Sonic Solutions has released Scenarist Designer PS 2.0. The tool automates conversion of Adobe Photoshop graphics into standardised interactive menu components for Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD authoring in Sonic Scenarist. It supports the advanced-content modes of both high-definition formats and is available for Macintosh and Windows.
Designing menus for HD DVD and Blu-ray titles differs substantially from DVD-Video authoring. Scenarist Designer PS 2.0 keeps control of menu-component creation with the professional graphics designer, who can build high-definition menus in Photoshop. The workflow uses familiar concepts such as layers for grouping button elements. After the menu background and button graphics are defined, the plug-in automatically exports a compatible menu from Photoshop for one or more target formats. It also provides adjustable dithering controls for HDMV RGBA palettes.
Depending on the selected output formats, Scenarist Designer PS exports every component required to reconstruct the menu automatically on a Scenarist BD or Scenarist HD DVD authoring workstation. The export includes button-position data and graphics for every button state, assigned to RGBA palettes where required for HDMV menus in Blu-ray projects. Authoring specialists can then assign navigation commands directly in Scenarist for Blu-ray HDMV and BD-J modes, or in a text editor for HD DVD HDi mode.
Sonic said Scenarist Designer PS 2.0 was available worldwide through its distribution channels. The product was scheduled for demonstration at NAB in Las Vegas from 16 to 19 April at stand SL4314.
