allcart

I am building the 1600x1200 show in a 4:3 aspect ratio in PTE. I set the project options within PTE to 4:3. Its only when I use Videobuilder to create the dvd for tv that I have chosen the 16:9 ratio in the VB project options. So far I have tried all combinations and the best results have been had by choosing 16:9 in the VB project options. My 42" plasma screen has a grey background. All pics are kept out of the safe zone. So; with a 4:3 ratio slideshow, fixed size of slides and a 4:3 VB setting, I get a large area of grey at each end of the screen with the slideshow in the centre. The slideshow has a thin black border where the safe zone is or was. The slideshow stays nicely inside this black border until it reaches an animated slide. If the slide goes into the safe zone in PTE, it also goes into the black border on the tv. With a 4:3 ratio slideshow, Virtual size of slides and a 4:3 VB setting, I get a large area of grey at each end of the screen with the slideshow in the centre. The slideshow has a thin black border at the top and bottom only. The slideshow stays nicely inside this black border until it reaches an animated slide. If the slide goes into the safe zone in PTE, it also goes into and is visible in the black border on the tv. But if I make the same 4:3 slideshow, virtual size of slides using the 16:9 option in Videobuilder, and also let my slides use the safe zone in PTE I get the same grey area as before, but a larger black border all round the slideshow. The difference is that all slides and animations are kept inside the black border and the animations are not visible. There was no cropping or noticable distortion of the images either. This is just like watching the show on the pc. It all seems strange to me, but that is what seems to work best with a 4:3 slideshow. This will probably all be different when I make my next show in a 3:2 ratio. Last but not least, I made the slideshow exe files and burned a disc for pc use. I played this through the laptop connected to the tv with a VGA cable. Once I got the resolution stuff sorted out, the show played very nicely. Definately sharper and clearer. I will have to try the HDMI cable next time. Allan

I am still using a 19" crt, set at 1280 x 1024. I do a lot of photo editing and can't seem to see the same detail in cheap lcd screens. I need to upgrade to a larger screen, but until I can afford to splash out, this one is fine. Allan

Perhaps I should add that my slides are 1600 x 1200px Allan

I have Nero on my pc and that seemed to take care of the burning. I produced an ISO image and burned a dvd show using PTE and then I produced a dvd with 2 other versions without making an ISO image first. I put the two versions in the project list and just burned them straight to disc. All dvd versions have reduced quality when played through my pc, even the one made with the ISO image. So Ken, your answer was to stay inside of the blue border to avoid losing part of the image, unless you are animating of course.

I am doing much the same as you have been doing Tony. Seems I should have read this post sooner. ;-)

I understand what you are saying about having two dedicated slideshows for pc and tv, but I thought that my 4:3 slideshow would fit perfectly on my pc monitor, but have black borders all round when viewed on my tv. My made for tv (DVD) slideshows can also be played on my pc using various video players, but the quality is reduced somewhat. All the sharpness has gone, which is something I never expected. The whole purpose of this excercise is to produce Wedding dvd slideshows for viewing on pc or tv. It seems that may not be possible. Having to produce two sets of files for tv and pc will be too time consuming so I was hoping to do both with one set. Maybe I need to find the optimum size that will look good on both. I can live with the black borders providing there is no cropping or distortion when played on a tv. The problem I, and I suspect many others have, is we don't know what tv or monitor size our shows will be viewed on, so its all a bit of a gamble choosing a resolution and ratio for the files. can you clarify the TV safe zone for me. When I go into the objects and animation screen I see my image surrounded by a blue border then a grey background. I understand not to let my images go into the grey zone, but is it ok to go into the dark blue border?

Hi guys, I have been perusing these forums for a while, just soaking up all the info, and am in the process of burning my first slideshows. I have created a slideshow in the 4:3 ratio for general pc display which seems to work fine,)although not burned it to disc yet) but am attempting to put the same slideshow on DVD for TV display. I have created two versions, one with 'fixed size of slide' checked and one with virtual size of slide (unchecked) but they both appear the same on my wide tv. When viewed at 16:9 they are squashed with no black borders. When I set my tv to 4:3 they touch top and bottom of the screen with a border at the sides, but they also seem to crop a little off each side of the image. Should I try setting the last box on the screen tab to 85% and set for all existing slides? Also, it it essential to burn an ISO image before burning to disc. I just burned both versions of my slideshow directly to disc from videobuilder without creating the ISO image. I am using Nero. Allan