Aspect

Post your tips & tricks here for creating slide shows with ProShow Gold. This could include suggestions for style and content in addition to working with the software itself
Honorary ProShow PHD
Posts: 667
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:10 am
Location: Milo, Maine

Aspect

Postby TinaJ » Sun May 11, 2008 9:11 am

I just finished an anniversary show for a friend, and now she tells me that they will be viewing it on a large screen tv. I have never changed the aspect ratio from 4:3, is that necessary for all large screen tvs or? I did one for a friend one time, not knowing what kind of television and she said all the heads were cut off in her pics. I couldn't figure out what the problem was until she said it was "a really big tv." Is it smart to stick with the 16:9 ratio for all, or do I have to check every time for television size? Can I just change the aspect on this finished show and have it work ok on the large screen, or will I have to go back in and adjust everything? I feel terrible about having to redo the whole thing but I want it to be perfect for them!
Tina
PSG 3, PSP 4, Photoshop CS, Sony Alpha 200,
Grade 2/3 teacher
Somebody's Nanny all the time!

ProShow Hall of Fame
User avatar
Posts: 3143
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:42 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Aspect

Postby DickK » Sun May 11, 2008 10:34 am

Tina -- relax. It will work fine on whatever TV they use. The issues is exactly the same as if they're watching a TV program not specifically set up for 16:9. Either they will get black bars along the sides of the video where the 4:3 doesn't fill or the TV will stretch it to fill the screen. The first case is what you want, you don't want the TV stretching it so, assuming they're using it, they should turn off the option for the TV to fill the screen. If the TV does that it will distort the image, something that happens with regular TV as well but it's less noticeable.

Ideally, yes, it would be best to find out what the target TV is like so you can match it, but it's not crucial since either format will work on either type of TV even if there's a mismatch. If there's no way to know what the TV is going to be then I'll make a 4:3 output because most people still have that. However, if you make a 16:9 and show it on a 4:3 TV it will also work fine but now the black bars are on the top and bottom, the "letterbox" effect we all have seen. That's okay, but since most 4:3 TVs are going to be smaller, shrinking the widescreen to fit may be less desirable than the reverse.

In ProShow you can convert a show by simply setting the aspect ratio the other way--however, you'll need to be careful because some things may no longer look right. Particular care should be given to caption placements and any slide where you have multiple elements you places "just so". The switch is likely to throw those off. Doing the conversion is a tad tedious but not hard.

Dick
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle ((PSG, PSE & Fuji HS20 user)) Presentation Impact Blog

Honorary ProShow PHD
Posts: 667
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:10 am
Location: Milo, Maine

Re: Aspect

Postby TinaJ » Sun May 11, 2008 11:31 am

Thanks Dick. I guess that wasn't what my problem was with the earlier video. Now I can relax and let her know what the bill is and when she can pick it up.
Tina
PSG 3, PSP 4, Photoshop CS, Sony Alpha 200,
Grade 2/3 teacher
Somebody's Nanny all the time!

realeimages

Re: Aspect

Postby realeimages » Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:02 pm

I'm sorry for butting in, but I am a newbie to this site (and have gained a world of very useful and creative information already) and I have a question.

In PSG... in the "general show options" window where you choose the "aspect ratio" (16:9 or 4:3), I changed the custom resolution to 1024 x 768 to test it out and see if by doing so I would have less jagged egdes on my images since I'm still in the playing around stage and seeing what does what. I changed it to 1024 x 768 and it didn't seem to make a difference. All of (well "most of" )my images are 300 dpi scanned in photographs, some tiff and some jpeg.... and I didn't notice any difference in how they look by changing that option. However it doesn't default back to whatever the default options were for both ratios. If anyone could tell me what the defaults were and what this custom option is even for it would be much appreciated. I'm working on a fairly high end new computer, and the images display fine when viewed in all other programs. I'm tryingto get the highest quality images as possible for output to a dvd to play on a widescreen tv at an anniversary party. If someone could explain about the jaggies and what can be done to prevent it in ProShow Gold that would also be much appreciated.

Thank you...

