The slideshow app you've waited for?

[Truelight]

I've been given the privilege of testing a beta version of another slideshow making program. I cannot divulge the details yet, but suffice it to say this program seems to combine the very best of what I've seen so far: (beats my two favorites to date - PTE and Xatshow)

- Makes VCD-based shows

- Has customizable manual sync very much like that used by PTE (or fit-to-length option)

- Allows for multiple slide transition types

- Includes --very-- full-featured audio (with waveform!) and picture editing tools

- Allows use of text on slides with full font capabilties

- Excellent preview capabilities

- Creates visual DVD-like menus and allows multiple shows on one CD-R

I've only been able to do a quick test of this product and the manufacturer has asked that for the moment publicity be kept minimal, but I assure you, this program will knock your socks off!

If Igor will contact me, I'll be happy to share with him who this is -- he really DOES need to see what's coming. As for the rest of you, a better place to discuss this is the DPreview.com PC Tools forum. See ya there!

[anthrodoc]

..PhotonTV... does this mean it is not for playing on PC's (does it create exe files?)... It says it creates VCD's for play in DVD players...

Their other product, Photon(somethingorother?) creates slideshows via themes.... is this one more flexible and customizable?

[ecps]

I'm kind of uneasy about effusive publicity (albeit indirect) being given to a directly competing product on this forum. Igor seems to work incredibly hard to continually update excellent software, and he and his colleagues also provide this forum for us to learn about P2Exe and share knowledge. Is it not a little ungracious to use the forum to indirectly advertise a product which visitors to the site may then purchase instead of P2Exe? I have no problem with such comments being shared on dpreview as that is a 'neutral' web site but I am not so sure that is an appropriate response to Igor's 'hospitality' here. And, for the same reason, I am not sure that we should be directed to dpreview in order to discover more.

I teach in a fee paying school. If someone were to put up a notice extolling the virtues of another nearby school on one of our school notice boards I would certainly be annoyed. If however, we were to be told privately just why another school is successful then I would be grateful. There does seem to be a parallel to this situation here.

I really do not want anyone to fall out over this, or to make a big issue over it, but I do feel that it is worth thinking about.

Eddie

[LES]

Eddie,

Many of us have made suggestions regarding enhancements we would like in PTE. Discussion of features in other products, in my opinion, provided good information of what many loyal PTE users want, need or might like to see in future versions of PTE. Discussion of other products in this forum might also help PTE developers stay abreast of competing products so that PTE itself can remain competitive.

We all know that PTE is an excellent product for what it does. It generates the best executable slideshows, in my opinion. We also know that PTE does not generate VCD or SVCD shows. I would like to know if PTE is going to remain a product that generates exe shows only. Knowing the answer to that question would probably limit discussions of VCD, SVCD, DVD, etc., and other competing products. We would only need to discuss in this forum how PTE can remain the best product on the market for generating exe slideshows.

[quietstorm]

I'm kind of uneasy about effusive publicity (albeit indirect) being given to a directly competing product on this forum. Igor seems to work incredibly hard to continually update excellent software, and he and his colleagues also provide this forum for us to learn about P2Exe and share knowledge. Is it not a little ungracious to use the forum to indirectly advertise a product which visitors to the site may then purchase instead of P2Exe? I have no problem with such comments being shared on dpreview as that is a 'neutral' web site but I am not so sure that is an appropriate response to Igor's 'hospitality' here. And, for the same reason, I am not sure that we should be directed to dpreview in order to discover more.

I teach in a fee paying school. If someone were to put up a notice extolling the virtues of another nearby school on one of our school notice boards I would certainly be annoyed. If however, we were to be told privately just why another school is successful then I would be grateful. There does seem to be a parallel to this situation here.

I really do not want anyone to fall out over this, or to make a big issue over it, but I do feel that it is worth thinking about.

Eddie

Eddie..

I have been a member of this forum and the past one for over 3 years and I totally agree with your statements!

This is Igor's "bread and butter!"

I know it hurts deep inside for Igor, but only the Developer of this fine software will tell his TRUE feelings about this!

Bart

[quietstorm]

I've been given the privilege of testing a beta version of another slideshow making program.  I cannot divulge the details yet, but suffice it to say this program seems to combine the very best of what I've seen so far:  (beats my two favorites to date - PTE and Xatshow)

I am not trying to start any agrument(s) here but Rick do you say the above.. and then on another forum you mention this so-called secret software??

Here is the quote from that forum:

Gee... this forum software looks familiar!  

Perhaps since this will be familiar to PTE forum regulars, your forum might offer an alternative to that location, particularly if we are discussing non-PTE programs. For example... I have been given the opportunity to test the new PhotonTV, and so far it would seem to be better than my 2 favorites, PTE and Xatshow. I will need the test the actual disc in my DVD player tonight (an Apex AD-1000) which will tell me if the final program quality is any good, but from a user control / interface aspect the program takes the best of PTE, Xatshow, Proshow Gold, and a slug of others and combines 'em! If the images look good, I will have found my "bestest" slideshow making program. Stay tuned!

Posted: Jan 13 2003, 08:51 PM

I, myself and maybe others are curious...ehhh?

Bart

[Truelight]

Please accept my apologies if I have offended anyone by this posting. My intent was to:

- Make those who enjoy good slideshow software aware of a good offering.

- "Raise the bar" for WnSoft. Yes, I have said and will repeat, PTE is still the BEST software out there for making slideshows for the PC. BUT... That's ALL it does. I remain frustrated that it cannot make VCD shows for playing on DVD players as do others from what I read here. If Igor plans to do that in the future, I would be nice if he would say so. If PTE is to remain a program that only makes PC-based shows, so be it, but it would be nice if WnSoft might let us know their future plans.

