PE12: possible to incude a static page at start of video?

Question

Is there a way to include a static page (one that will remain visible until the viewer clicks something else) at the start of a video in PE12?
You see this in some videos - a menu button to a page with notes, or a "read me first" type of page that has no time limit (just as the menu has no time limit).

Answer 1

Kawika808,
If one is going to produce a DVD-Video as the final delivery, the only allowed Transcoding is MPEG-2 DVD, for that DVD-Video. Regardless what one feeds the authoring program, it will be Transcoded to MPEG-2 DVD, and will then be wrapped into a VOB (Video Object) file, or files.
Now, that MPEG-2 DVD is an older format, and there are newer and better CODEC's available now. However, MPEG-2 DVD was what was agreed upon for DVD-Video, when it was developed. It is a much older format now, but is locked in by the DVD-Video specs.. The only options are to either burn an HD Timeline to BD (Blu-ray Disc), or create an AVCHD Disc, which is sort of like BD, but with differences, and will only be playable via a BD player.
I *believe* that DVD Architect wants an MPEG-2 DVD file, to author. I do not know how well, or even IF it can ingest an HD file, say MP4 w/ H.264, and down-rez that file, for final authoring to a DVD-Video. Even if it can, I would caution against introducing an extra level of compression, into the mix. H.264, while very good, IS a compressed CODEC. Something is always lost, when compressing Video with a lossey format - each generation of lossey compression will reduce quality.
Now, I have no doubt that an MP4 from a Timeline, is better than the older MPEG-2 DVD - but remember, that is only for the output file. If one then has to compress once more, to MPEG-2 DVD for authoring to a DVD-Video, the quality will decrease.
When I author a DVD-Video, with Adobe Encore, I have basically two choices, with one variation. I can Export a DV-AVI file, which will be Imported into Encore, which will Transcode to MPEG-2 DVD automatically - doing a very good job. A variation of that woudl be to use that same DV-AVI in Encore, and manually set the Transcoding myself. I could also Export an MPEG-2 DVD, taking many things into consideration (using Bit Budgeting), and then Import that MPEG-2 DVD into Encore, where it will not need to be Transcoded again. Another variation is that with one of the Adobe Suites, I can dynamically link my Timeline from PrPro to Encore, where Encore will do the Transcoding of that Timeline. I do not need to Export anything. All of those workflows will basically yield the same DVD-Video. *
Hope that helps, and good luck,
Hunt
* Some feel that the MainConcept MPEG-2 DVD Encoder is not the ultimate, so they can use other Encoders to create the MPEG-2 DVD. There are several "better" Encoders, that range from a couple $100, all the way up to the Encoder software, that Hollywood uses, that cost $100,000's, and are run by experts, who do nothing but Encode for DVD-Video, all day long. Such software will allow many passes, in the Encoding process, where with other software, they likely only have the option to do a 1-pass, or 2-pass Encoding. That is one reason that a commercial DVD-Video can look so good - especially with high motion material. A 10-pass Encoding, in the hands of an expert, can do so much more, than we mere mortals.