values for Space Required and Bitrate. The DVD-R  4.7 GB/120 min is in reality 4.3 GB and the “for best results” classical recommendation is not to exceed 90 minutes for this type of disc. There is also the DVD double layer disc 8.5 GB (really 7.3 GB)/240 minutes to think about.
How does this all impact what you outlined for what you would like to do? Many thoughts on that, but for starters:
Are your photos sized properly for a NTSC or PAL DV Standard or Widescreen project? Are you heading for NTSC or PAL DVD-VIDEO Standard or Widescreen? Are you considering Blu-ray disc format on Blu-ray disc in this regard for your Premiere Elements project.
How many albums do you envision in each of your planned DVD discs. I suspect the number is going to be in excess of 6 or 8. Here some of the considerations might be:
…switch the names of the .psd files for the main and scene menu (just the names) so that you can take advantage of the larger number of scene buttons on an already designed Scene Menu. The Timeline markers are Main Menu Markers in this instance, no Scene Markers. Result: One page Main Menu with thumbnails there displaying the first photo in each album.
…editing the .psd file for a DVD Template to add more buttons to the design. That requires strict adherence to requirements for doing that, including editing with Photoshop CS and later or a version of Photoshop Elements that will open the Layer Groups of the .psd so that you can get at the Folders and Files that you need to modify/duplicate and the like.
If you wanted text buttons instead of thumbnail buttons, you could look at a DVD Menu such as Faux Widescreen Main Menu Page and customizing that.
Not sure if long trip descriptions (text) would be feasible. I can offer a how to for creating a page for information before the main menu (like those FBI notices) if you thought that might be appropriate for any overview trip descriptions per disk. Lots of details, Lots of choices, but often with limitations and special considerations if you are restricted to what comes as is with the program.
Please review the above and then we could fine tune with more specifics.
Thanks.
ATR