Barry Beckham

Dan One of the best options, especially if you are new to PTE, and to save you reading through loads of information, is to create the images the same size as your screen resolution. Once you have a show or two under your belt, things will become a lot easier to understand and then you can move onto something more to your personal liking. We all had this learning curve to go through so don't worry too much about it now. Concentrate on getting a show made that fits your screen and you will be away.

This topic came up recently and affected some exe files relating to Multi-Media-Builder menu creating software. It affected my tutorial DVD's and downloads and we mentioned it in the other forum where AVG found a Trojan Horse Virus. It has now been resolved after I managed to get to them and demand some action. Their email I recieved today (19th March 2008) is below. Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, the previous virus database might have detected the mentioned virus on some legitimate applications. We can confirm that it was a false alarm. We have immediately released a new virus update that removes the false positive detection on this file. Please update your AVG and check your files again. If you need to restore deleted files from AVG Virus Vault you can do it this way: - Open AVG Virus Vault (Start -> Programs -> AVG 7.5 -> AVG Virus Vault). - Locate the file that was incorrectly removed. - Right click on it and choose the "Restore File(s)" option. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for your cooperation. We appreciate it. Best regards, David Machac AVG Technical Support website: http://www.avg.com mailto: support@avg.com

I do use Camtasia still and it can produce all sorts of file types. The difference in brightness, is probably a slight difference between monitors, but its not something I have noticed here. I see that AVG free is still causing prroblems for some and perhaps AVAST anti virus software is a better option which is also free

Neil Well, that what I thought, but it appears to be a real problem for some. Still, I am trying to get over the disapointment

Video in a still image audio visual ? Oh my gawd, you will give the AV snobs nightmares about that. They are yet used to us putting a border round the image

Colin Yes you have missed something, I may base my show to be played on a 1280*1024 monitor, but I retain the format from my camera. (most of the time anyway) This leaves me the choice of presentation for the part of the screen not used for the actual picture

JPD is right, AVG is picking up an exe file from the menu software Multi Media Builder. I have tried to inform both AVG and MMB, but its a devil of a job trying to get an email to AVG free. Even now I am not sure I have got to the right place. The best laid plans of mice and men. You sweat blood for a professional looking menu system and the virus software tells you it has a virus when it doesn't and then will not allow you to unzip it... Just great Its almost enough to make you give up

Mightec You probably have your icons set to large, its OK here? Barry

On trying to unzip the Elements file I posted yesterday I am getting a virus warning via AVG free. I also get the same warning on a tutorial DVD that was made ages ago and has been perfect up to now. It seems that a change in virus definitions from AVG (TODAY) is picking up a false positive in the start.exe file I use in my menus. Its the same sort of thing that we experienced with PTE some time ago. Just be warned it is not a virus, but it may prevent you from unzipping this file structure I have contacted AVG free by email to advise them, so hopeully they will address it soon.

fh1805 Something is wrong at your end I think, the video was in a folder called video and still is. It can't be wrong if it worked fine for David. Incidently I am used to this method of packaging and don't usually screw up the very file I wish to present. However, I am downloading the group of files I origanally put up to see what happens when I unzip it. Thanks for the feedback anyway

Can I ask if you all found your way around the menu and got it working OK I have started presenting downloads like this, but I can only assume it's working fine on all machines. Normally I inlcude the starting images, but to get this technique all in, the file size became quite large enough.

DJH There is not a significant difference in what I can see, but then I am not a constant user of Elements fh1805 You an use any sort of images, even landscapes

For those with broadband who want to see a video tutorial on the Another Age technique, see below. They will be available for a few days to PTE forum members. The slide show that inspired the videos is here http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/freestuffdigslidesw3.htm Remember this slide show is best viewed at 1280*1024 For the Photoshop video click below http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/downloads/...age/montage.zip 65meg running for 29 minutes For the Elements video click below http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/downloads/...age/montage.zip 58 meg running for 32 minutes If you unzip all the files into one folder, then click the start.exe file you can run the video and demo slide show from a menu. Videos are wmv files that will run in Windows Media player.

Conflow Well, it healthy to disagree, but experience around the clubs tells me a different story. While in theory I wouldn't argue with your views, but I am a realist and it ain't happening out there as you see it. I don't follow your point here "I do believe that PTE is 'shareware' thank god" Ken Most users don't require a handout because they have a pirate copy.

