PSD menu cropped in Encore

[Greg Kimble]

The problem isn’t with Encore, its with the monitors. All TV monitors have what’s called “overscan”, which means that the image on the screen is at least 10% enlarged. On older sets it can be as much as 20%.

To be sure your menu displays properly, design it so that all buttons and text fit within what post production people call “tv safe”, a rectangle centered in your 720×480 frame that measures no larger than 648×432 (10% smaller than the whole frame).

Also, I don’t know if this could be a factor, but only professional NTSC is 720×486. Consumer DV is 720×480.

[Film Fan 5]

Thanks, but the problem isn’t the monitor.

I’ve adjusted scale a dozen different sizes in photoshop and it simply won’t adjust in Encore. Always remains cropped (overscan).

I’ve tried using the grids and getting the PSD menu in safe mode but Encore gives me an error whenever I try to scale the menu down.

Error reads:

“sorry, an abnormal condition has been detected. Before quitting, u have one chance to save your project”

The only time it will adjust and scale down (not overscaned or cropped) is if I prep the menu in photoshop by minimizing image using unconstrained portions, but Encore won’t allow for a proper fit.

[Greg Kimble]

Sorry, thought you meant it was cropping on the TV monitor…

Unlike After Effects and Premiere, which automatically use the newest version of an element (so long as it has the same name) Encore does not. If you make any changes in Photoshop, you must delete the original from Encore and import the new one.

[Roadkill]

FilmFan,

You shouldn’t resize the entire menu to the dimensions of the title safe area, but instead keep the menu background full size and position all important elements (like buttons and text) inside the title safe margins.

[Film Fan 5]

Maybe this helps… The menu is displayed fine on my PC using Nero as player. Again, cropped on TV.

I tried to scale down into title area RK but the scale option in Encore does not work with my layered PSD file. I select all layers and as noted in the Encore Manual, by scaling any layer, ALL layers should adjust equally. Instead I get an error:

“sorry, an abnormal condition has been detected. Before quitting, u have one chancew to save your project”

I could individually scale each element but that will take too long and I can’t guarantee uniformity and balance, where if the select all worked and scale of one scaled ALL elements…no problem.

I had a graphic designer create this menu for me and it’s far too nice for me to meddle.

[Film Fan 5]

Hi Greg,

I have been deleting original and importing new sized menu under a new name each time to no avail.

The image displays properly when played by Nero on my PC. But still cropped on TV’s.

[Roadkill]

The menu has to fill the entire NTSC 720×480 dimensions. So you will need a background (flat color, gradient, image, anything) that fills this. Then all elements that should never by shown cropped on any TV have to be positioned inside the title safe margins – i.e. the middle 80% of the background.

If the graphic designer made a menu that doesn’t take this into account, it will have to be re-designed. The problem you are experiencing is a limitation of all TVs and most video monitors, not something that is introduced by Encore.

[Film Fan 5]

Thanks RK. Though I feel by the forced snap to edges or fill of the menu frame (no matter the dimensions or ratio of menu) by Encore is a hindrance.

Additionally Encore 1.5 doesn’t allow for a select all and then scale down of all elements as noted in the manual. It generates an error when I attempted it.

[Joe Bowden]

Additionally Encore 1.5 doesn’t allow for a select all and then scale down of all elements as noted in the manual. It generates an error when I attempted it.

It doesn’t when I do it. Maybe you’re seeing a system-specific problem? Or perhaps there’s something in your menu that Encore doesn’t like? Maybe you could post a menu which fails? I’d be happy to check it on my system.

Regards,
-Joe

[Joe Bowden]

Unlike After Effects and Premiere, which automatically use the newest version of an element (so long as it has the same name) Encore does not. If you make any changes in Photoshop, you must delete the original from Encore and import the new one.

True Greg, but if you are working this way you are missing one of the key features of Encore.

When you import a PSD file as a menu, Encore makes a copy of it in the project folder. From here on out, you can edit the menu in Photoshop at any time using Edit > Edit In Photoshop, save it, and then it automatically updates in Encore.

The advantages of this scheme are 1) a ‘safe’ copy of the PSD file is made to be worked on within the project that is editable at any point within Photoshop – you can always re-import the original menu file at any point and start with a clean slate and 2) if you Edit In Photoshop, then decide you don’t like it, you can undo the changes from within Encore- this is not possible within Photoshop if the file is no longer opened. This schem also helps to make projects more portable for collaborative authoring, since the menus are all contained within the project folder- just send the project file and folder.

Regards,
Joe