V5 am i the only one

[phephoto]

am i the only person using p2exe thats wondering if there is actually a version 5 or is it all a conspiracy to keep us using p2exe instead of using another program

[ronwil]

Oh ye of little faith

Ron [uK]

[bharkins]

Along the same line of thought, for an upcoming PPT talk to several computer clubs on the topic of DAVs (and demoing PTE), I researched the market of slide show software. After finding 14 offerings I stopped although there are many more. The point it that several of these programs claim to feature Pan and Zoom. If that is the case, then PTE is not the leading slide show software anymore. However, I for one, will stick with PTE as I have invested a lot of time in learning the program, but we are now about 4 months late from the initial beta release date. Of course, if one doesn't want P & Z, it's still a great program.

Bill

[Conflow]

Pan & Zoom,

I have actually tried other Programs with Pan & Zoom and to say the least I was not impressed. I won't mention Product Names but I can tell you that most are quite difficult to "set-up" on a slide-by-slide selection basis, furthermore when you go to intergrate these into a 'Slide-Show' then the problems really become apparent,viz:-

*

Many of then altered the Monitor Aspect Ratio from 3:4 to 9:13(approx) to enhance the 'pan utility'

*

Quite a lot of the 'Pan utilities' were very 'jerky' and not the least smooth and fluid across the Monitor.

*

Zoom Utility was inferior to a 3:1 Digital Zoom from a Digital Camera in that if you attempted anything more than that, the image started to 'pixelate' even with a (standard) 6.Meg Camera Image.

*

Quality Effect Variations from PC to PC was quite drastic, this irrespective of Processor Speed and Memory Resources.

*

The final Presentation is highly dependent on the Video/Graphic Card Quality ~ The PC.Speed ~ Auto-Memory Allocation ~ The IDE Buss Address Algorithm ~ The IDE Buss Set-up.

The PTE Development Team are attempting to develop a 'Quasi-Universal' Pan & Zoom Program which will run properly in a stable manner on many Windows Platforms including the new Dual-Core Processors, and to get it to operate in the same "Hi-Quality Presentation" as we are enjoying with the PTE Program.

I don't envy their Task, but I do ask you to be patient and considerate of the work in progress.....

Brian.Conflow.

[LumenLux]

I'm prone to endorse what you are saying Brian. I just hope Igor (or assistants) don't become casualties. They are so good, and so dedicated - I can (worst case) fear that one of them might go insane trying to put it all together. If they can keep a healthy perspective, it will be just fine. I don't want PTE to become a software legend of the world's greatest program but the author went bonkers and could never enjoy it!

When years ago, I first sought a slide show program that could handle two sounds, PTE was not yet there, but already had quality photographic presentation. I probably looked at 30+ fledgling programs. Some even then were taking "video" approaches to presenting still photos. I did not like the visual impression very well and it has taken a long time for me to really "care" whether I have pan and zoom or not. I can't tell you how many wedding videos I've watched (as spectator) that made me feel like I was riding a horizontal yoyo!

[JudyKay]

There is nothing out there quite like P2E. I guess it all depends what you want the software to do. I am really impressed with what Igor has done, and think we can trust him to produce a really great piece of software. Please, Igor, take your time and get it right! I can hardly wait for V5--I am bouncing up and down in my chair. But even more than that, I am willing to wait till He is confident he has given it his best. I can't imagine what all must go into programming something like this, but let's not frustrate or rush him. He has a life to live too!

[d67]

I too find PTE a jewel :

- very easy to use even without any user manual,

- excellent sound/slide timing,

- slideshow running without an external program,

- robust software and slideshow,

- slideshow running on almost all present-day PC, even the most under powered,

- excellent image rendering,

- smooth transitions (mostly, in particular the most used ; fade in/out)

- little price and life free updates

- ... I probably forget some !

... But :

- inserting objects is very perfectible (resolution dependent) needing a very good knowledge of it's behaviour, out of reach for most of us,

- conversion to DVD is boring and complex (just have a look on the numerous help messages on this forum) and needing a third software

- MAC user eliminated. The recent bi-system on MAC doesn't change things before a long time. Having this facility on it's equipment needs to open the purse... not sure every user will do !

- fade in/out, the most used transitions, could be improved a little bit to be absolutely smooth.

- ... I just listed the most important things !

... but we are now about 4 months late from the initial beta release date.

.... no ! Twice this number... expected in september 2005 !

8 months lateness for gadget features : pan and zoom.

Of course this transition can be interesting in some situations but only in some one which are in fact seldom quite apart from specific usage.

Just have a look on those slideshows with exotic transitions... often newbie made ! After a few trials, the basic fade in/out transition becomes the most used, provided it becomes not the sole used.

So, waiting so long (and how much more ?) for secondary preoccupations when you have to renounce using some features because of there perfectibility !

I too have compassion on the time consuming tests to make a robust program and I too praise Igor and it's staff for the great job, but this doesn't prevent me to be lucid ... what waist of time for the majority of us !

