MacroSystem Digital Video DVD-Arabesk 2 User Manual
User manual
DVD-Arabesk 2
for Ca sab lan ca
Legal notices
To avoid making mistakes during operation, we recommend that you carefully follow the instruc-
tions provided in this manual.
We have taken a great deal of care whilst programming and checking this software.
Nevertheless, since it is not possible to guarantee totally error-free software applications in all en-
vironments and at any time, we unfortunately cannot rule out the possibility that some errors may
have crept in.
If, contrary to all expectations, this is indeed the case, we shall remedy any errors in the program
and supply the affected customers with the new software free of charge. We cannot, however,
accept any liability for loss of data/time or any consequential damages that may occur as a result,
particularly since we have no inuence over correct software installation and operation by the cus-
tomer. MacroSystem Digital Video AG and its dealers therefore cannot be held liable for any defects
or unintentional damage in connection with the installation or use of the DVD-Arabesk 2 software.
MacroSystem Digital Video AG and its dealers do not guarantee fault-free use of the product or
complete awlessness of the product.
Any implied guarantee is totally out of the question, including guarantee of suitability of the softwa-
re or operating instructions for a particular purpose.
Neither MacroSystem Digital Video AG nor its dealers are responsible for any damages resulting eit-
her directly or indirectly through the use of the software or the operating instructions, e.g. for prot
loss, costs, hardware or software problems or other problems.
Please therefore ensure that you backup your video footage before using the device. We recom-
mend that you do not delete the video footage and that you create a backup on DV tape before-
hand.
Since it is possible that changes have been made to the software after the manual was printed, the
functions shown and described in this manual might differ from the software.
Contents
Page
1. General............................................................................................................... 5
2. Installation and Starting the Program ............................................................. 5
3. The DVD-Arabesk 2 Menu ................................................................................ 6
3.1 Creation.................................................................................................. 6
3.2 Info / Play ............................................................................................... 12
3.3 Miscellaneous........................................................................................ 14
4. Practice Example for Layout of a DVD Menu.................................................. 16
4.1 Menu layout with DVD-Arabesk 2........................................................ 16
4.2 Menu layout with PIP-Studio ............................................................... 19
5. Practice Excercises for Specifying the Background Menu............................. 22
5.1 Animated DVD title text........................................................................ 22
5.2 Moving background with Liquid Images ............................................ 23
5.3 Moving background with Particle Magic ............................................ 24
5.4 Moving background with Akaba – New Concept............................... 25
5.5 Suggestions for layout ......................................................................... 26
1. General
5
Thank you for buying “DVD-Arabesk 2”!
We thank you for your trust and hope that this
product will meet your expectations.
This guide will show you how to easily create
your own DVD.
We are available for any questions or
suggestions you may have. You will nd
addresses and telephone numbers in the
Casablanca manual.
Please have your device’s serial number or your
customer number ready when contacting us.
2. Installing and Starting the
Program
In order to install “DVD-Arabesk 2” you will
need the SMART EDIT system software (at least
version 2.5).
If you want to install “DVD-Arabesk 2” as a
demo version only (also possible for Casablanca
systems without a DVD burner), select the
program in the list and click “activate”.
If you are working with SMART EDIT version 2.5
or higher, click on the “Cancel” button in the
displayed number code window.
If you are working with SMART EDIT version
3.1 or higher, click on the “Demo” button in the
displayed number code window.
The word Demo now appears after the program
name. Click on “Ok” to conrm and then
remove the SmartMedia card.
“DVD-Arabesk 2” is now installed as a demo
version.
Note: In demo mode only 200 MB of the total
4.7 GB DVD capacity are available for inserting a
lm. Demo mode therefore allows you to work
with only very short projects!
Leave your Casablanca turned on and select the
“Install Product” button in “System Settings”.
After the corresponding window has appeared,
insert the installation SmartMedia card into the
Casablanca drive so that the gold contacts are
facing down and the folded corner is pointing
forward to the left (in the direction of the
Casablanca).
After you have inserted the card, you will see
the software “DVD-Arabesk 2” displayed in
the window. Select it in the list and click on
“activate”. A numeric keypad is displayed for
entering the key code you have obtained from
your dealer.
After that, a message is displayed indicating that
installation is nished. You can then remove
the SmartMedia card which will restart the
Casablanca system.
In order to use the “DVD-Arabesk 2” program,
enter the “Finish” menu of your Casablanca.
You will see the program “DVD-Arabesk 2”
displayed in the list in the lower left area. Select
it now if it has not already been automatically
selected.
