Save slideshow as MPEG?

[vwcrusher]

Real Newbie question: Is it possible to create a slide show (or video) and save it in MPEG format? If so what application do you suggest?

Thanks in advance,
Allen

[andkiich]

A lot of the authoring programs will.

From my experience, Ulead VideoStudio will, but I didn't much like the interface or the options.

I use Windows Movie Maker 2, save the slideshow as DV AVI, then use TMPGENc Plus to convert to MPEG2. This seems to be the best option for me at the moment.

DVD-Lab has the ability to have slideshows, but it is a new/under development feature, so there are no fancy effects like transitions and such. But if you are looking for something quick and easy, it will do it. It will not output an MPEG2 file for you, but it will create the slideshow and generate the output for burning to DVD.

[housepig]

most video editing software can do it - you import a series of images, lay them out, add transitions, add some music underneath... pretty easy.

I made some in Vegas Video, took me about 10 minutes from start to finish, for a 5 minute slideshow with music.

then I dropped that mpeg into DVD Lab as a movie, and set chapter points at the beginning of each picture, so I could forward through them fast.

[digital-titan]

Depending on how much you want to spend, you could use Macromedia Director. I use this one. This is overkill for photo cds, but if you are going to need a video editor for home movies then you may justify the cost and power of this program.

I use this one for photos because it alows me to edit each photo(frame) individualy. The affects, background music or sound annotations, that you can apply to the slideshows on the other programs only allow you to do so on the whole album not the individual photos. With this program you can also put in blank slides that have text on them or some other creative thought between the photos. You can achieve this with other programs by creating an image using a graphics editor then adding it to the slideshow. This requires the expense of another program and you still can't edit that frame(photo) with some kind of effect.

[vwcrusher]

Thanks very much for the replies and advice. I am a little overwhelmed with what the best way to proceed is. After I posted the message about MPEG, I was told that the quality of MPEG on a 36" TV screen will not very good.......so, I guess the follow up question is a bit more specific.

The computer system I am using is a Sony Vaio with Gigapocket. The Gigapocket function essentially transferes tv (audio and video) into a digital format (I don't know what format) and writes it to the hard drive. It can then be edited and played back on the TV (again, I know it can do MPEG, but it also might be able to handle others that are higher quality).

Do you know what format I should be using to accomplish this?
It seems that there are several software tools to use, any clear winner?
I will certainly use this to produce slide shows, but I also have over a dozen analog videos that I want to eventually edit and record on DVDs.

Again, thanks very much for the advice,
Allen

[FOO]

The easiest way I can think of is MovieFactory2
You click "create slideshow" add a bunch of pictures
and it will make a DVD

[vwcrusher]

andkiich,

I tried exactly what you suggested (use Windows Movie Maker 2, save the slideshow as DV AVI, then use TMPGENc Plus to convert to MPEG2) - TMPGENc would not import an AVI file I created in Movie Maker 2.

There just doesn't seem to be any straight forward way to do this...I can't believe it. Why have a PC with all these capabilities but not really connecting the mulitmedia and computer functions....wow!

Am I missing something?

Allen

[antonv]

The easiest way to make mpg slideshow would be using editing software called Cyberlink PowerDirector. It works like Windows Movie Maker, but You do not have to worry about encoding because you can export your project in PowerDirector to any format including AVIs, MPEGs incl. VCDs, SVCDs, DVDs etc.

[andkiich]

There is another NTSC 720x480 AVI option. Try saving the WMM2 project that way and try TMPGENc again. I may have been incorrect in which one I told you to use. One is DVAVI Type 1 and DVAVI Type 2 and I cannot for the life of me remember right now which one TMPGENc likes.

And on the MPEG2 on a "36 inch TV doesn't look good line - whoever told you that must not know what they are doing. My main TV is a "36 Sony Wega, and all my homemade DVD's look incredible. I even took some laserdisc backups to a friend of mine who has a "52 inch projection, and they look incredible on that too.

[FOO]

I don't know what could be simpler than dropping a bunch of pictures
on a program and having it produce and burn a DVD in one step.

Try Ulead MF2. It has a 30 day fully functional trial.

[vwcrusher]

I absolutely agree that Moviefactory 2 is incredibly easy to use; I would definately try it.

The issue is that what I really want to accomplish with this PC is to save a movie or slide show to my hard drive and play it to the tv directly - without burning a DVD. If that is not possilbe I will purchase a package.

It seems that the consensus is MF2? Best quality output? I guess its MPEG2 (I too have a 36" WEGA)?

Thanks and I apologize for all the dumb questions,
Allen

[FOO]

If you have a video card with TV out, you can have your movie
in any format you want. In that case, mpeg2 is completely
unnecessary, except it is a good way to save space.

[whistler]

For creating a slideshow on DVD, you may want to give MemoriesOnTV a try. They have many nice transition effects as well as what is common known in the Apple world as "Ken Burns Effect", which gives your still-image slideshows a documentary-style touch. You may also import video clips into your slideshow. It is very simple to use, and they provide a fully functional evaluation version. Oh, they allow hooking into an existing TMpgEnc installation for encoding the Mpeg videos, if so desired.

[vwcrusher]

FOO,

Actually, the video card does not have video out. Another card has TV in, video/s video in/out, and I haven't found a way to get video out other than use the packaged Tivo-like software...its a Sony Vaio desktop.

Whistler,

I will look at Memoriesontv; thanks for the tip.

Allen