DVD Menu Different on TV vs. Computer

640x360 & 864x480 are square pixels. You want to create the menu in rectangular pixels and then as a last step make it 720x480. Instead of scaliing I would create a new document at 853x480. Make all changes and then as a last step make it 720x480.

This explains it quicker than I could in a post.

http://www.larryjordan.biz/creating-dvd-menu-and-button-highlights-using-photosh op-layers/

If the client has photoshop, all they have to do is use the appropriate video preset. Aspect ratio is correct, yet displays properly on a computer screen from within photoshop. Just tell them to go to file: New: film and video and they'll be presented with all the possible presets you might need. In this case NTSC DV widescreen will fit the bill.

How are you creating the MPG-2?
Is the track display mode set to 16:9 letterbox?

640x360 has to be upscaled to 720x480 (16x9)853x480).

In the MPG-2 setting(Compressor) you need to tell it to do this. I would also consider setting the frame controls all to best.

In my experience the best way to check a DVD before burning is to build it/open Video_TS in the Mac DVD player app. Whatever I see here is what will end up on the burned DVD. The simulator is a close guesstimation but not a true checking device.

You might try resizing it to 720x480 and making sure that the inspector for the menu is set to 16:9 in dvdsp.

I author dvd's with both 16:9 and 4:3 elements all the time without ever seeing this. I always build the menus as 720x480 nad make sure the aspect ratio is set correctly in dvdsp.

No.

This is most likely a menu/menu authoring/menu element creation problem.

It is possible your project is corrupt. I would suggest starting a new one and do a build test with just the menu and short piece of video. Make sure the menu and track are set to 16:9 letterbox.

Look at the Video_TS in the Mac DVD player app. I would suggest not watching full screeen. You will then be able to see if the track and menu are playing in a square or a rectangle.

When you go from the menu to the track and back does the player window change? or stay a square or a rectangle? If the window is always a rectangle and the menu looks squished then it is most likely how the menu element was created.