[Marianne]

As I understood earlier from Igor, version 5 gets a complete new graphic engine. I can't imagine this is only needed for pan and zoom. I think to keep up with the developments in other software this change is also needed.

The only thing we achieve in acting as impatient as some of us do now, is that major upgrades aren't announced early anymore.

The actual version is stable and doing a perfect job. Seems to me this wanting for Pan and Zoom is a bit dangerous. Remember when we were children and wanted something very much. The moment you got it, fun lasted for a few days and then again there were other wishes....

Count your blessings and tomorrow is another day....

[Igor]

LumenLux,

You exactly thought. It's terrible task to get it work on wide range of hardware. We could easily get it work on several variants of PC, like Mac, but in fact even skipping of two frames looks as jerk in Pan effect.

For example, on this week I found serious bug in Geforce 4 MX440. I thought it was our mistake, but when I tried several games with mode we use I found that they also lock up. Of course, we found another way (after 4 days of work) to solve this problem, but it's strange that NVIDIA still didn't fix this obvious bug during 4 years since 2002.

Currently we have ideal work of Pan/Zoom effects on all PCs where we tested (with videocards like Geforce 3/4, or Radeon 9500), except of only one PC where we still trying to get it work smoothly.

I think the optimal way for PTE v5.00 will be including of:

- New graphical engine which you enable when use Pan/Zoom effects. Hardware acceleration for all effects. I think it will work fine on 99% of PCs without problem. Required videocard like Geforce 3, 4 or Radeon 9500, X300

- Old graphical engine (CPU based from PTE v4.xx) for guaranteed work and speed of Fade effect on all PCs (as now). Scalable objects and new Visual editor exist and work.

[Ronniebootwest]

[quote The actual version is stable and doing a perfect job. Seems to me this wanting for Pan and Zoom is a bit dangerous. Remember when we were children and wanted something very much. The moment you got it, fun lasted for a few days and then again there were other wishes....

Count your blessings and tomorrow is another day....

[bharkins]

Great comments on Pan & Zoom. It's interesting that with the wide range of transitions in PTE and I assume in other offerings, most users stick with fade. Will Pan/Zoom be just a passing fancy? Conflow's comments on some of the other programs with Pan & Zoom does not cause me to rush into another program at all. I am very happy with PTE as is now, and if there wasn't all the excitement about 5.0 over the past few months we probably wouldn't be talking about it so much in anticipation.

Another issue for me, I will stay with PTE until Barry Beckham goes to a different program!

Bill

[ADB]

I don't think Pan & Zoom will be a passing fancy, you can use it very subtly to give just a hint of movement in your shows and used this way gives a very professional feel, for example just very slowly zooming in say to 95% of the original image gives a very nice solid feeling of being drawn in to the image.

I think as soon as you PAN or ZOOM too quickly you will reduce the overall feel of the presentation unless of course you are going for an ultra special effect. As has been mentioned many times in this forum most of the motion pictures today incorporate PAN & ZOOM subtly.

However what PAN and ZOOM will do is make it more challenging to prepare PTE shows as you now have a third variable to worry about, almost like going from 2D to 3D, but this extra effort will be rewarded with a much more varied style of presentation.

I can't wait! :-)

[RonH]

I remember in the 1980s when I ran a video production Company and everyone was trying to find ways to finance ‘computerised’ mixing desks with more transitions than you could possibly use. We all thought we would not be able to make a decent video or television programme without incorporating several special visual effects. As soon as the new features were learned and tried – we all quickly went back to cuts and fades to better tell our story. It’s my guess that the same will happen with zooms and pans; yes there may be occasions when they are useful, but I bet you can make a really interesting AV with PTE v4.xx and a good idea .

I’ve tried several AV software programmes some cost £350 others £50 but none have been as good or as intuitive as PTE. Personally, I’m happy with the status quo but will welcome v5 when it arrives. In the meantime I am spending my time dreaming up more AV ideas.

Thanks Igor and team for a super product.

[Batman]

Great comments on Pan & Zoom. It's interesting that with the wide range of transitions in PTE and I assume in other offerings, most users stick with fade. Will Pan/Zoom be just a passing fancy? Conflow's comments on some of the other programs with Pan & Zoom does not cause me to rush into another program at all. I am very happy with PTE as is now, and if there wasn't all the excitement about 5.0 over the past few months we probably wouldn't be talking about it so much in anticipation.

Another issue for me, I will stay with PTE until Barry Beckham goes to a different program!

Bill

How can Pan/Zoom be a passing fade. Its been around for many years now. Its just finally becoming available in consumer level slideshow makers. Its a marvelous effect if used correctly. Much much better than the boring old static slide on the screen.

Thanks for listening

B

[JRR]

Its a marvelous effect if used correctly.

B

Your quote is the real issue with pan and zoom as far as I am concerned. I have seen too many shows using other software that OVERUSE the P&Z to the point that I am not sure I will ever use it in PTE (I know I will, but...)