Best alternative to Proshow Producer

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Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby harpo » Sun Oct 14, 2018 3:22 pm

I have owned Proshow since it’s inception and over the years I invested a lot of money upgrading and owning all the Style Packs.

I have never been able to understand why Photodex support couldn’t at least be more supportive and answering some problems from the forum. (probably not enough staff)

I have used the Photodex support to help me with problems and they have answered them very well, at the same time being very guarded as to what information they give.

I am now producing all my picture shows in 4K and I’m going back through all my 1080p picture shows and doing them in 4K because of the quality. (I have saved all the .psh files along the way to be able to do this easily)

My question is, if it is as some say, “Proshow is on the skids”, (all good things come to an end) what is an alternative program, which runs on Mac or Windows, is 64bit including video.

Proshow is a great program and I would hate to see it go, therefore I ask anyone who reads this thread to put in a ticket to Photodex support and ask what is the future of the program going forward, just maybe we can get an answer

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby harpo » Sun Oct 14, 2018 3:49 pm

I have sent the message above to Photodex.

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Jeep » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:01 pm

Hi Harpo

The end of ProShow is not acted, the Photodex situation is not at its best but we may have good hopes for ProShow future according to the few infos I have.
As alternative you should direct your searchs towards NLE software. One of the best ones may be found free : Da Vinci Resolve 15. It has not the same interface but it covers many of the needs of people using ProShow. You may also keep your energy continuing to use ProShow which remains the reference in slideshow software, this is my opinion.
Jean-Pierre
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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby RACAPE » Mon Oct 15, 2018 4:58 am

I've used PSP for years now but find the need to create 4K . Do any alternatives have similar slide styles and transition effects?
Really hope a 64bit version appears as the thought of learning a new program does not appeal!
Thanks
Robert

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Jeep » Mon Oct 15, 2018 6:29 am

Robert, you can create 4K shows with ProShow, the only problem that may occur is the 32 bit memory limitation but it's possible, I've done it without any problem.
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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby RACAPE » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:48 am

Thanks for the quick reply.
Yes I have managed to create 4k videos but only for relatively simple shows. If I try to get too complicated PSP shuts down! Just wondered if there were other options that are as good.
Thanks
Robert

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby harpo » Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:52 pm

RACAPE wrote:Thanks for the quick reply.
Yes I have managed to create 4k videos but only for relatively simple shows. If I try to get too complicated PSP shuts down! Just wondered if there were other options that are as good.
Thanks
Robert


Hi Robert,

Just to reassure you about 32bit, I have just gone back through 100 only, MP4, 1080p Proshow Producer picture shows and converted them to 4K.

Where I had shut down problems it was because of a particular slide style having to many layers. Anything over about 15 layers may cause problems and using the Wizard may also select styles with to many layers.

To give you an example, I have just come back from a holiday in Europe and I produced a 4K picture show with 243 images. The picture show runs for 37 minutes, each jpeg image is 2meg and the show itself is 5.3GB.

Another thing that may come into the equation is the spec of your computer.

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby RACAPE » Fri Oct 19, 2018 1:15 am

harpo wrote:
RACAPE wrote:Thanks for the quick reply.
Yes I have managed to create 4k videos but only for relatively simple shows. If I try to get too complicated PSP shuts down! Just wondered if there were other options that are as good.
Thanks
Robert


Hi Robert,

Just to reassure you about 32bit, I have just gone back through 100 only, MP4, 1080p Proshow Producer picture shows and converted them to 4K.

Where I had shut down problems it was because of a particular slide style having to many layers. Anything over about 15 layers may cause problems and using the Wizard may also select styles with to many layers.

To give you an example, I have just come back from a holiday in Europe and I produced a 4K picture show with 243 images. The picture show runs for 37 minutes, each jpeg image is 2meg and the show itself is 5.3GB.

Another thing that may come into the equation is the spec of your computer.


Thanks for reply and advice. I don't use the wizard but do have some styles with a large number of layers. I too have started to convert previous shows to 4K - I'll just have to be careful!

Computer spec. should be ok - fast processor, 24GB ram and reasonable graphics card. I am interested to know your frame rates and bitrate settings.

Regards

Robert

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby harpo » Fri Oct 19, 2018 2:22 pm

Hi Robert,

As for the frame rate and bitrate settings, I just let Proshow look after that for me.

