Enhanced timeline

Both the responsiveness and the feature set of the Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 timeline have been improved since the previous release. This part of the guide introduces three of these enhancements.

Try it: Improved scrubbing performance and trimming

1. Click New Project in the Welcome to Adobe Encore DVD dialog box. Select the NTSC standard in the New Project Settings dialog box, and then click OK. Name your project, and then click Save.

2. Choose Import As > Timeline. Select RG Assets/Adobe Encore/partylife.m2v, and then click Open.

3. Choose Import As > Asset. Select RG Assets/Adobe Encore/partylife.wav, and then click Open.

4. Drag the partylife.wav file to the Audio 1 track in the timeline.

5. Choose the Timeline Editing workspace.6. Move the Timeline zoom control to the far right. This will let you see frame-by-frame preview in the
next step.

7. Click the current time indicator and drag it left and right to scrub through the timeline. Note that even when working
with an m2v file, audio and video both update immediately as the pointer is moved, which makes finding desired points in your content much easier and faster than before.

8. Press the \ key to zoom out in the Timeline panel so that the end of the clip becomes visible. Position the cursor over the beginning or end of the video clip in the Timeline panel and see that the cursor icon changes to either the Trim-in or Trim-out icon. Click and drag the edge of the clip to trim it.

Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 also introduces the ability to place multiple video clips and image files on a timeline. Previously if you wanted to compile multiple items of visual content on a timeline, it was necessary to first open the media in a separate application such as Adobe Premiere Pro, compile the files in that application, and then save it all as a single video file before bringing it into Adobe Encore DVD. Now you have the flexibility
to do all that compilation right in Encore, with no need for a separate application.

Try it: Multiple files on a timeline

1. Adjust the zoom control at bottom left of the Timeline panel so that blank space appears after the video clip already in the timeline. Alternatively, with the Timeline panel active, simply press the \ key to adjust the clip length so it leaves some blank space at the end.

2. Choose File > Import As > Asset. Select RG Assets/Adobe Encore/Snap Solo Movie.mov, and then
click Open.

3. Choose File > Import As > Asset. Open the folder RG Assets/Adobe Encore/Storyboards, and then select any of the Photoshop PSD files. Click Open.

4. Drag Snap Solo Movie.mov to the Video timeline.

5. Drag the PSD file you imported to the Video timeline. In the dialog box that appears, enter a duration.

6. Press the space bar to play the timeline.

Once multiple clips and/or images are placed in a track in the timeline, rearranging them is as simple as clicking and dragging. Add as many clips or still images as you like, with no more need to turn to a separate application to compile or rearrange your content.

Now let's look at one more new timeline feature in Adobe Encore DVD 2.0—the ability to add chapter points at set intervals with one easy operation.

Try it: Automatic chapter points at set intervals

1. Click on the Timeline panel to make sure it is the active panel.

2. Choose Timeline > Add Chapter Points at Intervals.

3. For interval between Chapter Points, enter 00;00;15;00. Confirm that Remove Existing Chapter Points is not selected, and then click OK.

4. Observe as Encore automatically adds a new chapter point every 15 seconds in the timeline. The chapter points that already existed marking the beginning of each clip or image are retained.

The ability to automatically add chapter points at set intervals in one operation is useful for several reasons. First, the ability to add multiple chapter points in one operation, and then quickly adjust the position of individual points, can be a more efficient workflow for any DVD project. Additionally, in some specific cases (such as a DVD created for quick review by a client or director), providing these set-interval chapter points for quick content navigating and review is sufficient.

When you have finished experimenting with the new timeline features, leave this project open for use in the next part of your tour.