Sorry I'm not convinced!

[Moelwyn]

Hello,

Well I used to love PTE and after a break and now photographing weddings, I came back to give it a try to create my DVD proofs. I have spent the last three days trying to make a succesfull show. I am very familiar with creating a project with various project options but had problems burning a DVD with latest beta V5. So I was advised to wait for full version and video builder which I downloaded and paid for yesterday. Soon after and now hairless I discovered what might be the first bug as picture size shaddows were still visible on screen when images changed from horizontal to vertical and vice versa. I discovered that this only happened when 'hardware acceleration' was left unticked which I wanted. Igor confirmed the bug and is now dealing. So that was yesterday wasted. Today my slides won't sync to music and slides finish way before music does. Sync to music option is ticked. Anyway I am trying to run a business and cannot afford to spend more time on this and unfortunately will have to purchase a competitors version. It has been the most frustrating three days and I am amazed that considering the first version came out in 1999, some simple slideshow principles are not working.

For those of you that can handle waiting and using trial and error until it works, I must admit that it is a great product for the price. But for us in business we expect an established product to work and cannot afford the time to rectify faults. As I said, Im dissapointed as I did like creating shows for the pc only, before the need to burn to dvd and would have loved to continue using PTE but it's let me down and does not make business sense. Sorry.

Moelwyn.

[d67]

It has been the most frustrating three days and I am amazed that considering the first version came out in 1999, some simple slideshow principles are not working.

I don't use PTE for business, more exactly I make use of PTE for business works but there are no financial goals (educational purposes).

Most o f my slideshows (75%) are for privat use

... but, I too feel very frustrated as, after waiting so long, very basic slideshows created with PTE V5 are not working as well as the same one created with PTE v4.48 !!!

Trying tio create a basic slideshow work smoothly with V5 takes much more time then with v4.48 ... and at the end you are not sure that it will work gently on every configuration (up to date one, older one, Vista, Win XP, etc...).

An other point is that with V5 you have to pay to be able to create a DVD.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Moelwyn,

Sorry you're having issues and I hope you find a satisfactory solution with a "competitor's" product. It will be interesting to know how you make out. As a fellow professional I find it most unusual however to wait until a project is due to attempt to learn to use a tool, and find it a little odd that you couldn't find a work-around for what seems a relatively simple issue. Using new software is a bit like using a new camera; perhaps best to practice a bit before the acid test. I can sympathize with your plight, but your solution may be less than practical and your expectations perhaps unrealistic, however it's all part of a learning process. The "sync to music" issue sounds very much like a user error in understanding since thousands are using this program with no problems in that regard. I might caution you to visit the forums and read the comments about bugs, issues and so on with the "competition's" products before reaching the conclusion that perhaps a "bug free" solution awaits you with another product. Of course this doesn't ameliorate your present concern so wishing you the best.

Best regards,

Lin

Hello,

Well I used to love PTE and after a break and now photographing weddings, I came back to give it a try to create my DVD proofs. I have spent the last three days trying to make a succesfull show. I am very familiar with creating a project with various project options but had problems burning a DVD with latest beta V5. So I was advised to wait for full version and video builder which I downloaded and paid for yesterday. Soon after and now hairless I discovered what might be the first bug as picture size shaddows were still visible on screen when images changed from horizontal to vertical and vice versa. I discovered that this only happened when 'hardware acceleration' was left unticked which I wanted. Igor confirmed the bug and is now dealing. So that was yesterday wasted. Today my slides won't sync to music and slides finish way before music does. Sync to music option is ticked. Anyway I am trying to run a business and cannot afford to spend more time on this and unfortunately will have to purchase a competitors version. It has been the most frustrating three days and I am amazed that considering the first version came out in 1999, some simple slideshow principles are not working.

For those of you that can handle waiting and using trial and error until it works, I must admit that it is a great product for the price. But for us in business we expect an established product to work and cannot afford the time to rectify faults. As I said, Im dissapointed as I did like creating shows for the pc only, before the need to burn to dvd and would have loved to continue using PTE but it's let me down and does not make business sense. Sorry.

Moelwyn.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Patrick,

Two observations: First, you very well know that your frustrations are primarily because of your hardware limitations. A program which uses GPU power works best with a reasonably up-to-date GPU. That is no mystery. Second, you also know that you don't "have" to pay to create a DVD with version 5 any more than you did with 4.xx - you only have to pay if you want the convenience of authoring your DVD via Video Builder. The standard version outputs an AVI just as it always has. There is nothing unfair or unreasonable about charging a small fee for a very nice convenience added to a product which is totally optional - you don't have to buy video builder.

