davegee

You still haven't said if you were sent a "reg.txt" OR a string of text in an e-mail OR a "VideoBuilder_Regkey". What exactly did they send you? DaveG

Daniel, I might be completely misunderstanding your question (!) but if you rename a slide in the slide list surely you would need to re-direct the path in O&A / Properties / Picture ??????? Renaming would only work BEFORE you add a slide to the project (I think!!). DaveG

There is probably nothing at all wrong with the key. If it was an attachment marked "reg.txt" all that you need to do is put it into the folder which PTE created in Program Files when you installed. When PTE asks for the key just point it toward the Program Files/PTE folder and it will recognise it - no need to open it. If it arrived with you as a string of text in an e-mail just open up "notepad" and copy/paste the text to the notepad document. Save as "reg.txt" and follow instructions as above. It is possible that WNSOFT sent a "VideoBuilder_RegKey" which is not what you require to get the basic programme running but what you need to upgrade the programme to the Deluxe version. Can you now be more specific about what you have and report back? This highlights the need to SAVE these sorts of things to a seperate drive where a fatal crash or recovery necessitated by a virus etc will not affect your most precious belongings. The "c" drive is for PROGRAMMES - everyone needs extra drives be they USB or internal for storage of DATA which keeps your keys and data safe and also keeps your "c" drive free from clutter and working a lot faster (you still need to clean up and defrag weekly). DaveG

Tony, In recent side by side tests of a 1920x1080 Optima projector against the Canon 1400x1050 the results from the Canon were thought to be too bright/harsh/contrasty compared to the lower output from the Optima. The Optima was chosen. I can't see the point in using a 1366x768 projector - it allows for aspect ratios greater than 4:3 without loss of resolution but other than that is not a step up in any other way. "The same quality - but wider". There are members of this forum (other than Igor) who have been using 1920x1080 for some time - I would love to hear any comments they have? DaveG

If you are going to move up you have two choices: 1400x1050 OR 1920x1080 The higher resolution model will do everything that the lower resolution model will do BUT if you want to show aspect ratios up to 16:9 then the 1400x1050 puts you at something of a disadvantage. For instance a 16:9 show on the 1400x1050 is 1400x787/8 wheras a 16:9 show on the higher resolution is 1920x1080. Higher resolution images = more definition and better sharpness. For 4:3 shows there is not a lot of difference between them but for aspect ratios between 4:3 and 16:9 the 1920x1080 wins every time. You will need a computer/laptop with DVI/HDMI, a GOOD, dedicated graphics card and plenty of memory and graphics RAM. DaveG

Peter, I shoot exclusively in RAW and my workflow includes Nikon NX2 and Photoshop. I do not believe that it is irrelevant what colour space you shoot in if you shoot in RAW (it is included in the Metadata). If it were irrelevant the logical thing would be that the option to change from RGB to sRGB would not be available in the camera menu when RAW is set? I have never experienced any colour gradation problems when editing 16 Bit NEF files shot in sRGB and processed in sRGB throughout whether for PTE or for printing. Best wishes, DaveG

With the greatest respect, I fear that Peter S is missing the point here. We are (most of us anyway) here because we are interested in AV and not because we are printers. My experience and my eyes tell me that when I use sRGB images in PTE they look richer and display more depth and look correct when displayed alongside the eqivalent RGB images. The test I advise is: Take an image shot in RGB in-camera and put it through your system making sure that the colour mode/profile is not changed by your RAW converter or Photoshop/Lightroom (whatever) without your knowledge. Save a JPEG without changing the profile as version 1. Change the profile to sRGB and save a JPEG as version 2. Now display both images side by side in a PTE show in Preview. The sRGB version is going to be the "correct" version showing more depth and saturation. A shot taken at the same time in the same lighting conditions as the previous (RGB) version but this time in sRGB and put through an sRGB process (RAW converter / PS / Lightroom etc) is going to look exactly like the version 2 image without the hassle of having to change its colour mode before saving as a JPEG. By all means have your monitor(s) correctly calibrated but that is not relevant to the RGB/sRGB discussion in PTE. Peter's point about ProPhoto is an interesting one, but since my camera does not offer that colour space I don't see how it fits into this discussion. It seems to be something which, once again, printers need to consider and not something which we need for AV. If I want prints from my sRGB images I simply change the colour profile to Fuji_DP2_ProAm, change the resolution to 402 ppi at the size I want, whack them onto a CD, send the CD to ProAm and within a couple of days I get perfect prints delivered to my door at a price I can afford. (And they look exactly the same as my on-screen versions). Best wishes, DaveG

I agree with what Peter said 100% and would ADD just one thing: IF you normally shoot in RGB then CONVERTING THE PROFILE to sRGB is ESSENTIAL when the images are used in PTE. You have to try a side by side comparison to judge for your self. DaveG

Congratulations IGOR!! Another successful release. Could I suggest that you now start a new "Suggestions for next version" thread? Best wishes, DaveG

