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by Phil De Lancie
Ask most people what the difference is between VHS and DVD, and they'll tell you that the latter offers far better quality for picture and sound. But there's another distinction that, while less obvious at first, is perhaps more fundamental. VHS is a strictly linear medium, while DVD-Video is designed for random access and built-in interactivity. Figuring out how to use these navigational opportunities most effectively for a given DVD title is, in large part, what makes the DVD production process different from that of linear video formats.
The DVD-Video specification doesn't limit interactivity to making selections from menus, but for most titles menus are the focus of navigational design. "The design and functionality of menus are extremely important when creating a DVD," says Jason Causey, DVD Developer at IBM Business Innovation Services in Atlanta, Georgia. "For our customers, this functionality is generally what makes the difference between using DVD and using videotape."
Contents:
— Tailor to the Title
— What Goes Where?
— The Remote and the Mouse
— Highlights: Overlay or Bitmap?
— The Right Environment
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