High Definition Slideshow?

[zenzen1]

Has anyone created a HiRes Slideshow, say, 1080i (1920x1080) and if so, what software did you use.
Also what sort of hardware is required? (Eg DVD player capable of playing the discs)?

Thanks in advance

[wwaag]

zenzen1

I've been doing high-def slideshows for a few months now since getting a Sony HDR-HC1 HDV camcorder. I've got a 65" Mitsubishi RPTV for display. At present, I'm using the camcorder for playback. All I can say is WOW compared to SD slideshows--even my wife is impressed who'd be happy with a 19" B&W TV. Next month I hope to get a networked DVD player (actually the Zensonic Z500 made in your part of the world) that can display these high-def productions directly from my computer--using the camcorder is a bit tedious.

To put together a slideshow, I use a number of different tools. If you want to use only a single piece of software, then MemoriesOnTV will work, although IMHO, there are a number of significant limitations. However, you can output 1920x1080 progressive video using whatever codecs your system has available--I generally use HuffyUV since it is lossless. The main limitation at the moment is that your output file is limited to 4GB--hence, pretty short for Huffy. For that reason, I use MemONTV mainly for short intro clips involving multiple images--they have a capability for creating multi-picture slides which, in my view, is worth the cost of the software in itself. You can create much longer slideshows with titles and music if you use other codecs such as WMV, Xvid, or Divx.

The primary tool I use for the actual slideshow is Imaginate from Canopus. Here I create all of the motions for each slide (pan, zoom, rotate, perspective, etc.). Again, you have a choice of codecs for export. I've created a preset for HDV (1440x1080i-PAR 1.33). I then use HuffyUV as the codec.

And finally, I use Vegas Movie Studio Platinum edition to put everything together and add titles and music. I can also integrate video clips into my slideshow production which can be either HD or SD. I've tried the full version of Vegas, but found for my intended use, that the Movie Studo version is more than adequate. Nice thing about Vegas is that you can import virtually any type of asset so long as you've got the proper codec installed. I then export to HDV using their 1080i preset and "print to tape" the resulting m2t file to my HDR-HC1.

The process is a bit involved, but the results are really outstanding IMHO compared with SD slideshows. One caution--be prepared for some lengthy render times. I've got an older P4 3.06Ghz system and I can figure that render times will be roughly 8 mins for each min of video at each stage. Since inevitably I'm unhappy with something in the final production, I usually make changes and start the process of re-rendering.

Once you've got the final m2t file, you can also render to standard resolution (720x480) and then burn to DVD for display. However, it is no longer HD and really looks lousy when compared with the high def version. Bottom line is that it can be done, really looks good compared with SD, but will take some time. Good luck.

wwaag

[web_maven]

I use Microsoft PhotoStory 3 it's free from Microsoft. PhotoStory 3 needs to be modified, do a Google search for Papa john photostory. Papa John created a bunch of plug-ins that let PhotoStory save at high quality DVD res and HD res. What I like about PhotoStory is that it's simple and powerful. First you bring in all of your images PhotoStory will help you remove black borders (e.g. If your image is vertical you can trim off parts of the image you don't need) you can do some basic image adjustments and it will also automatically add moving transitions these too you can change and adjust. The next step is music; PhotoStory will let you add your own music. I would not recommend adding any text in PhotoStory because as your images zoom in or out so does the text. The final step is to select your template and save your file. Note I believe that if you are going to do High Resolution images your images must be of a certain size, when you download the plug-ins it will tell you. PhotoStory will save the slide show as a WMV file.

I then use Ulead MovieFactory to build my DVD and menus. You should create multiple PhotoStory videos for each section. E.g. my menu was broken into Baby images, First years, and Second year. Each has a video Baby.wmv, first.wmv and second.wmv. You will need to make sure all music ends with each video. PhotoStory will fade the music out but I always found it best to time the music.

If you need titles I believe you can add this in MovieFactory. In the past I used Premiere imported all the images added transitions one at a time and exported the video. Using PhotoStory cut down my time from several hours to just 1 hour. Just as long as you are ready with the images and music.

Good luck
Raymond

[zenzen1]

Thanks wwaag for a very thoughtful and indepth reply. Much appreciated. I've probably got some more questions when I have time to sit down and go through your response again, so stay tuned

Thanks also to web.maven for your reply. What hardware to you use?
Eg: What DVD player and TV display?