Best regards,

Lin

I don't use PTE for business, more exactly I make use of PTE for business works but there are no financial goals (educational purposes).

Most o f my slideshows (75%) are for privat use

... but, I too feel very frustrated as, after waiting so long, very basic slideshows created with PTE V5 are not working as well as the same one created with PTE v4.48 !!!

Trying tio create a basic slideshow work smoothly with V5 takes much more time then with v4.48 ... and at the end you are not sure that it will work gently on every configuration (up to date one, older one, Vista, Win XP, etc...).

An other point is that with V5 you have to pay to be able to create a DVD.

[Moelwyn]

Hello Lin,

Thank you very much for your very sincere responce

As stated in my post:

I am very familiar with creating a project with various project options

I have been using PTE for many years. Also if you had read my post more thoroughly, my name is spelt Moelwyn.

The "sync to music" issue sounds very much like a user error in understanding since thousands are using this program with no problems in that regard.

This is interesting, thousands already tested full version only released yesterday? And according to Igors history read me file with downloads, my fault discovered with shaddows when 'Hardware acceleration' unticked is justified and already fixed (awaiting V5.01). And another fault when 'Hardware acceleration' option unticked has appeared.

It will be very interesting to see if my sync to music issue is also connected to 'Hardware acceleration' option being unticked.

I will be the first to let you know

Bestest of regards,

M O E L W Y N

[Igor]

Moelwyn,

Thank you, we fixed this bug with shadow you wrote about:

http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/apr-deluxe.zip (4 MB)

It could happens with shadow for JPEG images in slide show when "Hardware acceleration" option disabled and there were portrait and landscape images with similar size (800x600 and 600x800) and same shadow parameters.

I'm guessing, speaking synchronize slides to music you mean ending of a last slide with end of a music? if yes, just set checked "Auto spread slides along music" option in Customize synchronization window (by "Timeline" button).

Patrick,

Try final release, transition effects much speeded up (except of Mosaic) in comparison with latest Beta 19.

[Ronniebootwest]

Hello M O E L W Y N,

I know that I won't upset you by spelling your name correctly because I have copied & pasted it from you previous post. However, I might upset you a little with my further response (though this is certainly not my intention). I agree with the comments made by Lin Evans and think that you really ought to have spent more time with this new version of PTE before bursting into print about how bad the program is. It is a NEW VERSION and therefore will take some time to settle down. I very much doubt that you will find another program that will give you the quality of presentation that PTE will give and if,as you say, you have previously used the program (I assume that you are referring to Version 4.48) then why not continue to use that until we have sorted out any further 'bugs' that may be found in this latest incarnation.

I must say though, that I get a little weary of hearing 'how much better' the competition is - if this were so, how come so many are switching to Pictures To Exe. I will tell you why, it is because it is probably the best audio visual slide show software on the market. To those who think otherwise I simply agree that they are entitled to their own opinion. As for me, I will stick with Pictures To Exe.

Ronnie West

[alrobin]

But for us in business we expect an established product to work and cannot afford the time to rectify faults.

Moelwyn,

You being a business man should understand the nature of the software business. Given the nature of this business, and the millions of different permutations and combinations involved, it is humanly impossible for any company to publish the first official release of a new or improved software product without there being some deficiencies in some of the lesser-used configurations like the one you referred to.

Your "business" attitude seems to be a little different from that adopted by most successful people I know. When something doesn't work, they usually try to find the reason, and then do whatever they can to contribute toward the solution, knowing full well that any improvement in a desired product can only benefit them in return.

[Lin Evans]

Hello Lin,

Thank you very much for your very sincere responce

As stated in my post:

I have been using PTE for many years. Also if you had read my post more thoroughly, my name is spelt Moelwyn.

Hi Moelwyn,

Let me apologize for the incorrect spelling - I haven't yet had my morning coffee. Also you probably haven't had your afternoon tea (it is afternoon in Wales?) since even in jolly olde England and points west "response" is spelled with an "s" isn't it? - LOL. In any event, the spelling has been corrected.

This is interesting, thousands already tested full version only released yesterday? And according to Igors history read me file with downloads, my fault discovered with shaddows when 'Hardware acceleration' unticked is justified and already fixed (awaiting V5.01). And another fault when 'Hardware acceleration' option unticked has appeared.

Actually, the late beta's and version 5.0 release have had little or no change in terms of sound synchronization so yes, indeed thousands have tested this feature.

