Freeware to mix photos & music & video to create a DVD slide show

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:56:52 -0500, J. Clarke wrote:

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/comp...rn-wmv-to-dvd/

Aha! It's clearly stated here, but not on Microsoft's pages, that Microsoft
Windows XP Movie Maker does NOT create DVD-format data (even if that
non-DVD-format data can be placed on a DVD disc).

Here's what your reference said:
"There is no option in Windows Movie Maker to burn your finished movie
(WMV) to a DVD. Windows Movie Maker only lets you burn it to a CD! Now
that¢s just plain wrong. So in order to burn the WMV file to a DVD, you
have to use a couple of free third party programs to get the job done."

The reference said to use DVD Flick freeware plus ImgBurn freeware, both of
which I'm familiar with. DVD Flick is great but often takes forever and
often fails on me while ImgBurn is also great (an offshoot of the venerable
if misspelled DVDDecrypter program of late).

But, I am looking for a Sonic MyDVD replacement which is a program that
takes:
INPUT = JPEG + MP3 + MOV/MPEG/AVI/WMV/etc
OUTPUT = 4.7GB VOB + IFO

Since I'd rather find a single freeware program that inputs JPEG pictures,
MP3 songs, and MOV/MPEG home videos, and outputs single-layer (4.7GB)
DVD-format data (VOBs and IFOs)..,.....

I'm now looking at the only viable suggestion left, which is ...
PhotoStage SlideShow Producer, version 1.12 (http://www.nchsoftware.com/)

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:03:02 -0800, Bill Wells
wrote:

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:17:23 +1000, miskairal wrote:

Try a great piece of freeware from Microsoft (gasp!).
Photostory 3.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...y/default.mspx

I don't think you can burn to DVD with this though, or perhaps not very
good quality? I found this when I went to download it months ago....

Alas. According to papajohn ...
"To get movies to standard DVDs, users have to use other disc authoring and
burning software [than Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2.1]
REF: http://www.papajohn.org/AboutMovieMaker.html

Yet, according to Microsoft ...
"You can save a Windows Movie Maker project to a high-quality video file,
and then burn (or write) that file to a DV"
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...savetodvd.mspx

Does anyone use Microsoft Windows Move Maker 2.1 on Windows XP who can tell
us who is right? Does Microsoft Movie Maker 2.1 create a DVD that we can
play on a TV from a normal DVD player or not?

It depends on WHICH version of Windows Vista you have. The Business
version does NOT support burning DVD's directly with included Windows
software (expect data DVD's) however both the Home Premium and Ultra
versions include something called DVD Maker which sadly is more crap
from which you are suppose to be able to take Movie Maker projects and
convert to compliant DVD format using DVD Maker. Since I have the
business version of Vista I can't offer how well or if it actually
works well enough for serious use. I'll bet it doesn't support
chapters or anything advanced, typical of Microsoft. Read note at
bottom.

Hint: To make a COMPLIANT DVD (that should play on just about any
free standing DVD player) you need to start with a MPEG-2 file (files)
as the primary source. This is the END product AFTER you've finished
all your video editing work. The generated MPEG-2 files are the SOURCE
from which a DVD image is made. A task many applications can handle,
however "free" software and cheapware cut corners and leave off
important and often needed features/tools resulting in Mickey Mouse
results.

The hitch is few packages allow for anything except for a CRUDE menu
system UNLESS they are sold as TRUE DVD Authoring software. Other
software while feature rich ignores established specs and guidelines
resulting in the produced DVD NOT playing on many free standing
players or skipping or stalling during playback.

For a true commercial like home brew DVD you need DVD Authoring
software which adds Chapters, motion menu choices, sub titles, etc..
which was why I started by mentioning Sony's line of authoring
software. One package does it all from initial video editing to DVD
Authoring and very well.

I use their full blown Vegas Pro and their DVD Architect, however the
lessor version labeled under Studio is based on Vegas and has many of
the professional features at a much lower price then the full package.
Notes:

Confusion rules in video where you're first starting out. Many terms
are interchangeable and common terms can be confusing and misleading.

Take "burning" a DVD. Windows Visa can "burn" a DVD. That simply means
you can copy files to a blank DVD and they can be played back on a
computer. So you could "burn" a AVI or MPEG or other video formats and
as long as the computer you play it back on has the necessary CODEC to
decompress the video... it will play. Such DVD's are commonly called
"DATA" DVD's simply because all the software does is COPY the files
which is why they should play on a computer, but won't on a free
standing DVD player hooked up to a TV or on the newer portable DVD
players.

