davegee

Peter, If you have the time try the settings I listed here: I have varied the fps and have not seen any differences. DG

Hi Igor, I have found that making an Executable for MAC from Version 7 is not working (for me). I have not used Unsharp Mask and I have turned the Navigation Bar off. There are no Video Clips included. I reverted to Version 6.5 and was successful straight away with the same Project. DG

It's very hard to define Peter and I have not compared the same show via Laptop/EXE/HDMI and MPEG4/USB for quite a while now. The "lead-less" advantage of the MPEG4 is the deciding factor. From memory I'd have to say that I noticed a VERY slight difference in the images themselves - a "grittiness" that is not there in the Laptop/EXE/HDMI version. There is the potential for differences in that one method depends on the quality of the Media Player in the TV and the other method depends on the quality of the Graphics Card being used in the Laptop. My Laptop has an nVidia 8400 GT GPU with 256Mb of RAM. In this instance I don't think that it's a case of USB versus HDMI - I think that HDMI is faster but the differences that I THINK I see are to do with image quality and not motion smoothness. Viewing distance is around 8-10 feet for a 32 inch screen - same for both. I will repeat what I have said before - it is VERY slight but if I wanted to display at what I consider to be the VERY best quality I would go for EXE/Laptop/HDMI to be on the safe side. What are your settings for making the H.264 MPEG4 Video? DG

Could I ask if anyone here has downloaded the MAC version and whether it works or not? I have had one person out of 24 downloads saying that it doesn't work on his Intel Mac. (That doesn't mean that the other 23 did work). I have no way of trying it. DG

Hi Robert, Just to clear up any possible misunderstanding, I am not importing H.264 video into PTE and exporting as H.264 MPEG4. What I have been talking about is exporting normal PTE Projects as H.264 MPEG4 (typically 1Gb for 10 minutes). I have experimented with short low res video clips introduced into a project and edited from within PTE and they work fine. Yes, I then use a USB memory stick (Kingston 16Gb) to play these in my TV's Media Player much as someone with a WD Player would except that, as I have said, the advantage of having no wires connecting TV to HDD etc is tremendous. It could well be that this is introducing the (slight) drop in quality. I would prefer to think that it is the conversion process from PTE to H264 MPEG4 which is causing this (SLIGHT) difference that I perceive between the Video version and the Laptop/HDMI EXE version of the same show. DG P.S. I have also noticed that the resulting MPEG4 files play far smoother on my TV's Media Player than they do in MPC/QT on either of my computers.

Thanks Lin, It's a lens that works well wide open at max zoom. You're right about the character in some of those faces. I'd love to get one or two of them into a "studio" type setting for "more work"! DaveG

Rossi, Excellent work but you neglected to indicate optimum viewing resolution? You have taken an idea and transformed it into something new and different. There's a little shimmering in the Pyramid show which perhaps could be addressed? There are also small gaps between adjacent triangles in the Multi show indicating (PERHAPS) some inaccuracies in the making or calculating of their dimensions. 10 out of 10. DG

Bill has been kind enough to host a Presentation I have made (PC and MAC Versions) of images taken at the recent Hay-on-Wye Food Festival. I had around 30 minutes free time in the main square and all images were take during this time. One camera - one lens. PC version: Here MAC Version: Here I'd be grateful if someone could confirm the operation of the MAC Version? Thanks, DaveG

Robert, I have now tried Xaver's suggestion for improving the quality of H.264 MPEG4 files on my Sony TV and have come to the conclusion that there is absolutely no benefit in raising the fps from 24 to 30 with my current show (1620x1080 superimposed on 1920x1080) which contains 3D animation (my photoframe and football). Also, any benefit gained by setting the Audio Bit Rate to 256 is not evident to my ears. My current project is 5 minutes + and the MPEG4 file size is 430Mb. It plays perfectly and the quality is 98% of the quality available by playing the equivalent EXE through an HDMI connection from my laptop to my TV without the hassle of cables, laptop etc. DG

Thanks Xaver, I will try some experiments with the fps. Regarding the Audio Bit Rate: No one is fussier than I when it comes to Audio Quality. My current project uses an MP3 which is 256kbps (I have 500Gb of music at 256kbps) but when it came to creating the MPEG4 I allowed the conversation to take place at 128kbps. My aging ears can't tell the difference between the original MP3 quality and the MPEG4 audio quality. If it does not increase the file size excessively I should use 256kbps - I will try it. DG

My settings for the Sony TV which give perfect results (almost as good as the EXE). Preset: Custom Resolution: 1920x1080 fps: 24p Mode: Two passes-bitrate Bitrate: 10000 Audio: 128 / 44100 / Auto. Question for the experts: Which setting would improve the quality? DG

You, of course!! But I'm not sure if I should be volunteering anyone. All done with the best possible intentions. DG

I should have said "...once you open the project and SAVE it from within V7 you will get the error message. But if you ignore the error message it will open". DG

You are probably getting a message stating that shows made in later versions won't play in 6.5? If you haven't used any of the v7 features e.g.video ignore the message and they will open up. If you have used any of the v7 features you must continue with v7. Perhaps a way forward would be to save a backup copy of a v6.5 show before opening in v7? DG

Use the following TEMPLATE. Your Project Options are 1920x1080 (16:9) and there are masks for 3x2 Upright, 4:3 and 3:2. Choose the mask which suits your show and repeat it throughout the show. Make sure it is always on top in the Objects panel. Remember what I said earlier - if you use this to make DVDs you ARE going to lose quality. DG 16x9.zip

I don't want to volunteer anyone without their permission BUT Maureen would be the obvious choice for this, Igor? DG

Sony TVs play H.264 MPEG4 video from PTE brilliantly. For anyone thinking of upgrading their TV specifically for this purpose I would advise taking a KEY with you with a PTE H.264 MPEG4 video on it and asking the salesperson to demo it. I've tried all sorts of different settings and it's never failed to play. DG

Thank you J-C, Mine could be made much more accurate still using a smaller component (singular) but the complexity would increase and I'm not sure that I want the hassle. Mine is made with just one single solid object (and a LOT of frames). I see no practical use for these things other than in title sequences etc - I just like the challenge! DG

The answer to your problem is the same as for making 16:9 shows as H.264 MPEG shows for display on a WS HD TV. Build everything on a 16:9 frame/background. Use a PNG mask to provide a "window" for whatever AR you choose. Your Portrait show or a 4:3 would fit within a 16:9 show and display perfectly on a 16:9 TV. Then, when you come to burning to a DVD you would be burning two similar (16:9) shows. There would be, however, quality issues. DG

What Lin said - (I think). Playing an EXE made on one PC will not play the same font on a different PC if the font is missing. Playing a DVD Video on a different PC however should play the font which was "Burnt In " on the original PC?? Did you burn a "DVD Video" or did you burn the EXE to a DVD? DG

Spoken like a true Yorkshire lad! I think that with THAT ball, a PTE version would be more difficult. DG

Ah, sorry! Sport is not my forte. These things just go over my head. DG

I'm not quite sure how to take that Peter? DG

Your next challenge, should you choose to accept it, is attached below. Single slide - repeat until escape is pressed. 1920x1080 / 500Kb. DG Football.zip

JPEGs for use in PTE projects MUST be sRGB to maintain the colours you see in PS regardless of your monitor calibration. When saving a JPEG I created an action and use F4 to "Flatten the image, change the mode to 8 Bit and convert the colour profile (from ProPhoto RGB) to sRGB". Alternatively, when using "Save for the Web" all of this is done automatically for you and in a "two up" configuration you can see how the image will look. DG