Apple DVD Studio Pro 4 - Manual (Page 101)

Rescale dimension Starting dimension Square pixels Resolution
1920 x 1080 pixels 1920 x 1080 pixels Yes 1080i (NTSC, PAL; 16:9)
Note: HD projects can also use SD assets, which should use the same starting and rescale
dimensions as in SD projects.
For the 480p and 576p resolutions, you use the same process that you would use with
NTSC 16:9 and PAL 16:9. The 720p and the non-anamorphic 1080i resolutions both use
square pixels. The anamorphic 1080i resolution is based on square pixels that are rescaled
to 1920 x 1080.
Note: Later versions of Adobe Photoshop include presets with guides for most of these
HD resolutions.
Important: You should always try to have the menu’s resolution match the resolution of
the items it links to. This includes the two versions of 1080i (anamorphic and
non-anamorphic). A noticeable hesitation can occur during playback because HD playback
equipment needs to change its resolution to match each asset.
Creating Overlays
As viewers use the arrow buttons on the DVD player’s remote control to cycle through
the buttons on a menu, they need some sort of indication as to which button is currently
selected. If they activate the button, they need an indication of that, too. An overlay’s
primary function is to show the viewer which button is currently selected or activated.
Note: If you intend to use shapes for your menu buttons, you do not need to create
overlays.
Overlays are still images that contain the graphics used to show each button’s three states
(normal, selected, and activated). One overlay file contains all of the buttons. Part of the
menu creation process in DVD Studio Pro is to identify each button and set its function.
The overlay is almost always used in conjunction with the background image. For example,
the normal button art may be in the background, while the overlay supplies only the
selected and activated highlights, such as a halo or checkmark.
About Simple and Advanced Overlays
DVD Studio Pro allows you to choose whether to work with simple overlays that use a
single overlay color, or advanced overlays that use up to four colors. Simple overlays are
easier to create and configure but are not as flexible when creating complex menus.
Advanced overlays give you the ability to use multiple colors for a button’s selected and
activated states.
101 Chapter 6 Preparing Menu Assets