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 1670
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:50 am
Location: Idaho

Re: Aspect

Postby MG - Admin » Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:31 pm

Someone is going to pop in and give you a more detailed response, but here's a quick answer:

Setting the aspect ratio for the show does not affect the quality of the images. It only tells the software at what aspect ratio to display them when creating the DVD, EXE, etc. Setting the option to 1024 x 768 is the same as choosing 4:3 aspect ratio.

Shows played off of a DVD will never be as good as what you can view via your PC. Your monitor is able to handle much more resolution. The best thing to do is work with images that are of a resolution large enough to be displayed in your shows without being stretched to fit. If you are going to be doing any zooming, make sure your image is large enough so that when you do zoom in it doesn't become pixelated.

Choosing the output resolution is far more important than the aspect ratio. They are totally separate beasts.

Hope that helps. Now the experts can chime in and give you the technical reasons behind all of it. :D

Mike

ProShow Hall of Fame
User avatar
Posts: 3143
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:42 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Aspect

Postby DickK » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:30 pm

Mike's answer is pretty complete. DVD video is pretty low res--roughly 720x480. There's little you can do to get high quality on a TV via a DVD, except:

-- use images that have enough resolution to exceed those numbers when zoomed
-- use the highest quality settings in the ProShow output menu

If you've done both of those, then the images should look good on the TV (assuming some things about the TV) but they'll never look as good on the TV as they on the computer monitor.

Dick
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle ((PSG, PSE & Fuji HS20 user)) Presentation Impact Blog

realeimages

Re: Aspect

Postby realeimages » Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:59 am

Thank you so VERY MUCH for your input! What a releife to have found this site... and hey... who knows.. maybe at some point I'll have something helpful for someone(which seems like wishful thinking at this point though ;) ).

Thank you both again!

realeimages

Re: Aspect

Postby realeimages » Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:02 am

Actually... one more quick question. Does it matter if you use some tiff and some jpeg images... or should you convert all of your images to the same format.. and if so which one would be better for producing the highest quality results??

Again... the help is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

realeimages

Re: Aspect

Postby realeimages » Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:17 am

Yeah.. sorry... just me again(hoping that I don't get to be a pain in the neck here) but another basic question:

Is there a limit to the length that a slideshow can be (time wise) or a limit to the number of images/slides that you can use in PSG? I know that the longer and more intense a show obviously the more strain it will put on the computer and the rendering process... but aside from that... is there a limit to the time legnth or number of slides?

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 1670
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:50 am
Location: Idaho

Re: Aspect

Postby MG - Admin » Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:54 am

There is no time limit or image limit. Basically it's all up to how much your pc can handle. Depending on the content of the show, it might be best to break it up into chapters. Even if the show is about you, you would probably grow tired after a period of time and be less likely to pay attention all the way through. Breaking it up keeps your attention span fresh.

You can use as many different types of files as you'd like. It doesn't matter if they are all the same or different. TIFF files tend to be huge, so it's just more work for the processor to handle them, but it's up to you if you want to continue to use them.

realeimages

Re: Aspect

Postby realeimages » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:04 am

Thank you for your answers... they are very helpful! I'm trying to do a 50th anniversary slideshow starting from images of both the bride and groom from when they were children.. when they met in high school... and on throughout their lives and into their marriage and honeymoon...and then into their children and grandchildren. It has to be something that can be played during the anniversary celebration without any interaction. If you divide it up into chapters... is there a way have one chapter play consecutively after another. I wonder if that would be a better way to do this.... divide it up into different chapters. It certainly would make the desiging of it easier because of the transitioning from the historical images of the two of them when they were young throughout their childhoods and the background and music that I want to use for that - to the more romantic and sentimental wedding and honeymoon part background, theme and music.

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 1670
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:50 am
Location: Idaho

Re: Aspect

Postby MG - Admin » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:34 am

You can add several chapters onto one DVD and then have it "play all" so they play as one long show.

Mike

realeimages

Re: Aspect

Postby realeimages » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:44 am

I think that is what I am going to do. I've been doing small tests with it today. Thanks again.

Return to PSG - Tips & Tricks

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests