[su800]

Hi!
I burned a picture slideshow in videomagic storyboard production to a cd-r in videocd format and I am not sure if this is the correct format. What I am looking for is a CD to insert into another person's laptop computer connected to a screen projector to view the slideshow at a group meeting (similar to "PowerPoint" which I don't have). Which format should I burn it to?
Thank you in advance.

[ml]

Are you using EMC 7.1? I ask because Storyboard is the program that usually opens when you click on Slideshow and the options are different in 7.5 which has Sonic MyDVD Slideshow.

A VideoCD doesn't have as good a quality as a DVD and when you project it onto a large screen, you have no idea what the quality will be. Video CDs are made to be played on a DVD player.

You could burn a DVD on CD. The time limit is 15 - 20 minutes and the other computer will need to have software to play the DVD. ( I think any DVD playing software will work, but I haven't tried it.) DVD on CD will give you the best quality on a CD. The best quality would be a DVD, but it sounds like you don't have that option.

However, since you're doing this for work, I'd recommend a backup plan if you cannot test this on the other computer before the day you need to make the presentation. Do a File\ Save As and save a second copy of those slides with names like slide0001, slide0002 and burn those to a second CD using Creator Classic. That way if nothing else works, you can open the backup CD with Windows Explorer and view the slides.

Another option would be to do a File\ Output production to.... Video File \ For playback on another computer and burn that to a CD. That would give you an mpeg1 movie which isn't a slideshow but will play on the laptop using Windows Media Player. You could get about one hour onto a CD and you could time your slides to your narration before you burn the CD.

Does any of that work for you?

[su800]

mlpasley, on Feb 25 2006, 10:14 PM, said:

Are you using EMC 7.1? I ask because Storyboard is the program that usually opens when you click on Slideshow and the options are different in 7.5 which has Sonic MyDVD Slideshow.

A VideoCD doesn't have as good a quality as a DVD and when you project it onto a large screen, you have no idea what the quality will be. Video CDs are made to be played on a DVD player.

You could burn a DVD on CD. The time limit is 15 - 20 minutes and the other computer will need to have software to play the DVD. ( I think any DVD playing software will work, but I haven't tried it.) DVD on CD will give you the best quality on a CD. The best quality would be a DVD, but it sounds like you don't have that option.

However, since you're doing this for work, I'd recommend a backup plan if you cannot test this on the other computer before the day you need to make the presentation. Do a File\ Save As and save a second copy of those slides with names like slide0001, slide0002 and burn those to a second CD using Creator Classic. That way if nothing else works, you can open the backup CD with Windows Explorer and view the slides.

Another option would be to do a File\ Output production to.... Video File \ For playback on another computer and burn that to a CD. That would give you an mpeg1 movie which isn't a slideshow but will play on the laptop using Windows Media Player. You could get about one hour onto a CD and you could time your slides to your narration before you burn the CD.

Does any of that work for you?

Thank you for your helpful reply. Actually what I have is 7.0.430. It does have burn DVD to CD option that you have outlined. However, my storybuilder production (storybuilder, not storyboard, my error on my first post) is longer than the limit so I'll revise somehow and take some pics off or make a second CD? I will also try the other options that you have outlined. Certainly, I will test it ahead of time before making the presentation. Much appreciated. Thank you.

[james_hardin]

su800, on Feb 26 2006, 10:02 AM, said:

Thank you for your helpful reply. Actually what I have is 7.0.430. It does have burn DVD to CD option that you have outlined. However, my storybuilder production (storybuilder, not storyboard, my error on my first post) is longer than the limit so I'll revise somehow and take some pics off or make a second CD? I will also try the other options that you have outlined. Certainly, I will test it ahead of time before making the presentation. Much appreciated. Thank you.

The DVD on CD only works with Roxio Player. I don't think anything else can read one…

I doubt that the Storyboard software is going to have anything compatible with Roxio.

If you are looking for an output for PC's only, you are going to have to look to other software that will include a player with the project.

IF a PC has been set to use Windows Media Player with VCDs, it will auto start. Most have not since VCDs are loosing out to DVDs.

To play it, navigate WMP to the MPEGAV directory on the CD and Open the MUSICO1.DAT file there. You will probably have to set the file mask to All Files (*.*) in order to see the .DAT file.

It might be possible to include an startup file calling WMP but I have never played with that concept…

[ml]

Well, I just had to try this to see what would play DVD on CD so I made a test CD.

In version 7.5, Sonic's CinePlayer will play it. ALSO, if I opened Cyberlinks Power DVD with the DVD in the drive and hit Play, it would play the DVD on CD. So..... my guess would be that other DVD playing software on a computer will play it. HOWEVER, if there is no DVD drive on that laptop, the chances of it having DVD playing software are pretty slim.


