16:9 menus in DVD Maestro

[the_dvd_freak]

I've been trying to get both 4:3 and 16:9 menus to work in DVD Maestro, but I must be doing "something" wrong.

I've designed my PAL menu in Photoshop in 1024x576 and have then scaled this to the normal PAL resolution of 720x576. Same for the subpicture (menu is a .jpg and the subpicture a .bmp).

I then create a menu in DVD Maestro using the prepared pictures and set its aspect ratio to 16x9.

After building the DVD I can see that the widescreen video I've attached to menu buttons plays in widescreen very nicely, but the menu opens in 4:3!

I have only tested this with PowerDVD XP, but it's hard to imagine that's the problem. Looking at the generated IFOs/VOBs with IFOEdit I can only see one menu anyway, shouldn't there be two (one for 4:3 and one for 16:9)?

Has anyone got this working?

Thanks.

[bira]

Read this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42625)

[the_dvd_freak]

Thanks, but as far as I can see this won't create an anamorphic menu, will it? Just a letterboxed version of the widescreen menu.

I was hoping to be able to present a 4:3 letterboxed version of the menu on 4:3 TVs and a nice anamorphic menu on widescreen TVs.

[bira]

Yes, that's what it does.

First you create the anamorphic version:
draw your menu at 854x480. That's widescreen.
Then you resize it to 720x480. That's the anamorphic widescreen.


Then, you create the letterboxed version.

First, take your original 854x480 background.
Resize it to 720x405. That's a smaller widescreen version.
Draw your subpicture and highlight. (as a new layer, if you use layers).

Resize it to 720x360
Add canvas. 60 pixels to the top and 60 to the botton. That's to get a 720x480 picture.


It worked for me. You just have to change to PAL.

[the_dvd_freak]

Ah, I see.

What's not quite clear to me is if one has to create two menus then? One anamorphic and one 4:3? If so, how does DVD Maestro auto-select the right one?

Or does one drag both the anamorphic and letterboxed subpicture onto the anamorphic backdrop? So create one menu with different subpictures?

[bira]

Originally posted by the_dvd_freak
Or does one drag both the anamorphic and letterboxed subpicture onto the anamorphic backdrop? So create one menu with different subpictures?

I know nothing about Maestro, but I guess that's right.

[the_dvd_freak]

What do you use for authoring, where your technique works? Scenarist?

[auenf]

Originally posted by the_dvd_freak
Ah, I see.

What's not quite clear to me is if one has to create two menus then? One anamorphic and one 4:3? If so, how does DVD Maestro auto-select the right one?

Or does one drag both the anamorphic and letterboxed subpicture onto the anamorphic backdrop? So create one menu with different subpictures?

when you create a menu in maestro, it will create the different aspect ratios, and they will be displayed depending on what the dvd player setting is (whether its setup for a 16:9 tv, a 4:3 PS or a 4:3 LB).

when you create a 'button over video' menu, you can create your own menus for each of the aspects, http://www9.brinkster.com/sportschook/?subpicaspect.jpg

Enf...