1.Audio duration as displayed in the library now shows “frames ” as hundredths of a second.
Glossary 115
Glossary
This section contains terminology which is commonly used within the Impression application and this manual. While this is a good way to familiarize yourself with Impression-specific ter-minology, only the basics are covered here. Applications of these terms are explained through-out this manual.
AC-3 Audio
AC-3 is an audio compression format (also known as Dolby Digital), a common audio format on DVDs.
Angle
An angle is a video track.
Asset
An asset is any video clip, audio clip, or graphic (menus and buttons).
Asset extension
An asset extension is a file extension applied to each video, audio, or graphic to make it a for-mat acceptable to Impression.
Author
In this manual, author refers to the Impression user who creates the CD or DVD project.
Bit budget
The total of your asset requirements within a project equals your bit budget.
Build
This is the process of “assembling” all your assets into one CD or DVD image file.
Button link
A button link is one that is triggered when a button is clicked.
Cell
A cell is a natural division that corresponds to a video clip. In Impression, all audio, video, and subtitle tracks that are coextensive with the Video 1 track are part of the same cell. A cell con-tains one or more chapters.
Chapter
A chapter is a logical section of a video clip. Chapters in Impression are indicated with a gray bar, numbered sequentially within each project.
Chapter mark
You may insert a chapter mark within any video clip. A vertical gray bar displays with the chapter number, and all following chapters will be renumbered sequentially within each project. There can be up to 99 chapters in a title.
Clip
A clip is a continuous section of a video or audio asset.
DLT (digital linear tape)
The media that is used to transfer the project image to a DVD.
Glossary 117 Emulation
In Impression, emulation means testing and viewing a finished image that has been built and saved on a hard drive.
First play
To set an asset as the first play, right-click and select Make First Play. The first play icon dis-plays within the gray menu or chapter bar to indicate the “first play” of the CD or DVD project.
Go To link
This is a link that is triggered at the end of a video clip.
Interactivity
Interactivity is the basis for CD or DVD projects. The use of interactivity in the authoring process determines how viewers will be able to interact with a CD or DVD project when they play it back. Interactivity is set in Impression by the use of menus, menu buttons, and naviga-tional links.
Library
All assets are imported into the library window. Whether video, audio, menus, or button graphics are imported, they will automatically file themselves in the appropriate library tab (Menus, Clips, or Images). Menus file under the Menus tab; video and audio file under the Clips tab; and button graphics file under the Images tab.
Links
A key element to CD or DVD interactivity, links literally jump the viewer through a project according to the way the author set them up. You can set up button links or Go To links.
MPEG-1, Layer 2 Audio:
This is an audio format that uses MPEG compression.
MPEG-1 Video
This is a video compression format targeted for CD playback.
MPEG-2 Video
This is a video compression format targeted for DVD playback.
Monitor
Within Impression, the monitor functions as an on-screen viewer which plays back any authored media. This is also known as the preview monitor.
NTSC
NTSC specifies 30 frames per second; 30fps is also considered “non-drop” since all frames are played back at exactly 30 frames per second. NTSC stipulates a frame size of 720 x 480 pixels.
PAL
PAL stipulates 25 frames per second. NTSC stipulates a frame size of 720 x 576 pixels.
Player
The player provides all the functionality to navigate through an interactive video project. Fea-tures include: the timecode plus play, pause, first play, next, step forward, step reverse, and home menu buttons.
Pixels
Also known as pels, pixels are a unit of measure for video. Screen resolution is stipulated on the basis of pixels.
Glossary 119 Preview monitor
Within Impression, the preview monitor functions as an on-screen viewer which plays back any authored media. This is also known as the monitor.
Project timeline See Timeline.
RGB
RGB stands for red, green, blue. These are the components which, when combined, create color in the video world.
Screen resolution
Screen resolution is based on pixels. This size is determined by standards such as NTSC and PAL. All media in a CD or DVD project must have the same screen resolution.
