Conflow

Hi All, I have a problem with Pte 6.0 where I find it nearly impossible to create a 'Start-Screen' such as that in Pte 4.49. Having spent the best part of a day trying to do this I have just about given up. I have tried nearly every method of Control & Edit sequences available in:- Project-Options and Customise-Slide and Objects & Animations with only partial success. However I can not stop the Soundtrack when a "static" Start-Image is shown on the Monitor. Perhaps I'm overlooking something ? or perhaps it cant be done ?.Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated. Below is an Example-Screenshot of what I am trying to achieve. I think it should be self explainatory. Brian (Conflow)

Hi Rungabic, I agree with Lin's comment.."Throw logic out the Window" because I also had terrible problems with Video-production over the past few years and I learnt the hard way as follows:- 1) When using any type of Video-production Software and World-class Converters there is absolutely nothing to be gained with using 'Mega-sized' Images except absolute frustration and confusion. 2) When I started to use my common sense I finally choose to settle on a suitable 'Image-size' size between the 2 HD-Video Standards of 1920x1080 and 1080x607 ~ I choose 1280x720 pixels and since then everything has worked out just fine for me with every Video-production and Conversion including Mp4(H-2640. This Image-size renders quite happily with 2.Gb Memory and upwards for up to 10.minutes of Video. Note: By the way I also found that the Mp4(H264) Video-format does not like being Zipped-up its very 'tetchy' about it. Even with Win-ZipPro do not use any zip-Compression, just send as is. 3) I asked myself why is it working so well?? and of course the answer was staring me in the face:- The reproduction on a PC is 30.Fps (progressve) and on EU.TV it is 25.Fps and on US.TV its 30.Fps. All TV is (interlaced) and any errors are smoothed with the EU.50-interlaces per Frame X 25 Fps this being 1250 scans/second. In the US its 60-interlaces x 30.Fps being 1800 scans/sec.Thats one 'hell' of a lot of data/per/second multiplies by your Pixels/per/Image/per/second. 4) From the above its plain to see if you use 'Mega-images' your RAM-Memory resources are going to expire very quickly. Indeed if you had the time and 'retro-calculated' the amount of RAM/second/ usage there will come a point where the PC will be forced to create extra 'Virtual-Memory' on its Hard-Drive and as this is (mechanical) and Non-synchronous the Video-rendering will fail. The plain fact is that it seems to be you running out of RAM-Memory with these large Image-sizes and they serve no purpose because Video-Standards are precise with very little image-resizing utilities with the exception of "You-Tube" who do this as a Client-Image Standardisation. Hope this helps ~ I attach a screen-shot of Computer and Video Image Standards to help you choose. Brian (Conflow)

Eric, I do apologise for putting you into that 'extra-work' situation. One would think because Canon is a world renowned Manufacturer and just as big as Mirosoft ~ and as such ~ Microsoft would accomodate their Printer-drivers as a matter of business etiquette. As I said earlier it seems that Microsoft are 'hell-bent' in trying to to close down all 32.Bit Applications despite the fact that 95% of World Business-Commerce is conducted with 32.Bit systems. In our Business thats called "Monopoly Lock-Down" and it is believed to be illegal because it infringes Consumer-Rights and I must say I'm surprised that the E.C has not been more pro-active in this matter. Lets hope Win.7 will no go the same way as Vista which was too soon, badly supported, and did not intergrate transparently into Business-Commerce and was subsequently rejected. This would be a pity because Win.7 is fundamentally an excellent system and all it requires is a little less "Microsoft-arrogance" towards its current Customers and Software Vendors. All I can say is "time will tell". Brian (Conflow).

