Motion menu buttons in Layered menus

I´ve got a PSD Layered menu and I need to have a preview of the film playing either as the button or just on the menu, either way I can´t get the track playing in the motion menu.
Is there a way to do this?
Thanks
StooB

I´ve just seen I can´t use video in layered menus, that´s after creating the whole menu system without being told in the manual...
Can I use Overlay mapping to display a layer or image over each of the 9 buttons to select?
I need some help!!
Thanks!

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Frustration at a 10!!!-Premiere Element 9 extending duration time for disc menu, motion menu buttons

So I have spent over two days trying to extended the duration time for the dvd main menu motion sequence as well as the chapters. For some reason the main menu sequence is stuck at 29 seconds and chapter sections are stuck at 4 seconds. I've tried manually putting in more time, but it always resorts back to the above mentioned times. I noticed there are blue dots under the two run times does that mean the times can't be made longer? What am I doing wrong here?
Patrick

Patrick,
PrE has a 00;00;30;00 Duration limit on the Menus. Some other, full-featured authoring apps., like Adobe Encore (bundled with PrPro), do not. Not sure about Sony's DVD Architect, which is a very popluar, and inexpensive authoring program. This ARTICLE goes into some detail on Menu Durations, but the limit is still 30 sec. in Pre.
Good luck and welcome to the forum,
Hunt

I can't roll Motion Menu duration past 4;29 in PE9. Want it to be 10 seconds and 4;29 is the limit

I can't roll Motion Menu duration past 4;29 in PE9. Want it to be 10 seconds and 4;29 is the limit

Thanks for your quick reply. I have double checked the durations, and they seem to be OK, but i still cant set the motion menu button duration to more than 5 seconds. Here is what they are set to:
Menu Background
Duration: 29;29 (I can change this from 00;01 to 29;29 - which is fine for my needs)
Motion Menu Buttons
Duration: 04;29 (i can change this from 00;01 to 04;29 - This is what I'd like to set this to something larger)
Thanks again for all of your help - both here and in the books!

Layered Menu Buttons not working on DVD player

Hello,
I just made an SD DVD with several layered menus. The backgrounds for the menus come from photoshop files with different layers for normal, selected, and active states. Navigating the main menu works fine in the simulator and when I play the disc in my computer, however, I can not arrow to another button on dvd players. I have made several discs this way and this is the first time I have had this problem. My burn process is to make an image and then burn the image in toast. Any thought?
-Brian

Hi Brian - welcome.
Layered menus are particularly tricky... they almost always require two actions from the user to get them working in a player. One click to land on the button and another to select it. This is really frustrating at times, but is down to the way the layered menus work.
You can convert them to standard menus pretty easily though, and unless you absolutely need to have different layers I'd strongly advise that you do convert them. Standard overlay type menus work with a rollover type of effect, allow you to have an audio bed and work far faster on DVD players.
The only time I'd stick with layers is when the selected state reveals a further piece of information that takes up most of the menu area. In all other cases I'd avoid them if I were you

Creating motion menu in AE removes the motion button?

Hi all,
I created a project in Encore and moved it to After Effects to create a motion menu, worked like a beauty. Only problem is that the motion button I made in Encore (30 seconds of the video playing inside the button box) just stays as a single frame after I import back into Encore. I pre-rendered the menu just to make sure and all the animations I made work great but the button video just shows one frame.
Did I miss something in AE?
Thanks

I am using the menu -> create after effects compostition in encore. Then I can work on the menu in After Effects. Given the amount of things I have, I can't really take a snapshot.
I retried it using the NTSC Blank Menu, the Sunset Video button, and a small mp4. Results are the same: works perfectly in Encore. Then when I go to Menu -> create after effects composition, it opens After Effects and all the layers are good, but the video in the button has become a static image. All button functions are still good, but I don't get the 30 second looping vid inside. Just the first frame of the poster image...

Layered Menu Button Question...

Using layered menus throughout my project as it is fitting with our concept, but have never used them before. I have a question:
I have several images on a flattened layer of a PSD file that I want to use for buttons on any given screen. Can I use an overlay to give an outer glow effect to a given button image? (Don't really want to go back and add extra layers in the psd for each button state if I can show selections some other way.)
My limited experience has shown me that each time you add layers to the PSD file, it changes the layer selections settings on the menus where that PSD is used, as if DVDSP simply counted the depths of the layers and wasn't using the layer name as its reference.
In short, what is the best way to show the user he has selected a button on a layered menu without adding more layers to the original PSD, if possible?

James Roller1 wrote:
So let me get this straight about layered menus... especially in my case: the final background document needs to be complete before I begin adding buttons or building the project, and any additional layers added will throw off any work done. Correct?
Unsure of that, been awhile since I played with layered menus, due to their limitations on some players, slower speed etc. so I stay away from them (and so many others) for the most part when creating a "real" DVD (as oppossed to just some one off type fun things for my friends, family and myself.)
I do not recall having the issue that you seem to have when renaming - having things switched up - but it has been awhile and I think I probably had everything laid out ahead when I did it. But if you are seeing that happen then have the menu set as close as possible before using it.