Thanks
zenzen

[jtoolman2000]

I use Microsoft PhotoStory 3 it's free from Microsoft. PhotoStory 3 needs to be modified, do a Google search for Papa john photostory. Papa John created a bunch of plug-ins that let PhotoStory save at high quality DVD res and HD res. What I like about PhotoStory is that it's simple and powerful. First you bring in all of your images PhotoStory will help you remove black borders (e.g. If your image is vertical you can trim off parts of the image you don't need) you can do some basic image adjustments and it will also automatically add moving transitions these too you can change and adjust. The next step is music; PhotoStory will let you add your own music. I would not recommend adding any text in PhotoStory because as your images zoom in or out so does the text. The final step is to select your template and save your file. Note I believe that if you are going to do High Resolution images your images must be of a certain size, when you download the plug-ins it will tell you. PhotoStory will save the slide show as a WMV file.

I then use Ulead MovieFactory to build my DVD and menus. You should create multiple PhotoStory videos for each section. E.g. my menu was broken into Baby images, First years, and Second year. Each has a video Baby.wmv, first.wmv and second.wmv. You will need to make sure all music ends with each video. PhotoStory will fade the music out but I always found it best to time the music.

If you need titles I believe you can add this in MovieFactory. In the past I used Premiere imported all the images added transitions one at a time and exported the video. Using PhotoStory cut down my time from several hours to just 1 hour. Just as long as you are ready with the images and music.

Good luck
Raymond

Does this method produce a HD final slide show? I've heard rumors that Ulead can somehow output and HD output to a standard DVD/R but can only be played on a HD DVD player such as the new Toshiba
Also heard that DVD Studio Pro can also do that ( Mac )

Is this actually possoble. I though you could only output back to tape on the HDV cam at this time.

[wwaag]

jtoolman2000

Regarding your question about Movie Factory to HD-DVD, check out this post. http://www.sonyhdvinfo.com/showthread.php?t=4736. I've seen quite a few others confirming that this is possible--in fact, one giving a step-by-step procedure on the Sony HDV info site, but don't have the thread.

wwaag

[zenzen1]

OK this is what I have done so far....
Downloaded a trial copy of MOTV and output as AVI with a custom change of resolution to 1080p (1920x1080). Codejam have a tutorial on their website on how to create a HD slideshow, but it ends at about this point.

I then put this AVI through MainConcept encoder and produced an mpeg. The encoder has an output option which includes HD1 720p and HD2 1080i, so I chose the latter.

Now....I asssume that this outputted mpeg is an Mpeg4 , as none of my onboard software could handle it. As it happens, I have an XMS DVD player which plays Mpeg4's, but it came up with the message that it did not support the resolution.

As I see it, (assuming I have done everything right sofar) is that I still have 2 barriers to cross.
1) I need to get an Mpeg4 player that will support the HD resolution (Eg Zensonic) and
2) My TV set needs to be able to display the end result. Well, my TV is a Panasonic TX-76PW200A CRT (Australian...different model number in the UK and USA), but it does support 1080i and upscales SD to 883i.

Any comments and/or suggestions most welcome

[zenzen1]

I should mention that in the above post...Outputting the AVI from MOTV I used the XVID codec

[wwaag]

Don't quite understand about use of Main Concept. If you use Xvid (which is Mpeg 4), why input into Main Concept (which I suspect is Mpeg 2) and re-render? You should be able to play back your Xvid AVI with proper equipment--or at least on your computer initially.

The main barrier is really how to "play back" your high def AVI onto your TV. Short of having an HDV camcorder (which I use), you'll have to acquire an HD player (like the Zensonic or AVEL Linkplayer or HD-DVD mentioned in previous post) or use your computer to drive your TV. Unfortunately, this is on the "bleeding edge" of technolgy as some have pointed out. Good luck.

wwaag

[zenzen1]

It's just that I thought it would have to be converted to Mpeg before it could be played on a DVD player.
Yes the MOTV hires AVI does play OK on my computer with WMP.

So are you saying that certain DVD players, Zensonic, for example, will play the AVI files, so long as they are produced as described (Outputted from MOTV as a HD AVI, with the XVID codec

Yes it is "bleeding edge" stuff, but that's the fun part of it

[wwaag]

That is my understanding. If you go to the DVD Players list and tick "DiVX/Xvid HD" under search criteria, you'll get a listing of all players that support playback of these files. As you'll see, there are not a lot available today.

I'm particularly interested in getting a "networked" player so that I can directly "play back" files on my computer without having to burn a disc. This would be especially useful when doing initial evaluations of your slideshows. Although a lot of people use the Linkplayer, there seems to be a lot of unhappiness if you visit their forums. Although more expensive, the Zensonic 500 has gotten good reviews and user's complaints on their forum do not seem as prevalent. The company appears to be pretty responsive. They become available in the US in July and I've got one pre-ordered. Hope it lives up to expectations.

Oh well, at least we're having fun! Good luck.

wwaag

[zenzen1]

Have done some local research and apparently the Z500 has been available here for some time. (Australia's best kept secret )
Anyway, I have ordered one, and it should be here early next week. I'll keep you posted on how things go