Hi Eric, Just saw your Post + Attachment concerning your Canon-Printer etc. Thats typical of Win7........"Its the other Guys fault,contact them" Here below is what you want directly from Canon-Support which is freely available to Microsoft. At the very least they could have given you a Link to the resource if they dont provide a 'Legacy-Driver' http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0035869.asp?model= Brian (Conflow)

Lin, Yes I agree with you, this situation with PTE & Windows.7 certainly needs clarification for the benefit of all Forum Members. Here in Ireland and the U.K. if one goes out and buys an "Off the Shelf" Windows.7 PC with Home-Premium installed it will only run "Multi-Media Programs" from its Libraries provided those Programs are in the format prescribed by Microsoft in the "Media-Centre" installed on the PC ~ Now recently the Win7 "Media-Centre" has been altered again with Service-Pak.1. As to how the Pte-Slideshow runs on Windows7 Home-Premium ~ I have no idea, thats up to Igor to advise us ? Its becomming more complex as Microsoft replaces the 'Media-Centre Formats' with their new 'Media-Foundation System' due for release with Windows-8 in January 2011. Its looks to me as if Microsoft are 'hell bent' on de-commissioning the XP 32.Bit System in favour of what they call..."Windows7 will provide a fuller and more enriching experience with Multi-Media"... Where have I heard that before ?? In the long run how will that effect the Pte-Slideshow, I dont know?. This needs clarification because if you are starting to create Video-Slideshows these will become 'obselete' very quickly unless WnSoft specifies the exact method to make those Videos. As for Win7-Pro, Win7-Ultimate, Win7-Enterprise, all those versions come "pre-installed with XP-1" as a Virtual-PC but its up to the owner to activate that mode of operation so the system can render older Media & Programs. But when 'Media-Foundation' is up and running I wonder if our Forum Members will be enjoying the "Fuller experience" as promised ???.. Brian (Conflow)

Lenzcap, You say you are using Windows7-64.Bit. That's not enough information as there are 6 versions of Windows7, viz:- 1) Windows7-No MediaPlayer 2) Windows7-KN KoreanVersion 3) Windows7-Home Premium 4) Windows7-Professional 5) Windows7-Enterprise 6) Windows7-Ultimate Which version is yours.? I am open to correction on this:- My understanding is as follows. If you purchased ~ "Win7-Home Premium 64.Bit.O/S-System" ~ it will not work with the PTE-Slideshow. "Win7-Home Premium" can be purchased as a 32.Bit PC or as a 64.Bit PC but not both together. You would need to return it to your Supplier and have it altered to 32.Bit Operational-Mode if that is the case. Other versions 4,5,6, (above) can be selectively run in either Mode whereby the 32.Bit Mode is run as a virtual XP-1 PC which suits the requirements of the PTE-Slideshow which is a 32.Bit Compatible Program. You need to check which version of Windows.7 you are running and in which Operational-Mode. To have the Program 'open-up' and immediately 'shut-down' indicates such a problem ~ of course there may be other causes. I hope this helps... Brian (Conflow)

Hi John, That selection is a "Windows-Folder Function" where the user selects the appropriate Mouse behaviour to their own personal choice. (See attachment) Brian (Conflow)

Hi Seahog, 1) The 'Folder' you refer to is the 'Setup-Folder' extracted from the Zip-File you downloaded from the PTE-Website and Windows.7 had parked that inside your My-Documents. 2) You should also have received an EMailed "Registration-Key" in document Format which activates your copy of PTE. 3) Concerning that Folder in My-Documents ~ You must have used its contents to Setup & Install the PTE-Program on your new PC. Apparently its done its job ~ But do not consider it to be redundant as you may need it in the future for other purposes, particularily if you have some future Laptop problems. My personal suggestion would be:- Find the 'PTE-RegKey' and put a copy of it into the Folder and then move that Folder onto a secure Memory-Pen or onto a Camera SD-Card. Now you have a permanent copy for future usage. You say you are a newbie to Windows and Windows.7 ~ May I suggest you get a Book from Amazon its about $16 ~ its called "Windows.7 for Dummies". Its part of the Dummies series of Instructional Manuals for all things Windows. Its fun to read, highly addictive and it will become your PC-bible. Its one heck of a 'short-cut' for all those getting into Windows protocols. See a Preview in Attachments (Cheat-Sheet) and Snapshot. Best of luck with your New-Laptop. Brian (Conflow) Win.7-Cheat Sheet.pdf

Hi Lin, Many thanks for that confirmation ~ I had not realised he got a Converter for his files. Brian.