Then I tried burning a VCD. Guess what? Cyberlink would play the VCD if I opened the Cyberlink software and pressed play!

However, I was playing it on laptop with a DVD drive.

James, A bit of clarification here. StoryBoard IS a Roxio Product. It's VideoWave with a different title on the top which was included in 7.0 as the slideshow building program. However, this person used StoryBuilder which is a VW guided edit although the output options are the same. You can output it as any other production in VW.

The output is going to be a movie not what some people consider a traditional slideshow.

I'll be back after testing both on a CD drive, but I'd still recommend burning the original slides to a CD so that WinXP Slideshow viewer could be used as a backup. If a traditional slideshow is needed then upgrading to 7.5 or 8 would allow Sonics My DVD Slideshow to be used to make the presentation.

This post has been edited by mlpasley: 26 February 2006 - 01:29 PM

[ml]

Tried the CDs in my CD drive. Both the VCD and DVD on CD were recognized by Roxio Player, Sonic CineMagic and Cyberlink's CinePlayer.

Then I tried WinXP Media Player. It would play the DVD on CD, but I don't know if that's because the Roxio codecs are installed on that computer or not. It would not recognize the VCD.

In all cases, you've got to use the Play/ Pause button to stop and start it like a slideshow.

To answer your second questions.... You can open VideoWave and choose the StoryBuilder production for further editing. When you open VideoWave, your storybuilder production should be listed toward the bottom of the File menu.

Whether you take out some pictures to make it shorter or make a second CD is a judgement call depending on how you're presenting the material. For a second CD, you're going to do a File \ Save as... and save a second copy of the production. Then delete the parts you don't want from each production and burn two CDs.

Hope that helps.

This post has been edited by mlpasley: 26 February 2006 - 01:50 PM

[d_deweywright]

mlpasley, on Feb 26 2006, 04:43 PM, said:

Whether you take out some pictures to make it shorter or make a second CD is a judgement call depending on how you're presenting the material. For a second CD, you're going to do a File \ Save as... and save a second copy of the production. Then delete the parts you don't want from each production and burn two CDs.

Hope that helps.

Just a thought here, but if you're confident of hitting the play/pause buttons, you could make your slide show with all your images, just shorten the display time, (make it only a few seconds) and then just pause the production as it's playing to get the time you need. That way, you can fit all your images onto one disc. Of course, if you just let it play, it'll go by pretty fast.

Another two cents.

[su800]

Hi again,

Your replies have been helpful. After editing the VW storybuilder production, deleting some images and reducing the time between slides, I had burned it to DVD on CD format. It only allowed about 5-6 mins. I will probably make another DVD on CD to complete the project. To date, I have checked it on Win Media Player and it works. (I have yet to check with the person whose laptop I will use, though). BUT...the quality isn't that great. It appears shaky as if it tries to make a movie out of the still images, wobbly...any advice on how to smooth them over will be appreciated.

Thank you all.

[d_deweywright]

su800, on Feb 27 2006, 02:00 PM, said:

Hi again,

Your replies have been helpful. After editing the VW storybuilder production, deleting some images and reducing the time between slides, I had burned it to DVD on CD format. It only allowed about 5-6 mins. I will probably make another DVD on CD to complete the project. To date, I have checked it on Win Media Player and it works. (I have yet to check with the person whose laptop I will use, though). BUT...the quality isn't that great. It appears shaky as if it tries to make a movie out of the still images, wobbly...any advice on how to smooth them over will be appreciated.

Thank you all.

Well, since you're producing it in VideoWave, indeed you are producing a movie from still images. But the one I did last year for our daughter's 5th grade graduation didn't show any problems like the shakiness you're describing. The images were rock steady. Hopefully someone else will have a solution.

[ml]

Five to six minutes doesn't sound right. Did you by any chance select the option to 'Save the original photos on Disk' (it might be the default)? You need to unselect that because it will put your slideshow PLUS your original photos on the disk and that will decrease the amount of space available on the CD. I'd recommend putting those original slides on a separate data cd, not the video CD that you're making for the presentation.

As to the shakiness, it might be the type of transition that you are using.

[d_deweywright]

mlpasley, on Feb 27 2006, 08:18 PM, said:

As to the shakiness, it might be the type of transition that you are using.

Another thought on the "shakiness". I don't know what your images are, but if they're drawings, with thin horizontal lines, then you'll get the shakes because of the interlacing when displayed on a TV or projected. If you can increase the width of the vertical lines, you'll get rid of that problem.

Hope that helps!