Image Size & Flicker

[grumpy558]

Hi--need some help.

I have made my PTE show with about 30 pics. I used 1024/768. Everything is fine as far as exe shows on comp but when I use DVD Movie Factory 3 to convert the avi I get the following---record to DVD-R and the pictures/effects are shaky on some slides; also the tops and sides of pics are cut off no matter what aspect I use on the TV(42 inch). Using CD-R for SVCD they play smoother but pics still cut off.

Any help on where these 2 problems can be sovled----

Thks;

Bill

[Lin Evans]

Hi--need some help.

I have made my PTE show with about 30 pics. I used 1024/768. Everything is fine as far as exe shows on comp but when I use DVD Movie Factory 3 to convert the avi I get the following---record to DVD-R and the pictures/effects are shaky on some slides; also the tops and sides of pics are cut off no matter what aspect I use on the TV(42 inch). Using CD-R for SVCD they play smoother but pics still cut off.

Any help on where these 2 problems can be sovled----

Thks;

Bill

Hi Bill,

The aspect ratio (height versus width of screen) is different for television and pc monitors. First you need to determine the height/width ratio for the television screen you are using for the display, then when you create the slideshow with pte 5 beta 4 you need to click on the "Project Options" tab then on "Screen" then set the aspect ratio to correspond to this. This will let you see visually that portion which will fit on your television. Since you didn't say which version of p2e you were using, I assumed Beta 4. 1024x768 is typical for many computer monitors but not the same as most tv screens so set the aspect ratio to correspond to the television for DVD production.

Go to "start" then "run" then type in "dxdiag" and press O.K. - report the type video card you have and the amount of memory and tell us the average file size of your 1024x768 images and perhaps we can figure out what's going on with the smoothness of the display.

Best regards,

Lin

[grumpy558]

Hi Lin:

I am using PTE 4.44--my TV is a 39 H 42W. My pics were 1024/768 JPG--average of 183KB.

My video card is Nvidia 7800 GT 256 MB memory. Like I said I have no problem with the shows on the comp; only have the problem when I convert the avi file and use DVD Movie factory 3 to burn either to DVD or to CD. Pictures are shaky on DVD; pretty smooth for SVCD but both cut the pics off; top and bottom.

Hope this helps----

Bill

[Lin Evans]

Hi Lin:

I am using PTE 4.44--my TV is a 39 H 42W. My pics were 1024/768 JPG--average of 183KB.

My video card is Nvidia 7800 GT 256 MB memory. Like I said I have no problem with the shows on the comp; only have the problem when I convert the avi file and use DVD Movie factory 3 to burn either to DVD or to CD. Pictures are shaky on DVD; pretty smooth for SVCD but both cut the pics off; top and bottom.

Hope this helps----

Bill

Hi Bill,

This explains part of the problem. Try this: first install the Beta 4 (download it from the link below) then open your pte file with it and click on "Project Options" then on "Screen" then choose

"4:3 PC/DVD" and then click O.K. Next click on "Objects and Animations" and go to each image and you will see what can be displayed on that aspect ratio. You can adjust the image so you either fill the screen and see the entire image with some black border, or you can crop out parts of the ends, etc.

Link:

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4327

After quickly going through each image (use the forward and back arrows on the extreme top right of your screen under the "minimixe" and exit "X" to navigate between images) and adjusting them for the desired appearance on screen (the black border represents the TV screen) then click on the "X" to go back to the main screen (like you were exiting the program) and click on the "Video" tab. Choose "DVD Video Disk" and "For Ulead Movie Factory" - use "Progressive" if you have any "Page Turning" effects on transitions, etc., and then choose AVI and do everything else including choosing the pte video codec just as you did with Version 4.44. I would suggest saving this under a slightly different file name for the pte file than with the original so you can use both the Beta 4 and version 4.44 to create shows from the same slide set.

This "should" fix the problem of cutting off the top and bottom as well as giving you smoother actions on the DVD. Don't be afraid to try some of the new features in the Beta - and read the tutoials written by several members (check the forum).

