MervynWigg

Dave, Many thanks again. Just what was needed on a very wet August afternoon. Frans suggestion was also very helpfull as could rip some old DVD's from early PTE to MPEG. I know you will shake your head at the definition but viewing on TV will keep the grand children quiet! Freddy.

Frans and Dave, Many thanks for your quick replies. Will try the video converter later today. Not sure how to put AVI files into Project and your further help with this will be appreciated. Files made with 5.6 which will have to download again as not being recognised for some reason although still shows in programs. I have all the EXE files but believe these cannot be converted or re-worked? Freddy.

Thanks for this info. I have just connected my PC to Sony Bravia TV using WiFi adapter and find I can play MPEG files from PC but AVI files are not recognised. As most of my older PTE shows are in this format I wonder if it is possible to convert to MPEG? Yours, Freddy.

Thank you for your immediate reply and advice. The results have been well received. Regards, Freddy.

I have viewed davegee's recent comments with interest and copied my latest slideshow (trip to Italy) to USB HD 1620x1080 instead of making DVD. However as he warned despite the vastly superior quality the few slides with people on shows them as short and fat - which has not gone down well in this house! I used camera setting 2848x2136 and wonder what to resize to for peace to resume. I need only resize the few "people slides". As a matter of interest the screen was fully covered on my Sony TV but on my neighbours larger screen Samsung there were black strips left and right with acceptable centre image. It took us some time to work out how to play from USB for first time so have no idea as to any optional settings available. Freddy.

Thank you for quick replies. I am using Windows 7 and PTE v. 5.6 and burnt the EXE file to DVD. I think the laptop/projector used XP. If I use latest version of PTE and burn EXE file to DVD then the font I use will always show? Not sure if my version VideoBuilder will will work in this version.

I have just converted a 35mm slideshow with sync audio to a DVD and at request of author used Brush Script font for the title, selected from list on offer as being most suited to the show. When viewing trial run on projector the title appears in capitals, not script, and different colour to that created in PTE and burnt to the DVD. My first reaction was that with my advancing years I had taken the wrong DVD but not so as it still shows correctly as Brush on my PC. I find it strange that the same DVD can show such different images on my PC and a laptop/projector. I would like to meet the authors request for this font to be used and wonder how this can be achieved bearing in mind the DVD will be shown in several locations each using their own kit. I look forward to comments and advice. Freddy.

This is a problem I frequently encounter with Videobuilder. When the problem happens I create an ISO file which will quite happily burn in Nero on the very disc refused by Videobuilder. I can find no pattern relating to type or make of disk. Freddy.

Ron, Thank you for reply. What I would like to know is how to convert 4:3 images to fit as well as possible a 16:9 TV screen. Previous posts have differing opinions ie on 12.5.08 it was suggested setting PTE to 16:10 and images to 1750x100x72 or 1920x1080 for HD but as you can see this is already queried! Also posting 10.1.09 suggests 1920x1080 for HD but disable Pan and scan in VideoBuilder. The difficulty in finding answers to the following in forums is why I suggested that in the absense of any clear basic guidance a tutorial will be of interest to those wishing to use the DVD facility. 1. What size should the image be when placed in slide list? 2. How is this achieved and if by masking how to make mask to size? 3. What is the purpos of the re-sizing tool in Project Options Screen? Freddy.

I have been asked to make slideshow on DVD using some 50 images taken with compact digital camera to be shown on 16:9 TV. I have found posting suggesting setting PTE to 16:10 and cropping (as opposed to re-sizing?) to 1680x1050 or 1920x1080 for HD. Is there a way to make a mask to re-position over each image to select preferred visible area and then crop to it? I have PTE v 5.6 and setting size controls in Project Options/Screen to either of above sizes to test results, produces image well within TV safe area so not clear purpose of this option. Perhaps a Tutorial on this subject can be produced which I am sure will be appreciated by many. Freddy

Sadly you are not alone regarding resonse times. I have had a problem since before Christmas with usually a weeks wait for replies to questions raised. I am eventually told today it is because my burner is not supportd. This despite successful burns of DVD's and SVCD's before problem arose - See Burning Problems posted in Dec. I have reloaded 5.1, flashed the software but still either produce coaster or DVD which hangs for about 1 minute after opening screen. The advice is to create ISO's using different software which to say the least is most disappointing. Freddy.

The Dom, The penny has just dropped and now up and running. Thanks again for your help. Freddy.

