leonard

Thanks Al, the pint I was making is neither PTE4 or 5 have adequate documentation. Thanks for the link, I wasn't aware of the existence of this site. I'll have a look and comment later. Has your effort been accepted as the 'benchmark'? leonard

I find PTE4 and PTE5 are both excellent for producing slideshows for viewing on a PC (not up to Barry Beckham's standard of course) but adequate in terms of sharpness, colour rendition and layout etc to please the discerning viewer. Unfortunately, in my case, the same can't be said for the same slideshows that are output as avi's and then burnt to CD/DVDs and displayed on a domestic TV. The output loses it's crispness and there is a fall off in colour reproduction. I have tried several different 'output' routes using a variety of software (up to and including Adobe Encore DVD v2) without any real success. So my questions are these: 1. Is it possible to get the same high quality that is obtainable on a PC CRT when played back on a domestic DVD player and viewed on a TV. If YES what is the secret? 2. Does it depend on the codec selected in PTE? If YES, which one? 3. If NO, does it depend on the authoring software? If YES, which one? 4. Is the choice of DVD player important, If YES, which one? 5. If NO, is the choice of TV type important, ie CRT, CRT high definition, or LD/plasma? 6. Does the image type, size, cropping, resolution etc have a bearing on the result? 6. Are there any other factors that may contribute to this 'problem'? I should add I use the PAL TV standard. I would be grateful if the membership could supply answers in sufficient detail to enable me to solve my problem. leonard

As a relative newcomer and strictly an amateur in these matters I find it difficult to understand how to use PTE5's new features. I simply do not know how to use Pan and Zoom. It seems to me that what this software, and version 4, lacks is a Manual or User Guide. Are there any plans to produce this in parallel with the software and will it be available with the full commercial release? I would assume that the authorship would remain with the software company who would be responsible for the maintenace of it. leonard

Thanks Al for your input, much appreciated. Onreflection I've decided to raise my queries as separate subjects and thereby, maybe, attract more interest and responses. leonard

1. Thanks Barry for your superb demos. 2. I strongly advise us amateurs out there to visit http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/freestuffdigslidesw2.htm for other material from the 'master'. A master in every sense of the word, both technically and artistically. 3. It's just as well we have an expert(s) to guide us into v5, because quite frankly I can’t see the Help file being much use if v4's effort is anything to go by. 4. Where is the plan to produce a Manual/User's Guide? 5. Clearly the 'advanced user's’ are sufficiently experienced to be able to latch onto the intricacies of v5 without any difficulty. But as an amateur I find it impossible to work out how to use the Pan and Zoom tools. 6. On a 'controversial' subject I've never been able to produce a satisfactory video from v4 so I don't hold out much hope for v5. I know you experts have mastered it, but I have yet to see 'chapter and verse' and a list of hardware you use to substantiate your claims. And please don’t provide links to earlier replies on this forum - I've been there before and don’t find them very helpful. leonard

Thank you Igor for putting us in the picture. I'm sure the waiting will be well worth while.

I was wondering whether Igor is yet in a position to realistically forecast when he expects the final design of v5 to be released. I see that v4 beta is being talked about, so I assume the final version is still several months away. Am I correct? regards leonard

I agree with many of the comments made by Geoff and Ed. PTE is a superb program for producing executable programs for displaying slideshows on a PC monitor (and probably projectors although I've no personal experience). As you may well have noticed on this Forum I have expressed an interest in displaying slideshows on PAL standard TV, but to date I am not overly satisfied with the results. In my opinion it would not be helpful to over complicate the design of PTE simply to allow some of us to extend the uses of this program. I wholeheartedly agree that 'one size fits all' usually does not achieve it's objective. If Igor could produce a separate piece of software that, when used in conjunction with PTE would produce equivalent quality on a TV, I, and many like me, would be prepared to buy it. However, my experience, albeit somewhat limited, leads me to the conclusion that there is more to this particular subject than is immediately apparent, For example, the choice of codec, the quality of the DVD player and TV standard are areas that easily spring to mind. I look forward to reading other member's views on this interesting topic. leonard

Hi, I'm not sure whether or not this has already been put forward. In my rather limited experience of producing slideshows I have noticed one limiting factor when one uses PTE - not being able to import Animations (avi or whatever). I would like to start up PTE slideshow with an animated sequence as an Intro, and then progress into the still image slideshow using transitions. This doesn't seem possible at present. Perhaps, for technical reasons this is not feasible. Any comments anyone? leonard

Hi Ken, Thanks. I've read and re-read the comments set out in the links you provide, but can find nothing that will help me. So, I've resolved to press on regardless, down the PTE executable/PC route and wait and see if there are any improvements in hardware/software or whatever that are relevant to me in the UK situation. Any ideas re my Q on boot software? Leonard Hi Ralph, Thanks a lot for getting back to me so quickly. I'm sorry, I should have mentioned before that I've been down the non-custom route as well, and the results are not a great deal different from the many custom/codec choices I've made. Incidentally, the best, but still not satisfactory to ME, was when I used the Video Codec DivX 6.1.1 Codec (2 logical CPU...) which is highly configurable. I've lost count of the number of coasters I've produced during the past month!!! Thanks for the offer - I'll email you during the next few days. regards leonard

