davegee

Possibly, the easiest way is to use your normal DVD copying software to copy the original. Alternatively an ISO file allows you to burn multiple copies without having to go thro' the lengthy process again. In my case double clicking on an ISO file brings up the appropriate burning module in ROXIO 8. DaveG

Eric, Regarding screen size and resolution matters: It seems that the maximum resolution available in a 19” wide screen monitor (16:10) with DVI is 1440x900 (AG Neovo). The may be higher resolutions but a quick search failed to find any. In a 4:3 monitor the resolution seems to max out at 1024 pixels high.. Again a quick search failed to find bigger in an LCD config. NEC have a typical 19” DVI 1280x1024. If, as you state, you want to maintain your 3:2 AR then you are faced with one of the following alternatives. The widescreen option (1440x900) will allow you to make and view approx 1350x900 (or bigger) shows. When using higher resolution images for your show they would be compressed to 900 high to fit the height of the screen (with 45 pixel black bands at each of the sides). The 4:3 option 1280x1024 would allow for 3:2 shows of approx 1280x853 or bigger shows (there is no exact 1280 wide 3:2 translation). When using higher resolution images for your show they would be compressed to 1280 wide to fit the width of the screen (with 25 pixel black bands at the top and bottom). I have assumed that you want the best quality in terms of connections (DVI) in each case and that you will be catering for this in the design of your “cube”. DaveG

Regarding price: Closest in Size (to mine): http://www.dabs.com/products/iiyama-24--e2...0000-4294955021 Closest in Price (to mine): http://www.dabs.com/category/peripherals,d...428540000-50677 When I bought (24" - 1920x1200) there did not appear to be a 1920x1080 version for less than around £600 - £1000. They seem to be filtering through in the lower price range now. If I were buying again I think I would go for 1920x1080 (purely to avoid the black lines when viewing 1920x1080 shows). DaveG

Eric, I know that you have said that you are using 1024x768 projectors and, presumably, are making your shows at 1024x768. However, if it is your intention to make shows in HD format i.e. 1920x1080 then it is imperative (IN MY OPINION) that you are able to preview them at that resolution. Incidentally, it used to be the case that you could not make a PTE show that was bigger than your screen resolution. I wonder if that has changed? Therefore you need a 1920X1080 (or a 1920x1200) monitor in order to do this. I have said this many times here: Make sure that, if your computer has HDMI or DVI connections, that you use it. If you are buying a new computer make sure that your new computer's graphics card has HDMI or DVI output. I use an Iiyama Pro-Lite 82403WS and have used Iiyama for the last couple of monitors with absolutely no problems whatsoever. I THINK, but I'm not 100% sure, that the "ghosting" that Lin mentioned COULD be a function of using an LCD monitor connected via VGA connection. I have noticed similar effects when doing trials early on. DaveG

I think that you change the Mask.jpg in PROPERTIES and have to change its NAME in the COMMON tab? DaveG

Ed, Video Builder has the option to burn an ISO file to the HD. This info may be completely useless to you but my method of working has always been to burn the ISO file to the HD and then, knowing that a successful ISO file has been created, I double click on the ISO file to open the appropriate module (in ROXIO or whateveter you use) to burn to DVD. Notwithstanding your temp file problem, I would still use the create ISO file method because, if the ISO file cannot be created, then there is no point in putting a DVD in your drive. DaveG

Ed, Have you tried burning an ISO file to your HDD first? DaveG

"(Typically, I use photo files of 300 - 500 mb, and occasionally larger for zooms, etc.)" What camera are you using for those? DaveG

Igor, Thanks for the explanations - it makes sense. There are other ways of doing the same things so, no problem. DaveG

"It is not a bug. Same behaviour exists when you are setting width/height for a windowed slideshow. We assign width/height for internal client area of a startup window, excluding border and caption of this window. If we will set width/height for whole window (with border and caption) it will cause serious problem - appearing of black strips arround slide - because thickness of caption and border of a window are different on each PC depending on version of Windows and used graphical theme (Classical, XP, Aero). If you need to have fullscreen startup window please consider using of first slide as some kind of a startup window?" OK to that - but the Startup Window fits to the HEIGHT of my 1920x1200 screen with a gap at each side. See screen shot. Regarding the "flash" - if I start a Preview from a Project it flashes to the Project screen. DaveG

GGARD, You could try installing 5.7.2 and trying that (save project as DIFFERENT NAME IN 5.7.2!). If it is still the same, post a query to Igor in the 5.7 thread - explain the problem and that it also happens to you in 5.6. DaveG

Jandis, My suggestion is to not make DVDs. If you MUST make DVDs then the loss of quality is inevitable. The OPTIMUM resolution is the NATIVE RESOLUTION of your computer monitor. Then connect your computer/laptop to your TV (preferably via HDMI or DVI as Ken indicated). DaveG

Igor, Bug in startup window? Entering 1920x1200 produces a startup window which is roughly 1860x1200. I have to enter 1960x1200 to get window to fill 1920 width of screen. DaveG P.S. It is also annoying that the desktop flashes between startup window and preview start. Can anything be done about this? P.P.S 5.6 show now opens correctly with screen options recognised.