The Dom, Thank you for your interest and reply. Whilst I am able to create the mask as per reply from fh1805 I have to confess that I cannot make your animation work and as there are many pages to edit it would be a big help to be able to use it. I simply cannot get picture and project together either in PTE or Photoshop so perhaps you can kindly assist further with the steps to be taken. Many thanks. Freddy.

I scanned the documents and then used Photoshop to set up cut-out masks of 50% opacity black to highlight the words on the letter that I was reading out in the voice-over. I can give you more details on this technique in Photoshop if you would like them.

I have copied a 35mm slide presentation with synch sound to PTE. A number of the slides are of documents over 400 years old and the original presenter would use a hand pointer to indicate particular paragraphs and phrases. I would like to leave the whole page readable (difficult with ye olde English quills!) but somehow highlight the paras/phrases/words in question. There are a quite a number involved and I wonder if there is a fairly simple way of doing this? The sound track I copied with Audacity but I find that the sound is "woolly" when playing in PTE preview. I have increased treble and reduced bass when recording and all sounds fine when played using Windows Media player or Audacity on same system, but still get this almost muffled sound when running in PTE. Is there any reason for this? Freddy.

nobeefstu, Still having problems but at least can do slideshows as SVCD using Nero. Will leave now until after hols. Just one thought, I see I have v5, 5.1 Beta 10 and v5.1 plus another PTE file showing in Add/Remove Programs and I wonder if removing these then downloading 5.1 might do the trick? Merry Christmas to you. Freddy.

Had a go but hung on 99%. Will have another try tomorrow pm. Freddy.

Yes, same problems with TV as PC. Sorry but not sure what you mean by D3D checkbox ? Freddy.

Created AVI and used Nero to burn successful disk with all animations and music which suggests to me that there are no problems with card or burner. Can it only be VideoBuilder? Freddy.

Nobeefstu, Thanks again for advice. Downloaded drivers issued 19/12 and created log for burn which showed no errors. Sadly problem still there. Loaded 10 files, no animations and used default settings for new show which went through burn process OK - but still hangs for about 60 secs after opening menu and starting first slide. Original shows on DVD RW still play OK and only changes to files were tidying up last slide with music so current issue is something of a mystery. Will try an AVI file for SVCD later. When saving files as part of this I noticed there is no folder for Templates (or laguages etc.) as in the original v5 file. Downloaded 5.1 again and no change. Is this significant? Also ran AVG - no problems shown. Compliments of the season to you. Freddy.

Well that didn't work, still same problem of freezing for 1 min after opening menu then proceeding. I have opened file Video_TS Backup file of the IFO and message "Unable to read part of a file on the DVD." The VTS_0_1 DVD MOvie file also starts then message "Error reading file." Not sure what all this means but hoping it means something to someone who can please help. My DVD drive is Lite-On DVDRW SHM-165P6S using updated firmware, and video card NVIDIA GeForce FX5500. I have made 4 trouble free DVD's all with animations, and several DVD RW as content appraisals until now. Freddy.

Thanks for your interest. I had updated firmware and downloaded final v.5.1 in last week. I realised that 2 e-mails with attachments came in during failed burn so have tried DVD RW again with modem turned off, which apparently worked - except that disk opens menu page then after 2/3 secs into first picture it hangs for 60 secs before proceeding as normal. I cannot see any setting which would cause this - simple single show, no animated title, single chapter. Same with 2nd disk attempt. Original DVD RW plays OK so thinking of re setting XP prior to above downloads to see if that still works as before. Freddy.

I have used 5.1 to build two shows each of about 50 slides with music. Two tests of content etc burnt OK to DVD RW but the final burn to DVD is a disaster! It took 16 minutes to multiplex and get to completion of 99% of burn, then another 1 hour 15 minutes to complete that final 1%, apparently sucessfully - except that the disk is not recognised by PC or DVD player. I seem to recall a forum comment on disks being removed at 99% mark and working. Should I have done this? I have used the make of disk before with no problems. Needless to say these shows are (were?) for grandchildren at Christmas so any early response will be appreciated. Freddy.

* I prefer to use DVD+RW discs vs DVD-RW discs Thanks again for your comments. I am in fact using DVD+RW, I used the - sign automatically without thinking. Pleased to say that having been able to check the results of 2 slideshows by using Nero, the final burn on DVD-R using VB is fine - and better quality. Thanks again for your interest. Freddy.