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Adobe Encore DVD 2.0: Classroom in a Book Review |
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Written by David Thompson
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Tuesday, 05 August 2008 |
 Encore DVD 2.0 is the latest DVD authoring solution from Adobe Systems.
Now, whether you are new to DVD authoring technology or you've done
work with previous authoring applications, Encore DVD 2.0 offers more
new features that you should learn so you can be more productive at
work as well as for your personal projects.
Who better to teach you the new features in Encore DVD 2.0 than the folks at Adobe themselves, right? In Classroom in a Book, they take you through an entire project in eight chapters. The 223-page book also contains a CD-ROM, which contains all of the lesson files so you can follow along. There is a lot to learn so let?s get started.
Encore! Encore!
Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 has plenty of new features and chapter one begins by giving you a tour of the program?s interface as well as some of the things that Encore DVD 2.0 can do for you and your project. Some of the topics covered here include an overview of Encore DVD 2.0, defining your DVD workflow, planning your DVD project and arranging your workspace to better suit you. You will find review questions at the end of each chapter. Try to answer as many as you can as this will only reinforce what you've gone over.
Now that you've received your introduction to Encore DVD 2.0, it is time to get started with our project. In chapter two, some of the topics covered include the importing of your assets, how to organize your Project panel, how to put audio and video clips in the Timeline, how to work with chapter points and poster frames and how to create slideshows.
Chapter three takes the Timeline features to the next step. Here is where you will learn how to arrange and trim clips from within the Timeline viewer, how to work with audio files in the Timeline, how to add subtitles and closed captions to your DVD project and how to edit subtitle attributes.
Chapter four covers anything and everything you will want or need to know about DVD menus in Encore DVD 2. Some of the issues discussed here include the use of the Encore DVD 2.0 Library, what the Menu Viewer is for and how you use it, how to change buttons and text in the DVD menus, how to apply styles and how to build menus using the Library assets.
Chapter five is where things begin to get tougher so you will need to pay closer attention to the material. This chapter will demonstrate how you animate menus and buttons, adjust button animation timing, explain what subpicture highlights are, how to change the behavior of button highlights, how to automatically create menus using a chapter index, how to edit menus in Adobe Photoshop CS, how to connect Encore DVD with After Effects and how to add assets to the Library.
Chapter six teaches you about setting up and managing the links in your DVD project. Learn the various link types and methods, how to test your links, how to set up button links, how to link buttons in a scene selection menu, adding links to a subtitle and audio tracks, how to use a flowchart, setting end action and overrides, button routing and how to set the title and menu remote links.
Chapter seven moves into the advanced realm. Here is where you are shown what replacement layer drop zones are, how to add video transitions to and from menus, how to hide Easter eggs in your project, how to create auto-activated rollover buttons, how to customize a DVD and save space using playlists, how to work with widescreen menus, videos and setting up user operations.
Chapter eight is the last mile in your DVD authoring journey. This is where you learn how to clean up your project and send it out for the final burn. This chapter shows how to use the Check Project feature, do bit budgeting, how to transcode your project and performing the final procedures before the burn such as dealing with your data files, regional coding and copy protection. Once you have completed those final steps, you?re finally ready to burn your masterpiece.
The Final Word
I found Adobe Encore DVD 2.0: Classroom in a Book to be a very useful book. Even if you have never used the first version of Adobe Encore, the writers do a good job refreshing your memory on version one?s technology as well as bringing you up to speed on the latest features.
The book does a wonderful job showing you a project in the works as you progress through the eight chapters. By the time you complete the book, you should be well prepared to begin producing high-quality DVD projects.
The book comes with a CD-ROM that contains all of the lesson files so you can keep up with the book by following along with the lessons. The book sells for $45 but that seems like a drop in the bucket compared to what you plunked down on Encore DVD 2.0. Get the most out of the software by learning from the folks who made the program. DVD authoring is an evolving field but maintaining your skills using Adobe Encore 2.0 just got a little easier with the Classroom in a Book.
You can click HERE to purchase Adobe Encore DVD 2.0: Classroom in a Book.
About Adobe Encore DVD 2.0: Classroom in a Book
Classroom in a Book, the best-selling series of hands-on software training workbooks, helps you learn the features of Adobe software quickly and easily. Classroom in a Book offers what no other book or training program does--an official training series from Adobe Systems Incorporated, developed with the support of Adobe product experts.
Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 Classroom in a Book contains eleven lessons and a bonus DVD with lesson files. The book covers the basics of learning Adobe Encore DVD, and countless tips and techniques to help you quickly become an Adobe Encore DVD artist. You'll learn to create DVDs with advanced features such as interactive menus, multiple audio tracks, and subtitle tracks as well as learn about Encore DVD 2.0's new features, including a slideshow editor, flowchart, updated user interface, Adobe Bridge, automated chapter menus, and more. You can follow the book from start to finish or choose only those lessons that interest you.
About the Authors
The Adobe Creative Team of designers, writers, and editors has extensive, real-world knowledge of Adobe products. They work closely with the Adobe product development teams and Adobe's Instructional Communications team to come up with creative, challenging, and visually appealing projects to help both new and experienced users get up to speed quickly on Adobe software products.
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