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The following tutorial that will teach you how to make a looping DVD using DVD Studio Pro.

Requirements:

• DVD Studio Pro (Mac only)
• a digital video clip(s)
• blank DVD media

1) Open DVD Studio Pro

You must have DVD Studio Pro installed on your computer to get beyond step #1 of this tutorial. The application is pretty expensive and Mac only. Buy it now with your boss' credit card from Amazon.com or Apple.com. Or find an evaluation copy using BitTorrent. You need DVD Studio Pro to proceed any further. Get the application and install it on your Mac.

2) Preferences

When you first launch DVD Studio Pro, a preferences window will ask you to select the following:

• Configuration: Basic, Extended or Advanced. Say goodbye to the baby steps crap. Pick Advanced.
• Video Standard: NTSC or PAL. Depending on where you live, you will need to select NTSC (US & Japan) or PAL (Europe).
• Project Resolution: SD DVD or HD DVD.

If you are unsure, just pick something for now. All these settings can be edited later.

3) Gather Your Digital Media File(s)

DVD Studio Pro allows you to import most QuickTime or MPEG2 based digital video types but unfortunately you won't always get a media file that DVD Studio Pro likes. If you try to import an incompatible video Format, DVD Studio Pro will give you an error that says "Incompatible Format." If you get this error, then you need to convert the file to another format.

For flexibly reasons, I suggest you import a Quicktime movie with audio into DVD Studio Pro. This way you can go back and edit the video clip if needed. DVD Studio Pro will automatically refresh the clip and reencode in DVD Studio Pro if needed.

You can use several applications to encode/transcode/convert your media for DVD Studio Pro. Some of my favorite compression apps are BitVice, QuickTime, VisualHub and Compressor. For example, recently I was given a crappy MPEG1 muxed file and asked to make it into a looping DVD. I used VisualHub to convert the MPEG1 to a MP4 so I could edit it using QuickTime Pro.

And if your source file is on DVD, you can use an application like Handbrake to "rip" it. You can also use Handbrake 0.9.3 and higher to convert digital video files.

4) Trim & Export Your Clips

Chances are your client will want a tight loop. So trim out slates, countdowns and pauses of black. A tight loop with have no frames of black at all. I suggest using Quicktime Pro ($30) to quickly trim your clips. Cut off the few seconds of black at the top and tail in the clip.

Once you've tightened up your clip, you should export out the file as a QuickTime movie (File > Export). If you don't see the Export option in QuickTime, then you need to buy it Quicktime Pro ($30).

Select the "Options" button and then click on "Settings." Export your movie using Animation compression, Automatic key frames, Millions of Colors and Linear PCM 44.1 audio.

5) Import Media into DVD Studio Pro

When your media is ready, choose Import (File > Import > Asset) and select your media.

Once your media files are in DVD Studio Pro, the application will split the audio and video from each other and start Encoding them to MPEG2 and PCM audio.

An encode in progress (above) and complete (below).

The time it takes to encode your clip will depend on the speed of your computer and the complexity and duration of your video clip. You can tweak the encoding settings by Right-Clicking (or Control-Click) on your clip. Don't go higher than 7.0 for your Max Bit Rate of most DVD players won't be able to play your disc.

6) Delete Default Containers

Now that we have our video clips prepared, let's author this DVD already.

Make sure you are working in Advanced Mode. From the Window menu select the Advanced Configuration (Window > Configurations > Advanced). Here's a screen shot in case you get confused.

By default, DVD Studio Pro adds a Menu and a Track container to a new project. Delete both of these now.

7) A One Track Mind

For a DVD loop, we only need one Track. Drag and drop your video from the Assets window to the Graphical window. This will automatically make a named track in the pixel ratio of your clip. Sweet.

8) Set "First Play"

Setting a First Play for your DVD is extremely important. As soon as the DVD enters a DVD player, the container defined as the "First Play" is played on the disc. If you don't enable a First Play on your DVD, when the user puts it inside a DVD player, nothing will happen.

Click anywhere in the blank gray area and you'll be able to edit properties for the entire DVD in the Properties window.

In the Properties window you can name your disc and and define the First Play. Type in a name for your DVD, then select your "Name of your Track [track]" as the First Play.

If you successfully set the First Play, then you should see a little blue disc icon in the top left of your Track container. Congrats! Do a little dance around your cubicle.

9) Make Your DVD "Loop"

So you put your disc in a DVD player and it plays your Track as the First Play, but what happens when the Track is finished playing? The DVD will just stop playing unless you set your Track's End Jump to loop back onto itself.

Click on your Track in the Graphical window. In the Properties window on the right, click on the End Jump drop down and select the Track. You can also rename the clip here as well if you want. In the screen shots below I named my Track "video clip." I'm wild like that.

You should now have a disc with a First Play and a Track that will End Jump back to itself.

Is your loop really short? If your loop is under 2 minutes, then you should lay it down in the timeline multiple times. Why? The laser in DVD players has a 1-3 second seek time. This means after your track is finished playing, the laser will need 1-3 seconds to find the start of the loop again. If this 1-3 second pause only happens every 10 minutes or so, then no one is really going to notice. If your loop is only 15 seconds and it pauses 3 seconds every time then it will be very noticeable and look like a huge mistake.

Before we go any further, now would be a good time to Save your DVD Studio Pro project. Save your project file in the same folder as your media.

12) Program the Remote Control Buttons

If you are making this DVD loop for a client, you might want to custom program the buttons on the remote control so they all only do one thing... loop! This way, almost every button on the DVD remote control will start you loop.

13) Simulate

Unless you like wasting blanks DVD's, you should Simulate your DVD before burning. Just click on the Simulate button on the top toolbar. You want to make sure both your First Play and End Jump are working properly. Watch your DVD and confirm that everything works.

• If you immediately see a black screen and nothing else happens, then you messed up the First Play. Put down the bottle booze in your other hand and go read the First Play section again you lazy turd. And pay attention this time.
  
  
• If your video only plays once and never loops, then you screwed up the End Jump. Seriously, wake it up and read the End Jump section again.

14) Build / Format

If your DVD Simulates successfully, then you are ready to Build and Format your DVD. A "Build" is a software or virtual version of your DVD. DVD Studio Pro will make a software version, or a Build, of your DVD before it makes a physical burned version.

Click on the Build/Format button in the toolbar.

A dialog window will appear. Where it says Current Build, click on the Choose button.

Make a new folder called "builds" inside your project folder and save your build there.

Click Build & Burn. DVD Studio Pro will now Encode any leftover video clips, build your DVD and Burn it.



When the disc is finished, you will see this dialog box. Go test your DVD in a DVD player before you burn anymore. The last thing you want to do is deliver a stack of DVDs to a client that don't work.

15) That's It Baby!!!!!!!

You've successfully completed this tutorial. Congratulations! Not only have you made a professional looping DVD, but you've also perfected a skill that you can charge a major corporate client up to $1,000 per authored disc.

Congratulations! You are done. Go buy yourself a drink... and feel free to buy us one too. These articles don't write themselves. Show us some love and drop a PayPal dollar in our MethodShop.com Beer Fund. Beer Fund If you are low on cash, you can say thanks by following us on Twitter, fanning us on Facebook, subscribing to our RSS feed or joining our weekly mailing list. We totally appreciate your support.

If you search around the Internet, most websites charge you money or make you register for the information in this tutorial. We offer it free and only ask you tip us if you have an extra $1 in your pocket.

Most people won't even read this paragraph so here's your reward: DVD Studio Pro Loop Template. Just download that file and you won't even have to do most of the stuff listed above. That's your reward for reading the whole tutorial.

Happy looping!