It will be very interesting to see if my sync to music issue is also connected to 'Hardware acceleration' option being unticked.

No, I think not. It's simply user error.

I will be the first to let you know

Thanks,

Best regards,

Lin

Bestest of regards,

M O E L W Y N

[d67]

Two observations:

First, you very well know that your frustrations are primarily because of your hardware limitations. A program which uses GPU power works best with a reasonably up-to-date GPU. That is no mystery.

Second, you also know that you don't "have" to pay to create a DVD with version 5 any more than you did with 4.xx - you only have to pay if you want the convenience of authoring your DVD via Video Builder.

Hello Lin

Beside my PC I have a powerfull laptop and even with that one, V5 slideshows are not always smooth.

That is why I preferr to renounce on new features and use v4.48

Sorry for the AVI output ... when I clicked on the Video button I immediatly clicked on DVD creation and could not continue because I didn't pay for VideoBuilder.

I didn't retry by clicking again the button and then carefully read the 2 possibilities (why DVD creation is clickable when not wanted ?).

Admin1 said

Try final release, transition effects much speeded up (except of Mosaic) in comparison with latest Beta 19.

I didn't retry to convert my latest slideshow as I was disappointed by the end result why the V5 prerelease.

I will retry it in the next days (no time for the moment).

But, if mosaic transitions are not as good as with v4.48, V5 will be of no interest for me

[moritz]

For D67:

About this:

"Sorry for the AVI output ... when I clicked on the Video button I immediatly clicked on DVD creation and could not continue because I didn't pay for VideoBuilder.

I didn't retry by clicking again the button and then carefully read the 2 possibilities (why DVD creation is clickable when not wanted ?)."

One question: Do you work with PTE5 in french?

I had seen this problem, perhaps "bug", when I change from english to spanish language.

If in english version there is the DVD option selected (near time line button), when I change to spanish the button change to video but the option do not change and if I press in this button Video Builder begin.

So, to avoid this you need go to View/Advanced options and select (reselect) Show dialog on video button

Excuse my english.

I hope some people understand me.

[ksf]

Another case of "you can't please all the people all the time"? (at least Igor is pleasing most of the people most of the time!)

Looking back thorugh the comments in this thread Moelwyn states "I used to love PTE and after a break..." Perhaps if you had continued to use it through its development stages then you may have picked up on the minor glitches earlier and then Igor could have rectified them pre-release. But then you would have to join the Beta testers - those of us who for sheer love of PTE and for wanting the best end-product are happy to assist with the testing of this competition beating software. At the end of the day, however, we are all still only human and prone to missing the odd thing here and there so do forgive us if we have let you down, but don't take it all out on us or Igor and his team. Perhaps if you had given yourself more time you wouldn't have become so frustrated?

Giving yourself just 3 days to familiarise yourself with what, after all, is a NEW piece of software (completely rewritten from v4.48) was perhaps a touch optimistic. (By the way I hope if you are selling your wedding DVDs that you have the necessary music licences?).

I would be interested in knowing which competitor software you opt for and whether or not it you can learn to use it in 3 days, and if it fulfils your requirements in terms of image quality. I think you will be hard pressed to find better software at this price butI wish you luck.

[Moelwyn]

Hello,

Thank you Lin, Ronnie and Al,

I was highly frustrated earlier after 3 days with a deadline to meet. I went for a change of scenery and a break. Next time I will expose my frustration elswhere!!

Thanks to Igor for the quick bug fix, hope I didn't offend you Igor

I managed to create my show in 4:3 format and burnt in 4:3 format but the whole image and menu was cropped by about 1cm loosing half the title/comment but I realised that I could lower it. One of my chapters ended half way through so still have that to look into.

Please no comments about me going to a competitior, I just had a lovers tiff with PTE but we've made up now.

Moelwyn

[ksf]

Hi Moelwyn,

I find it often helps me to have a change of scene to clear my head when I get bogged down with something, especially when under time constraints.

Glad you are giving PTE another go.... Welcome back!

[Moelwyn]

Thank you Keith,

I agree with what you said but since you were so upront and off the mark with:

(By the way I hope if you are selling your wedding DVDs that you have the necessary music licences?)

I will say........It is absolutely none of your business.

Regards,

Moelwyn.

[targa912]

Yuck!! It's starting to sound like the Adobe Forum.

Bob

[d67]

One question: Do you work with PTE5 in french?

I had seen this problem, perhaps "bug", when I change from english to spanish language.

If in english version there is the DVD option selected (near time line button), when I change to spanish the button change to video but the option do not change and if I press in this button Video Builder begin.