The DVD's should turn out fine this way with you able to adjust each image by using the "green rectangle" surrounding the picture to adjust the size and screen fit as you wish. This way you can have the best of both the release version and the new beta. Try a tiny slideshow with one or two slides to get used to some of the new features. You can make some very sophisticated slide shows with the beta 4 version.

Best regards,

Lin

PS

In case you get into trouble - if you want you can click on "File" the use the "Create zip backup" to zip up the pte and images and post the zip file and we can help you sort it out.

[grumpy558]

Hi Lin:

Thk you so much for taking the time to help me out--love this forum:::

I have downloaded the beta and will try what you said to do.

I assume that after I complete my entire show (with music) using regular PTE; I then move it to the beta version; make the necessary size changes--do I then save it again and go back to reg PTE to complete or complete it while I'm still in the beta version???

Also if I complete the final PTE in the beta, will it keep all my times and transition effects plus syn music?

Thks again Lin for all your help--I'll let you know how it turns out!!!!

Bill

This explains part of the problem. Try this: first install the Beta 4 (download it from the link below) then open your pte file with it and click on "Project Options" then on "Screen" then choose

"4:3 PC/DVD" and then click O.K. Next click on "Objects and Animations" and go to each image and you will see what can be displayed on that aspect ratio. You can adjust the image so you either fill the screen and see the entire image with some black border, or you can crop out parts of the ends, etc.

After quickly going through each image (use the forward and back arrows on the extreme top right of your screen under the "minimixe" and exit "X" to navigate between images) and adjusting them for the desired appearance on screen (the black border represents the TV screen) then click on the "X" to go back to the main screen (like you were exiting the program) and click on the "Video" tab. Choose "DVD Video Disk" and "For Ulead Movie Factory" - use "Progressive" if you have any "Page Turning" effects on transitions, etc., and then choose AVI and do everything else including choosing the pte video codec just as you did with Version 4.44. I would suggest saving this under a slightly different file name for the pte file than with the original so you can use both the Beta 4 and version 4.44 to create shows from the same slide set.

This "should" fix the problem of cutting off the top and bottom as well as giving you smoother actions on the DVD. Don't be afraid to try some of the new features in the Beta - and read the tutoials written by several members (check the forum).

The DVD's should turn out fine this way with you able to adjust each image by using the "green rectangle" surrounding the picture to adjust the size and screen fit as you wish. This way you can have the best of both the release version and the new beta. Try a tiny slideshow with one or two slides to get used to some of the new features. You can make some very sophisticated slide shows with the beta 4 version.

Best regards,

Lin

PS

In case you get into trouble - if you want you can click on "File" the use the "Create zip backup" to zip up the pte and images and post the zip file and we can help you sort it out.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Lin:

Thk you so much for taking the time to help me out--love this forum:::

I have downloaded the beta and will try what you said to do.

I assume that after I complete my entire show (with music) using regular PTE; I then move it to the beta version; make the necessary size changes--do I then save it again and go back to reg PTE to complete or complete it while I'm still in the beta version???

Also if I complete the final PTE in the beta, will it keep all my times and transition effects plus syn music?

Thks again Lin for all your help--I'll let you know how it turns out!!!!

Bill

Hi Bill,

Currently not all transitions are available in Beta 4 and music sync is not quite finished so don't kill the original but rather save it and open the pte file in Beta 4 and try the preview to see how much of the original in terms of transitions, etc., are preserved. Once a file has been altered in Beta 4 if will no longer open in the 4.xx version, but you should be able to do this soon when beta 5 is released.

Lin

[grumpy558]

Hi Bill,

Currently not all transitions are available in Beta 4 and music sync is not quite finished so don't kill the original but rather save it and open the pte file in Beta 4 and try the preview to see how much of the original in terms of transitions, etc., are preserved. Once a file has been altered in Beta 4 if will no longer open in the 4.xx version, but you should be able to do this soon when beta 5 is released.

