davegee

I’m sure all of these topics have been covered but here are my experiences with using PTE on a Laptop linked to a 16:9 Television via a HDMI cable. My first worry was choosing the “right” resolution for my images in order to get the ultimate in quality so I consulted the TV handbook, a thing that I rarely do. This told me two things, firstly that the display resolution is 1366 dots by 768 lines and secondly that the recommended input signal should be WXGA: 1360x768. The screen display resolution of the laptop is 1200x800 so I began to think that this was not going work! However, when connected to the TV via the HDMI cable I am able to choose three display options: Laptop only, HDMI and Laptop and lastly HDMI only. In the HDMI and Laptop together configuration the screen display and the HDMI output cannot be the same as the television but in HDMI only it is possible to set the output to the required 1360x768 setting. Preparing the PTE show The settings I use are: FULLSCREEN and 16:9 The image resolution I use FOR STATIC IMAGES is 1366x768 and in COMMON the image mode is left at FIT TO SLIDE. Shows can be prepared on any computer using any size monitor using these settings and will “FIT TO SCREEN”. The shows are not intended for showing to anyone other than family so the ever present “danger” of them being played on a monitor whose resolution is greater than 1360x768 does not present itself. The Quality? ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! The Advantages? No more DVDs – I have never been an advocate of the DVD approach because of the issues regarding (lack of) quality, but now I don’t have that “inner struggle” any more. Problems? Only the usual one, that to put a white line around an image which is going to have PZR effects applied it has to be done via a PNG file. DaveG

Barry, I once suggested a variation on the FULLSCREEN mode which would, effectively, play a PTE show on any size monitor UP TO your maximum desired resolution at which point it would revert to Windowed mode or similar. I had no takers at that time including from your good self. Igor also declined to comment - maybe too difficult? Maybe I was ahead of my time? (Only kidding!!). DaveG

If you want to BACK UP as opposed to SAVE, would it not be better to call it AUTO BACK UP? Save would then do what it says - SAVE - and AUTO BACK UP (if Igor could configure it that way) would back up to a user nominated folder (or NOT - that's important too). Having multiple versions of the said back ups COULD create a problem but if you have unlimited HDD space - why not? DaveG

Hi Swede, I agree with Ron, great images which remind me of my (short) stay in Thailand a few years ago. One small glitch - on my 1280x1024 screen the image of the (Chinese?) gong grows behind the frame and eventually shows between the frame and the black background. DaveG

I have never constructed a 16:9 show and made a DVD but, assuming you are making a PAL DVD for instance, your original 16:9 image regardless of the original pixels is interpolated down to 720x341.0526 etc to make the AVI. When you play it back on your 16:9 TV via a PAL DVD Player your 720x341.0526 etc pixels are interpolated back up to 1920x1080 to show full screen. That's almost a 300% increase in pixel width and height. What does that do for the quality of the images? DaveG

Igor, I noticed that, when installing Beta 8 from a memory key, when it finished the installation the "Choose version to import settings from" box defaulted to "Developer". Installing from HDD the default was "5.5.7". I don't know if that is an installation problem? Both installations worked OK - first on my laptop and then on my desktop. DaveG

I ran AVG this morning and it did not report anything. DaveG

Hi Cor, I must admit to not understanding your description of how your method works. Could I point out that you were getting problems with running my method whereas others could? My laptop is brand new with a spec similar to yours. Could I also point out that I/we are trying to do this with EXE files. Am I correct that you are starting your sequence from the PTE file? Can you post an example using ONLY EXE files? Oh, and the other thing - I don't want to have to revert back to a previous version - I am using 5.5.7. I hope that we can work together on this to find a solution suitable for all. DaveG

Hi Peter, I thought that if Ian said it would work then all of the troubles would be over. Unfortunately, having just tried it on my Vista Home Premium laptop it does not work. Is it possible that Ian has tried two or more things at the same time and that he has jumped on the "wrong" solution? DaveG

Which version?

