Help Needed Adding Menu

[EmmGee]

Total newbie here so please be gentle!

I have just bought my first DVD recorder to backup programmes from my PVR (Sky+). What I hope to do is to set the PVR to playback the programmes one after the other and record them onto DVD. Then I want to manipulate them (cut out ads / padding) and create a menu on my PC.

As an indication of where I'm currently at experience-wise, I have copied one programme from my PVR onto DVD and then used DVDShrink to "split" it into 3 chapters (although it turned out to be 4 for some reason) and ImgBurn to burn the split version back to DVD - all (apart from the rogue extra chapter) was 100% successful.

I'm looking for advice as to the best (and cheapest) way of doing this kind of manipulation (although I have to say that DVDShrink and ImgBurn seem pretty good to my inexperienced eye) AND of adding menus. As I said at the start, I am a TOTAL NEWBIE to the world of DVD recording so any help whatever would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[blutach]

Although we can't speak about DVD Shrink any more (see rule 19), there are several packages out there that can make menus for you. Perhaps the simplest (and totally free) is Titlewriter. See our Authoring & Editing forum.

If you want to go commercial, try Ner0 Vision Express or TMPGEnc DVD Author.

Regards

[EmmGee]

Thanks blutach - I'll check out TitleWriter later.

And apologies for my faux pas regarding DVDShrink - I must admit that I hadn't read the Forum Rules all the way to the bottom (although I have now!!!)

[EmmGee]

OK well just to update.

Managed to split my monster programme into 13 sections using the software that shall not be named and, thanks to TitleWriter, create a menu system to navigate around it. Created an ISO and burned it using ImgBurn.

All worked 100% fine and, considering there's almost 5 hours of programming on a single DVD, the quality isn't too bad. It's only a bunch of cartoons for a 4 year old so it's certainly watchable.

One thing - the menus are a bit basic / blocky / unclear. Any advice on improving them?

[blutach]

You can substitute your own menu backgrounds. Use the replace function of VobBlanker - guides on site.

Regards

[EmmGee]

I was more wondering whether there are settings that can be tweaked in TitleWriter to make the menus clearer / crisper or whether you're stuck with things as they are but thanks again blutach - I'll check out VobBlanker later.

[blutach]

Ask a question in Authoring & Editing forum - I am sure FallenAngel will answer you. However, the clarity of the menu will simply depend on the source material - ie the background display.

Regards

[EmmGee]

Cheers again blutach.

My issue is with the clarity of the text and how (assuming it is possible) to change the default "wood effect" background.

I'll ask in Authoring & Editing but if you've got any thoughts I would, as always, be glad to hear them.

[blutach]

You can make your own BMP - perhaps from a clip in the movie you have made. This is trivially easy with PgcEdit; just select the move PGC, preview it, find a scene you like and press BMP to save it.

Then add button titles in your favourite BMP editor (in the right spots, of course). Then replace the TW menus with VobBlanker.

Regards