Motion Menu to Layered Menu transition with Music?

I have created a motion menu with video as an intro, then I want to transition (dissolve or FX) to a standard graphic menu made in photoshop as a single layer with simple buttons overlayed in DVDSP, all with a single, unbroken music track under both as it plays. Can it be done?

Can't be done. Each element (menus, transtions, tracks, ect) are all located in their own "container" within the DVD structure. Because of this, you cannot have unbroken audio.
Just make your intro and main menu one piece and adjust your loop point to have your 8bits appear when you'd like.

Hello Every time I create a motion menu the play buttons have a fuzzy outl

Hello
Every time I create a motion menu the play buttons have a fuzzy outline. I really don't like this and would love to know how to avoid it as it looks really bad and not crisp.
Here's how i do it:
1) I create the motion menu in AEX and add in the button here. I have the button coming in about 5 seconds after the start to give a delayed effect and this will therefore be the loop point I set in DVDSP.
2) I then export out a Photoshop layers file from AEX and then bring this file into Photoshop to make the overlay. I'm not sure if I'm doing this step correctly as I then go Image/adjustments/levels and make the play button black
3) I then make the menu an .m2v and bring this and the overlay .jpg file into DVDSP.
4) When I select the play button the edges go fuzzy. This particular PLAY button was the text PLAY in white, with a black outline. Maybe this black outline had something to do with it?? I've also had heart shaped buttons for example and this does the same thing.
Hope you can help.
Many thanks, Margie

One thing that could help is not using a .jpg which is compressed. A .tif may work better (to some degree).
Not sure if you are using text highlights or something else when you mention you make the button black. Larger text (20pt plus, Sans Serif) can often help. Part of it also may be the selection process of what you are changing. Sounds like you are sending out the highlights as a seperate layer by itself. If so you do not not to switch it to Black, depending on the color you can map it out in DVD SP.
Another thing is that if the highlight is in the motion menu (unhighlighted) the highlighing may be slightly off of the underlying item making it a bit fuzzier. Could also be colors.
On pt 4, not sure if you mean select as "I pressed the button for the action" or as just moving to the button. If the former, then there can be a slight shift as the DVD itself moves to different place. Feathering the black edges may also help....

URGENT! Hide buttons til after loop point on motion menu?

Hi,
Is it possible to hide the buttons on a motion menu til AFTER the loop point?
I have a menu where there is a 10 second motion graphics intro, then a loop point, then 30 seconds of slight motion graphics in the background. As it should, after 30 seconds, it loops back to the loop point and only plays the last 30 seconds again and again.
The problem I am having is that the buttons appear on the menu at the start, which looks awful as they get in the way of the 10 second motion graphic intro.
Is there a way to make the buttons only appear at the 10 second (loop) point?
As a side note - I tried doing the 10 second intro on its own track, then having the track jump to the menu, but that creates a little delay that is quite noticeable.. It's not a smooth and continuous flow like the way I am doing it above.
Thanks!!!
Jason
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz, iMac 17" Core2Duo 2.0ghz, G4 900Mhz, 900mhz G3 iBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

JF:
I add the button graphics into my background movie at the loop point. Then, I create an overlay file in Photoshop and add it to the menu? It will then only activate at the loop point, which works well since that's where the text would appear in the movie?
That's right!
I don't know is how to add the overlay in
Select your menu, and in the Inspector windows you'll find the Select Overlay option and navigate to your PSD overlay file.
I think that this Basic Menu Tutorial (from Drew13's www.dvdstepbystep.com site) could help you to create a basic overlay. Just keep the background of your file WHITE and your overlays graphics BLACK.

Initial button state in motion menu

I have a 5 sec motion menu and I want the active button state to delay highlight until the motion is done. I did not set a default button hoping it wouldn't select while playing but that didn't work. Is there a work around?

I just did this in a recent project. You have to use a menu overlay, then set the motion menu’s loop point at 5 seconds. The buttons will be invisible until you hit the loop point. The menu will continue to loop, but won’t include the first five seconds.
I could not get it to work with DVDSP’s built-in buttons.

Simulating Layered Menus Using a Series of Linked Overlay Menus

This is an extension of a previous thread that I thought might best be restarted as the focus has changed slightly.
I want to be sure I am presenting the client with an accurate set of limitations. I know I can avoid SOME of the limitations of layered menus (specifically the need to double-click on some systems) by using a series of linked overlay menus connected via auto-action buttons.
But, am I correct to say that since I will be loading a new menu with every button, that video and audio are still not really options? In other words, I am using overlay menus now so, yes, I can technically use audio and video backgrounds, but they will both retrigger with each rolloever, right? This of course makes them useless for all intents and purposes, so assuming I am correct, I would still operate along the lines that video/audio are simply not viable.
I still think using a motion video background and basic overlay menu is the way to go and the more I have been looking at commercial DVDs the more I realize this is exactly how visual interest is typically achieved within the restrictive context of overlay menus. People do not generally look to the behavior of their buttons for the visual interest but rather to the motion background.
Thanks for the continued help.

