DVD with Interactive Extras

[Eric Pautsch]

eDVD is about your only reliable bet in including this functionality on the ROM side of the disc. You could include a Flash or Director application to do this – similar to a flash site and use eDVD to access this portionn of the disc.

Here’s a good eDVD tutorial for V3:

https://www.sfbaaug.org/tutorials/sonic_edvd.html

This will, however, only work on a computers. Set tops cannot access DVD-ROM material.

Good Luck

[Wts(jmanz)]

Terri,

Your two options are indeed eDVD and Intellidisc. Eric posted a link to Alex A’s excellent tutorial on the basics of using eDVD 3 (it’s now at version 4), which is very helpful when you are first starting to use the application. eDVD 4 is the only way to do something as potentially complex as you describe. There is another article on the features available with the latest version:

https://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/page_wrapper.cgi?forumid=55&page=https://www.creativecow.net/articles/manz_james/edvd4_rev/index.html

Intellidisc would allow you to have an ‘interactive’ map with changing text and video boxes. However, it will only work on a PC, and it takes some reasonable knowledge on html creation to put it all together.

One last thought, and this is coming from someone who has done a fair amount of these types of discs, I am not sure how much longer rom content enhanced discs are going to be supported for standard definition discs. The next generation HD discs each have their own means of adding enhanced content, which is departure from what is used on standard definition discs. I think future resources will be focused on HD discs, and alas, standard def discs are going to go by the wayside (as it relates to rom enhancement; I think video only distribution will be around for some time). eDVD 4 has dropped off the face of the earth so to speak on Sonic’s website (unless someone can point me to where they are hiding it now). Some types of content (like Flash) have in the past relied on Sonic to update eDVD so that it work appropriately–but if it’s not being actively supported, there will be limits to the types of content you can add. eDVD is based on Interactual Player, and it’s unclear as to what will happen in the future with Vista, new IAP players and the retro-workability of discs created with older players or based on older players and the new systems they will be played on.

I hope the discs will continue to play, but time will tell. For right now your first challenge will be to find a copy of eDVD 4. If you do, then there would be a way to emulate what you describe, but it would take some pre-planning and work to accomplish (but it would work well, and be fun for the viewer).

Jim

[Eric Pautsch]

Thanks Jim!

That was the tutorial I was looking for but settled for Alex’s.

[Terri Gustafson]

Thanks for the insite. I’ve been looking around at Sonic’s website and it appears the eDVD is no more according to their user forums. When I search for it, all I come up with is DVDit 6 Pro and as of December, eDVD is NOT included with it. So, that changes my plans a bit.

There is a feature on “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” called “Capt. Jack: Head to Toe” that will work on both my set-top player and my DVD-ROM in my PC. I’m guessing they did this with scripting and “faked” the interactive part of it. (??) Thoughts? Familiar with this feature?

Thanks!!!