No picture!

[yguy]

Dear all,

Maybe you can tell me what is happening here. I have already successfully produced several presentations without too much dificulty and I have been very pleased with the results.

Last week I decided to revamp an old production that I never really finished properly. I had to work hard revitalising photographs from various sources because a year ago my computer with all the back ups were stolen from my house.

It took me a week and not I have produced a 42 minute presentation in 5 chapters. (could we have a menu that has more that four chapters to a page?). All looks well on the computer. I burned the production and as you all well know that takes several hours in all. The result was BLACK pictures. The sound was all right. I tried it again with another version of P2E, same result. I tried redoing the photographs. Again the same disatster. In all I have tried about 4 or 5 times and always have the same result. Can anybody suggest what is happening here?

It is obviouslyy something to do with the old photographs but I can't see what it might be.

Thanks

YG

[Ken Cox]

ver # ?

ken

[yguy]

Dear all,

Maybe you can tell me what is happening here. I have already successfully produced several presentations without too much dificulty and I have been very pleased with the results.

Last week I decided to revamp an old production that I never really finished properly. I had to work hard revitalising photographs from various sources because a year ago my computer with all the back ups were stolen from my house.

It took me a week and not I have produced a 42 minute presentation in 5 chapters. (could we have a menu that has more that four chapters to a page?). All looks well on the computer. I burned the production and as you all well know that takes several hours in all. The result was BLACK pictures. The sound was all right. I tried it again with another version of P2E, same result. I tried redoing the photographs. Again the same disatster. In all I have tried about 4 or 5 times and always have the same result. Can anybody suggest what is happening here?

It is obviouslyy something to do with the old photographs but I can't see what it might be.

Thanks

YG

Sorry about that. Last attempt on ver5.03

YG

[Ken Cox]

at a certain point of the encoding process of the vb, the menu/pictures come on the screen

as you work thru the process of setting up the process at one point it tells you how big the show will be

does this happen?

it almost sounds like your codecs are mixed up

try making only the mpeg -- does it play

check it's size -- it should be close to the above size

ken

[yguy]

Hi Ken and anyone else who is interested.

I really do appreciate help on this - it is sofrustrating and time consuming.

You are write the MPEG shows up as black. As for size I did not quite undestand "check its size it should be close to the above size"?

on the P2E it estimates the size as around 62mb whereas, if I remember correctly the Builder gave me a figure like 400 and something mb. So somethoing is wrong there. The question is what do I do so sort out the codecs - if that indeed is the problem.

YG

[Ken Cox]

R MOUSE THE MPEG

and read its properties

ken

[Ken Cox]

i recently made 8 shows

and

for 1 example show

the pte = 31 kb

exe = 64 mb

the dvd was 725 mb

due to time constraits i did not make iso or mpeg - [ver 5]

as i was working with 4.48 and imported the temp avi to my Nero Suite

as well it had a nero menu

so the finished dvd size would be basically the same size whether i did it with v5/vb or 448/nero

ken

[yguy]

i recently made 8 shows

and

for 1 example show

the pte = 31 kb

exe = 64 mb

the dvd was 725 mb

due to time constraits i did not make iso or mpeg - [ver 5]

as i was working with 4.48 and imported the temp avi to my Nero Suite

as well it had a nero menu

so the finished dvd size would be basically the same size whether i did it with v5/vb or 448/nero

ken

[yguy]

I have just been chasing the mpeg all over my computer but couldn't find it! I did it again and saved it on the desktop. It is now a "ptv" file of 1.72 kb!! something is screwed up here. It appears that the pics are not registering.

Any suggestions?

It looks perfectly all right on the P2E, so I don't know what to do.

YG

[yguy]

I have just been chasing the mpeg all over my computer but couldn't find it! I did it again and saved it on the desktop. It is now a "ptv" file of 1.72 kb!! something is screwed up here. It appears that the pics are not registering.

Any suggestions?

It looks perfectly all right on the P2E, so I don't know what to do.

YG

Hi Ken,

I thought that I would try to make an AVI file of it as you suggest and burn it on Nero. All of a sudden it does not give me that option and I can only make a DVD on builder!

