Manual - VSO Software

PhotoDVD
A Comprehensive Manual
Version 2.0.17, Oct 1st, 2005
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Table of Contents
Preface ...................................................................................................................... 3
Before getting started .............................................................................................. 4
First Step: Pictures................................................................................................... 5
Main menu ........................................................................................................................... 5
Icon menu............................................................................................................................ 7
Preview............................................................................................................................... 13
Second Step: Audio ............................................................................................... 17
Third Step: Output................................................................................................. 19
Example: Making a slideshow ............................................................................... 21
Watching slideshow ............................................................................................... 22
Extras ...................................................................................................................... 23
Technical Support ........................................................................................................... 23
A few notes on media..................................................................................................... 23
Other programs by VSO Software .............................................................................. 23
Comments and Feedback ............................................................................................. 24
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Preface
VSO PhotoDVD takes your digital pictures and animates them to create a compatible DVD movie with
optional soundtracks. The result is attractive and vibrant. The product is very easy to use and it is
compatible with your DVD writer. You can add multiple subtitles for one slideshow so your slideshow
becomes self explanatory for no matter what audience!
A wizard style interface lets you define the folders or files where to select the pictures. You can define
a list of music files to play in the background. The transitions and animations of your pictures are
completely automatic and will enhance the experience of sharing your best memories. You can watch
the results on a regular TV or computer using a DVD Player. This format uses the best quality
available at the moment. A copy of your source files is stored in the DVD project and lets you keep
trace of your digital pictures without quality loss using a computer.
VSO PhotoDVD key features:
¾
¾
¾
¾
Digital pictures in JPG / GIF / BMP / ANI / PCX / EMF / WMF formats and more
Optional soundtrack in MP3 / WMA / OGG / MPC /WAV / APE formats Awesome pan
and zoom effects
FullScreen (4:3) and Widescreen (16:9) support DVD output on DVD+/-(R)W media
and double layer
Multilingual support (...available languages)
¾ and multiple tracks available for subtitles
You can also store thousands of pictures on a DVD.
You can burn immediately using the well known VSO burning engine used in several commercial
products and you can also save the project on your local hard drive first.
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Before getting started
PhotoDVD is a very easy piece of software to use and is constantly adding on more and more features
for more exciting ways to create animated slideshows.
However, the good functioning of this software lies on the bases of a couple of things:
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using a relatively new computer and burner,
well maintained hardware
using the latest firmware (check to verify your using the latest
http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php)
verify that material is not contaminated by any bugs or virus, etc.
make sure that software, medias (DVDs), and burners are compatible before using
and the use of latest version of software in question
firmware:
With these bases covered you have ready to have some fantastic results!
Key Registration:
After having downloaded PhotoDVD (available here: http://www.vso-software.fr/) and have gone
through the purchasing process, you will receive a license key that will allow you to use the software
unlimitedly.
Copy and paste the license key into the software. To do this open PhotoDVD go to “options” and then
“about”, here you will be able to enter registration key.
Version Updates/Upgrades:
Each key allows one year of free upgrades beginning from the date of purchase. After this year, you
should contact us to receive a special renewal offer, or continue to use the last working version. The
version doesn't expire after one year for registered users, if you have a licence problem after one year,
contact us we will provide the latest working update for your licence.
Unless you have the Goldmembership subscription entitles you to use all current VSO-Software
products as well as upcoming ones for your lifetime.
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First Step: Pictures
PhotoDVD is mainly composed of three steps (the first titled “Pictures” as you can see in the
screen shot below, the second is titled “Audio”, and the third is titles “Output”. These three
steps correspond with three main windows.
A little description can be found on the top of each
window explaining what you objectives should be along each step of the way. To move back in forth
between these steps to verify or rectify your slideshow click on the “Back” and “Next” button found on
the bottom of the window.
Main menu
Figure 1
When opening PhotoDVD this is the first window you will see.
The info area (1) will give you step by step directions on what to do. First step is to add data to your
project. To do this either drag and drop photo files into the bottom right half of the window (2) or use
the toolbar buttons (3) to add files and/or folders.
NOTE: Compatible formats are JPG, GIF, BMP, ANI, PCX, EMF and WMF formats.
To find out what other icons do slide the mouse over each icon slowly in the application and a little text
box will appear with its function.