Learner, You have me confused,viz:- Are you trying to implant an "MP4-Composite Video & Soundtrack File" into PTE ?? Or are you trying to import an "Mp4(a)Audio File" into PTE ?? If the latter is the case how did you extract the Soundtrack from the MP4 Video ?? As PTE can not support an Mp4(a)Sound-File, I suggested the "Pazera-Program" so you could extract the Soundtrack and convert that "on the trot" into a valid Mp3 Sound-File you can use in PTE. Brian (Conflow)

Hi Learner, The following Program should should allow you to extract Mp4(a) Music Files from your Videos. Here below is a Link to the Program and a Screenshot... Link:- http://www.snapfiles.com/get/pazeraaudioex.html Brian (Conflow)

Hi Xaver, No reason why the Samson C03U Microphone should not be used ~its a very good Mic. Although I passed your suggestion to Paul, I personally would not class it as a 'true' Condenser Microphone. In fact its a Twin-Diaphram (Electret-type) Mic working on the condenser principle where there is a permanent excitation voltage generated by a charged-couplet device. The Condenser Mic I was refering to is a Studio-Mic like the Neumann which has 2 metal-ribbons held in close proximity (like a Condenser) and usually has an external Power-unit.The signal output is derived from the charging-current of the 2 condenser-ribbons ~ thats true condenser operation. The reason I suggested the Shure-PG58 or SM-58 is because the "tailored-acoustics" are inbuilt and specially designed for Vocal & Voice-overs with internal 'Pop-Filter' with Acoustic and Electrical in-built 'Noise-cancellation' within the Mic and its used "live" by virtually every artist in the World. It can also take extreme punishment like 'hopping' it on the Floor and no 'set-up' is needed. Its front to back pick-up ratio (or back rejection) is nearly -60.db or a 1000:1 rejection ratio. Furthermore you can purchase it with a USB-Module or Radio-Link which Paul had refered too. Shure use external Modules for redundancy purposes, because if your Mic 'pops' so does your internal-inbuilt USB. ** With the Griffin iMic you can also add a noiseless Stereo-Music input signal. My original Post was never meant to be a 'Review' of Microphones, good, bad nor indifferent,it was purely designed to help Paul on his way with proven equipment known to work well which would take the knocks and little accidents that occur with "live" Voice-overs ~ Thats important to a beginner. Regards, Brian (Conflow)

Paul, One can go completely 'OTT' when it comes to 'Domestic-environmental Voice-overs' using all types of Microphones & Mixers etc,etc. However one can never simulate the sheer quality of Studio Voice-overs for the reasons that you do not have access to the 5:3:2 Studio-size ratio's nor its Anechoic-properties nor access to Condenser-Mics such as Sennheiser, Neumann, nor AKG-4000's nor do you have access to a proper Sound-Mixing Console. So lets get reasonable with this topic, some Members like Peter use a Handheld Digital-Recorder and then transfer the sound over to their Pte-Slideshow ~sounds great~ but they also have the problems of background-noises of Birds,Machines,Leaves and Wind and they have to be ultra careful to avoid 'handling-noise' so this solution is not the best compromise available but it suits some Members. Your proposed Domestic-environment should be fully-carpeted and heavily-draped and use only Tungsten-lighting (Bulbs) and for Microphone support use a proper Flexi-Gooseneck Holder placed upon a sponge-rubber Mat at least 15.mm thick all on a Desk or Table covered with a Baze-Cloth or Woolen-Rug. You will need a (right-angled) Wooden-baffle behind the Mic where both sides are approx 12"high and 12-18" front to back. The Room should be squarish in shape but never twice the lenght of its width and never any twice-multiple of Width-Depth-Height ~ avoid these multiples if at all possible. If you are using a PC you will need to baffle that but do not enclose it. Your Microphone should be a "Super-Cardoid (Noise-Cancellation) Dynamic Microphone" about 200.Ohm Impedance (somewhat like Xaver suggested) and in that category there are many to choose from ~ more later. Do not use a Condenser Microphone because it neither suits the environment nor will it give a good tonal-quality in that environment ~ Its also extremely delicate and hard to use and much effected by athmospheric-humidity. May I suggest the world famous Shure PG-58 or its twin the SM-58 or for a cheaper product the Samson-Co3u or the SoundLab-G146 which is a copy of the Shure SM-58. Make absolutely sure whichever Mic you use that it has a Muting-Switch ~ Thats very important. As for XLR-Connectors and Cables:- Nothing could be more critical in the System than the XLR-Connector and its very special Cable. These Cables are specially designed to cancel 50.Hz Hum pick-up working in unison with the Balanced-signal output from the Microphone capsule and are sheathed in a mettalized Teflon-wrapping underneath the Rubber-outer Cover ~ this to cancel mechanical-noises from cable movements and temperature shifts. As for Mic-PreAmps: You will not need these if you use a 'USB-Mic Adaptor' together with a 200 or 600.Ohms Dynamic Mic (see above) because Audacity has sufficient amplification factor to do that job. You can also purchase a suitable XLR~3mm Adapter for the USB-Unit. Irrespective of what choices you make, I do hope the above data will assist you in making the system work properly. Brian (Conflow)