Hi Igor, I have to agree with Barry - it would make more sense if both of the music options were left unticked. The default would then presumably be "play once". DaveG

Thanks Igor, The grid will, I'm sure, be a great help to many, myself included and I look forward to trying it out. DaveG

Hi Peter, There is a temporary solution for Vista, until Igor can sort it out. Using my Menu Demo as a trial I created a black Powerpoint slide with a large black autoshape hyperlinked to the root menu of my demo. Run the Powerpoint show and click on the "invisible" hyperlink. Autohide the task bar and move the mouse cursor well out of the way and the demo runs quite smoothly with no flashes to the desktop. It is probably flashing back to the Powerpoint slide but because it is black you cannot tell. Not very elegant but it works. DaveG

I'm confused as usual! I thought that what Barry meant was not to POST-PROCESS your images to a size bigger than that required for PTE? I'm a RAW shooter and I suspect that barry is too (?) therefore what I get is the FULL pixel count out of the camera - in my case 24 MB files. There is no alternative to this when shooting RAW. These images are then re-sized to suit the amount of zoom I use (if any) and selectively sharpened as necessary. If the sharpening produces Moire then I go back and alter the sharpening until it (the Moire) disappears. DaveG

Thanks Barry, Knowing how much you care about the quality of the images, I thought that aspect might have had something to do with it. Interesting poll - at present my desktop is attached to a 1280x1024, my new laptop (still in its box) is a 1280x800 and my old laptop (soon to be retired) has a 1024x768 screen but is connected to and capable of running a 1280x1024 monitor. I want to get a 1400x1050 monitor in readiness for the next round of projectors which seem to be heading in that direction. DaveG

Thanks Ken, But if I run the 1280x1024 version on a 1024x768 screen I can still see the whole show. So maybe Barry could throw a little light on it? DaveG

Colin, Just seeking clarification - don't want to start a war! When you said - "The projector resized the image to 768 high" - Is this not the same as saying "The projector Interpolated the image down to 768 high"? If this is the case, then "pixels" (I'm treading on dangerous ground here) must have been lost and you are then not showing what the author intended. This is where I advocate "Actual Pixels" throughout the chain - 1024x768 show for 1024x768 projector. I'm glad that Barry joined in, it gives me the opportunity to congatulate him on another fine show. (The quality of the images really is superb!) ........and also to ask him why he chose to make both 1024x768 and 1280x1024 versions available again? DaveG

Hi Henri, I tried to answer as best I could some time ago. With regard to your laptop and its connection to a projector or external monitor, it is POSSIBLE (?) that your graphics card will support the 1920x1080 format. For instance I can see that my NVIDIA 7600 GS card will support monitors and/or projectors up to and including 2048x1536. If the graphics card in your laptop does the same then you will not have to replace your laptop. Let's hope my terminology is correct! DaveG

Yeah, Let's wait and see who wins the next match? Best wishes, DaveG

Actual Pixels - a Photoshop Terminology - it's "always" been there and gives the best representation of what an image will look like when projected by a projector whose stated resolution is the same as the images stated resolution (in pixels). As for "trying to "ad hoc" adjust your 1024x768 Images in a way as to give you the best 'quality-compromise' when these are Projected on to a Screen. Then you are trying to develop a 'procedure' whereby you can repeat the process at will in the future." I am not trying to develop this approach - I have always done it. DaveG

Brian, Could I ask - "Is this a Rugby thing?" Because if it is let me say that if Wales hadn't won the tournament I would have supported Ireland all the way!! DaveG

What do I mean by ACTUAL PIXELS? In my terminology one of my images which Photoshop tells me in "Image Size" is 1280x1024 pixels fills my 1280x1024 monitor when shown via a PTE show constructed with the image mode set to "original" in a Windowed Mode PTE show with the window set to 1280x1024 (without border). In the same show a 1024x768 image set up in exactly the same way would take up proportionately less space in the middle of the screen. In the same show a 1400x1050 pixel image set up the same way would only show part of the image with a little cropped from all sides. If this 1400x1050 image were to be set to Image Mode=Fit to screen it would be Interpolated down to fit the width (?) of the screen with black lines top and bottom. I can't explain it any better than that Brian. DaveG

Hi Brian, You seem to be talking about things which are beyond our control. I can control the pixel dimensions of my images (e.g. 1024x768) and try to "match" them with the "pixel dimensions" of the projector/monitor which shows my images and I know what LOOKS right and what looks "degraded or pixilated". I definitely do not want any 1024x768 image of mine shown full screen projected via a 1400x1050 projector. I know what it looks like and don't want it. Maybe this works for all of the WRONG reasons, but it works and others SEEM to agree. DaveG

Hi again Peter, You said: "For single Still Images I'm with you all the way!" Could that be interpreted to mean that you disagree with my theories regarding zooming etc? DaveG

Hi Peter, I think I knew where you were coming from!! DaveG