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First let’s take a look at what the main menu (4) has to offer:
“File”:
New project: opens a new fresh blank slideshow for you to begin creating (by default
new/black slideshow always opens when opening PhotoDVD
Open project: allows you to find an already composed or started slideshow saved on hard
drive or on disk
Save project: allows you to save your project so that if you do not have time to finish it you can
pick up where you left off at a later time
Save project as: allows you to save project under a new name
Add file: this opens your computers directory in order for you to select the picture or pictures
you would like to add to your slideshow
Add folder: this open your computers directory in order for you to select a file of pictures you
would like to add to your slideshow
Exit: exits and closes program
“Tools”: Burn an existing compilation. Opens a directory which allows you to select a slideshow
you have already created to burn.
“Options”:
Language: allows you to select the language you would like the program to run in
Imaging: allow for adjusting the image effects of entire slideshow (pan, zoom, amplitude cutting
and transition time)
DVD Options: allows you select the final formatting of your DVD (PAL or NTSC and wide
screen or full screen)
Subtitles: allow you change the font and other characteristics of subtitles added to slideshow
“Help”:
Online Help: internet link that takes you to a VSO webpage indicating the best forums to surf
for help
About: gives you a direct link to VSO Software, presents the version number of PhotoDVD and
Copyright information
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Icon menu
Figure 2
In Figure 2 item (1) is called the icon menu. Many of these options are repeats of what can be
found in the Main Menu (covered above) and located near the top of this window.
This icon stands for “Add Picture”: this opens your computers directory in order for you to
select the picture or pictures you would like to add to your slideshow
This icon stands for “Add Folder”: this open your computers directory in order for you to
select a file of pictures you would like to add to your slideshow
This icon stands for “Remove”: when a single picture or pictures are selected and then you
click on this “red X” the pictures will be removed.
These icons stand for “Move Up or Down: allow you to move a selected picture (or
multiple pictures selected all together by holding down ctrl to select multiple at a time) up or down
amongst the other pictures in the slideshow allowing you to change the order of the pictures.
These icons stand for “rotation”: clicking on one of these icons will change the selected
pictures orientation, vertical, upside down, sideways, etc.
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This icon stands for “Additional Editing”: when clicking on this icon a new window will appear
with options for additional editing such as subtitles, focus point, black and white, and animation factor.
This icon stands for “View Mode”: when clicking here you will see your pictures in vignettes.
Click here again to come back to text list only.
To the right of these icons a sliding bar can be found (2). This allows you to enlarge the size of
the vignettes.
The Preview screen (3) displays the picture highlighted.
Here is a deeper look into these features:
In order to get to this window click on the magnifying glass
page/first step of PhotoDVD.
that is found on the first
Figure 3
Here again under the picture, is a new icon bar. Some of the icons you are already familiar
with, here are the ones you are not:
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Item 1 (in figure 3):
These icons found on either end of the icon bar stands for “previous and next” picture: by
clicking on one of these icons bring you to either the precedent or following picture in your slideshow.
Items 2:
This icon stands for “Black & White”: by clicking on this icon you picture will appear in only
black and white.
This icon stands for “Focus Point”: to use this option click on icon and then click to a point on
picture that you would like to be the focal point. During animation you will see how this highlights this
part of the picture.
(To do this quickly on all pictures in the slideshow, know that by double clicking on the place you
want the focus point to be on the picture will not only place the focus point where you want but
will also automatically pop up the next picture for your to place the next focus point. This keeps
you from losing time going back in forth between the arrows on either side of the icon bar in
order to put a focus point on each picture.)
This icon stands for “Show/Hide animation properties”: By clicking here the right side of the
screen dealing with animation properties will disappear. Note on animation properties: These can be
changed for each picture. If for one picture you want the picture to be zoomed in on, than check the
corresponding circle, if you want and landscape picture to be “panned” check likewise.
As for the “Animation Factor” this will put more or less movement into the animation.
“Transition” is the time in seconds of transition between pictures (they meld into one another
or kind of superimposed each other). This process can either be a very quick on or done very
slowly, you are in control.
“Duration” is the total time a picture will be displayed. If you think you or your friends would
like to spend more time looking at one picture more than another, here is the place to change
the time each picture is displayed!
For all these option the best thing to do is to try them out (if you don’t want to wasted burning
a DVD compile your slideshow and put the “target device” to a place on your hard drive
instead of a burner and watch the slideshow through a free program like PowerDVD) to see if
you like the effects. Everyone has different tastes so what I prefer may not be what you
consider even decent.