YG

[Ken Cox]

you are choosing the wrong option

video/create avi file

and do not close the program until nero is done

ken

[Hawk]

Hi YG

I thought that I would try to make an AVI file of it as you suggest and burn it on Nero. All of a sudden it does not give me that option and I can only make a DVD on builder!

It appears you have made a change at one time - In section - View - Advanced Options and chose ( Create DVD on Video Button )

Check this section and click " Show Dialog on Video Button " - you will then have both options show ( AVI & DVD )

To narrow down your problem I would recommend choosing AVI - click on ( DVD - Video Disc ) then the Preview button to check if your show previews OK in Windows Media Player. ( change Preview time to about 60 seconds )

Lets us know results if it previews OK.

Preview

If you choose " Create custom AVI " - accept the default " Picture to EXE Video Codec " ( in Video Codec )

Audio Codec should default to " 44.100 kHz - 16 bit - Stereo

Then Preview

If all seems OK - if you use Nero - as Ken suggested - DO NOT CLOSE PTE until burn is complete.

Are you getting a " No pics - black screen using " WnSoft Video Builder " ?

[yguy]

Hi Ralph,

thank you for joining Ken.

Yes I must have changed the setting AVI/DVD and now that is back to normal.

I have just tried my presentation on AVI and it worked, that is the pics were visable.

But as you picked up, when I try it in Builder I get a black picture instead of photos.

YG

[Hawk]

YG

Direct X - is important for WnSoft Video Builder.

Not sure if the problem is here or not ?

You can check your installed version by:

From the Start menu, click Run , and then type: ( dxdiag )

It will be listed at the bottom of the main page - post your findings.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have just tried my presentation on AVI and it worked, that is the pics were visable.

I take it as it Previewed OK - did you try leaving PTE open and a burn with Nero ?

I would fully advise to create a small show - 5 - 6 slides using some of the same images until problem is solved.

[yguy]

I checked dxdiag.

It tells me Dx Diag 5.03.2600.2180 Unicode

Because Builder would't work I tried to continue on AVI. Although I have a picture there the synch is completely out. I tried increasing frames but nothing changed and the pictures are far slower that the audio.

So I am still at loss as to what to do.

Hoping that you can get me out of this rut.

YG

[Ken Cox]

from the dxdiag screen

directx version

ken

[Ken Cox]

if you do not have 9.0c get it here

Latest Version

DirectX 9.0c (Aug 07)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

ken

[Hawk]

TG

I could be wrong about DirectX for Video Builder, and may only apply for version 5 - pan and zoom.

Quote from FAQ:

For slide shows with Pan/Zoom effects:

PC with 1.4 GHz CPU, 256 MB of system memory, video card with 128 MB of video memory.

Windows XP, Vista, 2000, 2003, Me, 98 or 95.

DirectX 8.1 or later.

Because Builder would't work I tried to continue on AVI. Although I have a picture there the synch is completely out. I tried increasing frames but nothing changed and the pictures are far slower that the audio.

I would not be concerned with sync this at this time, as this problem is another different one and can be fixed - at least we know you now have pictures.

With Video Builder, could you supply some other computer specs, specially available hard drive space and version of Windows.

The show you were working on seems to be large, Can you create a small show as mentioned above.

[yguy]

Ralph, Ken,

What I don't understand is that I have already produced presentations on v5.0 successfuly on this computer. So I am almost certain that it must be connected with the fact that I am usinge photographs taken from one of the older versions of P2E.

I tried to do it with just a part of the presentation with the same black screen effect.

I am using a Mac laptop. I have nearly 6 GB of 31 GB available on my hard disc. XP system

1400 @ 1.83 Ghz

988 Mhz and 0.98 GB of RAM

I have now downloaded DirectX 9

Yg

[Conflow]

Yp,

You said quoted as follows...."I have already produced presentations on v5.0 successfuly on this computer. I am using a Mac laptop. I have nearly 6 GB of 31 GB available on my hard disc. XP system 1400 @ 1.83 Ghz ~ 988 Mhz and 0.98 GB of RAM"...

How are you running PTE.5xxx (A Windows Program) on a Mac Laptop, it's completely incompatible ?

Also can you give details as to how you are using "Win-XP" on a Mac Laptop ?...Its not compatible with the Mac OP.System. Are you using Virtual PC or Parallels to run a "Virtual XP OP.System" on the Mac ?