Hi Paul, We have been in the Audio-Manufacturing business neigh on 40 years now so we know a little about Mics/Amps etc. Firstly, Peter is dead on target ~ the "Mic-Input Socket" on any PC/Laptop have a noise level of approx -40.db below Zero (Zero=.775vrms across 600.ohm) so -40.db is approx 7.millevolt of Noise which is predominant Hiss on Laptops together with some Hum-modulation on PC's. The 'Lo-Signal level' from an "AKG-Dynamic Mic" is approx -60.db/rel to Zero, thats approx 0.7 millevolt rising to 30/40.millevolt at 'Hi-Signal levels'. So for Lo/Medium "Mic-Overs" you will get quite an amount of audible 'Hiss' and if its a PC you will get Hum & Hiss together. The only other way into a Laptop/PC is via the USB-Inputs which are "noiseless" Data-inputs which are not in the least effected by (random) analog-noises nor pick-ups coming from the Processor-Clocks & Mains-Converters. There are many such Audio-USB devices on the Market and in our opinion its very hard to beat the "Griffin iMIC" Adaptor (Usb-powered). It has both Stereo-Mic Input (can be wired Mono) and a Stereo-Line Input. For the price of some $35 and even cheaper on Amazon its an ideal 'gizzmo' to experiment with. It will also accept ¼" to 3.mm Stereo Adapters. Below is a Screen-shot and Link to Griffin-Utilities (Supplied with MACs) Brian (Conflow) Link: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic/

Barry, This is the way we do it at Conflow Services ~ see Example below. Brian. (Conflow)

Hi Gary, You wrote..."Our photography club is about to get into the digital presentation world" Firstly, I completely agree with DaveG and yes indeed this topic was discussed to the death about 2 years ago and as Dave wrote ~"BEG THEM TO RECONSIDER"~ that was not an idle comment but a sincere plea before your Club makes a decision it may bitterly regret. Just to add to Daves comments, very few people know the difference between an 'Analog-Projector' and a 'Digital-Projector' and worse still the difference between a 'Sequential-Image Projector'and a 'Storage-Image Projector' the latter by far is the better product as it can resolve fades and effects and can be set for various Image-Sizes. Its not for me to explain these things here but your Club should be advised to follow these maxims. 1) Work out a Project-Sheet where the criteria must be..."What do you want the Projector do" ?? 2) What 'Media-Formats' must the Projector handle ?? (it will take some time to resolve that). 3) Where will the Projector be used:- Small-Hall ? ~ Large-Hall ? or Mobile-Usage ? 4) Get as much information on the selected 'Products-Shortlist' as possible ~ thats important. Here below is a good "Projector-Review Site" which will help your Club with its deliberations and may I suggest that you examine the 'Multi-Media' category. Link: http://www.projectorreviews.com and a Screenshot. All the very best of luck with the project, Brian (Conflow)

