Need help with slideshow resolutions

[VanHorst]

I'm not sure where to post this, so I'll start here.
I have created both VCD and SVCD slideshows of my digital JPEG photos, using Nero 5.5.8.2 (JPEGs were both 1, 2 and 3+ Meg pixel content). Problem is, both formats limit TV screen resolution to 352x240. (played on my Apex 660a.) On my widescreen TV, that looks poor. I even tried making a "picture CD", and viewed that on a JPEG picture CD compatible DVD player (Apex 1200)(junk-didn't buy it). Resolution did not improve, perhaps due to limitations of that player, I'm not sure. Nero tells me their software limits JPEGs to the lower resolution. So, I am considering waiting for Nero's next version due out 11/02, which they tell me will author DVDs using my JPEGs displayed for X seconds each, and getting an external DVD-RW burner with firewire to make them. Since my Apex660a will apparently read DVD-RWs, is that the way to go? What I want to achieve is the 704-480 resolution. My thinking is that a DVD-RW disc could achieve the better TV screen resolution, but maybe I'm wrong. I'm open to any advice. I have an HDTV widescreen where regular DVD movies look great, but that's using another high-end DVD player (Mitsubishi DD6000) that will only read DVD "Video discs". I'm not sure if the newer Nero will let me burn "DVD Video dics" using JPEGs. I can wait to see what they come out with, and for burner prices to come down, and just store my picture on HD and suffer with VCD resolution until then. Any help on this subject would be appreciated.

[D_Knife]

Interesting problem
I had not done this before so I...
I just shot a bunch of 1Mega pixel camera shots of my back garden and while they won't win any awards - they do look pretty good on TV
maximum picture size for TV is 704 x 480 ( 576 PAL)
my version of Nero is 5.5.3.0
I just opened a VCD template and dropped these files in, set the pause time to 5 seconds and burnt
popped it into my player and was away.
All DVD players should be able to do this though - it's built into the VCD specification.

[Nelson37]

use VcdEasy, 704x480 is in both standards for still picture, VcdEasy also resizes for TV display.

[Cornucopia]

VanHorst,

First, you should do a search on the forums, as this has been covered before. But, for expediency:

DVD Stills resolution =
720x480(NTSC)/576(PAL) for overscan, or
704x480/576 for fullscan

SVCD Stills rez =
[HiRez] 704x480/576, or
[LoRez] 480x480/576

VCD Stills rez=
[HiRez] 704x480/576-with-352x240/288, or
[LoRez] 352x240/288

So as you can see, you can get HiRez 704x480/576 pictures on ANY FORMAT. Repeat: You don't have to make a DVD to get HiRez ("704") slideshows. As long as you use the right authoring tool-that's the catch.
Some support HiRez, some don't (I'm pretty sure from what you said earlier that Nero doesn't). TSCV doesn't yet. Newest VCDEasy does. Phillips VCDToolkit does. Don't know about VideoPack/WinOnCD/ECDC or any others.
Also, it's possible that some programs will "favor" the "704" over the "352", while others will be the opposite. Also it depends on which streams they reside in when muxed. These variables can cause some players to act weird when playing a VCD 2.0 disc. I have some examples here, but won't go into it now-more experimentation required.
The upshot of this is: Try a couple different ways and test, test, test! I'm sure one will work.
And "704" looks a hell of a lot better than "352" so go for it.

Note: There are other "features" differences that might make you want to make a DVD slideshow instead.

Let us know what you end up doing...

Scott

[VanHorst]

Thanks for the feedback. VCDEasy sounded worth checking out. I went the that websitte, but it is not responding. Their download page is also unreachable. I'll even buy something that can make 704x480 resolution slideshows - trouble is, I'm not sure which will actually DO that. I checked out Ulead's "Picture show", which advertised 704x352 potential, much the same as Nero does, but found out directly from their tech support that JPEGs come through at 352-240 for their program, the same as Nero's. Neither Nero or Ulead could explain their advertisements, but admitted to the lower res only with JPEGs.

I really did do a search for my subject in the forums - but I guess I didn't look in the right places. I appreciate your forebearance. Interesting to read that in your use of Nero, you were able to specify a pause time. When I dragged my JPEGS over into the VCD template, I get an automatic "infinite" in the pause column. Maybe I'm not doing it right?

[VanHorst]

I did manage to get to the VCDEasy site - downloaded version 1.1.1 & installed it - read their PDF manual and the How to make 1st VCD Guide, etc. But program does not display my CD-RW (that whole area is greyed out), so can't experiment at all. Might be an ASPI driver problem, but I can't seem to solve that either. Everything in writing refers to MPEG files & MPEG stills, no mention of JPEGs anywhere. As with my use of Nero, maybe I'm doing something wrong. If I was computer literate enough I could wend my way through all this, but I'm not. Both Nero and Ulead techs said I would have no problem with getting hi-rez on MPEG stills, but JPEGs - no way, at least for now. I think I need a commercial product that can give me tech support to help me get JPEGs into hi-rez slideshows. I'm just becoming a frustrated old retiree, I guess.

Anyone willing to put up with me a little more, I'm open to suggestions.

[Cornucopia]

VanHorst,
What you did was right, up to a point. Nero seems to set "infinite" as the default pause time, but this can be changed. You just need to know how to change it. Do this.

Go to the window pane where you just dragged your jpg's to. Do "Ctrl+A" (as in Select All). Do "Alt+Enter" (as in Properties). There it is-just change it! Easier done than said.

Funny thing is I don't remember having done a previous job w/ Nero-I checked and I'm pretty sure I had been using (prior to VCDEasy/TSCV) WinOnCD 3.8. Nero works in a similar way in that respect, although with less options.

Happy Burning,

Scott

[Cornucopia]

Oh, yeah-keep trying the VCDEasy site. It's fickle. If you want complete control, you do want this.

If you have a real hard time getting it, I can send you an email attachment, but the full install is quite large for email (6.5MB).

Scott

[VanHorst]

Thanks for all the help, but I'm going to throw in the towel on this one. I couldn't get VCDEasy to work right for me. I even downloaded Adaptec's VCDToolkit and tried that, but in addition to being way too complicated, it only dealt with MPEG stills, as far as I could see. Then I tried to uninstall it and couldn't, so thanks to my XP Pro feature, I restored my computer to this afternoon, before all these downloads. Since neither Nero nor Ulead can get JPEGs above 352x240 on VCD or SVCD, I think I'll just have to wait to put them onto a DVD later on, when the software arrives to do that. I'll have to get a DVD burner, but that's okay if I can get the higher resolution I'm looking for. I guess if I had MPEG stills, I would not be having this problem.

Scott, your suggestion re changing the display time for my pix was helpful. That works.

Thanks again everyone. Bob Van Horst