[dood]

I posted my nasty experiences with nero vision express for producing slide shows. I took the advice of other members and downloaded the trial version of pro show gold.

This has been a great piece of software that has allowed me to create smart slideshows on my PC. The computer I'm using only has a CD writer, not DVD burner, so I opted to make a VCD just to try it out. The plan was to then use my home computer to make DVD slide shows of better quality.

Unfortunately, I now have 2 coasters. The first disc (SVCD) only showed the menu page and didn't allow me to access anything on the menu or to start the slide show. The default I had chosen for this was video (not stills). This disc was not recognised by my other DVD player.

The second disc was a VCD. I changes the default output option to stills. This disc was recognised by both DVD players. However, this time it displayed the menu page but again didn't allow me access to the slide show. Funnily, the thumbnail on the menu page scrolled through the first 2 slides of my show!

What am I doing wrong?

[senu]

All software have these inexplicable " gremlins".
Proshow Gold is fairly well behaved and I have not had many "unsolvable" problems with it.
I can only suggest a workaround seeing as you have Nero.
Make an vcd Mpeg file and use main nero program or nero express to create a vcd
if you need more guidance with regard this just post

[rickyt]

I own ProShowGold and have never had any problems with it ,it does render very quickly compared to Photo2DVD , but the later has the Ken Burns effect which I like so I put up with the wait. Try uninstalling the program if you are having any problems and then re-installing ProShowGold just incase some of the files have become corrupted.

[senu]

Originally Posted by rickyt

I own ProShowGold and have never had any problems with it ,it does render very quickly compared to Photo2DVD , but the later has the Ken Burns effect which I like so I put up with the wait. Try uninstalling the program if you are having any problems and then re-installing ProShowGold just incase some of the files have become corrupted.

If by the Ken Burns effect you mean " pan and zoom " ,
ProshowGold has it as well,( called motion effects) It is infact very well implemented such that I now use it almost exclusively for slide shows. I then make DVD- compliant mpeg2 and use them with other clips in Ulead MovieWorkshop2 to author DVDs along with corresponding video clips

(I have a video tutorial culled from and old issue of Digital Photo Magazine if you want it :It has " hidden depths!)).

And I agree it is very well behaved and is stable for the most part In fact it autosaves so that occasional crashes dont result in loss of work

Although I have used Pinnacle Studio 10.5 and Avid liquid 7 (with its powerful keyframable 2d / 3d effects) to make slide shows with "pizzazz", I have discovered that ProshowGold is actually very easy to use to achieve quite "polished" effects. Ive probably made over 30 slide shows in the past 6 months all well recieved by the recipients

[rickyt]

@senu , there's a thing . I never new ProShowGold had the Ken Burns effect . I've only used a few times and it has an abundance of transitions but hadn't found the pan & zoom effect unless I have an older copy .I'll have to look into that .Ta for the tip .What's this video tutorial by the way ?? it sound's interesting .

[jwramsay]

Yeah the later versions have the moving photo effects.

Downside is that it crops the photos to allow the pan effect.

[senu]

Originally Posted by rickyt

.. .What's this video tutorial by the way ?? it sound's interesting ...

I have version 2.5 if that helps.
The tutorial was put together by "Digital Photo" magazine and I find it helps a new user see just what the software can do by showing a finished show and then going thru how it was was made up
Although its been stated that it crops the pic you do have some control of that as the "safe areas" can be seen whilst appling the effect