Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

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Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby Span24 » Mon Mar 21, 2022 10:27 am

Friends,

New member here, longtime ProShow Gold and Producer user (since aug 2005). I remember this date because it was the first slideshow I produced for my fathers funeral.

Anyhow, I purchased many, many upgrades over the years along with lots of extensions. So like most here I was appalled to find that Photodex was going out of business. I followed the notification email and downloaded all of the extensions I owned so that I could use the software even after they went away (at least until the Operating System rendered it useless due to no updates to the product). This worked for awhile until the validation servers went down permanently shortly before I upgraded my computer and wiped the old hdd. I was not amused when I tried to install Producer only to learn that I could not validate the installation because the servers were down.

I searched for replacement software and as most of you know could not find another that made me happy as ProShow did. So, I followed the advice of the outgoing company and tried Photopia. I'm still not convinced that this was not a setup to move to a subscription based service. In any case I bought a sub, played around with Photopia Director and Producer, attempting to load the ProShow extensions and though the interface was fresh some of the extensions just did not work properly. I produced a few videos and put the product away until recently.

Last week I enabled my dormant subscription to start a new project and had a question. I went to the support forum for Photopia and found that things were slow, people were not happy, and the admin who (until about 6 months ago) had been posting and answering questions regularly was no longer present. Because they have a policy of approving each and every post many were not being approved for WEEKS! It looks to the casual observer as though the platform is struggling at best, (and like ProShow) close to being abandoned at worst.

I send a message to Photopia support (two in fact), using the 'contact us' link on the website and STILL have not received so much as a 'we got your message' response.

So, I decided to see if a workaround for ProShow had been made available. Here is where I found that workaround in the form of a large selection of PSP install files and three little files to bypass the validation and get the program working on my new Windows 10 machine! Interestingly, the install of the extensions I had purchased (and downloaded as instructed prior to Photodex shutting down) will install without contacting the validation server. It complains about it not answering but then just proceeds to install. They work perfectly just as they did a few years ago.

For the past few days I have been lurking here and seeing everything I missed when ProShow had its hayday. This makes me wish I had found this resource then. In any case it does seem as though even here there is little more content other than a few hardcore members posting updated extensions and answering posts from folks such as myself hoping to keep a dying program running for 'just one more production' or the until next Windows Update that breaks it permanently. I am however, very pleased to have found this resource and thankful for the dedicated folks working to keep it relevant.

I would like to hear others thoughts on the future of Photopia, ProShow, and this forum. Personally, I'll be running ProShow until I find consensus (here) that it cannot be revived.

Thanks again!

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby MG - Admin » Mon Mar 21, 2022 6:23 pm

I'm sorry that you only found this forum recently but am happy to know you found it! As you mentioned, there isn't much activity here, but there's a ton of resources that have been collected over the past 16 years available to pick through. Hopefully, the information is still helpful for many. It's the only reason why I still maintain and pay for the hosting that keeps it running.

I offered to run a forum for Photopia (in fact I created one that was ready to go), but the powers to be at Photopia were confident that there was no need for my services. In addition, I think the fact that the software was subscription-based turned away a lot of the folks who may have been happy to have a replacement for the ProShow software otherwise. I myself am not opposed to subscription-based software, currently subscribing to Adobe software and Epidemic Sound to name a few, but the price was way too high for me to keep my interest.

Anyhow, welcome and hope you still find the forum useful!

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby Riekelt » Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:22 am

Hey,

I think I belong to that hard-core user too. I've never really searched for other o other programs because until today I can get along just fine with the program
PSP 9.0 I bought and all the extras Photdex ( closed ) and Jennifer Clarck ( choiceslides.com ) and Udemy ( udem.com) for different PSP courses
The internet is also full of users who make their material available free of charge. Awesome.
I've had to reinstall everything several times by refreshing the computer and can still validate. I have noticed that with the same validation code I can register practically all additional supplements purchased from Photodex. I haven't needed the crack until today.
On this forum I have regularly tried to challenge visitors to participate but the returns are low.
But.... this remains THE forum for proshow for me and we hope to continue for a long time to come.

Ther are world wide still lots and lots of enthousiast users !

If you come up with topics, examples or problems, I'd be happy to read them and try to participate where possible.

A warm greeting from Holland.


