Issue creating slideshow DVD, it vibrates?
 

Hello. Not sure if this should go in this forum or in the general slideshow help forum, so feel free to move if it fits better there.

I found myself having to quickly create a slideshow DVD as a memorial tribute (so unfortunately time is the priority here). I have previously scanned photos both b&w and colour plus am scanning new photos; old scans range from 150 to 400dpi across a variety of scanners dating back to the HP Scanjet II, and new scans I've been doing at 400dpi (usually 4x6 photos). I also have newer digital pictures. The project consists of several distinct slideshows each with different background music.

I need to get this done quickly so need a workflow that requires a shallow learning curve. I'm using Win7x64 and found I had Corel DVD MovieFactory SE pre-installed which I discovered to be very easy to use; I also have Irfanview installed which I use regularly.

1. I burned a test run DVD and the only issue I have is that some of the images "vibrate" at the top or bottom when viewed on the TV (I do have an older tube TV, not sure if that matters). It didn't seem to follow any discernible pattern (like all the old b&w photos that were scanned as tif long ago versus scans as jpg more recently). For example, I have a 1600x1600x256 tif that was done years ago and it vibrates quite badly. Could this vibration be an artifact of the software, or something to do with the resolution or content of the images themselves? I've read through some of the forum postings here and would it be better if I resampled the images to 720x480? I know resampling is ideal but would it affect the vibration I'm noticing?

2. Is it best to resample all images to be 720x480?

3. The funeral home wants MOV, M4A, WMV, or MPEG so they can burn to disc. MovieFactory only outputs an ISO which of course can be burned to disc but for some reason they want a video file. Any logic behind that?

Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

Images are progressive.
Fine lines are "flicker" sent in progressive to the CRT
Has always been so ..... Remedy
Choose a program that a filter "Anti-Flicker" provides.

Something we had been here over 20 years ago.

Presumably, it is displayed on a modern flat screen without flickering on fine lines, try it out.

example
4 images, length set to 5 seconds and the Antiflicker filter switched on.
On Prof.interlaced control monitor absolutely no flickering to see.

Or give to create a professional your images.

Replying as I read...

DPI is a print term, and does not apply to on-screen image. Screen images are measured by pixels.
If converting to DVD, the max pixel size will be 720x480 (or 720x576 PAL).
If Blu-ray, then 1920x1080

Older tube/CRT TVs are interlaced.
Newer HDTVs are progressive.
Newer TVs can play interlaced content, but it's still shown as progressive content (upscaled and deinterlaced).

Your issue is clearly one of interlacing. Vibrating would suggest that the displayed image is bouncing between interlacing lines.

Yes, resize the images yourself. The software to create the slideshow may be doing some sort of odd interlace+downsize, which is causing the error. You just need to try this and see what happens.

The funeral home is clueless. No, that's not logical. Just burn the ISO to disc, and give that to them. Given what I'm reading here, they'll probably just screw it up by re-converting the already (now lossy MPEG) digital signal, if you give them what they ask for. There's no reason for that.

FYI: M4A is audio. It's MPEG-4 wrapper audio, and can be anything: MP3, AAC, AC3, etc. So to request "video" in that format is truly dumb.

If you have more questions, we'll be here. :)

Much appreciated, Goldwingfahrer and lordsmurf. Working fast so not able to answer as thoroughly as I would otherwise. I'm testing out resizing images and some options in the software. I do have the following options:

MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 7000 kbps)
LPCM Audio, 48000 Hz, Stereo

and it does have "anti-flicker filter" checked ON.

Thanks again.

-- merged --

Success. I batch resized the images using Irfanview and set a canvas size of 720x480. The images on the DVD looked much better with very little flicker on the tube TV (I presume it'll be even better on a flatscreen). Thanks very much for the assistance and for what I learned on the forum in other postings.

One other question: would it be better to burn it as 16:9 or 4:3?

Ah-ha! I guessed it correctly! :D

You see similar bad behavior from authoring software -- which is all that "slideshow" really is. If you're using arrows on your remote, then it's authored content, not video content. But even then, some low-end video editing/encoding software resizes terribly, so you have the same effect there as well.

Glad to see it worked out for you. :congrats:

:) Yes, I feel much better now. Moment of panic earlier.

About 16:9 vs 4:3: I'm thinking (from what I've read) that I should use 4:3 in the software, as that's 640x480 or closest to DVD aspect otherwise the software will further shrink the images. (I tested at 16:9, the default)

Most images you have will be closet to 4x3 anyway, not 16x9. KISS (keep it simple, stupid).
I'd just make the 4x3 standard DVD and be done with it.

Thank you, sir. It's a tribute video for my dad, so your rapid help is much appreciated. :tiphat:

The video turned out perfectly :congrats:, the pictures were maximized on screen (thanks to tips on cropping/sizing to 720x480) and with no noticeable vibration. Thanks again!