Scrub
To scrub is to view the video by jumping along the timeline—in Impression, by using Ctrl-drag on the timeline tab.
Simulation
Simulation is the real-time process of playing back the interactive project for testing, without recording a CD or DVD.
Storyboard
A storyboard presents a visual flow chart of your project. If the project requires only a basic level of interactivity, a simple straight storyboard may suffice. However, if your project plan necessitates a complex level of interactivity, a branching flow chart may be more appropriate.
Sync
Short for synchronization, this term applies to the precise matching of audio and video tracks during playback.
Tab
The tab is the top portion of the bar which indicates the player location in the timeline. You can click on the tab and drag it to a new location along the timeline to then start simulated playback from there.
Timecode
The timecode display shows the time of a clip being played. The timecode displays as HH:MM:SS;Frame representing hour:minute:second;frame.
You can also click once on the timecode display to highlight it and enter any value you like.
The display then can be dragged onto any chapter mark in the timeline to adjust its time.
Timeline
Impression’s timeline represents your entire project — all media and menus — in one loca-tion. The timeline is divided into three sections: Menus, Video, and Audio.
UDF (universal data format)
This is the file format for the DVD project image file to be transferred to DLT and then to the DVD. The file is saved as an .IMG file.
Glossary 121 User
In this manual, user refers to the viewer of the CD or DVD project.
VOB (Video Object)
This is a file extension indicating a format that involves merging the audio and video files into one file. Often associated with DVD files, this format is also appropriate for some CD players.
Zoom in
To zoom in to see more media clip details, more timing, but less overall timeline content, click the plus button (+) in the left of the timecode track of the timeline.
Zoom out
To zoom out to see more overall media timeline content, but less clip details and less timing, click the minus button (–) in the left of the timecode track of the timeline.
Index 123 video and audio formats71 audio13
add clips to timeline21 clip20
background, menu44, 45 backward button104 bit budgets14
bitmaps, in subtitles72 build
CD image59
DVD files and image63 final CD61
final DVD63 Build an Image60 button
activated, selected, normal76, 84
add41 asset display11 change track for link55 creating76, 76–92 set position and size42 simulate10
titlesafe zone41 menu background to video45 changing window sizes6
mark, insert within video clips 33
content, video and audio71 context-sensitive menus7 Copy option97
create
DVD files and image63 final CD61
cells and chapter marks35 part of split clip36 tracks30
video or audio clip25 desktop, navigating5
Title and Home menu22
E
Index 125
extensions, video and audio71
F
menus in the timeline22 H hide status bar, toolbar6 Hilite Menus83–89 HiliteMenuTemplate.psd86
icon, large or small display11 icon, menu53 Insert Chapter option33, 98 installation, Impression69 list, view of assets11 local menus7 loop, video54
M
Make Default52
Make First Play option54 Make Thumbnail option43
set project for NTSC or PAL 99
thumbnail42 tools101 true-color78–82
versions in video and menu track21
Merge with Previous Title36 minimized icon
buttons and clip art41 chapter marks33 multiple tracks29–30
N planning a CD title13 play
asset25 button103
Index 127 Play MPEG2 video99
playback
customized39 DVD65
DVD or CD simulation57 player103–104
controls103
Mediamatics for DVD66 preferences99
preparing
menus and buttons76–92 subtitle files72
add audio, video, and menu21 properties show toolbar, status bar6 simulate
CD or DVD project57 menu25
Simulate button10 simulation, scrub10, 57 size of thumbnail43 size, thumbnails99 small icon11
Snap to longest asset27 split clip
assets in the timeline25 formats72 system requirements2, 69
T
thumbnail buttons49 thumbnail icon
chapter24 menu23
thumbnail menus, creating42 thumbnail size, setting43, 99 thumbnails, remove from button51 timecode9, 103 using links to go to55 true-color menus78–82 Try overlay first99
add clips to timeline21 asset as cell31 list, large icon, small icon11 menu100 what links to what47 windows6