I am a newbie, as they say, to camcording and video editing.
I purchased a Panasonic PV-GS320 (miniDV tapes) camcorder.
For editing software, I am using the MotionDV Studio LE and Quick Movie Magic software that came with it.

I have Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 on one computer.

On my other computer, I have but no Microsoft Powerpoint program on it, so I installed the free Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003, onto it.

I received a PowerPoint presentation with sound ( you click on the little speaker on lower left of screen and sound for that screen plays).

I downloaded PresenterSoft PowerVideo Maker v.2.9.1 (Professional) which converts PowerPoint to video.
This program is the "try it out unregistered version".
It gives me a choice of video formats producing a
WMV (High Quality)
MPEG
AVI
I have tried WMV, and am pleased with the results on the computer monitor.
The AVI results leave a lot to be desired.

My problem is this.

I have shot two videos, one a VHS 14 minute, the other a 50 minute digital tape with the Panasonic.

I desire to put together a basic video as follows:
One jpeg image (from my digital camera). This image is already on my computer, and I understand that once I get my footage up, I can add to the video footage by dragging and dropping the icon of the still image.
Since the software has a 5 second minimum duration (as far as I can ascertain), if I drag and drop the same jpeg several times in succession, I can have it appear in the final footage 5 second, 10 seconds, etc. No problem here.

I have not yet tried to convert the VHS to a digital file onto my computer. Will wind up buying a new computer within next month.

I want to incorporate the Powerpoint presentation right after the VHS footage.

Problem 1 - When I try to Open the program PresenterSoft PowerVideo Maker v.2.9.1 on the computer without PowerPoint2002, it can't initiate because it needs PowerPoint2002.

Windows Media Player opens up and will play my 132 mb WMV file.
Problem is, there is no sound.
When I "rehearsed" the making of the file, as I clicked each "slide" to get to the next slide, once that slide appeared, I then proceeded to play the audio portion of the PP presentation by clicking onto the lower left speaker on the PP slide.
I could hear sound through my headset.
I presumed it was being recorded.
This established my play time.
To make a long story short, I have the slides in WMV format, with NO sound.
When I tried the AVI format, I did the same thing, same result, no sound.
Again, it was opened by Windows Media Player.

I thought I could somehow, if I had gotten it into AVI format, link the PP presentation onto my other footage.

The AVI format does not give a satisfactory quality of image.

The WMV does.

Question, as I obviously am struggling with the basics, how do I make a PP presentation with WMV format, edit it onto my AVI file, so that you do not see Windows Media Player, so that the sound plays automatically.

I want JPEG image 10 seconds, followed by VHS 14 minute footage, followed by 200 or so, 5 - 10 second JPEG images, followed by the Power Point presentation (with the prerecorded sound), then followed by some more JPEG images and finally my 50 minute digital tape AVI file.

That 50 minute tape and the JPEG images are already on the computer and I can put them together, as previously explained.

How do I get my PP presentation in WMG quality format, access it, change it to AVI super high quality, i.e., (WMG quality) along with the sound track for it, into one long 2 hour file, so that I can burn it to a DVD that can be put into a DVD player at someone's home and have them sit back and watch a 2 hour presentation?

What should I be looking for as to:
minimum computer requirements,
software editing program (if I am unable to accomplish what I wish to do with what I already have)
PowerPoint Program or substitute (i.e., can I do it with the Viewer program and somehow, as it plays along automatically, as it is doing, make that into the appropriate file, format, etc., so that it plays as if it were video with sound shot at the affair I had atttended)?



Sincerely,
Edward Potereiko
719-576-0752