True DVD "burning" involves converting the source file (typically a
MPEG-2) into a format ANY DVD player can understand. This is usually a
two step process special software (DVD Authoring) or common software
packages like Nero or Roxio can handle. The rub is while products like
Nero and Roxio can handle simple drag and drop and you can make a
crude DVD by this method it leaves a lot to be desired and few are
satisfied with the end result. I sure wasn't.

True DVD Burning takes a compliant (MPEG-2) file for each video and
first strips the audio portion and converts the MPEG-2 steam into AC3
format or another format the DVD player can read, the de facto DVD
standard for audio is AC3. Then it makes a "image" file (actual
several) one for each video and the menu. These are the various VOB
and BUP files you'll see inside the Video_TS folder on a DVD.

The downside is unless you use true DVD Authoring software your
finished DVD will be hard to navigate or force some ugly cookie cutter
style menu which you'll probably hate.

Real DVD Authoring involves letting YOU decide what images to use on
the menu, it's background, decide if or not you want background music
for the menu system, build a sub menu system, be able to animate the
thumbnails for each menu object, have an animated background, decide
when it starts to play/stop, add a introduction that branches, etc.,
if or not to repeat how/when to jump back to the main/sub menu, jump
to other sections automatically, add sub titles, alternate language
supports, etc., all the things you've seen and come to expect on
commercial DVD's.

The bottom line is simply this... if you are SERIOUS about making
DVD's and plan on doing more than a few a year avoid the heartburn and
headaches and invest in decent DVD Authoring/Editing software now,
because you'll buy it later anyway if you're anything close to a
perfectionist.

Yeah... I'm serious, been doing it even since there were burnable
DVD's and I've made over a 1,000. I've tried just about every software
package there is and NOTHING beats Sony's line. Nothing at any price.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:57:23 -0800, Bill Wells
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:48:20 -0500, tony cooper wrote:

Don't assume, though, that the DVD will play on any DVD player
connected to the TV. Some DVD players will not play a computer-made
DVD regardless of what program created the DVD.

Aha! I just realized that, from the "fine print" at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...savetodvd.mspx

So, for my purpose, that drops Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2.1 off the
list of programs that can create DVD-format ouput data out of home movies
and photographs that can play on anyone's DVD player attached to their TV
once burned to a DVD disc.

I don't think you understand. *Any* program that creates a file that
will be burned to a DVD may not result in a DVD that will not play on
a particular DVD player. It's a *not* problem with MovieMaker or
Picture Story 3; it's a problem with the compatibility of the DVD
player and a DVD burned on a computer.


I'm not worried, once I have DVD data, how to burn to a DVD disc because
I'll use ImgBurn freeware to create the DVD-disc - but to have to convert
the data from the output of the Microsoft program (using something like DVD
Flick freeware or equivalent) is just too much.

Any program advertised to make DVDs out of home pictures and movies should
output DVD-format data!

They do. However, any DVD player will not play the DVDs.

Sigh. I'll start looking at the other suggested programs to see if any of
them create DVD-format output data from home movies + pictures slide shows.

The only way to find out for sure is to make a DVD slideshow on
MovieMaker and try it on your DVD player that is attached to your TV.
Even then, you won't know if it will play on someone else's DVD player
attached to their TV.


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

Bill Wells wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:48:20 -0500, tony cooper wrote:

Don't assume, though, that the DVD will play on any DVD player
connected to the TV. Some DVD players will not play a
computer-made
DVD regardless of what program created the DVD.

Aha! I just realized that, from the "fine print" at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...savetodvd.mspx

So, for my purpose, that drops Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2.1 off
the list of programs that can create DVD-format ouput data out of
home movies and photographs that can play on anyone's DVD player
attached to their TV once burned to a DVD disc.

If it has to play on ANYONE's then you simply can't do it with a
computer. This has nothing to do with the software. Some DVD players
won't play a DVD+R no matter how it was burned. A few won't play a
DVD-R no matter how it was burned. A few just plain don't like
anything but a factory-pressed DVD. Some are even picky about brands.

I'm not worried, once I have DVD data, how to burn to a DVD disc
because I'll use ImgBurn freeware to create the DVD-disc - but to
have to convert the data from the output of the Microsoft program
(using something like DVD Flick freeware or equivalent) is just too
much.

