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Beemer

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Posts posted by Beemer

  4. How best to treat mixed aspect ratio?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Xenofex2 said:

    Ian

    An interesting post as I am undertaking a similar project. Our eldest grand-daughter will be 18 years old later this year, and am probably about three quarters along the way.

    Following on from DaveGee’s suggestion, I was actually looking at those recommended videos and would also recommend that you do not stop at the one suggested. I started going through them last night and subsequent ones also go into the same issue but from a slightly different aspect and thus suggestion. Then if not done already, check out Barry’s website as you can download some of those slide styles and make a donation towards the tutorial(s) and slide style.

    An alternative suggestion that I have used for some of my images is to put together a montage (using masks) using my Photo Editing program of loads of the photos from one year.

    Although not relative to your post, another maybe obvious suggestion but sometimes overlooked is to make sure you do regular saves of the project as you progress. And this time for the very first time, probably because I have used so many images of my grand-daughter and slides in the project I have started to action a nightly back-up of my P2E folder …. Just in case the worse happens and my computer dies.

    One further suggestion for once your project is finally completed and this comes from experience. Many years back I did put together, albeit using a different program, an audio visual of the same grand-daughter as it so happens and her first two years. With the benefit of hindsight, it was too long and had too many swirly effects linking the images. The problem though is that mindful at the time of a filling hard drive on my computer I just deleted the folder to make space and so am now unable to easily make any amendments. At that time I don’t recall that external hard drives were around.  

    George

    Herts

    George,

    Thanks for your tips.  

    Ian

  8. How best to treat mixed aspect ratio?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, jkb said:

    Hi Ian, first question, do the images really have to be in date order?

    It is usually better to group images according to content and colour as long as they still tell the story.

    If the images are high Resolution then it may be possible to enlarge the vertical ones and do a slow pan up or down the image, to keep everything the same aspect ratio.

    But too many pans can be distracting.

     

    If you wish to show the whole of the vertical images then as you suggest, placing them side by side can work.  Use a suitable full frame image, either slightly blurred or desaturated as a background.  This could be the same image throughout the AV to keep continuity, or you could use the preceding image.

    Don't put the vertical ones full height, just reduce them slightly and maybe add a very thin border and shadow to make them stand out above the background.

    You could either bring two images up together, Or bring up one then the other.

    You could also change the background to that of the following image, so that it will easily transition into that.

    The main aim is to keep the images flowing and avoid distractions.

    If you live anywhere within travelling distance of Manchester (UK), then we run 1to1 workshops before our regular meetings at Wilmslow Guild AV Group. You are more than welcome to come along. See http://www.wilmslowguildav.org.uk for details.

    Or see http://www.avnews.org.uk for other AV events.

    Jill

    Hi Jill,

    Thanks for the very interesting options.   This AV is about the timeline of my granddaughter from birth and using four AV MP4s.  So file date order is important as otherwise I envisage viewers noticing.

    Ian 

  9. Why is the audio sound initially so low?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I use an external amplifier that is calibrated for -27db on switch on.   All my audio files play at an exceptable level and show waveforms up to -6db in audio editors.  However in PTE AV Studio Pro all my audio files open with the waveform shown as only 1/3 the available graphic height.   The sound therefore plays too quietly and I have to boost the level. Files are MP3,  flac and ogg

    Why would this be?

    Ian  

  10. How best to treat mixed aspect ratio?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I'm making an AV that has a mix of vertical and horizontal images.   The vertical ones are too tightly in-camera cropped to crop as horizontal.   All the images are in date order so its not possible to group per aspect ratio.  What is the best way to put such a collection together?  I am exporting 1920x1080.

    As a newbie to AV,  I'm thinking that I could place two verticals side by side (but not sure of the best way to do that),  or use a background just for the verticals to avoid blank sides.

    All suggestions welcomed!

