pepperpod Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I created an exe file recently using PTE v5.1, with just the fade in/out transitions. One person reported problems she described as 'flicker', which was so bad she couldn't watch the show. Nobody else has this problem. I believe her PC isn't all that new, but probably bought in the last 3 or 4 years. Are there any minimum specs for viewing PTE exe files (as opposed to using PTE itself), e.g. graphics card, RAM, version of DirectX, etc, and is there anything I can do to alleviate the problem for her, such as switching off hardware acceleration?Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Beckham Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Do a search for the latest Graphics card drivers, that may help. The problem is almost certainly that particular PC not being up to the job. Don't turn off graphics acceleration, that won't help.Almost any modern desktop will run PTE, but a good known make graphics card helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi,If you use absolutely no pan, zoom or rotate, then PTE works very much as the older 4x versions and "should" be able to be played on nearly any computer without issue. On the other hand, if you use "any" pan zoom or rotate effect then PTE does hardware rendering which means that the slideshow uses the power of the video card to construct the intermediate images which occur at up to and exceeding 60 frames per second. This then means that the video card in the computer the file is being played on must actually "create" on the fly 60 or more image each second.To carry this to the logical conclusion, the size of each image, the speed of change and the video card's performance then become factors. Many of the older systems have 64 meg or even 32 meg video cards. These cards can handle smaller images without complex animations and numerous objects but if you perchance feed it images larger than about 1024x768 the card will struggle and sometimes fail to give the performance you expect. If you are absolutely certain that no one using your show will have an older system then you can use larger images (up to the expected display resolution) but to be safe if you confine the image size to about 1024x768 and limit any fancy animations most will be able to play your shows successfully. In the case you mention, I suspect that file size may play a role. For optimal show performance a newer video card such as an nVIDIA 8600 GT will play about anything you throw at it. Hardware acceleration is really necessary to render smooth animations, but if you have no animations in your show then you can turn it off. Perhaps you can ask her to do the following:go to "Start" "Run" then type in "dxdiag" and click on O.K. Windows will run a diagnostic and you can ask her to click on the "system" and "display" tabs and report back. The solution "could" be as simple as downloading new video card drivers or a new Direct X iteration.Best regards,LinI created an exe file recently using PTE v5.1, with just the fade in/out transitions. One person reported problems she described as 'flicker', which was so bad she couldn't watch the show. Nobody else has this problem. I believe her PC isn't all that new, but probably bought in the last 3 or 4 years. Are there any minimum specs for viewing PTE exe files (as opposed to using PTE itself), e.g. graphics card, RAM, version of DirectX, etc, and is there anything I can do to alleviate the problem for her, such as switching off hardware acceleration?Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepperpod Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Barry, Lin - many thanks for your very helpful suggestions. This particular slide show has about 40 slides in total, all 1024x682, and no pan, zoom or rotate, just standard fade in/out. I've not sent her any others so I would imagine she'd have difficulties with any PTE exe shows. I'll see what she can tell me about her PC system and take it from there.P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Pepperpod,You need to know the current 'Tech-Specs' of the PC before you can assess its performance integrity.Over time many things change on a PC particularily Memory availibility, and other factors, which will graduallyslow down its origional performance to a near virtual stand-still ~ particularily on older PCs.The "Attachments" F-1 and F-2 below will show you how to get the most recent 'Tech-Data' from that PC.If you could get a Screen-Shot of the 'System-Information Window' (example in F-2 below) and Post it herethen we can get an assessment about whats going. In case she doesn't know how to do a 'Screen-Shot' ask her for the information shown in Item:1 and Item:2shown in the XP-Example (F-2) ~ you may need to send the 2 Images to her ~ then we may be able to help.Brian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepperpod Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Thanks Brian. Whilst I don't yet have her F-2 details, I do have Lin's recommended dxdiag results for System and Display:System Information:Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)Language: English (Regional Setting: English)System Manufacturer: Sony CorporationSystem Model: PCV-V1BIOS: Award Medallion BIOS v6.0Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 2.80GHzMemory: 480MB RAMPage File: 360MB used, 763MB availableWindows Dir: C:\WINDOWSDirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)DX Setup Parameters: Not foundDxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit UnicodeDisplay Devices:Card name: SiS 