Topic: Redistributable Slideshow? (Read 6230 times)

benn600 · « **on:** March 10, 2008, 01:48:18 pm »

For a funeral wake held yesterday for a close relative, I put together a slideshow of around 300 pictures and 20 songs. I ran it in Media Center with 10 second delay and auto pan. Several people would like a copy of this. So what are my options? First, I could just provide the pictures on a DVD. But, is there a way to create a distributable MC slideshow? I know other programs allow this but of course I used MC and would like to continue using MC if possible. Of course it would not be the full MC, just the code to run the slideshow...which would hopefully just use pictures from a folder (file names should be embedded with CRC so you can't repurpose distributed exe for other pictures) but standalone pictures is key so they can access them. The ability to run music would be important, too. Everything shuffled!

Thanks.

Jaguu · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2008, 03:17:40 pm »

Asked for that many, many times! So far, this request has not been heard yet by J River. To extend the whole, I would like to use images from my MC library for
a. sets of screensavers
b. sets of cycling wallpapers
c. creating *.scr or *exe files to distribute on a cd/dvd (as you proposed)
d. adding some menu selection stuff and autorun feature to a distributable cd/dvd.
e. running it on a dvd player.

It would be very nice to create a playlist of images and music (or even video), create some fancy start menu and store it (with a project name) in an *exe or *scr file on external media.

Of course, there are many external tools to do that, but we manage our music, images and videos with MC12 and would like to handle such tasks directly from within MC12. There is no tool I looked at that is able to import and display MC12 tags right away. That's why they are basically useless.

KingSparta · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2008, 03:51:07 pm »

Microsoft Photo Story Creates A Movie File Of The Pictures

It is free

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx

I Don't think you can build a slideshow in Media Center 12 Without Installing Media Center.

Jaguu · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2008, 06:34:34 pm »

King,

can you import text stored in the caption or any other field of MC12 into Photo Story?

newsposter · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2008, 06:47:24 pm »

Pic2Exe is the 'class act' in audio-slideshow software.

http://www.wnsoft.com/

Have a look at the examples they host on their site.

KingSparta · « **Reply #5 on:** March 10, 2008, 07:08:24 pm »

Quote from: Jaguu on March 10, 2008, 06:34:34 pm

King,

can you import text stored in the caption or any other field of MC12 into Photo Story?

No

Pic2Exe Looks Interesting..

benn600 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2008, 02:12:47 am »

I know there are other solutions...yep. I just know everyone loved the slideshow and how it looked so was hoping to replicate the look & feel as closely as possible.

I'll be watching! Won't have a chance to compile this for a final product for more than a week. If we get no response, I'll make do with some less impressive package. Seems to me like you could have some sort of advertisement on the slideshows that run and essentially you'd be getting FREE advertisements for tens or hundreds of homes per slideshow! I know I could easily distribute 25+ copies to close family.

Marquis · « **Reply #7 on:** March 11, 2008, 04:52:30 am »

Why not record the slideshow as a movie? The free Software WMEncoder from Microsoft offers a way to record the desktop and sound into a movie. This way you would have exactly the look and feel from MC12. The only disadvantage might be, that the movie is huge. But if you convert and burn it on a DVD your slideshow can be played from any player.

cheers,
Marc

benn600 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2008, 11:04:31 am »

I don't want a DVD because the resolution is horrible. I also want to send the full images in their full resolution.

Again, 25+ free ads for MC! Come on!!! Double click:
Powered By JRiver Media Center
jrmediacenter.com

fitbrit · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2008, 01:21:52 pm »

Quote from: benn600 on March 11, 2008, 11:04:31 am

I don't want a DVD because the resolution is horrible. I also want to send the full images in their full resolution.

Again, 25+ free ads for MC! Come on!!! Double click:
Powered By JRiver Media Center
jrmediacenter.com

It may just be me, but the idea of having an ad on a slideshow that was made for someone's funeral just seems a bit...... <- enter any negative word/phrase here.

hit_ny · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2008, 02:32:28 pm »

Quote from: benn600 on March 10, 2008, 01:48:18 pm

But, is there a way to create a distributable MC slideshow? I know other programs allow this but of course I used MC and would like to continue using MC if possible.

I dont think this is a profitable path for MC to enter at all!

The market is crowded with many products that can do a far better job in this space. If you were amazed with what MC can do here, i think you have not really explored what products specialised for this task can achieve.

What's really odd about your request is that it requires a PC !

..most ppl want just a dvd they can plunk into the home theater and sit on a couch and watch.