This icon stands for “Show/Hide subtitles panel”: and this does just that taking away the
space left below this icon menu. Of course, to bring it back all you have to do is click again!
Item 3:
These numbers found after the icon bar (3) represent the current picture you are looking at in
the slideshow and its numerical order among the total number of pictures. For the case of “ 8 / 11 ”, 8
represents the first picture of all the pictures in the slideshow and 11 represents the total number of
pictures in the slideshow.
Now let’s take a look at those subtitles (5) in figure 3:
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You have the option of putting three tracks of subtitles per slideshow. If you are going to show your
slideshow to people who each speak different languages then there is no need to recreate the same
slideshow over and over again just to put different subtitles on each----Here you can do it all in one---including different soundtracks for each too!
Now that that is explained this should clarify the numbers
. Lets go through an example:
The first track of my slideshow I would like to be in French so that my dads side of the family will
understand my subtitles, this will be track 1.
Let me do the first picture: I click on
and enter the text that I want (in French)
Figure 4
Now I will work on track 2: This track of subtitles will be dedicated for my mother’s side of the family
and I will write the subtitles in English.
Clicking on
, the text bar will become blank allowing me to write my new text.
Figure 5
Now I will work on the last track, track 3: Now, I am going to show the same slideshow to a group
of students as an education slideshow of a “trip to Cuba” and am going to add the third track of
subtitles accordingly.
Clicking on
I am going to enter in the text for the students:
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Figure 6
There are two more options to notice when using subtitles:
To the left of the numbers in the screenshot below notice the “X” (1), this will hide the options for
subtitles.
Figure 7
The other thing to mention is to the right, the three dots circles (2) Clicking here will allow you to
change the font and other characteristics of you text!
Figure 8
This window allows you to select the language for each track of subtitles. To the right you may select
the font you would like for each track of subtitles.
And for more options click once again to the right on the
.
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Figure 9
Here you can change the style, color and font size of your text.
Do note that you can do this for each one of your subtitle tracks!
Upon closing this window you will fall back upon the previous on and will notice this last option:
Checked this will give you a 4th track (channel) of subtitles automatically generated. The photos
subtitle will be its original file name (generally a letter followed by numbers).
Make sure to click apply then ok for your changes to be taken into account.
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Preview
Figure 10
Lets go over right hand portion of the first screen, titled “Pictures”
This part of the screen is primarily broken down into three parts.
First a preview of the picture selected.
Secondly, “Space used on DVD”, this will allow you to see if you added to many pictures to fit onto one
DVD or how much space you still have left to add more!
And lastly “Display each image for _.____seconds”. Here you can adjust time for pictures to be
displayed. Do remember that if you want one picture to be displayed for a longer period than another
go into “Additional Editing” by clicking on the icon
in the shape of a magnifying glass.
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Settings
On all three steps (Pictures, Audio, Output) composing PhotoDVD there is a “Settings” button
found on the bottom of each window.
Clicking on this button will give you the exact same options found under “Options” from the
main menu found also at the top of each window.
Language: allows you to select the language you would like the program to run in. Make sure to click
apply for this change to take place (also for a more complete change in language try reinstalling
PhotoDVD selecting the language of your preference)
Figure 11
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Imaging: allows for adjusting the image effects of entire slideshow (pan, zoom, amplitude, cutting,
and transition time)
Figure 12
Pan Effects moving this cursor to the left will permit the creation of slideshow to be very fast but the
quality will not as good as it can be. Moving the cursor to the right will increase the quality of your
pictures during animation but the time for this quality to be insured during the making of your DVD will
be increased.
Zoom Effects This has to deal with the same factors as mentioned above for Pan Effects. This (as
well as Pan Effects) has to do will the enlarging of pixels it can be done well or even better the
difference is time spent during the compilation of the slideshow.
Cutting is a cropping of your pictures, taking away the edges of your pictures. This is particularly
noticeable at the first appearance of your pictures on the TV Screen during the slideshow. As
animation continues this is less noticeable. (If you already take well balanced pictures or is you take
primarily close up it would be a good idea to leave the cutting option at 0%.
Amplitude is a sweeping motion from left to right or vice versa of the picture. Moving the curser to the
right will elaborate this movement in the slideshow. If would be possible to select this at 100% only a
tiny portion of the "beginning" of a picture would appear at first and as animation continues the rest of
the picture will start to appear as the part of the picture that was first shown will start to disappear until
you come to the complete other end of the picture.
