creating videos with new beta

[fh1805]

DaveG/Igor,

The real test is to do a MUCH longer show - 10 minutes - 20 minutes...

I've just tried a 14 minute sequence. Everything seemed to go OK but there isn't an mp4 file anywhere on my system.

I think that the giveaway sign is if the PROGRESS Bar appears almost immediately you are OK.

Not true! I got a progress bar straightaway but I still didn't get an .mp4 file.

As an aside, I've never heard the cooling fans running so hard for so long! Those CPUs must have been running hot!

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

Apart from the Progress bar thing - that's the sort of thing I was getting.

Working hard - doing nothing.

DaveG

[RayC]

Steve,

Please make sure that you use Beta 2 (see caption of main window of PicturesToExe).

Beta 2 works perfect for me now Thanks Igor its great.

RayC

[alantha]

Beta 2 solved my problem with creation of videos. (Beta 1 went through the motions but did not produce MPEG4 file).

Thank you Igor!!

Alantha

[alantha]

Uh Oh! I replied too soon. The successful show was only 77seconds long. A second show over 3 minutes

failed to produce an MPEG4 file. I reduced this second show to 2min 42 secs and still no video produced.

(Using Beta 2, BTW, and runnig Vista Business edition)

I am retiring from the fray, scrathing my head!

[stevehurst]

It's not size related. I am only using three images so the video is only a few seconds in length and nothing is produced anywhere

[RayC]

Hi All,

When loading Beta 2 the only thing I did different from loading Beta 1 was to accept to use settings from V5.5.

Not sure if this had anything to do with it but worth a try.

Had already unistalled Beta 1 before loading Beta 2.

Ray

[RayC]

Sorry Folks it is now 2 hours later and have tried doing another small show to try with HD for PC and find its not working again

show created is same size as previous so dont know what problem can be.

Sorry for high hopes.

Ray

[alantha]

Probably about to add more confusion, but...

Installed 5.6 Beta2 and then successfully created MPeg4 file for iPod. Tried a second show but video creation step

just sat with empty screen (no progress bars), and had to be closed via Task Manager.

Uninstalled 5.6 Beta 2, then re-installed. Ran create video for show 2 (that failed before), and MPEG4 file created OK.

To summarize; I can only create one MPEG4 file successfully, then have to uninstal and re-install 5.6 Beta2.

I can repeat these actions for additional shows; i.e. one success per program install!!

I hope this is reasonably clear to understand.

Am running Vista Business version.

Alantha

[fh1805]

Alantha,

I thought you might be on to something there! I had previously installed beta 2 and created an HD mp4 file and then tried a second sequence and failed to create an mp4 file.

To investigate further, I've just tried to produce an HD mp4 file for a third sequence using beta 2. It failed to produce the file. I then uninstalled beta 2 and re-installed it and tried to produce the same mp4 file. Now it produced it successfully. (Maybe you are right.) I then tried to produce an HD mp4 from a fourth sequence (second mp4 file from this install of beta 2) - and it produced it successfully. (Oh no you're not!) Two files from the same install of beta 2 is possible.

All of my successful creates of an mp4 file have come when I have taken default settings after clicking on the Create HD file option. I then renamed the last of the successfully created mp4 files and tried that sequence again but at "Lowest quality" - which is the setting that, for me, has not yet created an mp4 successfully. This one also created successfully.

So the problem isn't one of "single usage" nor is it one of Middle quality vs Lowest quality.

I then tried to create one of the mp4 files that had failed yesterday. It worked!

I'm at a total loss to figure this out. All I can say is that, having uninstalled and re-installed beta 2, I now have no problems at all creating HD mp4 files - until the next one!

I've just one final question: what use are mp4 files? I build sequences to project them via a digital projector and so am interested only in exe files. I've been creating these mp4 files simply to try and move the problem diagnosis along. Now that I've got them, what can I do with them? (and keep the answers clean and polite, please!)

regards,

Peter

P.S. Oh, by the way, these tests have all been done on Vista Home Premium.

[Lin Evans]

Hi Peter,

The primary advantage of creating MP4 files is that they are cross-platform functional as are AVI and MPEG II.

The secondary advantage is that they can be made into 1080p to share with others via BluRay, etc., and still maintain high resolution (high by television standards) output.

The third advantage is that they can be embedded on a web site and provide much higher resolution than typical Flash conversions.

All this may or may not be important depending on one's requirements. The competition has a dedicated web portal where their users can display their work in reasonable resolution, but not nearly as high as PTE using Vimeo or other high resolution web based file sharing protocols. Also for professionals there is no advertisement or "splash" for the slideshow company which is an advantage in many situations. Many times professionals do not want to tell their clients how they make videos or slideshows and loose business to the "we can do this for ourselves and save money" mentality. Obviously, if it were that easy then everyone would be doing it but as with a precision machinist, you can give a customer a Bridgeport mill, Atlas lathe, digital micrometer, calipers and metal stock and they still can't machine precision parts, but if they could purchase these precision tools as cheaply as presentation slideshow software many would "try".....