Any program advertised to make DVDs out of home pictures and movies
should output DVD-format data!

Sigh. I'll start looking at the other suggested programs to see if
any of them create DVD-format output data from home movies +
pictures
slide shows.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:25:30 -0800, Bill Wells
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:56:52 -0500, J. Clarke wrote:

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/comp...rn-wmv-to-dvd/

Aha! It's clearly stated here, but not on Microsoft's pages, that Microsoft
Windows XP Movie Maker does NOT create DVD-format data (even if that
non-DVD-format data can be placed on a DVD disc).

Here's what your reference said:
"There is no option in Windows Movie Maker to burn your finished movie
(WMV) to a DVD. Windows Movie Maker only lets you burn it to a CD! Now
that’s just plain wrong. So in order to burn the WMV file to a DVD, you
have to use a couple of free third party programs to get the job done."

The reference said to use DVD Flick freeware plus ImgBurn freeware, both of
which I'm familiar with. DVD Flick is great but often takes forever and
often fails on me while ImgBurn is also great (an offshoot of the venerable
if misspelled DVDDecrypter program of late).

But, I am looking for a Sonic MyDVD replacement which is a program that
takes:
INPUT = JPEG + MP3 + MOV/MPEG/AVI/WMV/etc
OUTPUT = 4.7GB VOB + IFO

Since I'd rather find a single freeware program that inputs JPEG pictures,
MP3 songs, and MOV/MPEG home videos, and outputs single-layer (4.7GB)
DVD-format data (VOBs and IFOs)..,.....

I'm now looking at the only viable suggestion left, which is ...
PhotoStage SlideShow Producer, version 1.12 (http://www.nchsoftware.com/)

There is no such thing as "DVD-format data". A blank DVD is simply the
media or canvas on which data is placed. The hardware that READS the
DVD determines if or not it can be first uncompressed then if so,
played. This is an internal process beyond your control. Success
depends on which type/number of Laser heads your DVD player has, what
bitrate the DVD has been encoded at and also if the files are
"compliant" meaning their conform to an established specification.
Surprise, making a true video DVD capable of playing on nearly any
player using too high a bitrate will crash many DVD players or cause
them to do strange thing. Anything from stuttering to dropped audio,
out of sync problems or flat out not playing at all. Thus a common
beginner mistake, trying to encode the DVD at the highest possible
bitrate in the mistaken assumption it means you'll end up with a
better quality DVD is what undoes many amateur DVD hobbyists.

Surprise two, much, actually most freeware video software is
G A R B A G E. Three exceptions EVERYONE doing video work should have
in their toolbox listed below.

MUST HAVE

VirtualDub (will "fix" many broken/damaged vids) by repairing,
replacing missing index files and in a pinch allowing you to open
files other video editors simply won't touch. You create a
uncompressed AVI, then use that as your source file in your favorite
editor.

Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder (way better than Movie Maker) only a
encoder, not a editor, but again will open and repair and convert some
file types like VirtualDub, allowing you to create a clean Windows
Media file (WMV)that then can be operated on in your favorite editor.
This can open Real Media, (RM)DivX and most Mpeg-4 files other
software won't.

GSpot (tells you WHICH CODEC on your system can play the file)

My time is worth way more than saving a few bucks. Geez, if you're
mainly doing DVD's for some team... pass the hat if the minor expense
of getting decent software is the issue. Freeware editing software
simply doesn't cut it, above exceptions excluded. They often lack
necessary features and will drive you nuts. That's my over 15 years
experience burning DVD's and before that CD's is telling you.

Depending on brand/model a DVD player can read many file types
directly including common still image file types like JPG. The issue
becomes WHICH DVD player is being used, what media, is it DVD-R or
DVD+, DVD ROM, not as big a issue as it once was, but still a issue.

The issue is while some DVD players can open non standard file types
and play them we're no longer talking about a true Video DVD. For that
you must begin with a true MPEG-2 file. The key is to use editing
software that READS any video/audio file like MP3, Mpeg-1, Mpeg-2,3,4,
MOV, RM, AVI, stills like Jpg, TIff, etc.. The mark of a GOOD
application is it doesn't care what the file type or frame size or
bitrate is. It should accept anything and everything in mixed order on
the timeline THEN convert that mixed up mess to MPEG-2 with the click
of a single button.

