DVD SLIDE SHOWS

[devdev]

Hi

i'd appreciate some advice onwhat would be a great dvd slide show package with above average control over presentation ie adding my company logo etc!

can anyone advise me?

[Mtnsummit]

There are many programs out there, I have tried about 5 or 6. All seem to have there pluses and share of minuses.

For the most dramatic effects, I would vote for Memories to TV (pcituretotv.com). However, it is a new release, and I am currently having error messages when trying to complete the Burn to DVD.

The program is very easy to use, and you can download a fully functional demo, which I did. The demo show I created worked fine, but I only did a few pics to see if it would work. With a full blown show, I have not been able to yet create it without an invalid page fault error. I am now trying to obtain support for it.

In my previous E-mail, they were quick to respond.

[Reebnot]

Speaking as a newbee, I agree with MtSummit. Memories on TV is a product headed in a good direction. I have also been trying to find the tool I want to use and have spent some time in the search. The only reason I would not recommend this product is that I also have run into frequent software errors with the product. I do not wish to run them down or discourage their rapid resolution of problems and addition of more capabilities/enhancements. But my experience is that it has yet to work for me on SVCD format using any release of 2.x for the product. I am in the process of switching to burning DVD-R format so I hope my burn problems go away or I may have to drop it and move on to something which works for me.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Ulead DVD PictureShow 2
I recommend using a photo editing program to add your company logo first then import to slideshow program,saving as 768x576 and 72dpi.

[andkiich]

Windows ovie Maker 2 does not do a bad job.

[Mtnsummit]

To add to Reebnot's comments, I first started burning slideshows to VCD, as my DVD player did not support SVCD. After going through the learning curve, I discovered that in order to use transitions (aka cool effects between pics), you really need to burn to DVD as the picture quality goes way down if using transitions burning to VCD or SVCD. This is for all programs, as the pics have to be set in some video mode with transitions versus just still shots with no effects.

But, after seeing my slideshows with and without these transitions, I was hooked - I went out and bought a Sony DRU-510A DVD burner, so that I could burn to DVD.

I will give nmy two cents about various programs I have used:

ULEAD Pictureshow 2 - limited transitions, and must use same transition for all pics. But burning success seems to be the best. Only burns audio output as MPEG, rather than option of PCM. To synchronize the music is a real chore - needless as the other programs make this an easy task. To synchronize the music is a real chore - needless as the other programs make this an easy task.

MAGIX Pictures to CD and DVD - Some great controls over the timing of music and transitions, but again limited transitions, and the pictures display some moving pixels rather than a clear/sharp picture. In other words, flicker.

Pinnacle Expression - part of Instant CD/DVD. To limited of transitions for my tastes, easy interface. Nice job of making the borders of the pictures match main color of picture.

SONIC MYDvd - Too limited of transitions.

NeroVision - Part of the Nero 6 package - Great transitions, almost equal to Memories to TV, but the worst as far as picture flicker - really really annoying.

Memories to TV - the best transitions and one of the easiest interfaces and synchronozations, but again, I have yet to get it to work properly - working with tech support to try and resolve - will update. Uses great Ken Burns effects - see there site for info on this. But again, I have had errors and working with them to fix. The transitions are that good to try and stick with this company to see if prodcut can work. I know, for $50.00 it should work right out of the box

If you are content with no transitions on your shows, then one of the above can probably fit your needs. But, I think if you play a show with transitions, you will be hooked.

Good luck - I have wasted many DVD's on this seemingly easy project.

[Sifaga]

I Like Ulead DVD PictureShow 2

limited transitions, and must use same transition for all pics

I counted 42 different transitions and theres a random as well

[devdev]

fabulous

thank you so much for your response
really useful!

[andydd]

Get Nero 6 and Nero VisionExpress.

I used it the other day, very simple n made a cool slideshow of my hols with music.

[Gees]

I finally found a free rostrum camera effects program for that "Ken Burns Effect" to try out for slideshows.

A couple limitations compared to more expensive software, but it's free and worth at try. :c)

It's here: http://www.price-media.demon.co.uk/rostrum.html

[FOO]

Who the hell is Ken Burns and what's his effect ?
I looked at that site and all it seems to do is Pan across a still.
is that the effect ?

[Gees]

:c) Yes, Foo, that's it. And Zoom also.

It started being called "Ken Burns Effect" after the Civil War documentaries he produced. Hours and hours of "footage" using just photos and narration. So, for interest, he panned and zoomed, added music behind narration and it's now something like a 5 volume DVD set (11 hours). Originally aired on PBS.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000068UY9/qid=1063892242/sr=1-2/ref=sr_...roduct-details

[Mtnsummit]

While it was clarified by an earlier post that ULEAD has 40+ transitions (I agree), I should have made it clear that for my preference (and only mine) I really am only interested in those transitons that have "fade effects" rather than a more abrupt change from one slide to another. For myself, fades make a much more pleasant transition between one slide show and another.

While ULEAD can have a random transition set FOR ALL slides, I do not believe (please clarify) you can choose a certain transition for a particular slide, if the show is set to "random" transitions. And further, if you do not like a particular transition in the random sequence, you cannot eliminate that from the pool of random transitions is uses.