I'm also fairly certain that other developers probably lurk among us and visit this forum for ideas. They are paying attention to what we say and the program I referenced is strong indication of that. In fact, one has to wonder if WnSoft is paying as MUCH attention. Igor drops in on occasion, but has never indicated if we might expect a VCD component in the future.

I do feel funny about speaking about "Brand X" on the Wnsoft forum and will not do so again. Any further information from me that is not about PTE will be posted on the Dpreview.com - PC Tools Forum or perhaps on the new forum (which uses that same Invision software as this forum does) now hosted by Harry Fitzner, a PTE "regular". I have e-mailed him about possibly hosting such a discussion.

Again... my apologies if I've practiced "bad form." I only wish WnSoft might see that the future of digital slideshow programs seems to be moving to CD (VCD) and DVD.

Thanks...

[quietstorm]

Any further information from me that is not about PTE will be posted on the Dpreview.com - PC Tools Forum or perhaps on the new forum (which uses that same Invision software as this forum does) now hosted by Harry Fitzner, a PTE "regular". I have e-mailed him about possibly hosting such a discussion.

Here..I am not trying to hurt Harry either!!

But that is why I have forum on my site also and in the past as well as now..all members here are welcome to join in there!

Also..if you remember my forum is a "Back-up" in case of this one goes down like it did in the past!

Bart

[Danabw]

First, I think it's perfectly reasonable to post about related products in this forum, unless Igor tells us not to. He (wisely, in my opinion) has never done that, and we've discussed different competitors off and on again since I've been around, and I'm sure before that. Not surprisingly, any number of competitor products have come and gone and and PTE (for PC shows) still stands tall.

I wouldn't actively promote another product against PTE, given the openness Igor shows to our input and the frequent updates he provides that would be terribly wrong. But in areas where there are significant feature gaps (e.g., VCD/SVCD/DVD output) I think it's fair to point out other options. I won't try to figure out how Igor feels about this or any other personal matter, but if he feels strongly that we shouldn't talk about other products he has a right to post here about it, and should do so. I'll defer completely to any standards he cares to apply - it's his forum!

As for the program (see www.photontv.com if you're interested), I'm sure a lot of us will try it if trial version is made available (just like other programs), and some may even start using it for TV slideshows if VCD is good enough for their purposes (not me - ugh! 352 x 240 resolution!). Whether they would use it instead of PTE for PC slideshows (the market where Igor has chosen to focus) depends on a lot of factors that we all know nothing about right now, including Rick for the most part. His post was after a quick test. Living with a program for a while and making several shows is much different than a quick test. As a 1.0 product there are bound to be some glitches and areas where it falls short of our needs along with any cool new features that may excite.

I do think this is a wake-up call in general...the world is moving towards TV slideshows. More and more folks want to create and distibute shows that can be played on DVD players. The big market growth in the future is not going to be in PC-only delivery. For various reasons Igor may choose to not chase that market, but there's no denying that that's where the heat is going to be.

Dana

[jayspry]

I think we all would agree that PTE is the best designed software for what Igor and WnSoft had visions of. A computer presentation in an EXE format, with great control. Whether or not Igor and WnSoft will move to VCD or DVD is going to be their choice and it may mean that you use PTE for your computer presentations and some other product for DVD use. Then again, some day Igor and them may choose to go all out for DVD. I feel you use the best tool for the job you need it for and for my useage I see 90% or better for a computer CDROM presentation and somewhere may be in the 10% area for something to be shown on a TV. I agree that using two programs to do this would not be the desirable, but it may just be a fact of life. As for the suggestions and speaking of other programs, they may have capabilities that might be of interest to Igor and the rest of us and it might show an example of how it has been impilmented in another program and give Igor ideas. It all come down to WnSoft's vision of were they want to go.

jayspry

By the way, Bart's site is a great place to hash all these things out and share ideas. Jump on in there at http://www.barcin.net/forum/ .

[ronwil]

I agree with Eddie and those who have supported him.

There appears to be a marked difference between users of PTE in the USA and those in the UK. I think, but I may be wrong, that most users in the UK have come to PTE by way of Audio Visual or Slide-Sound presentataions using twin slide projectors. DVD is a side issue and not uppermost in our minds. Perfection of our presentations is our aim and development of PTE without distraction is my wish at least.

Ron [uK]

[Casey]

Folks, a few things... first, I agree that Igor has been wise to NOT discourage commentary of other programs. We'd just do it elsewhere, right? Also, notice we keep coming back HERE. That alone says something. But I also agree that extolling the virtues of a competitor's product (even one that do not directly compete with P2E, like PhotonTV or ProShow which make television based shows) is not kosher.

I suggest that if we want to discuss - or advocate - other products that we do so on Bart's "Multimedia" forums. He's more than happy to support a venue for such discusssions.

[Truelight]

OK... This discussion has been relocated to Bart & Cindy's Portal

Click here to visit

http://www.barcin.net/

It'll take me a bit to get used to their different forum setup, but I sincerely appreciate the offer to use their site. The post is in the New Software forum os the board. Hope to see you there!

I will also try to post my findings in the Dpreview.com - PCTools Forum

Thanks....

[fitzner3]

or perhaps on the new forum (which uses that same Invision software as this forum does) now hosted by Harry Fitzner, a PTE "regular". I have e-mailed him about possibly hosting such a discussion.

I have never received such an email that I can recall!

I made a new topic about how I feel and think about my forum page on my web site and I have to say that my forum page is for my customers only to log on and ask questions about what I do.

It is not for continued talk about OTHER programs.

I believe like others that p2e is that best windows based slide program there is and I like others hope that one day it will extend itself to VCD/SVD and if it does happen it will be probably the best there.