Hi Lin, You're making far too many assumptions. First you assume that the person is using XP, then that they know how to create a "zipped folder" in Explore. I avoided making any assumptions by being specific about XP. I did not have my Vista Laptop powered up when replying. For the record the procedure is identical in both XP and Vista: Right click (anywhere) and choose New/ Compressed Zipped Folder. Drag any folder/file into the Zipped Folder and it is done. How much easier can it be than clicking on "File" then "Create Backup in Zip?" I wasn't suggesting that either was easier than the other. The original post started off by saying that a TEMPLATE was already in existence. I merely carried on from that point. It's a bit like the guy who, when asking for directions to London, is told: "Ah! If I was going there I wouldn't start from here!" Best wishes, DaveG

Sorry Lin, I can't agree with that and just tried it to prove to myself. All you have to do is create a new Zipped Folder in Explorer (XP) and drag the TEMPLATE FOLDER into it - as simple as that. DaveG

Here's an extract from this document: http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/protect/...music_copyright "Suppose you want to record and sell your own version of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. This would not present a problem as Tchaikovsky has certainly been dead for over 70 years*, the work itself would now be out of copyright, and available as a work in the public domain. Provided you performed and recorded the work yourself, no infringement would have occurred. * Actual duration may vary due to national laws You would however be justifiably annoyed if someone else simply copied your recording and started selling it themselves. This is where the copyright in the sound recording comes into play. Copyright law recognises the problematic nature of this situation which is unique to sound recordings, and gives sound recordings distinct protection in their own right that is separate from that in the underlying work. The copyright in the sound recording will run for 50 years from the year of recording, or 50 years from date of release if released in that time. Again actual duration may vary slightly from one country to another depending on national laws". DaveG

Would not the Template in a Zipped folder have done the same thing? DaveG

I think(?) it is 50 years over here and that's the reason that the owners of the rights to certain Liverpool groups works are beginning to get VERY itchy and are petitioning for a change in the law. DaveG

Mike, Click on File/ Templates/"Manage Templates". In the window - "Template Folder" - That's where your Template will be saved. That's the link you need. DaveG

Here's a link to an 18 image 180 degree panorama shot handheld and using Manual Exposure, Focus and WB (I always set the camera to 5200K). http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/g...es/panorama.jpg I tried constructing this in both PTGUI and Adobe's version of stitching software and the result is identical. Incidentally I find Photobucket to be an excellent resource and alternative to MediaFire. DaveG

The poor pixels won't know if they are coming or going!! Not for me, thanks, DaveG

When you are taking images to be used in a panorama they need to be overlapping by a considerable amount i.e. 25% or more so the resulting panorama after stitching 3 (768 high) images together is likely to be around 1300x768 - bearing in mind that when shooting for panoramas portrait format is the best option and gives best results. The stitching would be done at a higher resolution and resized later. To obtain a succesful 3000 pixel wide panorama (768 high) you probably need to shoot something like 8 images with a 25% (or more) overlap in portrait format. Don't use too wide an angle lens - 35mm to 50mm works quite well and I have had success using this setup with up to 18 images. Tripod or monopod is strongly advised but is not essential. Use manual focus, manual exposure and manual AWB to avoid wide variations between images. PTGUI is my prefered stitching software but I've have good results with CS3's built in stitching application. Good luck, DaveG

Ray, If I understand you correctly, that means - "short, fat people"? Or, are you suggesting that the original 1920x1080 images should be squashed to 4:3 and then opened up by applying the 1.33 pixel aspect ratio? DaveG

It should be a "reg.txt" file and all that you need to do is put it in the PTE folder in Program Files and when asked for it, just direct to the PTE folder - don't open it. Are you trying to load a Videobuilder key? DaveG

Scorpion, Good advice. All that's necessary to prove the point is the put two jpegs from the same source image into a PTE show - firstly in RGB mode and then after converting the profile to sRGB (or vice versa). DaveG

Hi Ray, "It is common to use 16:9 images (e.g. 1920x1080 pixels) and produce a 1440x1080 video with a pixel aspect ratio of 1:1.33. Then the player will play the 4:3 video with a 16:9 appearance, which will preserve the aspect ratio of the original images so that it will look just as you intended". What does "with a pixel aspect ratio of 1:1.33" mean? DaveG

It is only natives of Yorkshire, BBC writers and Richard Llewellyn who would say: Not a bad attempt, "look you", at some Yorkshire dialect by an inhabitant of Wales. Well done! DaveG

Eric, If you type some text into O&A then go to Properties you can outline the text font and use your up and down arrows on't' keyboard to step through the different fonts and see how they look on the screen in real time. I find that this is a good enough procedure - would you agree? DaveG

Daniel, In the "Virtual Size of Slide" put 1920x1080 and you will maintain the 16:9 Aspect Ratio instead of "Custom". Your height will be the same - 1080 - and your 4:3 images (Fit To Slide) will fit to the height of your 1920x1080 project. DaveG