650_651_740Manufacturer: SiSChip type: SiS 651 Rev 00DAC type: InternalDevice Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1039&DEV_6325&SUBSYS_811C104D&REV_00Display Memory: 32.0 MBCurrent Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)Monitor: Digital Flat Panel (1024x768)Monitor Max Res: Driver Name: SiSGRV.dllDriver Version: 6.14.0010.2211 (English)DDI Version: 9 (or higher)Driver Attributes: Final RetailDriver Date/Size: 10/23/2003 15:44:40, 1079040 bytesWHQL Logo'd: YesWHQL Date Stamp: n/aVDD: n/aMini VDD: sisgrp.sysMini VDD Date: 10/13/2003 23:57:34, 426752 bytesDevice Identifier: {D7B71ED9-2065-11CF-5E7B-16A1A1C2CB35}Vendor ID: 0x1039Device ID: 0x6325SubSys ID: 0x811C104DRevision ID: 0x0000Revision ID: 0x0000Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_D ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG1_A Deinterlace Caps: n/aRegistry: OKDDraw Status: EnabledD3D Status: EnabledAGP Status: EnabledTo my eye, perhaps the most telling is the amount of RAM available. Would simply adding more RAM cure this do you think, or is there more to it?P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Pepperpod,As I said..."You need to know the current 'Tech-Specs' of that particular PC before you can assess its performance integrity"Whilst I do appreciate the Specs supplied by Lin, thats are all very well and fine for a 'New PC Spec' ~ but lets get back to the core issue here ~ you have a Client/Friend who has a PC which 'falters' when running the basic PTE Program and you wished to help out with their problem, per se.The simple expediency of installing extra Memory or a new Graphics Card is like playing "Poker" with the PC when onedoes not know the PCs' current operational status ~ I wish it were that simple !A simile comes to mind:- Would you buy a 4 year old Car, with 120,000 Miles on it then give it a New Re-Spray, fit new Tyres and Exhaust, Seat Covers etc,etc without first checking the Engine,Gearbox and Transmission ???....I don't think so.The same argument applies to this PC ~ I have seen more friendships break up because the PC Owner goes out and spendsmoney on a 'friends recommendations' and then blames their friend when the thing doesn't work to their expectations.Pepperpod, don't go down that road unless you have the current 'Tech-Specs' of that particular PC...that's friendly advice.Hope to hear from you soon,Brian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepperpod Posted July 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Brian, your summary of my situation is exactly right. One person has a problem running a very simple PTE slide show of mine and I'd like to help her if I can.I've now received the information you asked for. She tells me her computer is 4 years old:OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600 OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation System Name JANETP4 System Manufacturer Sony Corporation System Model PCV-V1 System Type X86-based PC Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9 GenuineIntel ~2800 Mhz BIOS Version/Date Award Software, Inc. ACPI BIOS Revision 2001, 21/11/03 SMBIOS Version 2.3 Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1 Locale United Kingdom Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)" User Name JANETP4\Janet Time Zone GMT Daylight Time Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB Available Physical Memory 58.19 MB Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB Page File Space 1.10 GB Page File C:\pagefile.sysWhat do you think?P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Hi Pepperpod,It is as I thought ~ she has minimum User memory (Ram Memory) available on her Sony PC,consequently the PC is fighting to maintain current 'Running Processes' that apart from theadditional burden of trying to run the PTE Slideshow. Available Ram Memory is only 58.Mb.The installed 512.Mb of RAM Memory is way too small for any XP-PC to do any worthwhile work.This XP-PC needs 1.Gigabyte of Memory to run XP-Home + AntiVirus + Running Processes anda heavily laden Hard Drive and anything else you care to run, such as a PTE slideshow or PTE.5.1. She needs to contact her Computer Technicians and get a quote for an additional 512.Mb Sony Memory Card and then have someone to install it -and- while they are at it, give this PC a good clean-out.(Don't be tempted to install a 256.Mb Card ~ it doesn't work well with the existing 512.Mb Card)Apart from the above it looks like this PCs 'Hard-Drive' has never been 'Defragged' in 4 years...tut,tut !Best of luck in advising her of same. See "Attachment"Brian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepperpod Posted July 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Thanks for all your help Brian. The solution, if she accepts it, should give her PC a new lease of life. There again, she may be tempted to put the money towards a new PC!All the best,P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conflow Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 Pepperpod,I would not advise that, as her choices will be Vista and only Vista and it means at least 2.Gb of Memoryand Vista is still in the 'Commercial Acceptance' stages...lets see how it goes ?? (Like Henry Ford said, you can have any colour once its Black ~ thats Microsofts Policy also)Memory for her Sony should cost somewhere about £50 and fitting about £50 ~ well worth it, its a good PC.The "Attachment" below shows what her PC will be ~ once that extra Memory is fitted.Brian.Conflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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