Conflow Isn't that what I said, its the whole concept of my tutorials. If, however we list 15 different software packages it hardly helps the person who first asked the question. Stay with the mainstream and Elements fits that perfectly.

xahu34 Another thought has just occurred to me and it's something you can see clearly around the Photographic clubs and societies of the UK. I doubt it's any different elswhere in the world. Why do you think that people who are very serious about their audio visual eventually gravitate towards PTE5 at some stage. They may start with other slide show software, but generally speaking there comes a point when they move to PTE Why is that? Could it be that people in general will always gravitate to the best and PTE5 is certainly that. Why do something like 70% of Photographic club members use Photoshop and 30% use Elements. Could it possibly be because they are also the best. I think so, visit clubs in the UK and no other software apart from Photoshop and Elements is ever mentioned. I use Photoshop and Elements I rest my case

xahu34 So there you are, it's as clear as mud

Peter Well, I don't think I always get it right, but I have been into AV for 35 years on and off. Its difficult to say how long it takes, but probably a lot less than you think. Once you know you way around Photoshop and PTE everything speeds up. The solitude AV took a couple of hours I guess, but then the images had already been created and I only had to add one or two. I do come back to my shows onother day and then adjust what doesn't appear to be working. The Another Age show probably took all day to produce, but it was done over time rather than in one go. It could have been 8 hours or more. I agree there is nothing wrong with putting a few family snaps together in a slide show, I don't think those types of sequences will appeal very much outside the family though. Fancy presentation effects are fine in some circumstances, but they keep being used inappropriately and once again we are affecting the charm and impact of our show. I think many AV enthusiasts today miss some very important points. Firstly and despite what is often said on this forum, you should create your show for yourself. If you try and please all of the people all of the time, you will fail miserably. Make the show, so you like it. If other do to then great, but be aware that whatever you create, the human tendancy is to find something to say about it and more often then not that will be a negative comment. There is a great deal of difference between what is right or wrong or just someones personal preference. Be very critical with the images you select. I see out of focus and poorly exposed pictures being used all the time and all they do is to destroy the very charm we are trying to create. Ask the question when you reach for the animation screen. "What will this animation add to my slide show" I bet the answer 70% of the time is nothing and in those circumstances it actually detracts once again from the charm we are trying to create. We have to learn to recognise when these advances in PTE5 are helping and then make full use of them and when they are not. We can't have a weak image on screen for 50 seconds in the hope that animation will make it stronger, because it doesn't Choice of music, well it's essential that it matches perfectly, we will all have different views, but generally whatever those views are, the music will either work or it won't. Our ears and eyes should tell us that. There is no reason why a sequence cannot be good and put together in a hour or two, the length of time we spend on a project doesn't affect it's quality and appeal, neither does the size of images either. It takes as long as it takes

xahu34 I recommend Photoshop Elements because it is a great program to get started with. If money is no object then I see no problem with starting with Photoshop either. However, when someone asks what software they should get, we don't know what their skill level is, their learning speed, their committment or their staying power. Photoshop takes a lot of hours to master and some never do despite the many hours spent on it. I estimate that for something like 80% of people Elements 6 will meet all their needs and probably a lot more. It does not cost a fortune, its a standard bit of software that many other photographers are using and it is very similar to Photoshop in layout and the way it works. Elements 6 also supports Raw for those who wish to have a try at this. So, if someone starts off with Elements it is likely that it will meet all their needs and they will never reach a level where they will want what it hasn't got. ie What Photoshop has. If they do reach that point where they do need Photoshop, then they already have a good grounding in how it all works because Elements is so similar. You could think of Elements as a trainer for Photoshop. With respect to other peoples opinions on this forum I would say this. If someone is interested enough in AV to sign into this forum, I see little point in recommending free programs and those rare ones that few serious amateurs are using. If you have a camera and PTE5, then you can afford Elements. Stay with the mainstream software and when you do have a problem there are lots of willing mind able to help. There is very little that I produce that I could not produce with Elements. I might have to go about it slightly different and it may take a little longer. If Photoshop did not exist we would all be delighted with Photoshop Elements. The problem that I meet all the time at demos are people who are way out of their depth trying to use Photoshop and in those situations it is actually a hinderance to them. The trouble is, in their early days when they ask our advice about Photoshop, it is almost impossible to give, because we don't have a crystal ball. So, Elements in my view is where they should start. In some ways forums can be a little self defeating because when a question is asked, so much conflicting advice comes forward that the person asking can often be none the wiser in the end.

