"DVD @ccess" menu for ROM content

Beanie wrote on 10/10/2007, 6:03 PM
Hi

I recently authored a project that included ROM content so that a flash-based component would launch when the disc was put in a PC. (In fact although you can do this on DVD Architect, the disc will not be suitable for replication due to an error in the way DVDA writes the disc - I ended up using Toast to add the ROM stuff).

Now the same client wants the same content to work in a different way. They want to be able to access the ROM bit via the DVD menu (ie using a software DVD player.) You can do this on DVD Studio Pro by means of a "DVD @ccess menu" - ive not done it myself but i found a tutorial explaining how its done:

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/dvd_access_link_file.html

so the question is could i do something similar in DVDA?

thanks


Comments

Rich Reilly wrote on 10/10/2007, 8:37 PM
No answer here but I too was recently wondering if this could be done via DVDA scripting.
Are you saying DVDA doesn't write ROM portions properly?
I'm about to include a PDF via the extras folder.
Beanie wrote on 10/11/2007, 12:09 AM
Yes, DVDA does appear to write discs with extra ROM erroneously. The content will work perfectly fine and the video will play OK but the master will not be (officially) suitable for production. Some plants that produce stampers may not be so discerning. I use Eclipse software for testing DVD masters - this is what our plant uses - and it threw up an authoring error from my DVDA disc burn.

I have not tried testing a DLT tape of the same program. I also only tried this once in DVDA.

I did the same process with GEAR software and that also threw up an error. (If i still had the error reports i could be more specific here).

Adding ROM in Toast however produced a disc that passed - i just burnt a disc from DVDA without the ROM stuff, then dropped the Video TS folder into toast along with the files needed.
MPM wrote on 10/15/2007, 8:42 AM
FWIW there are a few methods for playing non-DVD content on a PC -- probably the most common with retail discs is provided by Interactual. There's info on-line re: using DVD Studio Pro, but, have no idea how compatible or commonly used it is -- I've personally only seen Interactual used retail. The process either way AFAIK is software is started using Autorun.inf when the disc is inserted in a PC drive. Interactual provides a viewer with links to whatever content -- basically like a web page. I *think* the MAC software is more involved, and intercepts the calls to things like PDF files. There are a few more companies more common with software installs that might also work I think, or could always use Flash. The advantage with Interactual may be not having to rely on separate playback software.

For masters would it work to write the master to hdd using DVDA, then burning those as data the same way you'd copy to tape? For errors using burned DVDs, purely guessing, might check the UDF version & if Joliet compatibility was turned on because of the ROM data? [I *think* v. 1.2 was most compatible?]
MPM wrote on 10/15/2007, 8:54 AM
@Rich "No answer here but I too was recently wondering if this could be done via DVDA scripting."

No std DVD player will interpret commands outside of the DVD spec. You can create screens of text and use them in picture comps or menus, but nothing outside mpg2 video. Best way I know of to check out how it can work is to play retail DVDs with Interactual content on your PC.

"I'm about to include a PDF via the extras folder."

I've seen DVDs refer to off-line content if that would work, or a cheap way out might be had playing with Autorun.inf files to open a text, html, or pdf file on PC insert. OTOH if/when your project is designed for PCs rather than TVs, forget about DVD video entirely -- there are many, much better alternatives for PCs.

Rich Reilly wrote on 10/15/2007, 10:53 AM
I'm more concerened about spec compatibilty when inluding a pdf.
i.e. I have DVDA andNero. I'll include the pdf via whichever tool assures success.
Votes?
MPM wrote on 10/15/2007, 11:05 AM
Actually I prefer neither, recommending Imgburn whitch is very highly rated. I took a look and found this: http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=4590