Just For the Record...

[Lin Evans]

I have uploaded a PTE created AVI video duplicate of my early PTE Demo show made with Beta 5.57 of PicturesToExe which is commonly used to test video cards in executable format. This video uses the XVID codec.The "exe" version really challenges the video card, while this video version should play perfectly on almost any system. Making the original was quite a challenge. Video clips were not a feature then and the Earth's rotation on its axis while rotating around the sun was accomplished entirely with multiple keyframed png transparencies (over 640 individual png files) and thousands of keyframes. The sun rotation simulation was done with a method suggested by Dominic (TheDom) using mostly "smoke and mirrors" - LOL. Actually - masking, shadows and a "flat" Sun surface were involved.

The components for the "wrist watch" were generated with one of Panos' (of PanosFX) amazing Photoshop actions. If you have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, I would suggest going to the PanosFX site (http://www.panosfx.com) to learn more about these amazing actions which can greatly enhance your shows. The watch was generated in Photoshop then the individual components were isolated and animated in a late PTE 5.7 beta. Even though it might not be apparent in the short one minute the watch is on screen - all three watch "hands" (sweep second, minute and hour) are all moving and keeping perfect time.

I generated this video at 720P (1280x720 pixels) @60 fps (59.94 fps precisely). The video runs perfectly on a USB stick on my Samsung 40" HD (1080p) television. It also runs perfectly using my default player (Kantaris Media Player) on my computer. I am still amazed at the video quality which far exceeds what I have been able to accomplish with mp4 h.264 output from PTE.

All animations are butter smooth, no jerky motion of any kind. The images quality is excellent and frankly, I can see no difference between the created executable and this AVI video.

For anyone wanting to download and try it on their own suitable television or on their computer (you must have the XVID codec installed on your computer) here's a link. The file is zipped and is 280 meg...

Download XVID Codec for PC here: http://www.xvid.org/...loads.15.0.html

Download my file here:

http://www.lin-evans...howwide_vid.zip

The show is in 16:9 aspect ratio.

Best regards,

Lin

[Ken Cox]

Lin as you say smooth as butter -If you remember a year ago we had a jiggle at the dancers and in the last couple transitions -- no jiggle now

do you have to feed that critter peanuts in the lower right corner to keep it there ))

i played it on the monitor and the tv via hdmi

ken

[Lin Evans]

Hi Ken,

That was my experience too - excellent playback with the XVID codec.

When I was photographing that little guy, I had three of them climbing my shirt and sitting on variously my shoulder, head and nosing around in my pockets looking for treats of any kind. Two were Chipmunks and one was a Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel.

Best regards,

Lin

[Photofanatic]

Thanks very much for putting up this incredible show which I have come to view following your advice about codecs. -Although the very complex animations (planets & watch etc), I dont think I would find a use for, I was wondering if you have produced a 'template' of your final section with all those beautiful animals which I could purchase? - I love using those produced by the Dom (his 2by2 is similar) - but yours gives an alternative which would add variety to my shows (mainly weddings)

Thank you

Joy

[Lin Evans]

Hi Joy,

I made the original show about five years ago and don't have a template of any kind. I just use it these days as a test for smoothness of systems since it really works out the video card. I'll see if I can find my PTE source for it and maybe you can delete everything in the beginning and just replace the images I used for the last part with your own. Actually, you could just choose a single slide from that section, copy and paste it half as many times as you have slides then replace the existing images with your own. Essentially that's all a template consists of anyhow.

If I can find it I'll save a single file with the PTE code for you.

Best regards,

Lin

[Photofanatic]

Hi Joy,

I made the original show about five years ago and don't have a template of any kind. I just use it these days as a test for smoothness of systems since it really works out the video card. I'll see if I can find my PTE source for it and maybe you can delete everything in the beginning and just replace the images I used for the last part with your own. Actually, you could just choose a single slide from that section, copy and paste it half as many times as you have slides then replace the existing images with your own. Essentially that's all a template consists of anyhow.

If I can find it I'll save a single file with the PTE code for you.

Best regards,

Lin

Thanks - if you get chance - that would be brilliant!

Joy

[Lin Evans]

Hi Joy,

I found it - here's a couple slides with background and transitions. You should be able to drop these two in a show, substitute your images and copy/paste one of them as many times as you need to act as the template for replacement.

http://www.learntoma...wreflection.zip

Best regards,

Lin

Thanks - if you get chance - that would be brilliant!

Joy