xahu34 Well, loads of tools are used really, but the core is. Layers Layer Blend modes ( Hard Light, Soft light etc) Layer Masks Believe me it isn't that difficult technically Elements is sufficient to make that sequence and you can create layer masks with Elements by tricking it into thinking its Photoshop. I have recorded a video on this subject today, I am just stitching all the takes together to see if its small enough to be downloaded Old Timer Yes I hit the wrong button or something and the post was sent before I finished it. I edited it straight away, so you must have been on it just as it went up.

Brian Oh, I see what you mean now, it is sometimes difficult to get into type what your thinking, I have that problem too. However, you won't get an idea of what I do to my images by watching a slide show, because most of the work would be hidden and you would need to see the originals to appreciate the difference. I work with Raw Smart Objects in Photoshop often in 16 bit and make sure the tones, contrast and colours are spot on to my liking using layers, layer masks and many of the other tools of Photoshop. Have a look at the link below for some idea of the difference a litle carefull work can do. Although the start images are only thumbnails you can see that that don't look much to start with. http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/downloads/...masterclass.htm

You can't really go wrong by advising anyone who asks a question like this to start with Photoshop Elements. Why? 1. Because it will meet all the needs of an AV enthusiast at any level. 2. For the cost, its a fabulous bit of software 3. It is so similar to Photoshop that even if you move to Photoshop later, your time with Elements is not waisted. Most of the tools are the same. 4. Elements/Photoshop is what everyone is using, why do something different. 5. The question is PS worth the extra money cannot be answered (no offence old timer) It depends on too many variables. Go get yourself Elements 6 and you will never look back

Mike I suppose one idea is to program your show from the full resolution images and once complete, save a backup in zip. You could then use that backup zip file that contains your slide show and adjust the image sizes at any time to suit your output in years to come. On static slide shows (without animation) we can do this fairly easily using actions in Photoshop, but perhaps each variant would need a few tweaks if you used animation. Or you create wide screen AV's now and ignore the black bar you will get top and bottom of the screen. This is an issue that is important to me as you may read in other threads. How can we make sure our slide shows display correctly on all monitors. I am not sure we ever will.

JPD I never even considered the task bar because I always have mine set to auto retract, but I did create my menu background in the same tone and texture as the slide show frame and it should have been seamless. Probably I should have used black. Currently there is a little disruption when the mini background slide show fires up the main show, but that is minimal. I assume that is what you intend, for the background to start the main show?

Paul I didn't mean what I said literally, I was having a pop at some daft comments previously thats all. I think I made a mistake with my last slide show by holding the size to window mode. If you don't mind, download the slide show from the page below and see how it playes on your monitor. I have removed the window mode. http://www.beckhamdigital.co.uk/freestuffdigslidesw3.htm Brian Forgive me, but your missing the point a bit (IMHO) To make good AV that really flows we must match our images to the music. Often it's the music that determines when a slide needs to be changed. There is nothing worse for me to watch a show I have downloaded and when the music is crying out for something to happen nothing does. Then, just when we should have a static image on screen, it then begins to change. I appreciate this involves a great deal of ones own personal taste, but I think many images are on screen far too long. Many are not strong enough to hold the attention for the time on screen. One I saw recently from this site has one image on screen for something like 50 seconds. With respect to that author, the image was not strong enough to hold the attention for that length of time and animating it all over the screen does nothing to the appeal of that image. You are also suffering from the daft setting I added to that slide show, if you wish to, try it again from the link above. Its not a large file, less than 10 meg I think. Now I want to take a look at JPD utility to cover the screen, because it sounds just what I want. The test menu I created uses MMB Multi Media Builder to create a 1600*1200 menu page. That can be made at the same tone/texture as any frame and therefore should blend in seamlessly for larger screen resolutions. That menu will stay on screen and provide the background needed. Igor I don't know if you are following this post and its a point I made in the very early beta days of PTE5. Is there not a way we can set up a screen filling colour/tone/image and have our slide show play on top of that. Something that would allow smaller shows to be played on larger monitors, but with the author controlling how it looks. Irrespective of format ?