Hi mrmusic -

On the root menu page, are you wanting the video to play as the menu background (i.e. with the labels/thumbnail overlaid)?

If so, you can add any video as a background. This tutorial shows you how http://youtu.be/rGCM_Vs4O-M if you don't want to sit through the whole thing, start at about 9:20

As another possibility, you can apply any video as a "First Play Video", which will play before the root menu appears.

If your video is going onto a standard DVD, it will eventually become MPEG-2 DVD HQ. You don't need to pre-produce, but if you do, that would be the best option.

Cheers - Tony
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Thank you sir.... but that isn't the video I'm referring to. It is what is playing in the little video preview box of the root menu. I have tried what you suggested.... and it only replaces the animated menu template with the video clip I import. I don't care that the video preview is there.... but how do I change WHAT it is showing. And you said I don't have to produce (render) it first? I have always done that... and was never overly thrilled with the finished burned product. I'm making a video of a church small group Christmas party from last year, .. to be given out at this years party this upcoming Friday night. About 10 seconds into my timeline is a cartoon, .. and it's that cartoon that is always showing in the root menu preview window. I want the cartoon to be a surprise, and the menu has given it away before we actually start the video. Hope this is more clear. Thanks a bunch for your help. Thanks again Tony.

Oh I see -

If the "surprise" cartoon is 10 seconds into the timeline, and you don't want it to appear on the root menu page, you could:

Reset the automatic menu time out to 9 seconds in Playback Mode
- that means the thumbnail video will play for 9 seconds, then the disc will skip to the first video (full screen) without any human interaction.

The attached image shows where that is...

Do you have chapters marked in your timeline? Do you want them? Do you really want a menu? It sounds like the kind of video that needs neither.

Cheers - Tony
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thats a great idea....but it will only accept 10-99 seconds. I have inserted additional material at the beginning of the time line, but it still picks the exact part of the video I don't want shown. I don't know how it determines what specific part of the video it shows there. You get the option when setting up chapters to pick what shows in the chapter windows. I don't understand why you cant choose what shows in the Root menu window. Thanks for trying, though.
Bob

Whoops! That turned out to be a silly idea, though the concept is right... so is your idea of inserting extra clips or images at the start.

Surely - if you put you secret cartoon at 15 seconds and have the menu time out set to 10 seconds, it will not show in the root menu page.

You didn't answer the other questions... do you want a menu? do you want chapters?

Can you please post a screenshot of your timeline showing the position of the cartoon?

Cheers - Tony
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mrmusic, if I understand you correctly, what I wrote up here and the pic should help you. If I didn't grasp your intent, please post a picture of your root menu and what you want modified.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/25412.page

Jeff

here is a screen shot of the timeline. I see the Cartoon logo I don't want showing is at the :33 second mark

Here is a screen shot of one of the holiday menus.... note the WB cartoon logo showing in the middle.... that logo appears :33 seconds into the video... I have added additional material in the thought that it would pick something else to show there instead of what is there now. Nothing has made a difference, so far.

In trying to make this home dvd, which production format should I use to make the highest quality dvd? MP4, MP2? what what settings? I want a finished product that will play on the most dvd players. Don't I have to "produce" before I go to create disk mode? I've tried both, but skipping the produce tab, and going on to create disk, I get no options for quality. Does any of those options in the produce section have a bearing on the finished output? Thanks

Hi,
Producing the 'clips' at the resolution and format of the original footage gives the best display and reduces the strain on your system at the create disk menu. that being said to play on most DVD players Mpeg-2 is the safest, but the quality won't be as good as say a AVCHD or H.264 file.
Jim
p.s. This is my own opinion and subject to comments Intel i7-2600@3.4Gz Geforce 560ti-1GB Graphic accelerator, windows 7 Premium 12GB memory

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....ok so i assume that means you dont skip the produce tab, and go on to Create disk tab. But which resolution should I use?
24p ... 60i ... does that matter? I notice in the AVC mode I have the options of 16, or 24, or 28 mbps.... more confusion. Thanks

Hi,
I don't think that matters (but I am not sure) I produce my stuff at 24 p. The AVHCD only the newer players support that format as far as I know. It would give the better quality tho'.
I am experimenting with the image you posted as of right now.
The implementation is dependent on your knowledge of PD and working with bitmaps.
Here is an empty Png.
Jim Intel i7-2600@3.4Gz Geforce 560ti-1GB Graphic accelerator, windows 7 Premium 12GB memory

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Wow James, ... where did you find that image? cant find the location of the menu files. I have one animated menu that somehow has my video playing in on top (as in front... i.e. front layer) and I don't know how it got there... or how to fix it.

by the way, one person (back in a inquiry in 2012) said you can adjust what plays in the root menu window by playing the preview and at the bottom left will be little triangles to adjust what plays there. It isn't there in my program... if I start and stop the preview enough, I will get the chapter markers to show... but that's it.

Hi,
That is the image you posted on the Forum...I played with it and took the Tree shape and made it transparent.
Here is a better one I think feel free to use it.
I think this may be more customizable

If you want more help you can pm me and I will try and guide you...
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I understand that Jim....I mean, where does PD store them on the hard drive.... Question 2 wasn't the tree outline transparent already? Otherwise how would the clip be visible at all?

Hi,
The image Posted here was a 'Menu' already made with mY videos Play and scenes menu incorporated I downloaded it and modified to have the 'tree' shape transparent. Now when you import that to Pd to track 2 whaever is on track one shows in the tree area.

Here is a sample Intel i7-2600@3.4Gz Geforce 560ti-1GB Graphic accelerator, windows 7 Premium 12GB memory

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I hate to keep bugging you...but what program did you edit it with....still seems odd that you can't pick what section of the movie shows in the window.. If you have followed this entire thread...

Quote: I hate to keep bugging you...but what program did you edit it with....still seems odd that you can't pick what section of the movie shows in the window.. If you have followed this entire thread...

About 13 responses ago I posted for you how to do it, did you try it? What did not work?

Jeff

Hi,
I used Corel Photo-Paint x3 as I am comfortable with that one. Menu Designer in PD hasn't changed in a long time (it is a cumbersome module to work with). As for the second question as to selecting the clip that shows, I believe you can but not sure as to how (or for sure if you can). I am retired so spend my time with my computer and PS4 (now) and trying to help members here. I am not an expert with PD tho'.
I try and figure out work around for a things I want to achieve.
Jim
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