Hi Hawk, Thanks for your interest in my 'problem'. 1. 4:3 not 16:9 2. 3.2GHz CPU, multiple 300GB high speed SATA HDs, Matrox Parhelia APVe graphics, 2 GB high speed RAM. 3. PTE/Prem El2/Prem Pro2/Encore2. Have tried ProShow Gold/ULead etc - no difference I'm totally convinced that those of you who experience 'satisfactory' results use wide-screen/HD TVs, where by definition (!) you are bound to get far better results than I. I live in the UK where widespread acceptance and availabilty of HD TV is some few years away. As I wont be around to witness this revolution, and as I cant see any immediate/quick solution, I have now decided not to waste any more time on this subject. Can you, or anyone else reading this post, please recommend a good DVD/CD boot program that incorporates a first class editable menu/button system, so that I can introduce a professional look to PC played PTE slideshows? In future, I will try to post A/Qs in the right area! regards leonard

Hi Ken, Thanks for your interest, sorry for the delay in responding. I have followed the links and didn't find anything which helped me. I have just posted a message on the PTE forum in reply to PeterS. I would appreciate it if you could read that response. If you, or any other member has any more advice or comments on this subject I would really appreciate further ideas.

Sorry PeterS, I made a hash of trying to reply to your response. Let me try again! When producing a PTE avi, whether or not one chooses a custom codec, one has to ensure that the O/P format is, in my case, PAL ie 720x576. Any change to that prevents the avi being loaded into Encore 2 (and for all I know any other software that is burning a DVD for show on PAL TV), so one has no control over image size. It is dictated by the input characteristics of the authoring program which must match the appropriate TV standard. I have followed your link and as far as I can judge it doesn't help me at all. My problem, whether or not I use Encore as the final authoring program, is at it's simplest the 'lack of image clarity' on a TV display compared with the equivalent 'show' using the PTE executable when displayed on my PC. I have tried ULead, Premiere Elements 2, ProShow Gold etc and I get the same result. So I am at a loss to understand why other PTE user's don't have my problem. Unless of course, their shows are displayed solely on PCs - in which case I know from my own experience that the results are really first class. I wish my TV displays were in the same category.

Hi everybody, I have no difficulty producing slideshows with PTE and getting an acceptable display via the executable file(s) on a PC. The situation is totally different however when I produce a slideshow for display on a DVD/TV combination using the avi route. I have tried a number of codecs including the PTE one, but although there are some differences the end result bears little comparison with the exe. It has been suggested that the 'problem' may lie with the PAL (or NSTC) format used with non HD TV. Has anyone (in europe) found a solution? I would appreciate any comments from interested members on this subject. regards leonard PS I posted this topic in PTE but got no feedback. Hope I have more luck here.

Hi everybody, I have no difficulty producing slideshows with PTE and getting an acceptable display via the executable file(s) on a PC. The situation is totally different however when I produce a slideshow for display on a DVD/TV combination using the avi route. I have tried a number of codecs including the PTE one, but although there are some differences the end result bears little comparison with the exe. It has been suggested that the 'problem' may lie with the PAL (or NSTC) format used with non HD TV. Has anyone (in europe) found a solution? I would appreciate any comments from interested members on this subject. regards leonard

Thanks to you all for your replies. Can you please advise where I may find an outline of the features in v5. leonard

I see the Beta version is being prepared. May we please have a synopsis of the features being considered for the next major version. Do owners of v4 qualify for discount price (or free!)? When is this likely to surface as a full-blown release? leonard

Thanks for your reply. I am aware that one can choose from the list provided, but my Q is aimed at the possibility of adding another Codec type to the list. To be specific - Using P2E as the slide collater I wish to create an AVI file using the MS Windows Media Video 9 Codec. However, in P2E (Create Custom Video file) I am 'restricted' to choosing a Codec from the default list. So, is it possible to introduce other Codecs to the list, or better still, prepare an AVI of the P2E output using another application? Incidentally, I like P2E as it does a first class job of making and presenting a slide show for showing on a PC. However, I am less than impressed with it's capabilities when one then uses it to produce AVI's for loading into say Encore. Any further comments, advice or whatever would be greatly appreciated. I'm strictly a beginner in this business and it may well be that I am doing something wrong due to my inexperience. Leonard

P2E includes a number of Video Codecs in 'custom' by default. How can one add to this list, for example "Microsoft Windows Media Video 9"? Is the 'Pictures to exe' codec always used when one selects 'VCD, SVCD, or DVD-Video disc'? Look forward to reading your ideas and comments. Leonard