DVD Video Slideshow

[Thwiipp]

Can anyone help me, i want to create a slide show with music to play before the video, im using Vegas Video3 for my video, and DVD Workshop 1.3 to author it, if someone can tell e the best way to go about this i would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[mikecito]

I would use Premiere, insert the pictures you want, throw in the soundtrack, add some transitions, etc... then export the video using CCE or your preferred mpeg2 encoder (one is included with premiere 6.5). Export the audio to wave format, encode it to AC3, or whatever your dvd authoring program accepts. Then import to you dvd making program, author it, and burn it.

If you want more details on certain parts, feel free to ask!

[mikecito]

P.S. DVD Maestro has a slide show creator built right into it, and you can even put music to it. Check that out!

[Lula]

Hi mikecito,

What software are you using to encode from WAV to AC3 ?
Is that really necessary, instead of simply using Mpeg audio ?
Are there so many standalone DVD players that do not accept mpeg audio ?

I tried SoftEncode but the volume was lower than that of the wav file.

I used TMPGEnc to multiplex .m2v and .ac3 . What do you use ?

As for the slideshow, I have done it with DVDWS, but it lacks transition effects. Better to do it with the video editing software of your taste.

[mikecito]

I use sonic foundry's Soft Encode. Besweet ac3machine will also create ac3 when fed a 6 channel wave, but since my waves are all seperate when exported from Premiere, I use Soft Encode for convenience. I've never had trouble with lower sound volume, but this can happen if you have normalization or gain settings turned on. Check your settings in Soft Encode.

I think all DVD players will accept PCM audio, which I rarely have used. I've never messed around with Mpeg audio at all, however, because ac3 has such a better compression method with almost no quality loss.

Too multiplex the m2v and ac3, I use a dvd authoring program. I drag them in as seperate assets and then upon creation, Maestro multiplexes them into a nice little vob file for me.

I use only premiere for slideshows, because like you said, it has better transitions and effect... etc. I mentioned the Maestro slide show solely for ease of use for those who don't own premiere or want a quick simple solution.

I think I got them all :)

[Navellint]

lula: The DVD Specs tells you that you can't author a dvd without ac3-stream. It can have mpeg-audio of course, but you will need a ac3-stream as well as primary stream. I use Scenarist's ac3encoder, but isn't ac3machine (download from doom9) supposed to do that job?
Also, i think ac3 is supposed have lower volume than pcm. I don't remember the reason for that. Must have got something to do with dynamics.

[Lula]

Hi ,

Mikecito : I have checked my settings, but maybe I am missing something. Can you capture the screen of your Soft Encode settings and send it to me : luizcp@centroin.com.br
The WAV file produce by VirtualDub has normal volume, but the AC3 produced by Soft Encode is lower volume.

Navellint : AC3 is supposed to have a lower volume ? Why is that ? Regarding AC3Machine ( which I think is just a front end for BeSweet ), it is not as good as Soft Encode.

Thank's.

[oddyseus]

SoftEncode produces ac3 files that by default and to be compatible with Dolby Prologic specs is compressed on the center channel
at -3db. That is what u should fix.

[Lula]

Hi oddyseus,

Would that be on the "Bit Stream" tab , at the "Center Mix Level" setting ? Can you tell what value should be entered in place of -3db ?

Thank's.

[grue]

You can add a bunch of pictures to the timeline by highlighting and dragging the first one in the list (otherwise it starts with the one you drag).

Before you do this you can configure the settings such as the amount of time each picture is on the screen, and if you want to automatically place fades between them.

These settings are in Options -> Preferences

-New still image length (seconds)
-Automatically overlap images

Then just add music to the timeline as you want, and render out as DVD (or render out the video and audio separately if you want).

I found this to work great except for one minor hitch. Depending on the picture content, you may get some mpeg issues. For example, I had some pictures with a bunch of bark, and the image pulsated. But, these were the only pictures with any problems. Everything else turned out great.

Tom

[oddyseus]

that is correct. I assume a 0db would suffice.