Kind regards,

John

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Lin Evans » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:44 am

My opinion is that the best alternative to Proshow Producer is PicturesToExe (PTE). There have been some misleading statements about PicturesToExe by Prowhow users who don't understand what PicturesToExe can do so I would like to set the record straight. PTE has a different emphasis than Proshow Producer, but it is a VERY, VERY powerful software which can do many things not possible with Producer. PTE is the unquestioned choice of professional audio-visual slideshow competition winners world-wide. More winning professional slideshows have been made world-wide with PTE than with ANY other product. PTE was launched before Proshow Producer or Proshow Gold and has been steadily improved since its inception. A full MacIntosh 64 bit version is on the horizon and due to launch in 2019. This will be followed by a 64 bit Windows version and even the 32 bit windows version will support 4 gigabyte executable files. It has strong video support and can use video as a seamless background for sequencing still images, something not possible with Producer. There have been many questions on our Enthusiasts forum about how to do things with Producer which are simple with PTE but I have not commented on because this is a Proshow forum.

To answer some of your questions. Yes it has styles, and the user can also create their own unlimited numbers of styles and unlimited numbers of custom transitions. It has unlimited layers. Shows have been made with "thousands" of layers". It also has a hierarchical construct meaning parent/child/grandchild, etc., relationship. It has a much, much more powerful 3D transform engine than producer which allows intricate constructs not possible with Producer.

To give you and example of something which "can" be done with PicturesToExe which is not possible with Producer, several years ago I created a show having a zooming, rotating isocahedron (20 sided geometrical construct) and on each facet of this zooming rotating construct were tiny video screens simultaneously playing videos. There were three thousand six hundred and twenty real tiny video screens simultaneously playing different video selections. While this was displaying other animations were playing in the background.

No, most will not even want to do these kind of things, but the software allows you to be as creative as you wish to be.

I'm hoping that Producer is not dead and that it continues to evolve and that a MacIntosh and 64 bit version will be forthcoming. Competition is good for both Producer and for PicturesToExe. But people who have little or no real knowledge of what the competition can or can't do need to temper their opinions and not make unwarranted assertions. You asked for alternatives - my suggestion is to go to the PicturesToExe forum or to the Wnsoft.com website or to the PicturesToExe Facebook group and see what is possible and draw your own conclusions. I will provide links below and welcome anyone who want to explore alternatives to investigate the possibilities for themselves. I will also post a link to a YouTube demo of some of the things PTE can do for anyone interested:

Best regards,

Lin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1_q7XdSjvI (sample of some things possible)

http://www.wnsoft.com (link to PicturesToExe site)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/picturestoexefans/ (facebook group)
Last edited by Lin Evans on Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:34 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Jeep » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:33 am

Lin you are still equal to yourself and are always ready to promote PTE as the best slideshow program. The only difference is that ProShow can do something else than slideshows : real audiovisual productions that's not the same job at all. You try to demonstrate that PTE can have 3D outputs although you use a 2D program !! Then you can't have any 3D output either with PTE or ProShow, call that 2 1/2 D but not 3D.

The great difference between PTE and ProShow are their users and their final outputs. ProShow is preferably used for professionnal productions. I personnally use ProShow in production of d-Cinema movies. For that, I import a lossless image format (JPEG2000) on the timeline in any resolution. This gives me the ability to export in MPEG-4 AVC format with a very low CRF value very near of uncompressed format to be converted in DCP in the best quality ever. I can burn directly Blu-rays, I have also a huge free music library at my disposal, ... All these features are not present or impossible in PTE (PTE doesn't import in JPEG2000, has no direct Blu-ray burning process and has no music library).

Once we have said that, each one will use the software which gives him the best result.
Cordially

Jean-Pierre
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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Lin Evans » Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:02 am

Jeep, you need to learn a bit more about what is and what is not possible with competitive products. You have made unwarranted assertions about a product you obviously know little about.

The poster asked for information on alternatives and I gave him the links to see for himself. Now you want to argues silly things like 3D and what you call "2 1/2 D" As I said PTE has 3D Transforms. I did not say it was a 3D program. Let viewers decide for themselves. I said it can do things not possible with Producer and that's an entirely accurate description as anyone who watches the demonstration can plainly see.