So, to avoid this you need go to View/Advanced options and select (reselect) Show dialog on video button

Thank you Moritz

I use french language and I changed the options as you told it. Now Avi button is present.

Yuck!! It's starting to sound like the Adobe Forum.

.... saying somethong negative, even if very minor, about PTE and especially V5, is immediatly considered by some forum members as a crime of lese-majesty, when not denied !

... Not very constructive !

[Carol Steele]

Hello,

........... I managed to create my show in 4:3 format and burnt in 4:3 format but the whole image and menu was cropped by about 1cm loosing half the title/comment but I realised that I could lower it. One of my chapters ended half way through so still have that to look into.

Moelwyn

When in Video Builder, turn on the TV Safe Zone (Edit->Show TV Safe Zone) - place your chapter titles a little inside the safe zone and you should be OK.

Regarding the music sync - simply checking the 'Synchronize Music & Slides' check box is not enough (a common error I believe) - after check that, go into the Timeline and either (1) check the box marked 'Auto spread slides along music or (2) Hit the 'Timed Points' and then choose the 'Add arranged points' option.

[Moelwyn]

Thank you very much Carol!

At last someone who just addresses the question in black and white.

Moelwyn.

[ksf]

Hi Moelwyn,

You are quite right, your business is none of mine and I'm sorry you seem to have taken offence at my remark regarding music licences but I do know of someone who got their fingers burnt by not having the appropriate copyright clearance to record and re-sell music. You can't even record the church organist these days, if you intend to sell it on afterwards, unless you have authorisation from the church/organist. It's just the way the world is going....mad.

If you are using copyright/royalty free music then that is fine, I just meant it as a hint rather than anything else.

[goddi]

Regarding the music sync - simply checking the 'Synchronize Music & Slides' check box is not enough (a common error I believe) - after check that, go into the Timeline and either (1) check the box marked 'Auto spread slides along music or (2) Hit the 'Timed Points' and then choose the 'Add arranged points' option.

Greetings... I also ran into this 'problem' early in the beta testing trials. But, I would like to know why one would select 'Synchronize Music & Sides' (SMS) without also selecting the 'Add arranged points' option. I am not trying to fight the issue but I just want to understand why you would want to choose SMS and NOT have the music automatically spread along the entire music selection with this one selection. It seems to me that logically when you click on the SMS, this would automatically spread out the music without needing an extra step. I'm not sure if I am making myself clear. But basically, I'd like to know what is the advantage or usefulness in NOT using the second step, 'Auto spread slides' after you select SMS? If I remember right, in 4.48, you did not need a second step.

Thanks... Gary

PS. I also have a similar question about having to make a second step and have to select "Set for existing slides". It seems that when you are making the selections in Project Options, you would want that to be done automatically for all the slides, without having a second step. Am I missing something here? Why would I NOT want to select "Set for existing slides" when I make a selection in Project Options???

[alrobin]

PS. I also have a similar question about having to make a second step and have to select "Set for existing slides". It seems that when you are making the selections in Project Options, you would want that to be done automatically for all the slides, without having a second step. Am I missing something here? Why would I NOT want to select "Set for existing slides" when I make a selection in Project Options???

Gary,

This second step was added in response to problems with custom comments. At that time, if one opened Project Options again, the settings there were automatically applied to all slides, thus wiping out any customization. Just the way Igor had things set up in the program. I suspect this is just a continuation of that methodology, applied to other changes one might make in project options. This way, one can decide to change the global setting for slides to be added from now on, without having to apply the changes to those already set up according to the existing global setting. Hope this explanation is clear.

[goddi]

Gary,

This second step was added in response to problems with custom comments. At that time, if one opened Project Options again, the settings there were automatically applied to all slides, thus wiping out any customization. Just the way Igor had things set up in the program. I suspect this is just a continuation of that methodology, applied to other changes one might make in project options. This way, one can decide to change the global setting for slides to be added from now on, without having to apply the changes to those already set up according to the existing global setting. Hope this explanation is clear.

Got it!!!! I fiddled with what you said..."to change the global setting for slides to be added from now on." If I changed the Screen % (and not click on 'Set for existing slides') nothing changes. However, I see that it will change only the next added slides. Also, if I already have some in the Slide List and want to change only some of the slide's Screen %, I had to take them out and bring them back into the Slide List, after first changing the setting in Project Options.

Thanks for setting me straight. Lots of possibilities here that are 'hidden'....at least for me!!!

Thanks... Gary