0.1.1   DVD MENU GUIDELINES   print
0.1.2   DVD MASTER TAPE PREPARATION SPECS.   print
0.1.3   DVD PRODUCTION LOGGING   print

DVD MENU GUIDELINES

Note that all values below are for 4:3 NTSC specifications. Please contact us if you require information regarding 16:9 NTSC or PAL specifications.

Delivery Format:

• Preferred still menu graphics file formats are Tiff (.tif) and Photoshop (.psd).

Color considerations:

• Background images should be prepared in 24 bit RGB format.
• Use NTSC safe colors. Bright, saturated reds and yellows will bleed on NTSC monitors and some sharp color transitions will create unwanted artifacts at the boundaries where they meet. If possible, we recommend that graphics be proofed on an NTSC monitor during the design phase. One way to avoid most of these potential problems is to keep all RGB values below 230 (additionally, some graphics programs contain NTSC safe settings).
• Sub pictures should be 8 bit RGB with 4 colors only (as per the DVD spec); pure white (255, 255, 255) is always the background color and should be in position zero in the image's color table.

Size considerations:

• Since the DVD format doesn't use square pixels, there is a certain amount of vertical distortion when encoding graphics. Due to this, it is recommended to create menu graphics at 720 x 540 pixels, then scale them down (unconstrained) to 720 x 480 before delivery to us for the encoding process.
• Image size is 720 x 480 pixels for 4:3 NTSC format.

Safe Areas:

• To compensate for the overscan on television monitors, keep all important information and action within "safe" boundaries to ensure it will be viewed on every monitor. While "action safe" is considered to be 5% from the edge (648 x 432) and "title safe" is considered to be 10% from the edge (576 x 384), the general rule of thumb is to keep all crucial information 70 pixels from the sides and 50 pixels from top and bottom.
  
  Assuming a 720 x 540 document in Photoshop:
  Set Photoshop Guidelines at these positions for Action/Title safe:
  Horizontal guidelines = 37,72, 648, 684
  Vertical guidelines = 27,54, 486, 513

Text:

• In general, using 24 point (or higher) antialiased text will create the smoothest, user friendly type for DVD applications. The smallest type in any design should be 16 point.
• Avoid serifs as they can create artifacts due to the horizontal scanning of NTSC.

Miscellaneous considerations:

• When working at native NTSC resolution (480 horizontal lines), avoid single pixel horizontal lines.

DVD MASTER TAPE PREPARATION SPECIFICATIONS

Formats preferred :
                                    Digital BetaCam                 4:3 NTSC SD
                                    Digital BetaCam                 16:9 NTSC SD *
                                    BetaCam SP                      4:3 NTSC SD
                                                                       

*Anamorphic must be indicated on label.

Formats preferred :
                                    1"                                      4:3 NTSC SD
                                    3/4"                                   4:3 NTSC SD
                                    DVCam                             4:3 NTSC SD
                                    Mini-DV                             4:3 NTSC SD

General guidelines :
* Video

• All video tapes needs Color Bars and 1khz Audio Tones for 30 seconds at 00:59:00:00
• Content must start at 01:00:00:00
• Accurate Start TC and End TC indicated on outer label.
• For chapter points, a frame accurate log must be included with the tape.
• Indication of Non-drop frame or Drop frame MUST be included

* Audio

• Digital audio at 48K
• Head tones at -20dbFS digital; - 0UV Analog
• Audio needs to be level consist between segments and/or multiple tapes.

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DVD PRODUCTION LOGGING

Time Code (hh:mm:ss:fr)

Title or name of Chapter (Text will be flowed as typed)

Chapter Point (#)

Main Menu (Mark with an X)

Other Menu (Mark with an X)