After you have created the complete video with
transitions, titles and audiom, click on the “Start
program” button to the right in order to start
“DVD-Arabesk 2”.
In case a message is shown indicating that your
rmware is too old, you can obtain this software
update free of charge from your dealer.
You will then be able to fully use or demo “DVD-
Arabesk 2”.
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3. The DVD-Arabesk 2 Menu
Now you see the “DVD-Arabesk 2” menu, which
is divided into three different blocks.
The buttons will be described in the order in
which they are used for the simple creation of
a DVD. You will also nd references to buttons
that are fully explained later in the text.
can select the desired lm or project.
You can see that the active project is the same
one you were last working on.
It is not necessary to enter “Project settings” in
order to change the project. This can be done
from the DVD menu.
Note: Only those projects marked with a white
point contain video material.
• You also see the information “Project length”,
which indicates the length of the inserted
project.
• You can specify the “Image quality” of the
project after conversion to the DVD standard by
clicking on the selection control.
There are Four levels available:
“Reduced”, “Normal”, “High” and “Maximum”.
3.1 Creation
This section explains the three functions
contained in the block “Creation“. This block lets
you layout and create a DVD.
3.1 Creation: Add Film
(1) Clicking on the button “Add Film” causes a
window with several functions to be displayed:
The image quality is determined by the data
rate (level of compression)- the better the image
quality, the more memory is needed.
High or maximum quality will ll up the DVD
more quickly then normal or low quality.
“Reduced” image quality guarantees that you
can write more than two hours of video material
to the DVD. Of course, this results in somewhat
lesser image quality. The program will warn you
of this with an appropriate message.
“Normal” quality corresponds to the quality
usually to be found on commercial DVDs.
“High” image quality corresponds to the
demands made by the DVD standard on
playback devices. This video should be able to
be played back just as normal quality is.
• You can now specify the desired project you
would like to add. Clicking on the button “Select
project” causes project selection (similar to
“Project settings”) to be displayed, in which you
The “Maximum” quality level makes full use of
the DVD standard. Not all DVD players support
this quality level. This may be the reason if your
video should icker or cause error messages.
Clicking on “Ok” displays an appropriate
warning message.
• The button “Audio mode” is used to specify
the audio quality: “uncompressed” or
“compressed”.
Compressed audio requires only a fraction of
the capacity, but at the cost of slightly reduced
quality. When creating a music video, it is
recommended that you use uncompressed
audio.
Note for the technically interested:
Uncompressed audio uses PCM audio with 16
bits and 48 kHz. Compressed audio uses MPEG
audio.
• You are also shown the “Size approximation”
for this project. The calculation takes account
of the quality level (discussed above) and the
duration of the project. The value displayed is
only an approximation; the actual amount of
required memory, once created, may be slightly
more or less than this amount.
If not enough memory is present, then you must
either reduce image/audio quality or remove
other projects.
A message appears before a lm is added if this
would cause the project to become too large to
t on the DVD. In some cases the project could
still t on the DVD, because the calculated value
is only an approximation.
• The displayed “free capacity” indicates how
much space is still free on the DVD.
• You can divide your project into chapters by
clicking on the button “Edit Chapters”. These
chapters can be individually selected later when
playing the DVD (with the remote control unit,
not with the DVD menu). This is a signicant
help, especially with large projects.
Selecting the function “Edit Chapters” opens
a window in which the individual storyboard
scenes are displayed. The scenes are displayed,
for example, as follows:
Chapter 1 000.05:00 S1
7
A chapter must always begin at the start of a
scene, so scroll through the scenes displayed in
this window and decide where you would like to
set the beginning of a chapter. Select the line of
the desired scene and click on the corresponding
button “Start Chapter”.
The subsequent Chapters are numbered
automatically by the system to reect your
set chapters. (Clicking on the button “Undo
Chapter” removes the chapter point.)
After having set the chapter, leave this menu
by clicking on “Ok” so that you are again in
the “Add Film” window. Click on “Ok”, so that
your settings are automatically calculated and
the lms are added to the “DVD-Arabesk 2”
program. This can take some time, depending
on the size of the project
Note: For very detailed video material the lm
might not t on the DVD, even though the
approximation seemed to predict enough space.
If this should happen, it will be at the end of the
calculation. In this case try again with a lower
quality level or with compressed audio.
After the project has been inserted, you can
call up the “Add Film” window again in order
to select another project, which is then also
automatically added. Please note that only a
maximum of six lms can be added to one DVD.