KingSparta · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2008, 02:51:14 pm »

There is some advantages for JRiver if they do

I think They would rather concentrate on MC Windows, And Maybe A MC Linux\OS-X

benn600 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2008, 06:36:15 pm »

As far as a DVD. Not sure about you but I'm not a fan of 640x480 when I can have 1280x1024 or 2560 x 1600. In fact, it's not even worth running large format, detailed images at 640x480 INTERLACED!

darichman · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2008, 09:51:34 pm »

As far as the user is concerned, the only advantage we'd have by using MC to do this is its amazing organisation ability... choosing the photos and music etc from the library would be kinda cool. If J River was ever thinking about this, it'd be a MC13 thing...

KingSparta · « **Reply #14 on:** March 17, 2008, 08:14:39 pm »

I Was Thinking About Buying "ProShow Producer" From: http://www.photodex.com/

It Is A Bit Pricey At $249.95

hit_ny · « **Reply #15 on:** March 18, 2008, 02:22:42 am »

There you go, now that's a example of an app that specialises in slideshows.

Tho Producer is their top end product, I think you might find their Gold version more than adequate for your needs. But that company does not have its own webboard and only phone support is provided

Nevertheless, the app is so popular that users have setup their own.

KingSparta · « **Reply #16 on:** March 18, 2008, 07:35:02 pm »

Quote

There you go, now that's a example of an app that specialises in slideshows.

With My 32nd Anniversary Coming up, (I Just Reserved The Hotel Room Also, Near Wilmington, NC) I Just Took The Plunge Into ProShow Producer After Playing With It For A Week.

I Still Think JRiver Can Improve MC In The Image Presentation Area, Even If It Is Not Intended As A Professional Image Presentation Program.

hit_ny · « **Reply #17 on:** March 19, 2008, 03:13:09 am »

You say this after watching the slideshows put up by amateurs as well as professionals ? needs thier plugin to watch

..see i think MC can currently only manage maye 5-10% of the above.

If they work on it that figure becomes 15-20%, ie the most basic of slideshows. Hey if that works with the majority of ppl then fine.

But i think once ppl get a feel for it they will only ask for more effects, control etc. See where this is going

But you can get much better already, today, with other products.

When i did a slideshow project, MC was used only for the initial selection of what images+audio goes into the slideshow. It manages the media so i can find what's needed when i want it.

After spending a fair bit of time watching what others had made using that product you begin to realise, there's quite an art in making these slideshows, and you *need* as much control to achieve those effects.

Which is why i think MC would be a poor substitute here.

MC's main goal in life is playing & managing media *not* producing.

KingSparta · « **Reply #18 on:** March 19, 2008, 06:00:24 pm »

Quote

needs thier plugin to watch

No, Many Formats..

But I Did Upload A Slide Show Today.

I Think This Is Something Like JRiver Was\Is Trying To Do With http://pix01.com/

The Slide Show Is: Wrightsville Beach, NC

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?bm=158081

Jaguu · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2008, 06:37:57 am »

Quote

The Slide Show Is: Wrightsville Beach, NC

Very nice work King.

But I am thinking of something much simpler than that could be implemented in MC12. I am thinking of some user configurable templates similar to the track info visualizations. All the technology is there: Track info, visualizations, expression language, pix01 image generation.
They would only need to rework how the display of the slideshow is presented. Instead of a hard coded display, they could use a similar technology as track info. The tracks would not be audio files but image files. Using this I could easily combine slideshows with MC visualizations which would give smart effects.
Similar to track info display I could have various slideshow templates to be used for different situations (Weddings, anniversaries, parties, holidays etc.). Some additional elements like creation of a start and end page would also be welcomed. A slideshow could be composed of up to 4 html pages:

a. a menu page to select different slideshows,
b. a slide show start page (could include thumbnails),
c. the slide show page containing the current image (one or more), and similar to bios/lyrics pages in track info have subpages displaying additional tags
d. a slide show end page (here you could display a "Thank you for watching").

J River would just have to offer the technology. All the rest could be done by the users. They could create various slideshow templates and post them on the J River webpage.

benn600 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 06, 2008, 05:48:13 pm »

Just revisiting the issue. Are there any plans to consider this for MC or should I find an alternative? I like MC because it can do all this stuff and it seems like this is a vital ability. Would think with your newly added portable install you'd be more inclined and able to split off unique exe's for distribution.

benn600 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 09, 2008, 05:39:04 pm »

Okay, I just need anything to do this. Any good free suggestions? I have 3 unique uses for a program like this right now....free please.

Can Adobe Premiere (full) create the Ken Burns effect for photos? I need to author a DVD in this method. I know iMovie can.

JimH · « **Reply #22 on:** April 09, 2008, 05:47:24 pm »

Out of bounds.

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: Redistributable Slideshow? (Read 6230 times)