Visit VideoHelp.com. A wealth of how-to, tutorials, rankings for
everything CD/DVD, from burners to players to specifics on editing.

A GOOD software package will take ANYTHING video or audio you throw at
it and accept it on the timeline and in mixed order THEN produce a DVD
compliant file. This is not the end of your DVD burning exercise,
rather the beginning. Instead of worrying about VOB's and IFO's you
should simply BUY decent software and let IT handle the details.
People looking for FREE software often end up shooting themselves in
the foot and wasting much time and effort and in the end ending up
with garbage and a bad case of heartburn. Been there, done that too.

Your TIME should be invested in making the videos and resulting DVD's
BETTER, ie adding special effects, improving quality and smart
editing, not wasting time fiddling around try to get the dorky
software to do what it's suppose to do. That's how I spend my time.
99% doing the above, and 1% actually doing the DVD burning... that
once you do it CORRECTLY a few times should be and IS a piece of
cake... with the RIGHT software!

If you goal is to hand out/sell DVD to your team, friends, whatever,
then making FULLY COMPLIANT DVD's that play on ANY DVD player should
be your goal. Otherwise you will end up with hit or miss results with
many not being able to play the DVD's you create on THEIR players and
of course you'll be blamed or labeled as clueless. So start with
DECENT software that follow the "rules" and you avoid all the negative
issues.

-FORTE- tony cooper wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:57:23 -0800, Bill Wells
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:48:20 -0500, tony cooper wrote:

Don't assume, though, that the DVD will play on any DVD player
connected to the TV. Some DVD players will not play a computer-made
DVD regardless of what program created the DVD.
Aha! I just realized that, from the "fine print" at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...savetodvd.mspx

So, for my purpose, that drops Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2.1 off the
list of programs that can create DVD-format ouput data out of home movies
and photographs that can play on anyone's DVD player attached to their TV
once burned to a DVD disc.

I don't think you understand. *Any* program that creates a file that
will be burned to a DVD may not result in a DVD that will not play on
a particular DVD player. It's a *not* problem with MovieMaker or
Picture Story 3; it's a problem with the compatibility of the DVD
player and a DVD burned on a computer.


I'm not worried, once I have DVD data, how to burn to a DVD disc because
I'll use ImgBurn freeware to create the DVD-disc - but to have to convert
the data from the output of the Microsoft program (using something like DVD
Flick freeware or equivalent) is just too much.

Any program advertised to make DVDs out of home pictures and movies should
output DVD-format data!

They do. However, any DVD player will not play the DVDs.

Sigh. I'll start looking at the other suggested programs to see if any of
them create DVD-format output data from home movies + pictures slide shows.

The only way to find out for sure is to make a DVD slideshow on
MovieMaker and try it on your DVD player that is attached to your TV.
Even then, you won't know if it will play on someone else's DVD player
attached to their TV.

Maybe take the output from Photo Story 3 and run it through DVDFlick:

http://www.dvdflick.net/

--
John Corliss BS206. I use nFilter to block all Google Groups posts
because of Googlespam. No ad, cd, commercial, cripple, demo, dotnet,
nag, share, spy, time-limited, trial or web wares OR warez for me, please.

-FORTE- wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:29:25 -0800, Bill Wells
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 09:54:47 -0000, CJY wrote:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/
Wow. This is a great head start.

Don't settle for some plain no frills package that only makes blah
slideshows when for the same price or less you can create full
featured videos and professional level DVD's with full chapter
support, motion menu, etc., plus great looking slideshows that allow
tons of special effects including the "Ken Burns effect" ie
pan/crop/zoom to bring your still images to life by adding motion.

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/...udiofamily.asp

Don't know what the "Ken Burns" effect often seen in documentaries and
other commercial presentations is?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Burns_Effect

Yeah, I know, Movie Maker offers a crude version, but little actual
control of the cropping or zoom/pan which makes all the difference.

But that's not freeware, and you're cross-posting into the
alt.comp.freeware newsgroup.

--
John Corliss BS206. I use nFilter to block all Google Groups posts
because of Googlespam. No ad, cd, commercial, cripple, demo, dotnet,
nag, share, spy, time-limited, trial or web wares OR warez for me, please.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:57:01 -0800, John Corliss wrote:

Maybe take the output from Photo Story 3 and run it through DVDFlick:
http://www.dvdflick.net/

I've created 4.7GB DVD-format DVDs out of home video AVIs very many times
so I'm aptly aware of DVD Flick.

