Magix Photos on CD/DVD vs WinOnCD 5

[ames]

Need help on deciding to get Magix Photos on CD & DVD or WinOnCD 5.

I’m looking for a slideshow presentation that allows me to easily insert my still photos, transitions, music w/ looping, can burn to CD-R or DVD-R and hopefully have a option to take out the company’s logo / advertisement in the final version.

I tried PictureToTV (pro: easy to use / con: can't burn to DVD only CD-R / charge $300 to take off their logo "created by PictureToTV"), ULead DVD Pictures Show (pro: easy to use / con: can't select music easily like PictureToTV) & 3-D Album (cheesy designs).

All suggustions welcome. Thanks!

[Slide Woman]

I purchased Magix,very disappointed, just uninstalled it, waste of $50. Transitions are uck. For CD much prefer Roxio 5 Plat. , still looking for program to do slide show to DVD with a lot of decent transistions. Not one kind that does it 4 different directions. I find drag & drop a pain when doing numerous photos/insertions.

Jean

[ames]

Sounds like we are looking for the same product! I totally agree w/ you on the drag & drop transition. That's the one thing PictureToTv is good with...cool transitions with the click of a button.

Wow, I didn't not Roxio didn't burn to DVD. With Roxio are their transitions easy to apply? Also do they have their logo or ad in the final copy of the CD? I may have to settle w/ Roxio 5 if nothing else is better out there

thanks!
Amy

[Slide Woman]

Hi Amy,

Roxio 5 Platinum will only burn 'data' to a DVD. I and several friends really like this easy to use program. On the transitions, which I like, husband doesn't feel they are professional enough for him, you can go without the trans or go with the random.... which is quite a few. Re programs burning slide shows to DVD you have to watch close for whether it is to plus or minus R.

Jean

[ames]

Jean,

By "data" do you mean only still photos & no videos burn on DVD?

Roxio sounds like it got the easy random transitions I'm looking for!!

Can you also tell me:

On music, can you insert more than one song to a album? If so does the music cut off if your album length is longer than your songs length (in other words does it know how to loop)?

Does the final product show their logo or advertisement?

Sorry to ask you so many questions. I think Roxio might me the one for me!

Amy

[Slide Woman]

Yes, photo images to DVD but no 'video'.

You can have single or multiple transitions, piece of cake.

Haven't seen any logo or adverts on any that we've done.

I believe you can put a different song to each album and yes, you can program to loop. I'm just now getting ready to tackle adding the music. One of my friends has just accomplished adding music and found it very easy. EZCD Plat. also has MP3 capability. IF you do decided to purchase this program, try Costco (cheapest place to get it) and make sure you get the one that says CD & DVD on the box. Feel free to contact me for more spec info with program help if you like. VegasPan@aol.com

Good luck, Jean

[golferjack]

Slide Woman,
You indicated that you have Videowave 5.0, but did not like the transitions. I like the transitions (there must be 50 different ones and the time for each can be adjusted), but I was wondering if you ever used VW to do all the Authoring and encoding to MPG2 and then the burn to make a DVD? I have used VW 3.5se for years making VCDs and it has been a snap, but I have not purchased a DVD burner. However, since I have been sooo good this year, Santa is going to buy me one. I will then test VW 5.0 myself, but I was interested in what you have done with it.

[golferjack]

I would try Videowave from ROXIO. I have been making VCDs with it for about 4 years and have not had any problems. I am in the process of upgrading to their new 5.0 version which will make DVDs. They do not produce a logo and you can narrate each slide or insert music for whatever duration you want. Version 5.0 does not require you to also purchase the Easy CD Creator burning engine, since it comes with its own engine. Videowave uses the Ligos encoder.

[ames]

Wow...Videowave pretty impressive! The problem I've been having w/ software made for video is the transition selection. It makes you add in transition one by one (not for all images at once). This makes it pretty painful since slideshows w/ still images looks good only w/ transitions.

Looks like videowave requires adding of transition one by one too.

Thanks for your help. Currently testing Pinnacle Expression which looks very promising. Their only problem is there's not speed control on the transition. It'll be perfect if the intervals are slower.

Let me know if you know of any good software to try!

Amy