4 Replies Latest reply: Mar 7, 2010 10:35 AM by Bill Hunt RSS

    Menu for widescreen DVD

    Howard Hoffman Community Member

      Simple DVD with one menu (chapter listing).  Should I use widescreen format or 4:3?  Or the menu is always 4:3?

       

      Thanks!

        • 1. Re: Menu for widescreen DVD
          John T Smith CommunityMVP

          Do you not see widescreen choices when you go to the menu list?

          • 2. Re: Menu for widescreen DVD
            Howard Hoffman Community Member

            I see both.  I've seen widescreen video DVD with both 4:3 and widescreen menu.  What's the tradeoff here?

             

            Thanks!

            • 3. Re: Menu for widescreen DVD
              John T Smith CommunityMVP

              I only do 4:3 (home video with an OLD analog camcorder, captured using a Pinnacle Dv500) so I am not an expert

               

              But... if I was doing widescreen, I would use a widescreen menu so the player/TV don't have to change modes during playback

              • 4. Re: Menu for widescreen DVD
                Bill Hunt CommunityMVP

                Well, the first trade-off is the way that the Menu will display, and then there is a limitation on the number of Buttons on a Widescreen Menu, 16 vs 32 for a 4:3 Menu.

                 

                Now, I do both 16:9 and 4:3. I choose the Encore Project Preset for whichever I am producing. I then do the Menus to match the Project. Everything works perfectly.

                 

                Back in PrPro, if I have to mix footage, I take my direction first from the client - what they want, and then from which looks better, 16:9 Cropped to 4:3, or 4:3 Cropped to 16:9. I do not like to have the Frame Size jump about, and do not want to have to adjust my PAR to force things to fit.

                 

                Now, I only work in SD, so am only doing DVD-Video Projects - no BD.

                 

                Just my thoughts, and good luck,

                 

                Hunt