Video Sizing

[22Eric]

Currently I use version PTE version 7.5 to make up presentations which will be displayed via a Canon Xeed projector. This has a resolution of 1400 x 1050. My presentations are mainly stills where I use Photoshop to re-size/crop images to the projector resolution. Increasingly I also like to include video clips. These are HD i.e. 1920 x 1080 in resolution so there needs to be some work done. At the moment I resize from the Video Converter which takes the resolution down to 1280 x 720. This has the obvious limitation that the video no longer fills the screen. So I have been looking at converting the video to the projector resolution beforehand. There are plenty that offer cropping facilities but few do what I want but I found one that did. Looking at the converted videos, Windows Explorer  indicates that they are 1400 x 1050.

However when I drop them into a PTE presentation they are no longer 1400 x 1050. They have changed to 1408 x 1056. As a result they do not quite fade smoothly from the still image - they have become slightly smaller on screen. (There's a small black margin on the RHS and below the video). This happens irrespective of whether the videos are optimised by PTE.

Has anyone any experience of this problem or can comment? Perhaps I have missed something obvious. Many thanks in anticipation.

Eric

[davegee]

Do the Cropping in PTE?

Drag your Video into the Slide List and resize it (in Objects and Animation) to fit the 4:3 Aspect Ratio of your show using the corner "grab handles".

When you Convert it, leave the resolution at 1920x1080.

You are going to lose a bit either side but that is inevitable unless you are prepared to compress the 16:9 AR down to 4:3.

BTW I have just tried this in Version 8 - I think that it should work in Version 7.5.

If not, you REALLY need to upgrade to Version 8. There is a great offer on at the moment - look into it.

BTW (2) the default 4:3 screen resolution is 1024x768 in Version 7.5 - have you changed this to 1400x1050?

[Barry Beckham]

You do realise that a 16:9 AR slide show will play fine on that projector. There seems to be some myth that images must be the size of the projectors resolution, they don't.

Try a test and you will see

[Tonton Bruno]

10 hours ago, 22Eric said:

Windows Explorer  indicates that they are 1400 x 1050.

However when I drop them into a PTE presentation they are no longer 1400 x 1050. They have changed to 1408 x 1056.

Put your converted video (1408*1056) under PTE then adjust it to full size.
You will lose very few pixels and get no longer black borders.

[22Eric]

Thanks guys for taking the time and trouble to comment.

I did realise that the video would play OK at full HD resolution, however my original laptop was not powerful enough so the idea of scaling back resolution and/or quality was forced on me (and the thinking that it was necessary).  I currently use a MacBook Pro and will investigate further.

To Barry: I personally think that the whole show full screen looks smoother ( and better). Up until now I have accepted that my video would not be full screen but DaveGee has shown me a way forward with some lateral thinking. It also has the fringe benefit that I can choose whether to crop the video equally on the LHS and RHS equally or not - clearly it depends on content.

To DaveGee - Yes I knew to override the default resolution and yes, you have persuaded me - I have upgraded to v8. (well almost; I'll tidy up my current projects then install......and perhaps read the manual)

Cheers, Eric 

[Ronniebootwest]

Hi Eric, When you say that you use a Macbook pro, I assume that you have installed some form of virtual machine, e.g. vvmWare Fusion or, are you using what comes with tthe mac?

Ron West.

[22Eric]

Hi Ronnie

From the PC, I use the Publish Option "Executable File for Mac" then copy to the Mac. I don't use any Mac software nor have I installed anything. I've not had problems with this method. The Mac is light, portable and powerful enough for my needs.

Eric