DVD Flick is a wonderful program, easy to use, and easy to create
DVD-format VOB & IFO files, all the while mixing the audio nicely (most of
the time) and creating automatic chapters, etc.

However, DVD Flick freeware is sllllllllooooooooooowwwwwwwwww on my laptop
and sometimes creates a video which has the sound off by a second or two
and it sometimes just hangs forever (8 hours or more). So, if I can help
it, I have no intention of adding an extra encoding step.

I don't want this to sound like an indictment of DVD Flick. DVD Flick is a
great program (I love the ease of use). I just don't want to run an
additional decoder.

I do understand DVDs rather well, for a layman, so, I do know what I'm
talking about when I say that the Microsoft products lie when they imply
they create DVDs. Sure, you can put ANYTHING on a DVD and call it a DVD,
but, it won't play in your average DVD player unless what you put on that
DVD are DVD-format files (i.e., VIDEO_TS/{*.VOB,*.IFO}.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:03:30 -0500, tony cooper wrote:

I don't think you understand. *Any* program that creates a file that
will be burned to a DVD may not result in a DVD that will not play on
a particular DVD player. It's a *not* problem with MovieMaker or
Picture Story 3; it's a problem with the compatibility of the DVD
player and a DVD burned on a computer.

Hi Tony,
I think I understand, but, maybe I don't so I'll explain what I understand
and others can more clearly tell me where I am mistaken.

Here's what I've understood ever since DVD media came out:
- You can put ANYTHING on DVD media ...
- But that doesn't mean your average DVD player will play it ...
- Your average DVD plays

So what does your average DVD player play?
- Most play only DVD-format files (IFO & VOB)
- That means a mandatory VIDEO_TS at the top level (& optionally AUDIO_TS)
- The AUDIO_TS folder is generally empty; the files are all in VIDEO_TS
- In the VIDEO_TS folder are the mandatory IFO (information) files
- You can read those IFO files with IFOedit freeware
- In the VIDEO_TS folder are also VOB files (these are your video objects)
- Essentially the IFO files act like a table of contents to the VOB files
- Inside the VOB files are generally MPEG-2 encoded video streams
- The audio streams inside the VOB are generally MPEG-1 encoded
- The BUP (backup) files are just for the IFOs in case they're damaged
.... etc...

I can go on but the point is that I do think I understand the basics of
what DVD-format data looks like, whether or not it's stored on DVD media.

SUMMARY:
If you're saying Microsoft Windows Movie Maker or Microsoft Picture Story 3
directly outputs these DVD-format files, then I stand corrected.
- VIDEO_TS\{VIDEO_TS.IFO,VTS_O1_0.IFO,VTS_01_0.BUP,e tc.}

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:20:46 -0500, J. Clarke wrote:

If it has to play on ANYONE's then you simply can't do it with a
computer. This has nothing to do with the software. Some DVD players
won't play a DVD+R no matter how it was burned. A few won't play a
DVD-R no matter how it was burned. A few just plain don't like
anything but a factory-pressed DVD. Some are even picky about brands.

Hi John,

OK. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you 'cuz you're the second person to tell me
that Microsoft Windows MovieMaker does output DVD-Video format DVDs ... so,
well, so I must be doing something wrong then. Let it be stated I KNOW not
every DVD player plays every DVD-Video format DVD, even brand new DVD-Video
format DVDs. We all know that.

In fact, as you noted, some DVD media is so crappy, it won't even burn
properly no matter what you put on it (see this chart for the crappy ones):
http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

All I'm saying is that the Microsoft products don't seem to directly output
4.7GB DVD-Video format files (either NTSC or PAL). Simply stated, if
Microsoft tools don't directly output a top-level VIDEO_TS directory
containing video object (VOB) and information (IFO) files, then the
Microsoft products don't output DVD-Video data suitable to play on your
average DVD player.

Now maybe I'm wrong. And, if I am, I'll be glad 'cuz that means I can use
the Microsoft product so please clarify for me.

MY QUESTION:
Are you saying Microsoft Windows Movie Maker outputs DVD-Video format data?
(i.e., does MovieMaker create VIDEO_TS\{VIDEO_TS.IFO,VIDEO_TS.VOB} files?)