Note: You can of course remove an already
added lm if you wish. You can also change the
lm sequence. For more on this, please read 3.2
Information / Play, item (4).
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3.1 Creation: Edit Menu
(2) Click on the “Edit Menu” button and you
will see the title“Casablanca DVD” in the
background (or the title of the previously edited
DVD) and the rst image of each of the added
lm projects with the project name appearing
below it. The foreground displays an operating
panel containing various options for laying out
the DVD menu.
At the upper edge of the panel you will see
the selection button named“Menu” that lets
you access the nine different settings that are
described below.
The bottom portion of the operating panel
displays the individual options of the current
“Menu” setting.
• “Control”: Here you can make the settings that
effect how the nished DVD is played when put
into a DVD player.
DVD is inserted. After the rst lm ends, the
menu appears, but you now do not see the rst
lm listed in the DVD menu screen. It is now
not possible to start the rst lm again from the
menu.
“Trailer + Menu”
This setting plays the rst lm automatically, but
also displays the lm in the DVD menu, where
can now be selected again.
• “Background”
This function is used to specify the background
of the DVD menu.
“1. Film”
This function gives you the chance to specify
whether the rst lm projects is automatically
played or simply listed in the menu.
“Menu”
With this option, the DVD menu appears when
the DVD is inserted into the player, and the rst
lm is not automatically played.
“Trailer only”
This plays the rst lm automatically when the
“Type”
This button provides the choice of a “Color”,
“Pattern” or “Scene” for your DVD menu
background. After this is designated, you can
use the “Select” control lying below to call up
the color box, the image pool or a specic scene
from any of your projects.
If you decide to use “Scene”, then you can
select a project of your choice in the “Select
project” window. The scene bin for the project
appears when you click on “Ok”. Now you can
select the scene in the same manner you would
select a scen in the main Edit screen: either by
clicking directly on it with the arrow, with the
controls to the right and left that allow you to go
directly to the beginning or the end of the scene
bin.
The rst image of the scene is used. If you want
another frame in the scene other than the rst
9
image, go to the main “Edit” menu and trim
the scene or split it into two scenes and select
the second half of the scene as your icon stamp
selection.
The “Mode” button gives you the choice of
“Still” or “Animated”, so that you can specify a
xed or moving background scene. The duration
of a moving background scene is limited to one
minute. You can choose a scene that lasts longer
than a minute, but the material will loop after
the rst minute.
The DVD menu is played in an innite loop.
(Please read the practice example 4.2 “Menu
layout with PIP-Studio”).
If you have specied either “Color” or “Pattern”
under “Type”, then of course only the setting
“Still” is possible.
If on the other hand you have picked “Scene”
under “Type” and “Animated” under “Mode”,
then the audio of your scene can be heard
during background display if you activate the
“Audio” control.
• “Title”: You can use this function to give the
background menu a proper title.
If you are working with SMART EDIT version 2.5,
then to start a new line enter a backslash “\” and
then the letter “n”. Both these characters appear
then appear after the previously entered letters.
Now you can enter the words meant for the next
line. The rst such letter appears directly after
the “n” entered together with the backslash.
After you press “Ok”, you will see the text you
have entered appear as a multi-line title.
If you have the Power Key-Option, then you can
exit the screen keyboard with the Return key.
If you are using SMART EDIT version 3.1, then
simply press (also with Power Key-Option) the
key combination “Alt, Return” if you want to
move to a new line. The “Return” character then
appears directly after the previously entered
letter. Now you can enter the words destined for
the next line. These words are displayed directly
after the “Return” character. Clicking on “Ok”
(or pressing the “Return” key with the Power
Key-Option) lets you see the text you have
entered as a multi-line heading.
Clicking on “Font style/size” causes the usual
font selection panel to be called up. You can use
this to select the font and font size from every
font in your Casablanca.
Clicking on the button “Text” causes the screen
keyboard to be called up, with which you can
enter a title after you have deleted the existing
title.
You can enter a text consisting of several lines.
The button “Style” calls up the window “Text
Style” in which you can set further attributes.
You can use the button “Position” to position
the heading exactly where you would like it,
e.g. at the upper or lower screen edge. The text
appears in a dashed-line frame that you can
reposition with the trackball. You conrm the
chosen position by clicking with the left trackball
key.
• “Stamps”: With this function you can specify
the type of beginning images that represent
your lms on the DVD. The rst picture of this
scene will later represent the lm in the DVD
menu.
Please note that only one beginning image can
be selected for each lm, i.e. you can specify a
maximum of six beginning images on the DVD.
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