    Ian

  15. How to fix playing size of show on large TV?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    What you have not told us is the resolution and quality setting of the original JPG  images you gave to PTE?   Even if you did crop the jpg to 1920x1080,  if you used too much compression when saving them then when the video is displayed on a 4K TV (note,  not twice the resolution but 4 times the resolution) the viewed quality will be much worse.

    Ian

  16. "Boxed in" :(

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I use a free account at box.com for uploading audio and images and these can be previewed by those to whom I email a link.   I thought I would be able to upload my PTE AV Studio MP4 files and that I could similarly give links to others.  Not so it seems, as my account does not allow anyone to preview or download a MP4 or any video file.

    Would anyone else using box.com confirm if my understanding is correct?

    Ian

  19. Unexpected action after inserting blank slide [SOLVED]

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    Dave,

    When I did this I saw a very narrow blank slide at the extreme left but no original first slide.  When I deleted the blank slide then retried, every slide thumbnail on the timeline had been stretched (!) which looked very strange.  I closed the file before it auto saved.  It reverted okay when reopened.  To solve this I inserted a blank slide at the end of the slide list and added the credit there.

    I'll try to insert at the front on my next video.   For info,  I used 16 slides with Ken Burns effects.  This was intended for possible website use by another,  so I exported my images from Lightroom as JPG 3840x2560 and 80% quality.  The published MP4 file was 506MB and 2'25".

    Ian

  20. Unexpected action after inserting blank slide [SOLVED]

    in Troubleshooting

    Posted

    After completing my first AV and saving as MP4 I decided to insert a blank slide so as to add credit for my audio track.   I did this whilst the cursor was on the first slide.  The result was that the original first slide appeared to disappear or be overwritten.   I deleted the blank slide and the original reappeared.   What did I do wrong.   Is there a better way to add a credit for the free audio?

    Ian 

  23. Lightroom export resolution size for PTE Studio

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    15 hours ago, davegee said:

    Hi Ian,

    The only negative reference to "Save for the Web" that I can find is yours and that is what I replied to.

    I agree with Jill, albeit that I use a higher percentage than her purely as a safety net.

    I think, if you are going to condemn a process that I and many others use regularly, that you need to substantiate it.

    I am open to persuasion.

    DG

    Dave,

    I apologise for using the word condone which was inappropriate.   My thread has gone off course as it was intended only to remove the misconception about saving for projection or screen  at a stated dpi, e.g 72dpi.    

    As a newbie here I did not fully appreciate that members have different use for their PTE work.   At present I have no need to upload AV to websites or social media as my use will be at home or for camera club presentation.   IMO the images should be optimised for the intended task.

    For web:   I agree that small MP4 file size is important especially now that some users have 4K laptops and monitors and that some want to use 60fps.  With regards the images that PTE will use for making a web viewed MP4,  JPG compression quality, colour and file size, as you know,  is dependant on the image content.   If lower compression is used and staircase artifacts and banding is not seen then fine. 

    For projection: My presentations and that of others in my camera club will be on a 1920x1080 projector.   If the images used by PTE are say 3240x2160 (x2 zoom) then I would not expect the MP4 file size to be significant even with 50 jpg images at 100% quality export setting.  Why then use a lower quality setting?   In my viewing of club presentations that used PTE, and ProShow I do see artifacts and banding.   With each member using different compression settings some shows are clearly inferior to others.    I just feel that for club presentations exporting images at 1980x1080 or 3240x2160 and at 100% quality makes a more level field.

    As I initially said I am a newbie here and don't want to be controversal.  I have much to learn which is why I am grateful for advice.   If I react to something I feel is wrong then, like you,  I am open to persuasion.

    Ian

  25. Renewal?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, jt49 said:

    At present time, it is not the full price (139 €). Users with a license for PTE 8 or 9 pay 39 € for the upgrade to PTE 10 (Pro version, prices in Germany).

    That's what I was hoping,

    thanks,

    Ian

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