Good Morning Guys, Mark I am inclined to agree with Lins' comments for the reason that the vast majority of people simply use a modern tool "The Digital-Camera" ~ to take photos of persons/groups/things purely for archival purposes to show to family & friends. Its a modern-convenience whose product does not require processing and if the photos can be shown on TV thats even better. The general public couldn't care less as to how it works nor who designed it nor about the software to put it on TV. Appreciating that simple concept everything else thereafter is either subjective or objective depending on the product usage. The use of the 'Digital-Cameras' falls into a vast range of applications ranging from: AV-Utilities, TV-Utilities, Medical, Security, Architectural, Traffic, Aerial, Marine, Fisheries, Energy-Applications, Engineering, Transport, and Forensics just to mention a few where each and every one has its own unique disciplines and applications. Forgive me for making this point;- When I hear someone saying I'm a Professional-Photographer...am I supposed to be impressed !! Considering my previous comment I certainly am not impressed because to me that person is one who makes money by taking Photographs (per-se) and who who tends to forget the thousands of Engineers & Technicians whose work is embodied in that new Digital-Camera (in his hands) and those contributions made it possible for him to take 'binary-images' where before this epoch he had to do the entire processing himself from taking the Photograph to Developing it, Fixing,Drying,Proofing,Enlarging and Mounting it. That 'old-boy' was the true Professional a fact which the Royal Photographic Society and others Associations tend to forget in their efforts to plagiarise the modern "Photo-Optics Industry" as if it was their own invention....it certainly is not !! , The point of my argument is this ~ There are very few genuine Photographers left on this Planet so for all intents and purposes we are all convenience users of a machine called a Digital-Camera ~ no creativity needed ~ excepting those who compose a nice Photograph as an Art-Form (just like an original Oil-Painting) whereas everything else depends on the whims of Technology whether that be modern AV-Productions or Video-Productions or android PhotoShop-Productions....etc,etc. "There are no adaptive methods nor rules chissled-in-stone"....Just the current available Technology and for that convenience we all should be thankful to our Engineers (irrespective of nationality) for they are the true modern Photographic-Experts...not us, nor the R.P.S, nor the new breed of IT (pseudo) Professionals whose job would not exist except for the work of Computer & Software Engineers alike. All I can say is thank God for the creativity of the Forum Members who use the PTE-Slideshow and to the Technicians and Administrators who help them to achieve their goals in this new Creative-Science because thats exactly what it is....pure scientific technology. AV is only a tiny part of this Industry and it sure gives pleasure to very many people. But there are those who want to control this Media for personal and corporate profit which include Associations and Governments... These are the people we should worry about. After that I'm going to have another cup of Tea ~ at least thats chissled in stone... Brian (Conflow)

Anthony, Simple explaination:- When you run any (Audio/Video) Slideshow on your PC that slideshow is under the control of the Source-Program (Pte) which is writing instructions to the Computer-Processor which in turn is running your VGA + Display + Soundcard. When you decide to make an Exe.(Stand-alone Executable) which plays on virtually any Windows-Computer now your PC has to encode the entire contents of your Slideshow and generate Windows-Instructions within your Exe.File so that it plays on other Computers. This is the additional programming & load which makes the Exe larger than the original (self-running) Pte-Slideshow. Brian (Conflow)

Hi Mike, On the off-chance that you may read this ~ No you cant suppress the Vol-Control 'ping' as its part of MPlayer2 which is a vital core-component and part of every Win-Operating System and its unremovable from the System. The "Core-MPlayer2" came with Win-95 and was updated in 2004 and it controls every other Win-Player retro-installed since then, whether that be Win-Player 6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 althought Player-12 is specially designed for Windows-7. At least 99% suppression of the Ding-Dong utilities is better than been driven mad by it. Brian (Conflow)

Hi Mike, Following on from Stu's suggestion for Windows-7 ~ I note you are actually using XP-Pro which uses the following XP Sound-Scheme and the way to change to "No-Sounds" is as follows:- Press 'Start-Button'-->select Control Panel-->(double.clk Icon)-->Sounds & Audio Devices-->select Sound-Tab Now open the 'Attachment-Shot' below which shows you how to configure the Ding-Dong Panel. Note- Will not effect the the normal Sound-Player nor Sound-Recorder for reproduction of your Music Files etc. Hope this helps. Brian (Conflow)