( to be continued ? )
Riekelt Koffeman

WIN10 PSP 9.0
MAC OSX Photoshop / Lightroom
Foto CANON 80D

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby Riekelt » Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:29 am

and of course a special thank you to Mike from Idaho for keeping this Forum alive!
Riekelt Koffeman

WIN10 PSP 9.0
MAC OSX Photoshop / Lightroom
Foto CANON 80D

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby harpo » Thu Apr 28, 2022 10:32 pm

I second your comment Riekelt, Mike has done a sterling job keeping the forum alive.
It has been upwards of a year since I've visited the forum and it's great to see it's still standing.
I still use Proshow Producer on average about 7 hours a week.
It has never let me down at any stage since I purchased the first version of the software all those years ago.

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby Dieter » Wed May 18, 2022 8:22 am

Hello ProShowForum,
I've been using Creator for about 2 years. It's a bit further than ProShow and has some very good features. But my eyes are still crying a bit behind ProShow. It was very good software and very good support.
Creator keeps having minor bugs, I don't know where and why. ProShow also had features not found in Creator.
The support is sometimes good, sometimes Joshua doesn't answer at all. The last update was in December 2021 and we expect a new one where errors will be corrected. They also want to add GPU support, which is very important for smooth video especially.
The developers still have some work to do.
Best regards from a Creatoruser Dieter

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby john54 » Thu May 19, 2022 3:32 am

"But my eyes are still crying a bit behind ProShow."
My eyes are not. I'm still creating in Proshow and I'm not going to change it to another program because it's still the best slideshow creator I know.
Best regards John.

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby Riekelt » Sat May 21, 2022 10:56 am

john54 wrote:"But my eyes are still crying a bit behind ProShow."



I still have dry eyes to this day. Or they have to get moist from the beautiful shows I still regularly make with PS 9.0.
Ok no support, but plenty to be found on the internet. It's more surprising that everything continues to work like this after all computer moves and Windows versions. I've been stuck in win10 until today and as long as everything runs as desired "do not change anything :) "
Riekelt Koffeman

WIN10 PSP 9.0
MAC OSX Photoshop / Lightroom
Foto CANON 80D

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby dickmr » Sat May 21, 2022 5:42 pm

Last fall I reformatted my old (getting sluggish from too much stuff) computer, then re-installed it with
Windows/Browsers/Programs/etc and gave it to a friend. She loves it and it is as cool as the new one I bought.
I continue to use ProShow 9, all the time. I look at this site quite often to read anything new, but don't
often post.

Grandpa made a comment, so I just have to praise his good works! I make some of the most fantastic
videos by using his creations. People do think they are amazing. I no longer do wedding or re-union type
work, but I like fixing images and videos of vacations and tributes to great people in my life who have
passed away. One of my favorite Grandpa creations is ''out of bound'' in which I use mostly video and
move the sizes a bit. Using waves on a shore makes for a completely awesome look. My second favorite
is ''color of spring''. The swirling background is very creative, and if you put the right music to it, you
will certainly cry when mourning a friend. I made one and used ''The Rainbow Connection''. Even someone
who barely knew him shed tears the night I showed it on a big screen! So, thanks Grandpa. And like
everyone else, I'm not changing from ProShow. It took me too long to learn these things and how to include
other video programs/photo programs/title makers etc to try to add new tricks. If I try something new, then
something has to be pushed out, but I can't choose from the wonderful things in ProShow. Nothing to cry
about, I'm just not changing!!!

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby john54 » Sun May 22, 2022 5:25 am

Thank you dickmr for your kind words. Due to the lack of program support and new effects, I try to add to my projects footage made in other programs
For example background for Colors of Spring, I made in Adobe After Effects (plugin Trapcode), and for Out of Bound, I animated pictures in DP Animation Maker. Also, I convert some free After Effects projects for use in Proshow Producer and I have a lot of fun doing it. Earlier, I tried a few other slideshow makers but none satisfied me so I stayed with PSP.
Best regards John.

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby john54 » Wed May 25, 2022 12:58 pm

P.s. Recently, I did such a project. Maybe it will be useful to you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8VjGc0VsCE&t=21s

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby dickmr » Thu May 26, 2022 4:57 am

Thanks. Downloaded and unzipped already!

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Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby Riekelt » Sat May 28, 2022 1:42 am

Making a memorial is such a beautiful way to remember someone. Images in combination with appropriate and recognizable music often provide comfort.
Making memorials is an increasingly requested part of a funeral. Especially now that image and sound have become so easy for everyone.
In the past you had to make do with a few photos from an album.

I myself am often on the other side of the lifeline with my slideshow subjects, namely the birth of a baby.
I try to convert the photos of his or her first days, together with the fresh parents, into an image and an appropriate song here too. It is a nice gift to give to the new parents.

I have already made a lot of them. I picked up a lot of transitions and PS techniques here. My plan was once to turn it into a business, but what could be better than giving it away for free.... I have a lot of fun with it and still do.....