Best regards,

Lin

[fh1805]

Lin,

Thanks for the explanation. It's much appreciated.

DaveG,

As I have no real interest in mp4 files for my own use, I'll not load up any codec packs. But thanks for the pointer.

regards,

Peter

[fh1805]

Hi all,

I'm getting to be like a dog with a bone. I just cannot let this one go!

...I now have no problems at all creating HD mp4 files - until the next one!

I've now got the next one.

I decided to go one step further in my testing. The sequence which yesterday would not create an mp4 file at Lowest Quality but which today did, I have now used to try and create a Highest Quality mp4 file - and failed on two occasions. After the first fail I wondered whether the presence of an existing mp4 file of that name might be a contributing factor; so I renamed the existing file and tried a second time. No mp4 file was created from either attempt.

This problem is really getting to me because it seems to defy all logical explanations. And as someone with over 30 years experience with computers, I know that the one thing that computers are is logical!

regards,

Peter

[stevehurst]

Just to test the theory, I have uninstalled 5.6 beta 2 cleaned out the registry and rebooted. Re-installed beta 2 and tried to make a short (3 images) HD video.

No file was produced after about 1 minute of build time.

Steve

[Guest Techman1]

I upgraded my version to the current Beta 5.6 - #2 and have successfully created high-res HD video files and medium-res video files as well. All the MP4 files have been created without issue. I'm running Windows XP Pro.

Just thought I would add this so that others know that the software is working for some. Hopefully Igor and staff can get back on this during the work week to try and isolate the problems that several people are having.

I'm sure they will find a solution to these problems as soon as possible. In the mean time, the production release (5.5) works wonderfully.

Regards,

Fred

[chris]

I have since done 3 Ipod videos with beta2 without any problems.

Dell XPS1710 running Vista with 512mb video card

Chris

[davegee]

FRED,

How long were the successful HD Videos?

DaveG

[denwell]

For what it's worth - I have succesfully converted a show of 18mins to iPod MP4 file with beta 1 (conversion time : 64mins) and also one of 6min duration with beta2 (conversion time : 18mins). My PC didn't appear to be stuggling, but used 100% resources, as one would expect.

Both were produced into the same folder as the .pte, and both worked perfectly producing great quality videos on my iPod.

So, to reinforce Fred's post, I run XP Pro SP2. Can this possibly be just a Vista thing?

Have faith in Igor and his team!

DEN (NE UK)

[davegee]

I don't think so Den, I originally had the problem on my XP machine - haven't tried it on my Vista machine yet - it seems to be related to the Codec.

Igor will fix it.

DaveG

[goddi]

Greetings,

With Beta2, I successfully created a 3 minute HD video at SD(800x600), low quality. Worked out just fine.

Then, I just tried creating a 15 minute HD video at HD(1280x720), high quality. Work out just fine, too. Looks great. When I play the SD(800x600) version in Quicktime, I see the entire video on my PC's screen. However, when I play the HD(1280x720) on my PC's screen, the top and the bottom are cut off. No matter what View I choose.

I am trying to understand if this is what is to be expected. They were both created at 4:3 PC/DVD. Is this what is causing this problem? Do I have to create the original exe at something different than 4:3? If this is true, can someone give me an explanation about this?

Thanks... Gary

[fh1805]

Users that are unable to find their video files might check to see if they have enough free disk space. It could take hundreds of megabytes depending on the slideshow quality/duration.

I've got 175GB free. It surely cannot want more than that!

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

Gary,

This goes back to resolution and aspect ratio.

If you are going to make a 1024x768 video or a 1280x720 video then you need to use 1024x768 or 1280x720 images (and Windowed Mode 1024x768 or 1280x720) to get the optimum result.

When viewing, your view needs to be set at NORMAL - you will then get an actual pixels representation of your original pics.

Anything other than NORMAL VIEW (Half or double) means that QUICK TIME is interpolating the original size upwards or downwards and softening of the images will take place.

DaveG

[Guest Techman1]

DaveG,

The length of time of each video was different. The first one I created was a HD video at High-Res and was 8.5 minutes in length. The second one I created was at Medium-Res 1024x768 and was only 3.5 minutes.

Running Windows XP Pro SP3. This is an older system, so while it takes a while to process it does work well.

I'm sure Igor and team will be back on this tomorrow.

-Fred

[alantha]

As reported before, using Windows Vista I can create only one video before subsequent attempts result in "Video Builder"

producing no progress bars, and having to be cancelled from the Task Manager. After un-installing 5.6 beta2 and then re-installing

it, I can create another video file successfully (but one only).

I have installed PTE 5.6 Beta 2 on my laptop (Windows XP Pro) and am able to create videos without problems (so far)

using the same .pte files.

Not sure that this proves anything, but it sure points to it being a Vista-related problem of some kind.

Alan

[RayC]

Hi Alan.

Exactly the same here Windows xp sp2 on computer works great on Laptop Vista Home Premium worked ok first time

but now, ok up the the close with big Tick but no mp4

Ray