Zoom Factor is a sensation of the moving into the picture for a view closer up. Moving cursor the
right will increase this sensation.
Display each image for _.____seconds allows you to adjust the time for pictures to be displayed.
Do remember that if you want one picture to be displayed for a longer period than another go into
“Additional Editing” by clicking on the icon
in the shape of a magnifying glass.
Transition is the time in seconds of transition between pictures (they meld into one another or kind of
superimposed each other). This process can either be a very quick on or done very slowly, you are in
control.
The Reset Button will bring back cursors to original (default) place.
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DVD Format: allows you select the final formatting of your DVD (PAL or NTSC and wide screen or
full screen)
Figure 13
Here you must select the type of DVD player (format issue) you wish to view your slideshow with (a
European one or American or Asian one). Also select your preferred way to view slideshow—in full
screen or widescreen.
Subtitles: allow you change the font and other characteristics of subtitles added to slideshow
Figure 14
Check section “subtitles” under Additional Editing (same screen and info is found there: page 9)
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Second Step: Audio
Figure 15
Here is what the Audio section looks like for PhotoDVD
You can add an audio file or folder using the icons
the screen.
or
(1) or via the file menu on the top of
Once you files are added to can listen to them by highlighting one of them (2) and clicking on the
green arrow on the right (3). Press on the red square to stop the music (3).
Item number (4) here is very represents the same concept as for the text subtitles, you may
have multiple (3) different soundtracks (audio channels) per slideshow.
The image above shows that I have channel 1 selected and have imported two songs to accompany
my slideshow.
Now lets say I want to give a different feeling to my slideshow, all I have to do is select a different type
of music.
I select channel 2 ( ) and add compose another soundtrack for my slide show by adding different
files of music.
The files selected will appear in the big white box in the middle of window. (Similar in window above
except this will be channel 2.)
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If I want to go back and check or play a song that I selected for channel one, all I have to do is click on
channel 1 and those songs will appear.
The last important thing to notice in this “Audio Step” is the part that looks like this (5):
(5) Here you can see if you audio length is too short compared to
your picture show or vice versa. “Vice versa isn’t so bad but do know that certain songs you selected
may never be heard.
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Third Step: Output
Figure 16
This is the window that constitutes the third step to PhotoDVD:
Under the “Output Format” select widescreen/fullscreen PAL/NTSC (1)
As for the elements under “Destination”:
Store source files (2): tick this box if you would like your original files of pictures and music
to be burned to the DVD (This options gives you safe back up of pictures so you can now
remove them from you hard drive to give you more space)
Target Device (3): allows you to select the burner you want to use or Hard Disk Folder
Burning to hard disk may allow you to preview the compiled slideshow before burning it to a
DVD.
The dot to the right (3): if red means there is no media in the drive, if green then you are
good to go, if yellow is there, then there is a warning, “such as this is erasable media, would
you like the contents to be erased?”
NOTE: PhotoDVD will not burn correctly to CDs only DVDs! Verify your media.
Volume Label (4): shows what the volume label will be, unless you decide to change it
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Working Folder (5): is the location where slideshow will be saved to if target device is hard
disk folder.
The “ . . .” (6) button is a browser.
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Example: Making a slideshow
First screen, titled “Pictures”
Click on
to add pictures.
Once pictures have been imported into slideshow, arrange the order you would like to view them
in, go through any “Additional Editing” you would like to be done, for example add subtitles, focal
points to each picture, and change animation if desired. (see page 7)
Then click on “Next”. Now in the Audio section (second step of creating a slideshow) add
audio/music files to you slideshow the same way as adding pictures.
Check to verify that you are satisfied with the slideshow length and the audio length so that you have
enough music to play throughout the whole length of the picture slideshow.
Click on “Next”
As for Output select your Target Device.
Click on “Next”
This is a Project summary before action. Click “Next” to start compiling, the burning will start
automatically after compiling has finished.
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Watching slideshow
Now that you have successfully burned you Slideshow, here are a few points the may help you
if you run into any problems with you viewing experience.
Text Subtitles:
If you had added a track or multiple tracks of subtitles but do not see them when viewing you
slideshow you need to take your remote control for you DVD player and click on “subtitles”. One click
should activate the first set of subtitles; a second click should activate the second track. If you left the
box checked “add a subtitle channel from filename” while using the application, you should also find a
track that has already been generated with a number that corresponds to each picture (as your
computer recognizes it and not Photodvd).