Now for a special occasion I'm putting together a quiz using PS. I haven't seen any examples myself.

My aim is to ask a few questions using photo and/or sound, music.

The slideshow will run automatically and the answers to the questions will then appear in the same way.

Open questions but also A B or C questions.
Also very fun to do.

If there is a PS user with quiz experience let me know :)

Greetings !
Riekelt Koffeman

WIN10 PSP 9.0
MAC OSX Photoshop / Lightroom
Foto CANON 80D

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Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:52 pm

Re: Photopia vs ProShow... Whats really going on?

Postby DixieReid » Mon May 30, 2022 5:12 pm

Span24 wrote:Friends,

New member here, longtime ProShow Gold and Producer user (since aug 2005). I remember this date because it was the first slideshow I produced for my fathers funeral.

Anyhow, I purchased many, many upgrades over the years along with lots of extensions. So like most here I was appalled to find that Photodex was going out of business. I followed the notification email and downloaded all of the extensions I owned so that I could use the software even after they went away (at least until the Operating System rendered it useless due to no updates to the product). This worked for awhile until the validation servers went down permanently shortly before I upgraded my computer and wiped the old hdd. I was not amused when I tried to install Producer only to learn that I could not validate the installation because the servers were down.

I searched for replacement software and as most of you know could not find another that made me happy as ProShow did. So, I followed the advice of the outgoing company and tried Photopia. I'm still not convinced that this was not a setup to move to a subscription based service. In any case I bought a sub, played around with Photopia Director and Producer, attempting to load the ProShow extensions and though the interface was fresh some of the extensions just did not work properly. I produced a few videos and put the product away until recently.

Last week I enabled my dormant subscription to start a new project and had a question. I went to the support forum for Photopia and found that things were slow, people were not happy, and the admin who (until about 6 months ago) had been posting and answering questions regularly was no longer present. Because they have a policy of approving each and every post many were not being approved for WEEKS! It looks to the casual observer as though the platform is struggling at best, (and like ProShow) close to being abandoned at worst.

I send a message to Photopia support (two in fact), using the 'contact us' link on the website and STILL have not received so much as a 'we got your message' response.

So, I decided to see if a workaround for ProShow had been made available. Here is where I found that workaround in the form of a large selection of PSP install files and three little files to bypass the validation and get the program working on my new Windows 10 machine! Interestingly, the install of the extensions I had purchased (and downloaded as instructed prior to Photodex shutting down) will install without contacting the validation server. It complains about it not answering but then just proceeds to install. They work perfectly just as they did a few years ago.

For the past few days I have been lurking here and seeing everything I missed when ProShow had its hayday. This makes me wish I had found this resource then. In any case it does seem as though even here there is little more content other than a few hardcore members posting updated extensions and answering posts from folks such as myself hoping to keep a dying program running for 'just one more production' or the until next Windows Update that breaks it permanently. I am however, very pleased to have found this resource and thankful for the dedicated folks working to keep it relevant.

I would like to hear others thoughts on the future of Photopia, ProShow, and this forum. Personally, I'll be running ProShow until I find consensus (here) that it cannot be revived.

Thanks again!


You make a good point!
Sadly, a lot of ProShow Producer users I know are getting on in years and in these harsh economic times they simply can't afford to go down the subscription based Photopia route, which is quite sad really and if they do join then need to leave if finances don't permit they are denied access to their files. Such a shame really.
Lots of users have migrated to new computers or laptops and find they can't register their products with legitimate registration codes because the Photodex activation servers are long dead in the water.
I use ProShow Producer on Windows 10 machine and Windows 11 machine and it works beautifully as always.
Photodex actually built into the software that uploading to the social media sites within the software go through Photodex then on to the social media platform so you need to publish your show to a video file (majority of sites accept .mp4).
Just a wee note if anyone needs it...
You can download ProShow Producer 9 which includes my registration activation bypassing the NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE Photodex activation servers.
I also have all the styles and packs and extras which are all FREE to download.
I also have slide styles and shows I give away for FREE on my ProShow Producer support group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/338829398351892
My website is password protected to stop unscrupulous sites hot linking to my files.
I change the password regularly and include that in my group where I also give FREE slide styles and shows as well.
The login is Username: pigletpete Password: pigletpete
Link: https://reefanddixie.com/proshow/index.html
Also, using ProShow Producer creates quite a few temporary files on the Windows system which need to be cleared out regularly, otherwise ProShow Producer has a tendency to do "funny" things.
Kind regards
Dixie

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