Slideshow DVD Quality

[TimC]

After creating a slideshow in PSE8 I output the file to PRE8 to burn a DVD. The problem I am having is the quality of the slide pictures on the PRE8 side. I have gone back to Elements a number of times to resize the files in order to improve the quality but that has not helped the quality of the pictures. I burned a couple of sample disks thinking the problem was the monitor view but that wasn't the case. I have tried both jpegs & PSD's with no difference in what I am seeing on the monitor.
Tim

[Bobby]

Hi Tim and Welcome To Muvipix!

We need a bit more information please. Describe in more detail exactly what your workflow was and exactly what is wrong with the slideshow when viewed on your TV.

[JohnnyO]

After creating a slideshow in PSE8 I output the file to PRE8 to burn a DVD. The problem I am having is the quality of the slide pictures on the PRE8 side. I have gone back to Elements a number of times to resize the files in order to improve the quality but that has not helped the quality of the pictures. I burned a couple of sample disks thinking the problem was the monitor view but that wasn't the case. I have tried both jpegs & PSD's with no difference in what I am seeing on the monitor.
Tim

Tim: make sure the setting "Scale to Frame Size" is not checked. PRE does not do a very good job scaling down the photos.

Your next project will be using that setting.

To change for your current roject, just right click the photos (you can select as many photos as you want), then make sure "scale to frame size" is unchecked.

The problem you will have is the the photos will be sized very large in your monitor. You will need to go to the properties panel and resize the photos to fit your display monitor. Also, any keyframing will need to be re-done.

It mayj ust be easier to re-do the entire slideshow after setting the default "scale to frame size" off.

[Steve Grisetti]

And don't forget our basic principles of video slideshows:

1) Size your photos to as close as possible to video resolution before you load them into your slideshow. We've found 1000x750 pixels to be the ideal size, if you plan to put in some panning and zooming.

2) Remember that your video slideshow is never going to look as detailed and clear as your original photos. video is the equivalent of a 640x480 photo -- low resolution, even by internet standards -- but good enough for a standard TV.

If you're looking to create a slideshow to display in high resolution on a computer, there are alternatives to Premiere Elements that create computer-resolution slides rather than video resolution images.

[Barb O]

Tim ,

Welcome to muvipix.

In your original post over on the Adobe forum, you explained that

The jpeg file sizes are: 866KB 3872 X 2592 - When I edit the raw files I am saving them as a low quality jpeg so I can load them onto a website

My first question is to clarify -
When you resized to down to approx 1000x750, I had the impression that you were working from these low quality level jpegs. Yes?

My observation is that probably it would be better to start again from the RAW NEF photo files and save to PSD downsized resolution photo files after the discussion in this thread determines your best workflow for your objective.

Second question is -
In the Output command of the Photoshop Elements slide show editor, did you use the
-- Burn to DVD - NTSC choice
or
-- Send to Premiere Elements choice

It is possible for the Send to Premiere Elements choice to give you better image quality if you invest some additional time and effort.

Third
Please clarify if your slide show will be played back on a TV from a standard DVD player or played on a computer or ??

[George Tyndall]

It is possible for the Send to Premiere Elements choice to give you better image quality....

My sole reason for upgrading from PSE4 to PSE7 is that I wanted to take advantage of the awesome capabilities of PRE7 for the creation of slide shows. (I had been up to that point creating all my slide shows with PSE4).

I completey agree with Barb O's statement.

With regard to Steve's comment that you will never see on your monitor or TV the quality of your original photo, I also agree--IF you're working in SD as oppsoed to HD.

But if you are working in HD, then I must say that you can get on your 52-inch HDTV a level of quality that will, I do not exaggerate, leave you breathless.

Here is the work flow that I use to get that quality (I've adapted the following from a previous post of mine):

I do mostly low-key human portraiture with a dark background, so there are almost always "dust spots"--errant pixels--to be removed. My camera has a bad pixel that shows on the dark background in every shot, so every image needs at least that one edit. The other edit that I often perform in Full Edit mode is to lighten the shadows areas a bit, expecially the client's hair, if it lacks detail.

The reason I convert all the JPEGS to PSDs before editing is that I like to keep the original JPEGs intact. One reason for the latter is that, once they have been downloaded from my camera's memory card, I erase the card for reuse. Another reason for having both the JPEG and the edited PSD available is to show my clients their "before" and "after" images. Many do not realize how much work it takes to edit their images. Even if the edit is as minimal as I've described, each still takes about 1.5 minutes to complete--and since my typical slide shows have roughly 100 images, that's 2.5-3 hours.

