Add a "play all" button for the DVD menu?

AAProds wrote on 10/14/2020, 7:38 PM

@MAA To "Play All", go to the DVD "Edit" screen (top left, click Edit) and add a design button and name it "Play All". Then just set up the actions, ie link to movie start, in the button properties (right click on the button to get to Properties). That will force the first movie to play. To play the other movies in sequence, set the button properties for all except the last movie to "jump to next movie". Set the the last movie to "jump to movie menu".

Ideally I would also like to be able to select any individual movie and have it play to the end and then jump back to main menu.

This will be tricky because you've already set each movie (apart from the last one) to jump to the next movie. That's one for the Brain's Trust! 😟

johnebaker wrote on 10/15/2020, 4:27 AM

@AAProds

Hi

. . . . To play the other movies in sequence, set the button properties for all except the last movie to "jump to next movie". Set the the last movie to "jump to movie menu". . . . .

Does that not override the requirement - 'Ideally I would also like to be able to select any individual movie and have it play to the end and then jump back to main menu'

AFAICS using the above if I clicked played movie 2 this would play all movies 3 - 8 as well and so on.

What this requires is a Playlist, however the MEP/VPX disc creation function does not have this capability, this is one of the reasons why I use DVD Architect, which also enables playing chapter without the rest of the movie playing as happens in MEP/VPX.

@MAA

DVD Architect will do what you want and much more, however it is not longer being developed/supported as disc creation is waning in favour of streaming.

DVDA is not available to purchase through the Magix website, however if you contact Magix Sales they may be able to sort you out.

John EB

AAProds wrote on 10/15/2020, 9:54 AM

@johnebaker

Gday John,

Does that not override the requirement -

it does, that's why I then said

This will be tricky because you've already set each movie (apart from the last one) to jump to the next movie. That's one for the Brain's Trust!

👍

@MAA

Another option would be to combine your 8 movies into one extra "movie" and label that as "Play All". Of course, the 8 combined would have to be a max of 1 hour or thereabouts so you could fit them, and the combo movie, onto a 4.7gb DVD. Or you could go DVD-DL, giving you 2 hours for your 8 movies and the other 2 hours for the combo movie.

Cheers., Al

MAA wrote on 10/16/2020, 2:19 PM

Thanks to both of you for your comments. I thought about creating an additional movie consisting of the eight movies, all on one timeline, as suggested. I am currently at about one hour of content so it may be possible. I really want the highest quality I can get from a DVD. I noticed that one of the burn dialog screens has a quality slider set at about the midpoint. I am of the mindset set that when burning a disc one should use the slowest burn speed and highest quality level to avoid discs that won't play on all players but don't have a lot of experience to draw on. I would appreciate your experience with adjusting the quality level setting - does it really enhance quality and playback reliability? If so, my disk is full. I see also bit rate can be adjusted but have no idea on how to work with that. Thoughts?

And yes, if I do go the additional movie route, my current one hour of content will essentially fill the disc. So, thanks again as I am also now thinking about getting a burner that will do two layer DVDs as well as Blue Ray. Blue Ray is something I have wanted to do in the long term anyway.

Regards, MAA

johnebaker wrote on 10/16/2020, 2:30 PM

@MAA

Hi

. . . . when burning a disc one should use the slowest burn speed and highest quality level to avoid discs that won't play on all players . . . . I see also bit rate can be adjusted but have no idea on how to work with that.. . . . .

In reverse order:

Bitrate setting - it is best not to adjust that control - this is the major cause of some discs that do not play in some players.
Quality setting - this makes subtle adjustments to the way the encoder works and for most video you will see little real difference in the results, however it does not affect playability.
Burn speed - I always burn one step down from the maximum speed of the disc maximum write speed specified - avoids making a disc that will not play on any player - ie 'a coaster'

John EB