Yes, I don't think jumping to loop point will quite get me where I want to be.
As far as upgrading, I don't currently own any part of the Studio suite. DVDSP3 doesn't qualify as a upgrade path, unfortunately. But, there are some resellers who offer FCP 5 at a reasonable price. Then I can upgrade from there to Studio for $99. With a little shopping, I think I can get there for maybe even a bit less than half the retail price of $1299.
Something to consider. Thanks.

How do I get video clips out of menu button?

iMovie 9.0.8 iDVD 7.1.2
I have a 90 minute video with 11 chapters. I found in "edit" menus something called populate drop zones" and clicked it for main page and two sub menu pages. When trying to burn, I got the error message "- There seems to be too much motion menu content in your project. Correct this problem before you continue burning this project."
Fine, I'll take out the damned videos out of the menus....BUT HOW? There seems to be no way to "unpopulate drop zones" I tried dragging a photo into the menu buttons without success.
I shouldn't have to start over and wait another hour for iDVD to read my iMovie project every time there is some change to make to drop zone content.

Sounds like Revolution and there's only one dropzone in the top menu. Type Command + i to bring up the info window for that menu. The dropzone will be the one in the middle:
It'll be the same for the submenus.
iDVD allows up to 15 minutes of playing time in motion menus. If you're referring to the buttons for the individual chapters you can change the button type to just text. Or if the video in the drop zone is longer than 15 minutes just add a still photo to the drop zone instead of a movie.
You can get an idea of the total menu playing time in the Project Info window:

Menu buttons not working in Apple DVD Player

I am having a real problem. I have a menu with three buttons. The default button takes you either of the other buttons (depending on whether you press right or down on the remote). These two buttons are auto-action and proceed imediately to other tracks. This works perfectly in home DVD players and in the Apple DVD Player using the "remote". Howver, if I try clicking the buttons using a mouse on the Apple DVD Player window, they DO NOT work! I have buttns over video on the same disc and these work perfectly by clicing on them with the mouse. Has anyone else had a problem like this and if so, have you found a solution? Many thanks!

Is the one that doesn't work a layered menu? DVD Player does not work correctly with layered menus, it takes one click to switch to the selected state, and a second click to activate the button.

Menu Buttons Change Image instead of Highlighting?

Does anyone know how to/or if it's possible to make a DVD menu in Photoshop for Encore where, when the menu button is highlighted it actually changes image instead of making it a solid highlighted colour?
For example...
In a DVD i'm making, I have Cartoon images that are the menu buttons. I would like to make it so that when you select it on your dvd player it makes the eyes open up wider and mouths of the characters open up. I have made the duplicate layers and changed one to have the open eyes and mouth and placed it directly ontop of the other and put both layers in the one group with the (+) to allow Encore to recognize it. But all I get is the top layer of the two turning to a top colour. I know that using prefixes like (=1) makes it highlighted and that is why it's highlighting but I don't know what else to suggest. I've looked at the prefixes on the Encore help on this site and tried to work it out but no luck
I know this is due to my lack of knowledge and really need some help to fix it, or know if it's even possible (I assume tht using such great products as Adobe it will be)
Thanx

Welcome to the forum.
This is easily done by doing dupe Menus for each Button. The Button on the original Menu will be set to Auto-Activate, and be linked to the dupe Menu with the different graphic. I would probably turn OFF Sub-picture Highlights.
The trick is to do a layout, and also name your Menus (especially the dupes), to reflect exactly what they do. I use Illustrator for my layout, but pencil and paper work well too.
Note: if run on a computer, the user will need to Dbl-click the Button, as Auto-Activate only works seamlessly from a DVD set-top player.
There are several other posts on this forum (a few very recent), where I go into much more detail. Also, Jeff Bellune's excellent book, The Focal Easy Guide to Adobe EncoreDVD 2.0, by Focal Press, has excellent, easy to follow steps for doing this. Though written for EncoreDVD 2.0, 100% of the book will apply to CS3 & CS4.
Good luck,
Hunt

Title & Menu Buttons not working correctly on remote control/ set top player but work in preview.

Title & Menu Buttons not working correctly on remote control/ set top player but work in encore preview. This only happens for a Blu ray project. When a user presses the menu button it should go to the previous menu they were on but it goes to the main menu. When they press the title button they should go to the main menu but it doesn't do anything. My DVD projects work as expected.I've tried creating a new "test" project with different footage and still get the same undesirable results.
Overrides grayed out and set to "not set" for timelines and menus.Project settings and build are set to blu ray. Also I've noticed when I preview a Bluray project the preview window shows a red colored disc next to the Title button when viewing the timelines and green when playing the menus but not so for a DVD project it displays red if motion menus and or timelines are not rendered/encoded. I'm not using motion menus and all the media is encoded according to the project specs.
I've searched this forum but couldn't find the answer. Any help or redirects to a solution would be appreciated. Working with CS5. Thanks.

I found out on my Samsung Blu ray player the remote has a tools button on it that brings up audio, angle, chapter selection etc.and also title selection which is actually the menus and the timelines unfortunately. It's not as easy or direct as last menu selected but it's a workaround at least. I also plan on using a pop up menu. I'll let you know.

Motion menu buttons in Layered menus

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