Hello adobe users.
I am having some difficulty in learning to create a video thumbnail that is not an actual "button".

I have edited a preview loop, and wish to display it on one of my sub-menu's. My goal is to have a video preview pane that does not act like an actual button, meaning the video play within the thumbnail only. I do not wish for this button object to actually link to another sub-menu or full screen video.

my O'reilly Encore DVD book mentions this is possible but doesn't explain how it is done specifically.

Seems to me that encore could be improved with a simple option to deactivate the link property, while the video properties still remain on the object

Can anyone help me out please?

best regards,
Scott

You can't really do this with Encore alone.

Instead, create the video in Premiere Pro or After Effects, and then export it, and then import it into Encore for use as a video background for your menu.

I think you mis-understood me, but I appreciate your comment-
I have a motion background already. It works fine.

I want to add a simple video tile on the sub menu. I have edited a video to play in the window. The book I have (Encore 1.5) indicates that encore buttons can be used to create a video pane that just plays the linked item within the thumbnail. It should just play the video and have no navigation properties.

Some of my online browsing leads me to think this is possible with "routing" options. For example I would create a standard button, and remove the ability to navigate this button in the DVD routing options.

If anyone is familiar with a technique, or tutorial I would greatly appreciate a link or explanation!!

-Scott

I didn't think I misunderstood you, but perhaps I did.

You want a video tile in your menu that plays some kind of video, but is not a button. Do you want it to do anything when a button in the menu is selected or activated?

Scottro79,

What you want to do is create a PiP for your "background" video. This would be done in your NLE of choice. Now, if you wish the viewer to "think" that they have activated this thumbnail, then do an identical Menu, but include the background video from the first, with a PiP of your thumbnail.

As Joe points out, this cannot be done directly, but the illusion of it can be with the use of an NLE and PiP (Picture in Picture). It just depends on how you wish to implement the effect.

Why don't you tell us about how you wish the user to encounter this non-Button thumbnail, and someone can step you through the creation of the illusion. The DVD spec is pretty limited, but there are people here, who make David Copperfield look like a "piker."

Good luck,

Hunt

This thread may describe what you want.

<http://www.adobeforums.com/webx?128@@.59b64342>

Isolating the button routing is the easiest way to do it, but as Jeff Bellune points out, it isn't perfect when using a computer to view or if you push the appropriately numbered button on the DVD remote.

Using the background renders works perfectly, if you don't want to do as Bill suggests and use your NLE or after effects.
John

Hi Scott,Bill & John
Scott has raised this issue again
why can we not disable the button from navigation but retain its features its a great idea.

Scott we offered a good solution for this derived from a previous thread and ideas from the above minds
without using other softwares.

have a read here
<http://www.digitalvideoteam.co.uk/newsletter.htm#tips>
the article links back to the original forum discussion

video editor is a good alternative personally put the boat out for after effects integration as it overcomes many restrictions and allows for proper project recreation. Herein lies a problem, i remember many years ago i used after effects for the first time, gee was i dissappointed, not that software was in anyway bad it just did not easily reveal its capabilities.
by including media project builders by example and conveying the relevant software capability simultaneously permitting access and use of the concept makes the learning process much more enjoyable

<http://www.hd720.co.uk>

After effects needs to shipped with more of this
with cs3 integration this type of consructor can easily be included into encore and it would be nice to see some dynamic link project inclusions

Robert