Menu requirements


    Create menus and buttons with these considerations in mind:

    Menu size

    Set the size of your background images and menus to match the frame dimensions of your TV standard (NTSC or PAL). Photoshop includes preset image sizes for NTSC and PAL DV projects.

    Button size

    Create buttons at least 70 x 60 pixels to guarantee their visibility on a television.

    Graphic elements

    Create buttons and other graphic elements (such as logos) at the largest size needed for the DVD. It is better to have to scale an object down if it is used in a smaller size in some places. (Scaling images up can cause quality loss; scaling images down does not.)

    Square pixels vs. rectangular pixels

    If you create menus or backgrounds using square pixels, it is best to size them using the Photoshop preset image sizes. When Adobe Encore DVD builds the DVD, it automatically compensates for the change in pixel dimensions. Thus, when the viewer plays the DVD in the rectangular pixel environment of the television, the menus will not appear squashed.

    RGB color

    Create your images using RGB color. Convert any CMYK images to RGB before importing them into Adobe Encore DVD.

    Horizontal lines

    Set lines at 3 pixels or greater. Horizontal lines thinner than 3 pixels flicker when displayed on a television screen.

    Font size

    Use a font size of 20 points or greater to ensure that the viewer can comfortably read titles and button text.

    NTSC colors

    Use only NTSC-safe colors. You can create colors in your graphics application that may be beyond the color range that NTSC televisions can display. These colors can cause an unwanted halo effect. Adobe Photoshop has a special filter that shifts your image colors to the NTSC-safe range.