I demonstrated a rotating, zooming three dimensional icosahedron with 3,620 tiny video screens simultaneously playing video. If you believe you can do that with Proshow Producer, please demonstrate it. I can't do it with Producer and neither can you. I demonstrated multiple three dimensional constructs in my example. Do you have an example showing this with Producer? I can play seamless video as a background for sequencing still images with PTE. I can't do that with Producer.

PTE is the most used product in your own country for audio/visual competitions and is the product used by the vast majority of contest winners in audio/visual production worldwide. No PTE doesn't support JPEG2000 and Producer doesn't support hierarchical constructs. As I said, they have a different emphasis.

We could go on and on about the differences between Producer and PTE but the point was that the original poster wanted a suggestion for an alternative and my suggestion was PTE. I use Producer, PTE, mObjects, as well as Wings Platinum. If you want a "real" product for professional productions and have a couple thousand dollars or the equivalent in other currency then buy Wings Platinum. It's far, far, far more powerful than Producer or PTE but it costs perhaps 15 time as much.

I agree. "Once we have said that, each one will use the software which gives him the best result." So what is your software for an alternative to Producer? That was the original poster's question. Again, I hope Photodex survives and that a 64 bit version and a MacIntosh version are forthcoming. Competition is good for both products. But in the event it doesn't, my suggestion for an alternative is still PTE which will have a 64 bit full MacIntosh version release next year and also a full 64 bit Windows version following.

Best regards,

Lin

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Jeep » Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:32 am

Lin we could discuss indefinitely on what PTE or ProShow do and what they don't. About 3D, Producer CAN generate 3D images like PTE does but you CAN'T call that 3D production because you use a 2D program these are only 3D representations. Frankly, who needs an icosahedron in a production it's very fair in a demo but you can't promote it as something easy to build or to use in a documentary. If you need 3D objects use BluffTitler instead. Blu-ray burning, high quality images import and huge integrated music library is much more important in production.
In ProShow 9 hierarchy has been added and relationships parent/child are now possible. Anyway, if I had to choose an alternate to ProShow, I'll go towards a NLE software like Da Vinci (freeware or pro version) or Vegas.
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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Lin Evans » Sun Oct 21, 2018 10:16 am

No Jeep,

Producer CAN NOT generate 3D images like PTE does. Show me an equivalent to the icosahedron or to the rubick's cube demo. Please - if Producer can do it just show me one single example! You want an icosahedron with an image on each side? Provide me with 20 images and I'll create one for you in 20 seconds with PTE. The problem is, as I have said, you are talking about things you really have no knowledge of. Sorry to be blunt, but there is no other way to say it. If you seriously knew what PicturesToExe could do you would not make this silly statement.

Saying "who need an icosahedron in a production" is a cop out. Maybe someone does and maybe they don't. The point is that with PTE you can do it and do it very, very, very quickly and very easily if you wish to do so, and with Proshow you can't do it at all. I have and use BluffTiter, but I don't need it to make amazing amazing 3d objects which I can easily do with PTE. All software has strengths and weaknesses. NLE Video editors "can" make slideshows with still images and "can" do some animations but that's not their strength. Some presentation slideshow products can edit video but that's not their strength.

There simply is no comparison for animation capability between Proshow and PTE - PTE wins that battle hands down. I also have and use Vegas and I don't see any comparison for slideshow purposes, it's a great video editor, but for me it's no substitute for either Producer or for PTE, but that's my opinion. Producer is a great product, but if it goes away people who use it to make presentation slideshows need an alternative. You go ahead and use Da Vinci or Vegas - I'll stick to PicturesToExe.

Best regards,

Lin

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Re: Best alternative to Proshow Producer

Postby Jeep » Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:29 pm

I have no time to loose to create 3D animations with Producer. If you were more often on this forum you 'd know that some demos of cubes and other 3D anims have been done and presented in this forum but this is not my aim.

You remain centered on 3D as main advantage of PTE. Other products creating REAL 3D objects are far most useful to do that.

Surprisingly, you are silencious about more important functions found in ProShow like blu-ray burning, import of lossless images, integrated music which are more useful in broadcast productions than an icosahedron.

I do not intend to go on in this thread, I have works pending which need a professional software not a pseudo 3D program. Each one uses the software adapted to the work he undertakes. I work for professionals and my choice is ProShow. You can continue to praise PTE and its 3D functions if you want, it's your choice, not mine.

Until now the best alternate to ProShow .... remains ProShow itself.
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