Lin

Hi again Lin:

Have tried everything you have said and have noticed that hardly any of my effects are being used. Most of my tvs have 16:9 aspect and I tried that and made DVD and even tho the transitions were smoother, of course it didn't retain my effects. Also I noticed a portion of a green line on the top of my slides--probably didn't reduce them enough; I assume. Guess I will have to wait for beta 5.

Another question (probably dumb)---I use elements for my photo work and I am wondering if the aspects ratios of 4:3 and 16:9 have a corresponding pixel size? Then I would resize all my slides at one time to this corresponding pixel size and not have to change them again in PTE. Is this an option or am I out of bounds here?? I am probably making things harder than they need to be but you know how us rookies are LOL.

Thks;

Bill

[Lin Evans]

Hi again Lin:

Have tried everything you have said and have noticed that hardly any of my effects are being used. Most of my tvs have 16:9 aspect and I tried that and made DVD and even tho the transitions were smoother, of course it didn't retain my effects. Also I noticed a portion of a green line on the top of my slides--probably didn't reduce them enough; I assume. Guess I will have to wait for beta 5.

Another question (probably dumb)---I use elements for my photo work and I am wondering if the aspects ratios of 4:3 and 16:9 have a corresponding pixel size? Then I would resize all my slides at one time to this corresponding pixel size and not have to change them again in PTE. Is this an option or am I out of bounds here?? I am probably making things harder than they need to be but you know how us rookies are LOL.

Thks;

Bill

Hi Bill,

The aspect ratio doesn't correspond to any "particular" pixel count, just the ratio of width in pixels to height in pixels. What you need to do is determine what your original file size in pixels is then you can determine the most efficient way to crop to achieve 4:3 or 16:9 ratios.

Let's take a simple example or two and see how this might work. Typically, a two megapixel camera might produce an image 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall. These numbers represent an aspect ratio of 4:3. if you had only 16 pixels on the wide side and 12 pixels on the height side it would still be a ratio of 4:3 (16/4=4 and 12/4=3). So any particular number multiplied by both 4 and 3 would give you the 4:3 ratio. Here are a few samples:

4x20=80 - 3x20=60 so 80 pixels by 60 pixels = 4:3. Let's do another: 4x100=400 3x100=300 so 400x300 pixels would qualify.

Now let's look at 16:9 What about 16x100 by 9x100 or 1600x900. You see how it works? So determine about what resolution you want in your originals then find the nearest numbers which will support the desired ratio and set your crop tool on Elements to that figure to get your originals. Move the crop around to get the ideal subject matter inside then make the crop and save.

Best regards,

Lin

[ronwil]

Reference Lin's last post and paragraph, in Photoshop I do not use the Crop tool. I use the Rectangular Marquee tool set to Fixed Aspect Ratio, Width 4 and Height 3, drag a frame over the required area and then use Image>Crop. Then when I have finished any final work on the image I resize Image>Image Size to 1024x768 (the latter dimension is automatic if Constrained Aspect Ratio is set) and File>Save for Web. I have the resize and Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask set as an action. I could have included Save for Web in the action but I prefer to have one further look at the sharpening effect and make any final adjustments where necessary.

Just another way for what it is worth.

Ron [uK]

[grumpy558]

Reference Lin's last post and paragraph, in Photoshop I do not use the Crop tool. I use the Rectangular Marquee tool set to Fixed Aspect Ratio, Width 4 and Height 3, drag a frame over the required area and then use Image>Crop. Then when I have finished any final work on the image I resize Image>Image Size to 1024x768 (the latter dimension is automatic if Constrained Aspect Ratio is set) and File>Save for Web. I have the resize and Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask set as an action. I could have included Save for Web in the action but I prefer to have one further look at the sharpening effect and make any final adjustments where necessary.

Just another way for what it is worth.

Ron [uK]

Lin & Ron:

Thk you very much--this helps alot--

Bill