Geoff and Stu, Geoff many thanks for getting the correct Sony Model No: for me and on foot of that I can report to you and Stu as follows:- 1) Sony HD-Laptop with Windows-7 Manufactured by Sony. There is something wrong with the Specs as the printed claims dont agree with Microsofts release dates for Windows-7 with Windows-Player 12. It seems to me as if this Laptop started life as either a XP-64 Bit(Hybrid) Laptop or as a Vista-Laptop (more likely Vista) and there after Windows-7 was installed on it as a 'Retro-Fit' to the original Machine. Whether Sony U.K did this or who ?..I dont know !... 2) Had it been a 'genuine' (New) Sony Windows-7 Laptop it would have been shipped together complete with "Microsoft-Player 12" and Windows-7 (64 Bit) and would have been been Manufactured after 22/7/2009 with the earliest U.K.release in Spring 2010. I suspect this particular Sony Laptop was Manufactured in late 2007 or early 2008 and was re-furbished from Stock and hit the U.K sometime in mid 2008. (This is common practice amongst Manufacturers). When all other things are considered, Stu's Manufacture/Date is probably correct. 3) This Laptop has Windows-7 (Retro-Installed) but they forgot to replace "Microsoft Media-Player 11" which only has EVR or Enhanced Video-Rendering available. Windows Player-11 is totally unsuitable for Windows-7 it should be Win-Player-12. (That is according to Microsoft who make the Operating-System). 4) Thats why the 2 other Windows-7 Machines worked perfectly but your's did not ~ its simply got the wrong Win-Player and I suspect that many of its Drivers are still of Vista vintage.....It looks as if this needs a complete New 2010 Re-Install (It might be worthwhile looking into the Machine-Log for data as I suspect this Laptop was one of the 1st.original batch). Sorry for the bad news but you and Stu can check the facts for yourselves... Brian (Conflow)

Jeff, The Model No: you gave is a generic Sony/Batch No: and not the correct Model No: of the Laptop in question. Sony were the 1st.to launch a Series of "Hybrid-Laptops" geared for 3-D Television HDD Viewing & Downloads. That explains the choice of 1920x1080 HD-Screen Size.....its made for TV + Dolby-Sound and Blue-Ray utilities. So I guess we were right about the TV end of things ~ It sure takes Sony to come up with the unexpected !!. I have been on to the Sony Product-Search Centre (see Attached and Link below) to try and identify the Model and find its Specifications. I'm afraid its back to your Friend to get the correct data, I suggest you forward this to them. Sony Model Portfolio Link:- http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/index.aspx?old=y&m=0 Brian (Conflow)

Geoff, Just a few "Wildcards" may I ask some questions because that 1920x1080 Screen really has me "bugged" 1) Having opened 'Display-Properties' is 1920x1080 actually listed in the Size Selection-Window ? 2) Could you establish the "genuine" Native Screen-resolution for that Win-7 Laptop ? 3) By any 'wild-possibility' is that Win-7 running Parallels.5 for Mac-PC ? 4) Has the owner ever installed (his own) Screen-Saver on the Win-7 ? 5) Finally can you give me the Make & Model of the Win7 Laptop ? I appreciate its your friends Laptop so I'm thinking it may have been fiddled with before it came into your hands and obviously you dont know what happened prior to that. If you cant answer the questions, dont worry, I can check some things up once I know the Make & Model. As Stu says it could be a Bios-Bug but it would be nice to eliminate other possibilities first...so the questions. Brian (Conflow)

Geoff, Yes I had appreciated that point since your 1st.Post ~ its the reason why I asked you to go into Display-Properties and try other Screen-Size Formats an see what would work ? Also when you are in Display-Properties make sure its set to "Full-Screen No Borders" and if that doesn't work I suggested that you alter the Desktop Background-Color to Black instead of White (which is peeping thro') that should do the trick. You may have overlooked those points as there had been other Posts in the interim. You will need to fiddle around with the Display-properties,viz:- Start-->Control Panel-->select Display-->choice of Tags are:- 'Theme' and/or 'Appearance' Brian (Conflow).