PRE7 seems to like the PSD format for slide shows. I can put more than 100 of them, at 2288x1520 pixels each,* on a PRE7 HD 1920x1080 Timeline--plus a 50-70MB audio file in WAV format-- without so much as a blink from the software. To accomplish that, I create in PSE7 an Album that consists of all the PSDs that I've just edited. I sort the slides as desired in the Album and then I do a Select All of the contents of the Album and then right-click the selection to Send to Premiere Elements, where my introductory material is already on the Timeline.** The slides are dropped onto the Timeline--sorted just the way they were in the PSE7 Album--at a location just after the introductory material that is already there. Each slide has the duration--and the default transition--that I have previously selected under Edit>Preferences in PRE7.***

____
*In his book on Elements 7 (p.248), Steve suggests 2200x1235 pixels for HD work, which is 4:3 format. The reason mine are slightly larger is that I shoot in 35mm (3:2) format which, according to many teachers of composition, is the "ideal format" for both landscape and portrait photography.

**The reason I prefer to do the Sort Order in a PSE7 Album rather than in the icon view of the PRE7 Project Pane is that in PSE7 I can, using the slider, enlarge each of the images to as large as full screen. Occasionally, you will find that this capaability is very helpful in making decisions with regard to the Sort Order. Another reason for sorting in PSE is that I like to use and reuse my PSE albums with different audio tracks in PRE7 in the hope that my clients will find that they "can't decide" which track they like best, therefore, "I guess I'll take them all."

***Prior to the use of the method I describe here, I would try to create the slide show, including the audio, in the PSE7 slide show Editor, save it, then Output it to PRE7. The INEVITABLE result, if I had more than 50 or so slides in the project, is that PRE7 would crash. The reason I would use that method is that I still did not know much about creating my slide shows in PRE rather than PSE. But now (thanks to Steve's book and the members of muvipix) I know, and I hope you will believe me when I state that PRE's ability to create highly-sophisticated slide shows is orders of magnitude better than PSE's. (If ever I can find a client who will allow me to post her "music video" on the internet, I will upload a sample.)

[TimC]

I went back the other day into my original raw files and started over like Barb advised and saved into a PSD file. I made a quick sample slideshow and sent it over to Premiere and nothing changed. So, I uninstalled PRE8 and downloaded it again and after many hours I loaded my slideshow and surprisingly I had an acceptable quality to get me out of a jam. One new problem arrose out of the download though, I am getting an occasional "blue screen" and a shutdown. I wish I would have bought the discs instead of going with Adobe's download. I am burning several DVD's for this slideshow and whenever I load the saved program to start burning again I have to go through the long process of "encoding media" I saved the file as quick share and it works great as long as I don't close the program. Once the file is saved shouldn't I be able to burn quickly? This encoding process will take a few hours.

Tim

[Barb O]

I went back the other day into my original raw files and started over like Barb advised and saved into a PSD file. I made a quick sample slideshow and sent it over to Premiere and nothing changed. So, I uninstalled PRE8 and downloaded it again and after many hours I loaded my slideshow and surprisingly I had an acceptable quality to get me out of a jam.

I have no idea why the reinstall made a difference - but it is good news that it did.

I am burning several DVD's for this slideshow and whenever I load the saved program to start burning again I have to go through the long process of "encoding media" I saved the file as quick share and it works great as long as I don't close the program. Once the file is saved shouldn't I be able to burn quickly? This encoding process will take a few hours.

In order to be able to just burn quickly, I think that in Premiere Elements you would need to Save to a Folder on the DVD burn screen and then use other software to actually burn the DVD disc. Hopefully someone who is doing this on a regular basis will post guidance for you.

I am getting an occasional "blue screen" and a shutdown

This will most probably be a more detailed investigation. Hopefully, you can finish your current project with its burning OK, then I suggest that you start a new thread for your blue screen problem and PE 8.

[George Tyndall]

Hopefully someone who is doing this on a regular basis will post guidance for you

Barb O, I burn to SD folder regularly, and the resulting VOB file is what I play back to determine whether my video is flawless. (I use Win DVD or CyberLink software to play the file.)

Once one has that VOB file on one's HDD, one can burn as many as SD DVDs as one wishes, and each takes only a minute or two to burn from the folder. I think most members use the free software, ImgBurn, to burn their DVDs.

Recently, someone posted that, with ImgBurn on Win7, one may use ImgBurn to run more than one burner simultaneously.