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HI Lin, Thanks for your help. I didn't panic second time round with the mega pac and downloaded a few of the microsoft codecs and the avi creation works. You're right about the size. It's just a 4min slideshow to music and has ended up about 73MB. In terms of usage I'd like to upload it to facebook to show my friends on the other side of the world. I'm testing ti now - as the video app on facebook says you can upload videos up to 300MB, so maybe it'll work fine (update - it has worked fine so I'm pretty happy all round and can't wait to finish work so I can start on another slideshow!! This stuff is addictive!) I've sized the file 640 x 480 as you've suggested so fingers crossed! Thanks for your help. Hi Dave, AVI shows will always be quite large when compared to an executable file because executable code only has to have the instruction set to tell your computer what to do with a given image. The AVI file has to have each frame created and saved at a rate of up to 29.97 frames per second. So a 10 minute AVI file could have as many as 17,982 images while an executable file only has one coy of each original image plus the instructions informing the computer how to create the multiple frames (as many as 60 or more per second) on the fly for each show as it's run. This means to cut down on the size of an AVI file you must both compress and make the images smaller in size. Compression algorithms take their toll on image quality so usually an AVI file will not have nearly the quality unless it's uncompressed and then file size is astronomical. I'm not certain why you couldn't use Microsoft 2 and/or 4 Video Codecs with XP - I use only XP on all my systems and those are my most commonly used video codecs. The way the ACE codec pack works is you don't have to install all the codecs, only those you wish to use. Look carefully and be sure that the ones you install are for a PC and not for a Mac. If you set your display size to something like 640x480 you should get pretty decent quality. If you go smaller such as for Youtube then the quality will generally deteriorate. Tell me what you intend to do with your AVI files and perhaps I can make some suggestions. Best regards, Lin Is there any way of compressing the file as well so it is a more managebale size? I tried ffd show as it said it was compatible with xp, but that created a 71mb avi file - and to be honest I found the options it gave me complicated so it might have been possible to compress but I just don't have the know how! Any tips? Thanks Dave

I've had a look through the tutorials, and the codecs that were recommended do not function with windows xp. Are there any good codecs that I can download that will also compress the final file? As I'm a novice - any tips on the easiest and best way to do this would be much appreciated. Thanks again Dave

Hi Lin, I am also trying to create avi files of my slideshows, but am not having much luck. I tried the ace codec pack but then had so many options of codecs that I was completely overwhelmed by the choice! I have windows xp and the ones you suggested (microsoft 2 and 4) don't seem compatible with xp. Do you know which codec I could download that would enable me to make avi or mpeg files? Is there any way of compressing the file as well so it is a more managebale size? I tried ffd show as it said it was compatible with xp, but that created a 71mb avi file - and to be honest I found the options it gave me complicated so it might have been possible to compress but I just don't have the know how! Any tips? Thanks Dave You may want to download and read the Official PTE User Guide and the Unofficial PTE User Guide from the Help link on PTE. To make a stand-alone AVI file you must use "Create Custom AVI". Click on Video then on Create AVI then click inside the small circle next to Create Custom AVI Video File. Next click on Video Codec and choose one which resides on your computer from the list. If you don't already have a Codec Pack I would suggest downloading a free one such as the ACE Codec MegaPak and installing something common such as Microsoft 2 or Microsoft 4. After you have selected a Video Codec then choose an appropriate size depending on your eventual output destination. 640x480 works well as does 800x600, etc. The other functions are designed to be used with specific software to burn DVD's or BluRay, etc., and the default codec "PTE Codec" doesn't create a stand-alone AVI file but rather creates an AVI "Template" which informs other software such as Ulead Movie Factory of the images, order, transitions, music, etc., which the third party software would use to burn the disc. Best regards, Lin +

Hi There (again), Having solved my slideshow issue, I would now like to create an avi file so I can upload it/send it around. However, I can only create an avi file with the music and no video. Does anybody know why this is? I have PTE deluxe 5.5 - do I need to buy video builder as well? I don't particularly want or need to burn DVDs, but want to create avi or mpeg files. Is there a codec I need to download to be able to do this? Do I need to upgrade to videobuilder? Also, is there a way I can compress video files so they are more manageable? Cheers

Hi All, With the installation of XP and the re-booting of the Intel 945 Bridge-Chipset, my slideshow is now jump free, with zooms and pans included so I'm very happy indeed. Many thanks for all your help and assistence! Cheers Dave

I think I might be doomed judging by Colin's answer (at least on this laptop). The version of PTE is Deluxe 5.5. My landscape images are 1024 x 683 Portrait ones are 1024 x 1536 I resized them according to the instructions in the manual. It's pretty jumpy on all the transitions. Music sounds fine but the images don't work. Is there any other slideshow software that I could find that would work on my laptop that you know of? Thanks for your help anyway - I'll hold onto the program and bide my time.

Excellent - thank you. From that advice I have found out that I have a Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset Family. How does that sound?

To kind of answer my own question I have since removed all zooms and pans from the slideshow but it's still jumpy moving from image to image. Is there anything else I can do? Thanks

Hi Colin, Thanks for your quick response. I have a HP 530 Notebook PC - but I can't find any evidence of a graphics card - which is where I think I'm coming unstuck. Does that mean that if I remove all pans and zooms then I should be able to play slideshows without any issues - at least that will be a temporary solution until I upgrade! Thanks again Dave

Hi There, I'm new to PTE and have created my first slideshow which works fine in preview. However, when I try and run the show in exe it's really jumpy and doesn't work at all really. It does have some zooms and pans in it. I've had a look through the user guide and the forum and have: - resized all pictures - used an mp3 file for the backing music This has taken it down to a 24MB file so it should be manageable for my computer. I have Windows Vista, 1GB RAM, Intel core duo processor, and have downloaded DirectX, but it still doesn't work. The only thing I can think of is the video card - which I'm not sure if I need to purchase or if it's already on my laptop. It's a pretty new laptop and has been able to everything else I've asked of it - not sure why it can't handle a 24MB file? Is it the zooms and pans, or something else? Can I keep these zooms or do I have to get rid of them to be able to play the slideshow fullscreen? Any tips would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance Dave