If thats the case any 'origional creation' made with Virtual PC or Parallels on the Mac will run O.K ~ but anything imported via a CD-Disc or Memory Pen or direct connection will be in the origional 'Win Format' and will not be incompatible as its not in the required 'Virtual PC Format'.

Check this out !

Brian.Conflow.

[yguy]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for joining the fray. Yes I have a Mac and it is running on Intel core and Mac's Boot so that I can use it as a Mac and a PC at almost the same time. But P2E is running on the Windows segment of course.

But my black screen still exists!

YG

[Conflow]

YG,

Thats the point I am making ~ It's a Mac Boot but if you check the Windows Segment, in all

probability its a "Virtual Windows XP" on that segment, meaning that it runs within that environment

and if P2E is within that segment of course it will run and I might add that a version of "Parallels"

creates that Virtual PC.

BUT IF YOU IMPORT IMAGES made on a Microsoft Windows PC you face failure of those and

you did say you had "Old Images" which you had edited ~ where did these come from ?.

This problem arises because the MAC Machine Arcitecture is based on a version of Unix Op.System

this irrespectrive of partioned segments, whereas the Microsoft System is a Windows Platform which

has a completely different architecture and totally incompatible ~ excepting to create a "Virtual PC"

Would you please check with the MAC Forum to see if this is indeed your problem ~ If you are

using the "IMac 20" it uses the ATI Ratheon 1600 Video Card ~ ATI have known problems with some

of their Video Cards.

Some IMac Links below, the 2nd Link brings you to various Video Problems.

Brian.Conflow.

http://www.apple.com/imac/graphics.html

http://www.macwindows.com/

[yguy]

Thanks Brian,

Well we'll see. I still think that I have produced presentations on the Mac laptop before, but what I am going to try to do now is to produce a DVD on my desktop and see if there is any improvement.

I'll also check out your links for which I thank you.

I shall keep you informed as to results

YG

[Conflow]

YG,

If you have a "New Dual-Core IMac" ~I don't doubt that you have produced Shows on it~ thats not a problem, the problems start when one "imports" Windows material(s) into the IMac...if its an older Apple-Mac, PTE.5xxx won't work on it without loading "Parallels"...

Please read my Post again.

Keep me informed as we have 6 Mac's in our sister company 'Micronetwks Ltd' and despite having 2 of the latest IMac Quadcore 24's there are still compatibility problems between the Mac's and the Companys Windows 2003 Server System which is supposed to be fully Mac compliant....it isn't ?

Note

If you have the IMac 20 its my opinion that the ATI Video Card may be responsible (Many complaints on this Forum about those Cards with PTE.5xxx). However as a "Test" I personally would reload PTE 4.48 then make a small Show with 8 or less Images (4 of "Old" and 4 of "New") size to 1024 x 768 pixels. Forget the Sound Track and work on that small project and let's see what happens ?.....

Small Shows usually reveal the root causes of problems because they don't tax any OP.System and they can also be Zipped up and sent off elsewhere for analysis, that should be of some help to you.

I hope we can get to the bottom of this as many Forum Members wish to use the new range of IMac's.

Brian.Conflow.

[yguy]

I have been away for a couple of days thus no correspondence - but I have not been inactive.

Thinking the problem might be old photographs I went through Photoshop with them and resized, deleted, renamed every single one of them.

Then tried it on my desk top computer which is not a Mac. Regular Windows Pentium 4, XP AND IT STILL DIDN"T WORK!

So I cried on my son's (who is the real computer guru in my family) but said that he would not be able to do anything because he doesn't know the programme.

"Step aside old man" he said and twiddled and toggled and five minutes later it was working!!

"What did you do" I asked.

"Just twiddled and toddled with the timeline he told me.

"Show me " I asked

And it wouldn't work again and we have tried a hundred times since!!!!!

It is something to do with the opening slide. There is no transition and I am sure that it it a simple thing and I don't know what it is. I have tried to compare with earlier presentations that did work and I can't see the difference. but it still doesn't work.

At any rate it has nothing to do with the fact that I have been working on a Mac - of that I am convinced.

HELP!

YG