Deciding which video standard to use, Deciding what content to include, Creating a storyboard – Apple DVD Studio Pro 4 User Manual
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Deciding Which Video Standard to Use
In addition to choosing the DVD standard you want to use, you must also choose the
video standard to use. You can choose between NTSC and PAL. This choice affects the
video resolutions and frame rates that are supported.
Important:
You cannot use both NTSC and PAL assets in the same project.
Also, be careful not to confuse the video standard setting with the region code setting.
The region code setting allows you to specify the regions that can play your
DVD—choosing a region that primarily contains PAL countries does not force you to use
the PAL video standard, though in most cases you would want to.
See
for information on which countries support each video
standard. It is also useful to keep in mind that DVD players that can play both NTSC and
PAL are becoming more common and are most common in PAL countries. However, in
most cases, while the DVD player can output either video standard, it assumes the video
monitor it is connected to can display either standard (which is less likely to be true).
Deciding What Content to Include
The audio, video, and still-image files used by DVD Studio Pro in authoring DVD projects
are known as assets. Often you’ll have a good idea of what primary assets you want to
include when you start your project, but you may think of additional items once it is too
late to create them. For example, providing a second language may greatly increase the
value of a corporate title but may require you to create new menus to support it.
Additionally, including nontraditional items on a DVD, such as PDF files and web links,
can add a great deal of value to titles that will be viewed on computers.
You may also have the opposite problem—you may have too much content for a DVD
title. Be sure you know which content is required and which is optional. Explore the
feasibility of creating a dual-layer DVD or double-sided DVD. Some content may be suitable
for encoding at lower bit rates or as MPEG-1 streams. Perhaps instead of using
uncompressed AIFF audio, you can use Dolby Digital AC-3 to save space. See
for more information.
Creating a Storyboard
Even simple DVD titles with only a few menus can benefit from the time you spend in
the planning stages.Storyboarding includes planning the interaction between the menus,
tracks, slideshows, and stories. It helps you visualize what the viewing experience will be
and ensures that there are minimal surprises during the authoring process.
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Chapter 2
Planning Your Project