Thread: MP4 Video - Want to burn to DVD and autorun.

Hello,


I have created an intro video for one of our products. It's currently in .mp4 format. I want to be able to burn it onto a CD/DVD so that when people insert the CD/DVD, the movie will automatically launch.


One thing I also need to overcome is the movie mentions the fact that there is a PDF file on the CD/DVD that they need to print off. Is there a way to run the video but also still be able to access the PDF file?


Thanks for any help or input!


Cheers,


Dave

OK,

For starters a DVD/CD will only automatically launch in a Windows PC if the user has enabled DVDs/CDs automatically to launch. Normally PCs come out of the box with this set (and it will launch a DVD in whatever dreadful bundled software the manufacturer has been persuaded to include). Personally one of the first things I do with a Windows PC is turn off the facility to autorun a "data" dvd and autoplay a video DVD.

I don't know about Apples, but presumably when you insert a DVD whatever Apple decide should happen will happen

Given that you can't guarantee it will automatically run (but if it doesn't, the user will be knowledgeable enough tp tell it to run) you need to use DVD authoring software such as Adobe Encore, Sony DVD Archtect or several other packages (I'm sure there will be some freebies and tutorials somewhere).

Including data files in a video DVD is easy. You simply create a folder called "EXTRAS" on the DVD, in the root directory and place your data files (in this case your pdf) in that. Check your authoring software allows you to do this.

Originally Posted by TimStannard

Including data files in a video DVD is easy. You simply create a folder called "EXTRAS" on the DVD, in the root directory and place your data files (in this case your pdf) in that. Check your authoring software allows you to do this.

Hey TIm,

Thanks for the tips. I will have to have a look at those recommendations.

In regards to your other idea...in the 'data file' (in my case, the PDF) accessible from a menu of some sort?

I had an alternate idea for this but I don't know how to make it work. What if I had a menu system that automatically launched. It would have two options. You could launch the movie or launch the PDF depending on which button you pressed.

Where would I even look to create something like this?

All the best,

Dave

To answer the first point, the user would have to use Windows explorer/My Computer to navigate to the Extras folder.

As for your alternative idea, this would clearly be a case of creating a "data" DVD/CD with a bit of code which will provide the menu. The video would be included as a data file***. This would not play on a commercial DVD player. You would need to assume the user had a media player installed on their PC which will play the type of video file you are installing, or you would need to include an executable program capable of playing it.

*** this might be a tandard media file like MP4, wmv, avi or it might be something like flash (flv) and you could force it to play from an html page which you launch. The drawback with this idea is that the end user has to have capable software and the right codecs installed.

Of course, doing with a DVD video also means they need the facilities to play the DVD, but even if they can't on their PC, it will work on a domestic DVD player.

Hey Tim,

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

The movie I have created is currently in MP4 format. It is to be played on a computer. I was hoping to avoid any fancy executable files if possible. I just want people to insert the disc and have it automatically play. The best case scenario would be to have a splash screen that basically says 'click here to play presentation' or 'click here for your pdf'.

I don't know where to start for software to create this stuff. I know I want to have a nice looking interface with our logo if we use a menu type system but I would be happy with just having some launch automatically depending on the end users settings.

Cheers,

Dave

I've just found this from googling

1st AutoRun Express

It's pay for, but there's a free trial and it might just do what you're after.

For a PC, one could:
1) create an HTML page containing a link to the PDF and a link to the MP4.
2) create an "autorun.inf" file (Autorun.inf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) to automatically open the HTML file.
3) Burn the INF file, the HTML file and the video file onto a data CD or DVD.

The above will work unless either:
a) the user's PC ignores autoruns (as per Tims' post) - in which case, you must have a way to encourage the User to double click on your HTML file.
b) ".HTM" files are, for some obcure reason, don't open up an Internet Browser.
c) the user's browser or PC cannot play the video file.

An advantage of the above method is that the HTML file can contain additional help text for the User / adverts / logos / links to websites.