With the MemoriesToTV program, you have a list of random transitions with check boxes, so that unchecking a transition will eliminate it from the pool of transitions used in a random setting. Very nice feature.

[Nolonemo]

Proshow Gold and XATShow are two other packages that get a lot of mention. Both allow you to put a PC slideshow on disk too. They both have audio sync, allow you to add individual comments to slides or have one background track, have transitions but no pan/zoom

Negatives:

Proshow: can only create MPEG-2 video, doesn't yet support authoring in DVD mode

XATShow: no preview.

[triphop]

Not sure why you are fixated on the transitions. From an artistic point of view most transitions are ugly and detract from the still images. To my thinking all that is required are dissolves and cuts - any thing else needs to be viewed with a great deal of suspicion.

That being my viewpoint, the software should be more focussed on issues like automating the slideshow without sacrificing power.

I personally like Premieres automate to timeline, esp. with adding markers to the timeline (which are synchronized by ear to the soundtrack) ensuring that the transitions are sync'd to the soundtrack.

regards,
Bruce.

[devdev]

and.. one thing that uleads site doesnt make clear is whether or not you can pause with tv remote control during show or possibly even rewind
or maybe i didnt see it!

[gizmofanv]

devdev

and.. one thing that uleads site doesnt make clear is whether or not you can pause with tv remote control during show or possibly even rewind
or maybe i didnt see it!

Yes, I could able to pause it with dvd players' remote control during slide show. rewind?????? you could start all over by pressing menu and choosing the slide show.....

[Nolonemo]

Actually, this is one great thing about Ulead's DVDPictureshow - you can not only pause, but you can advance to the next slide by pressing the (I think) next chapter button on your remote. If you try that with Proshow or XATShow, it dumps you straight back at the menu. Now if Ulead would just get a clue and add an "auto fit to audio length" feature, they would have a winning product.

[cplevel42]

Proshow Gold is a clear winner, but they need to do some work to make it a bit better. They need to support DVD in the future.

Check out the features of Proshow Gold.

[Rickyblaze]

I just used Ulead VideoStudio 7 to make a slide show for our Departments annual retired Firefighter dinner and loved the way it worked . I had mixed stills with some video footage and all transitions were random and never detracted from the overall quality or effect. It was an instant hit and got me a standing ovation,better than any old award. I did the same thing for last years dinner but did'nt have any video just stills. I also added a sound track and timed the transitions with the start of a new song. The only thing that would have been better would have been the ability to lower the volume of the music track during the sound bits from the video clips ,but I just adjusted the volume of the clip a lot higher than the music and it worked suffeciently. I guess MediaStudio Pro has the ability to lower the volume of the sound track during the video clip sound but it is a little beyond my price range at this time. Maybe for next years slide show.

Good Luck, Rick

[themichael]

devdev-
you can't beat AVISynth and VirtualDub for complete control. Some simple scripts and you can preview AVISynth in mplayer2 (the original media player, included in all version of windows). With plugins, VirtualDub can add logos. Plus they are free.

Rickyblaze -
Had a similar issue you did. I was using Ulead VideoStudio (it came bundled) and needed to beep bad words out. I exported the audio and used an audio editor to add a tone. You could use the same method to reduce the volume where your video would go. Just note your start and end times and do a fade down and a fade up. I have also equalized the volume when splicing several game trailers together for instore sales generation.


DVD Picture show- could never really get it to produce acceptable results. Although it did fit slides to music length....

XATShow - Tried it several times on VCD shows a while back,quality was bad. It also inserted ads on the disk and on the Screensavers I did.

Premiere 6.5 - Massive overkill for simple stuff. The simple dissolve i was using jumped about 5 pixels up at the start and 5 pixels back down at the end of the transistions. Could never get it to work right even with several tutorials.

[Sifaga]

With the MemoriesToTV program, you have a list of random transitions with check boxes, so that unchecking a transition will eliminate it from the pool of transitions used in a random setting. Very nice feature.

sounds like a very nice feature.

the frank burns feature sounds good too

i have downloaded and am trying this program out now.

[Sifaga]

WOW

the transitions are great, lightyears ahead of Ulead.

Im gonna keep playing with this

[Mtnsummit]

WOW

the transitions are great, lightyears ahead of Ulead.

Im gonna keep playing with this

The transitions again are really what have attracted me to this program. While one previous poster claimed "why would you want transitions, it takes away from the show", I personally could not disagree more. Although he/she did clarify this saying "dissolves" are ok. In my mind, perhaps "dissolves" were what I meant, although "fades" are correct, personal preference. I just feel that now, after seeing some of the effects, picture changes in a slideshow with no "dissolve or fade" are kinda of boring. It was this issue that led me to purchase a DVD writer, as this is the only way I know of to get these fades and still have a quality picture.

I was using some cheap 1x discs that were stuttering on play back, and after switching to a Verbatim 2x DVD-R, that problem has been resolved.

If ULEAD could fix there audio sync to show process, they would have a good product, but the "fades or dissolves" are no where near the "wow" effect of the Memories Program.

I also had tried Nero 6.0 / NeroVision, but had terrible picture flicker with this product. They to have some very good effects. Now I am wondering if I should try to reburn on a quality 2x disc.

Nero and Memories allow you a trial of the full program, although Memories will show "Evaluation Copy" on the show until you buy.

Good Luck.