Audio Soundtracks:
Your audio tracks do not necessarily correspond with the same channel as you had programmed
when using PhotoDVD. Channel 1 subtitles text may be viewed at the same time a listening to
Channel 3 of the audio soundtrack.
To change the audio soundtrack (channel) you are listening to click on a button called “Audio” on your
DVD remote control.
PAL, NTSC or distorted image:
Quite often (especially in Europe) a DVD player is capable of reading both formats of PAL or NTSC.
If you image is distorted or you notice a jerkiness while viewing you slideshow try searching for a
button with the PAL/NTSC label on it on your DVD Player. Try clicking here and see if you image is
better.
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Extras
Technical Support
If you are looking for help or have run into a problem using PhotoDVD first check out these forums
to see if a solution might have already been found for your problem; do not hesitate to use the search
engine. Here VSO has selected a couple of good forums that deal with VSO products directly:
http://www.vso-software.fr/forums.htm
You may find the result to you problem faster there than writing to support.
Other wise write you problem to the technical support team at VSO Software using the support
form, making sure that you select “technical support” as the type of your inquiry and download the
“support tool”. This is to insure the fact that VSO will receive precise and adequate information in
order to respond to your inquiry. VSO has an excellent support team and well reputed for their
response time: http://www.vso-software.fr/support.htm
A few notes on media
First point PhotoDVD only burns to DVDs and not CDs, verify you media! Secondly if you come into
any burning errors this may be due to bad media. Try another DVD, a different brand, a different
spindle.
For more information check the VSO Website because during the first half of 2005 VSO ran a statistic
database collecting burning information on drives and media. This database will give you information
on what the most compatible media is for your DVD drive. (This option may not yet be posted yet on
the VSO Website, please hang tight.)
Other programs by VSO Software
If you are interested by other programs made by VSO Software check out their webpage:
http://www.vso-software.fr/
At the creation of this manual, VSO Software’s products consist of the products listed below. It is
worth a peak at their current website to see if more products have not been put on the market.
CopyToDVD: is a new generation tool to backup your music, games, movies, video, photos and data
files. CopyToDVD provides you with a variety of ways to create CD (s) or DVD (s), such as integration
to shell, user friendly front-end or FileDepot technology. With just a few clicks you can burn files,
folders, pictures or photos, and music (MP3 Ogg Vorbis WMA Flac ) to CD DVD. CopyToDVD uses a
smart data analyser which suggests the best output format (audio CD, DVD Video...).
BlindWrite your ultimate back up tool! BlindWrite extracts all the characteristics of your media to your
harddrive to reproduce a working copy of your media. It allows you to protect your investments against
damage caused by children, scratches or by frequent use. Your personal CD or DVD backups can
even be run directly from your computer using a virtual drive (i.e. Daemon Tools ). Blindwrite supports
a large number of formats and is regularly updated to support the latest technology. Combined with
CopyToDVD, it is a complete set of software for all your backup needs: data files, 1:1 CD/DVD
backups, audio CDs from music files and DVD movies. A must-have !
DivxToDVD DivXToDVD convert your internet movie files to a compatible DVD.
DivXToDVD is a 1 click solution to convert your movie files to a compatible DVD playable on your
home DVD player. DivxToDVD supports most popular format such DivX, Xvid, Mov, Vob, Mpeg,
Mpeg4, avi, wmv, dv and stream format. It converts your single files into a compliant DVD Video set of
files and burns it on a DVD blank media DVD+-R(W). The aspect ratio can be automatically selected
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or forced to a specific format. The program works for NTSC and PAL video format and create
automatically chapters. Multiple audio tracks are supported. The future version will create
automatically DVD menu and Subtitles.
VSO Inspector is a free “add-on” that reports various pieces of information about your hardware
configuration. Using this freeware, you can check the listed cd and dvd readers and writers connected
to your computer, check the firmware used. The details are shown about the media used and the
speed supported by any given writer with this media. Also you can scan a burnt media for read errors
and be confident about the readability of your fresh backup.
VSO Media Player is a very simple way to listen the music files from your computer.
Comments and Feedback
VSO Software is always happy to hear about what you think about their products and any comments
or suggestions you may have for them. Feel free to write using the support from selecting “general
inquiry” as your message type.
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