LumenLux

Good grief Lin - I must apologize! I think I deleted the other copy of your post at the very same moment you deleted the other copy. I'm sorry. Please re-post and I will keep my clumsiness away from it. (And I do already have a comment on helicopter.

Dom, I find your template very good and very useable. Thank you. The template has inspired me to use it for a current project. Here are a couple of observations. In my presentation, the only "shimmer" I see is along the inner edge of the upper white frame. It is not very noticeable until the viewer notices and then "focuses" on it. I don't know if a typical invited recipient of the show would even notice. I mention here that the "shimmer" does NOT occur on the other three sides of the frame. I have tried using 1024x768 and also 800x600 files with no difference as best I can see. I wonder if Igor or another PTE Forum member may be able to explain and possibly solve this slight distraction? I like this template effect for my immediate presentation. I think perhaps your effect (template) is best used where I simply want a pleasant presentation of photos. I think this effect would be less useful for telling a specific "story" or specific "message." I wonder if other users have thoughts on this?

Igor, the change is very good news! Prior to the change, I had been receiving often 10-15 reports each night. Since the change, I think I personally have received none. Thank you!

I think I remember similar problem in years past, prior to V4.48. I think the problem was eliminated when the sound/timeline effectively locked in visual to the sound line. I suspect, the condition is again temporary as part of the V5 Beta level where we stand for now.

Thanks for sharing that, Ray. I am not in the business, but have always had the impression that what you describe is prevalent. Almost all business demands "too much" at times. But I think the software business can be the most brutal of all? Better to quit than to crack. And your words may help fellow PTE fans to understand.

And how nice it is to have PTE Forum members, who we all know, express their "takes" on such subjects. It can be a real help to those of us less involved in the broad broad pc tech universe. Thank you.

Thank you Peter, Tom, Ken, Igor. All very helpful. I too had been unaware of the distinction between +RW and -RW as to "erase" vs. "re-use". I was using the term "erase" in a generic way, synonomous with r-use. But I know sometimes, when a re-write failed with Video Builder, I would then use Record Now to "erase" the disk - and it would still not work. I now understand why the "erased" disk would not work, but not why it had also not worked as a "re-write." With the new info, I will re-test. As to the .vob issue, it was VideoReDo I was using. Your guidance Tom to the specific forums provided direction.

1. In recent testing of PTE/Video Builder, I have often used DVD+RW disks. Often I want to temporarily keep several versions and therefor my erasable disks accumulate without being erased. Now, in trying to record over these, they often fail to complete a burn. I have a hunch that the "erase" function of my burner programs may not be doing a complete job. I can not isolate the problem to Video Builder or other burn programs. Is this a well known problem with a well known solution? If it is any clue - it seems that desired new burn, makes it nearly to the end of the process before giving me an error message and an ejected disk. 2. The second part of this topic: Microsoft Media Center recordings are .dvr-ms format. I want to convert the file to a normal DVD. One of the conversion programs that I am trying, offers to convert to .vob file. The program produces only the single "main" .vob file, not the several related files that I am used to seeing. What is the best program to use to burn the .vob file and add the necessary files so a TV DVD player will play the disk and not just decide the .vob is a "data" file?

Thank you Jean-Pierre. Very clever.

Some nice discussion going on here. Thanks everybody. Al you say it very well. May I add, though relatively few PTE users are involved in the competition level, I think your points apply widely to recreational or business or personal or hobby use or virtually any other use we find for ourselves. Last evening we attended an orchestra performance featuring a world-class 17-year-old violinist. The program consisted of Tschaikovski, Stravinski, and Ravel. The printed description of each piece revealed that each of the compositions had initially caused excitement, disgust, outrage, disappointment, rejection, acceptance, appreciation, etc. with no consistent time order to the reactions. Though today, the works are all generally considered great masterpieces, the appreciation is still not universal.

Tom, I think your Fun With 5 is wonderfully done. I have followed along with many of your questions as you have sought to implement more and more of the creative ideas that have been shared on this forum. Hat's off to you for your systematic persistence and skill. I think your presentation also re-kindles the question: What are "we" going to be doing with PTE, say two years down the road?

Over the years Brian, I have taken much good direction from you here in this forum. This recent help ranks in the high appreciation category. The "retaliator" seems to have taken care of all but one intruder. I am running much better now. The one intruder that apparently still loads at boot-up is "Avenue A". Sybot Search and Destroy finds it and "fixes" it but it returns on re-boot. It may be that "retaliator" may be able to solve that too if I learn better how to use it. Thank you for the tip, and thank you to the software authors as Zamaansoft.

Brian, that sounds downright exciting. I will try it, and report. Thank you.

Its a good idea Maureen except we should have a shorter time than 12 hours. Some of us may need to plagiarize the early creative results.

Thanks guys. I was not aware Ken of that resource. I had thought there should be something like that, but I had never heard of it. Since posting the problem, I have decided my problem has been a combination of things. Including genuine slow internet to me today. But also, Spybot Search & Destroy found and "fixed" 42 instances of spyware-type problems on this PC. The worst part is that I think they all re-install each time I re-boot.

My internet traffic is terribly slow today. The slowdown does not seem to be limited to our PTE forum, but that is where I most frequent and therefor notice. Is anyone else finding similar problems today? I don't want to waste time diagnosing my system if the problem is widespread or beyond me.

Thanks JPD for again posting your chart. I had found it both fascinating and useful when you originally presented it. Can you explain further your statement: Do you use Photoshop Save-for-Web and then use Irfanview to open and re-save the same file?

Peter, much of the time, I use PS Elements rather than Photoshop CS, etc. In the (Elements) Save for Web, the dialog box allows to save as .jpg, .gif, or .png types. Maureen, thank you for the thorough description of your process. For years I have favored the Save for Web setting for photos I use in PTE. But in shows with huge number of slides or tight prep time, I abandon the Save for Web because I have not developed an action for PS or Elements to batch process using Save for Web. Would it be possible for you to make your action available?

Thank you Jean-Pierre! I used your earlier cube templates for very nice photos. I also "over-used" the cube effect. But that is what is so wonderful when you and others generously share the fruits of your knowledge and talent. Each person has the opportunity to benefit as he chooses - from the generosity of you and so many others. Thank you again for this latest "captivator." I spent only five minutes with these new templates and knew I better thank you before I become completely absorbed. And thank you Maureen for your meaningful addition to JPD's work.

I'm sorry. I have the imbedded version running continuous mode. I was looking for the looping .swf file for download rather than the .html

Lin, is the "loop" version of the .swf file available for us to play with also?

Firefox browser opens with no visible delay. Immediately in action at proper pixel dimensions. Very clear. Was that Al's code to imbed? I mean is that all that is necessary to imbed the .swf?

Sounds possible that some "testers" might also have similar problem to mine on a single PC as described yesterday in a separate thread. It appears now, in my case, that it is a problem from an incomplete un-install somewhere. That is, any effort to re-install, Flash readers, do not really install, when they encounter some deep seated remnant or something. Meanwhile Firefox runs the swf files and does not "disable" the flash reader when I tell it to.

Exactly, and oxymorons are some of my favorite possibilities.

You are right Tom. And if the current presentation was "static" glitter, we would be seeking to give it "motion."