The reason for this is that you are reducing the 1024x768 images to 720x576 (or 720x480) to make the DVD and then upscaling them to the resolution of your TV. Worse case scenario: From 1024x768 down to 720x576 and back up to 1080 high. It's inevitable! If you connect your PC/laptop to your TV and play the Preview or EXE then the downscaling does not occur. DaveG

Hi Barry, I can only repeat what I have already said about portability (perhaps elsewhere) - two ladies carted one (Optoma) all over the Principality with no complaiints about weight or other issues. I can personally vouch for the quality of the images. HDMI is used for connection. I know that a member of our CC has bought his own 1920x1080 setup with a Sony 1920x1080 laptop and has demonstrated Photoshop at an RPS event using it. I can put you in touch with him on a personal basis - he is not a member of this forum. We are expecting delivery of our CC's projector (EPSON) in time for the September resumption and I would be able to give you more info at that time. I suspect that your needs are more pressing? DaveG

If you are using the TV representation of your DVD as a guide then it is possible that your TV is set to something like VIVID or similar which does not suit the purpose. Experiment with the different settings and you might find a more suitable one? Regarding HD Video application do you have PTE Deluxe? What size MPEG4 are you trying to produce and what are your system resources? DaveG

Hi Barry, I know of at least two PTE experts who are using 1920x1080 projectors. One is IGOR. The other has either not read your post or has chosen not to reply. I can only speak from the experience of using using one (not my own) and I can't remember what your specific question was? DaveG

Igor, Is there any good reason why the start up window cannot be the same size as the project window i.e. in my case 1920x1200? (At present it is limited to 1200x100). This would probably be an advantage to AVers who want to hide the desktop while talking about the show to an audience. DaveG

Congratulations Igor and team! When I opened an EXISTING (16:10) project in 5.7B1 the PROJECT OPTIONS regarding SCREEN were not recognised. The project was opened with the default screen options (4:3). DaveG Edit: If the project is saved from 5.7 and PTE 5.7 is closed and re-opened the last saved 5.7 version opens correctly with all options recognised.

Hi Lin, Agreed - it was one of a number of suggestions made at the time when no one else was responding. I didn't seriously think it would do anything but anything is worth trying. I repeated it because I think he misunderstood. DaveG

"I'm saving it at the minimum size needed to cover the pan for the projection resolution. I am also saving it as a very high quality JPEG. It is 1.4MB in size". That was my point - try same res and lower quality? DaveG

I think that the important thing is that we can, by one method or the other, now watch PTE shows at 1920x1080 resolution without the upsizing that takes place via DVD. DaveG

Fried, Try constructing an EXE which has ONLY the panned slide in it. That will bring the file size down to something that you could e-mail (or use MediaFire). If it still glitches then others could try it and give you an opinion. What quality is the panorama JPEG? Will it work better if you reduce the quality? Do you have anti-virus/firewall running? Have you tried turning them off temporarily? There is a utility called "Enditall" which sometimes helps. When did you last defrag your C drive? Details of system and graphics card would help. DaveG

Hi Geoff, I have heard good things about the WD unit. My observations were that (to take a particular example) one of my 1920x1080 EXE files is 200Mb and its corresponding MPEG4 file is 1.2Gb. To quote Igor: The EXE file is the Highest Quality option available from PTE. So my logic at the time was that it required 6 times more storage space to play something which is of lesser quality. For those who have a laptop which is capable of being connected to a HD TV by HDMI the EXE wins every time. But, of course I am only comparing the EXE with its MPEG4 file. The WD unit, as you rightly point out, does other things besides playing MPEG4. If only it would play EXE files! DaveG

Colin, Firstly with regard to your figures. Yes, HDTV is commonly thought to be 1920x1080 but the truth is, as I said above, LCD TVs are being sold with the "HD Ready" and "HDTV" stickers which are, in fact, only 1366x768. As a general rule of thumb TVs around 26"-30" (and smaller) could be at the lower resolution. The aspect ratio is 16:9 but the actual resolution is not always 1920x1080. It is worth checking the TV manual to see what the actual resolution is. A minor point: the D300 resolution is 4288x2848 (3:2) and I think that the OP wanted to maintain that AR and "crop in camera". As you rightly point out, shooting a little bit more than you think you might need is probably the way forward for AV purposes if your intention is to show in a 16:9 AR. DaveG