Greetings:

I'm having problems finding a "real" piece of dvd/cd photo album software.

Here are the proiblems I've come across:

p1: Capacity selection. No software except for winoncd 5.x or 6.x will allow the changing of the alotted cd/dvd capacity size, ex: setting vcd photo album to wtite to a 4.7gb dvd capacity (onto a dvd of course 2.5gb limit applies though) .

p2: DVD photo album capacities... 1000's of photo's , talk about a bogus claim . Even if the photo's are 160X120 the software still enlarges the photo's to 704X480 pixels (standard NTSC or 704X576 PAL) .

DVD photo slide show or Ulead dvd picture show v2 won't allow any more that 300-450 photos per dvd (dvd capacity ruler calims to be full). Not good for a collection of 15000+ photo's when a vcd can take 1200 photo's at the same quality (explained below).

p3: Dvd photosoftware that uses frame looping delays (arrrgh!). Instead of using a delay code such as one used by Nero Burnng Rom or Winoncd, Ex; Uleads dvd photo software loops the same picture over and over again that creates a ex 5 sec delay. Therefore there is an additional 5 seonds of image data per picture. Therefore less photo's per dvd. To explain, let's say you have 200 photos burned to vcd or dvd via Nero = 100mb , Using Ulead's software (DVD) with it's frame copy looping delays 200 photo's at 5 seconds each is now 1.5GB.
Same 704X480 pixel size and the bit rate is the same, no decernable quality difference between vcd mode and dvd mode.


p4: Subdirectory and subsub-directory importing. Granted Ulead dvd picture slideshow 2.0 does have the same direct directory to album importing as Winoncd. This refers to the ability to simply drag and drop entier directories (including sub-directories (folders for you newer techies) with photo's all in one task. The drag and drop creates the individal albums
on the dvd/vcv menu and on the dvd/vcd itself and there subsiquent sub-directories. Granted there is still a 99 menu limit, however technicaly there shoould be a 99X99 file limit (based capacity of course). Unfortunately again the problems #1, 2,3 explained above come into play limiting to 300-500 (even if you've already converted the images to ntsc standard and no compression (no jpeg compression).

p5: I dont'know about you but recently Nero Burning rom 's photo album/vcd is terrible. All pictures are incredibly blury. So I went back to version 5.5x and the vcd album has nice clear pcitures. Any one else notice this?>

p6: I can't get a demo of 3d-albums Picture Pro software (there ar no demos / trialware) and I can't get any straight answers form 3d-album inc. itslef.

Would any one care to share thier expierence with picture pro?

Thankyou

yt
Flame

P.S.> My appologies in advance for any typos ...

Kogos would be able to help!

(in reply to Flame)

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(in reply to emperor)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flame

Greetings:

I'm having problems finding a "real" piece of dvd/cd photo album software.

Here are the proiblems I've come across:

p1: Capacity selection. No software except for winoncd 5.x or 6.x will allow the changing of the alotted cd/dvd capacity size, ex: setting vcd photo album to wtite to a 4.7gb dvd capacity (onto a dvd of course 2.5gb limit applies though) .

p2: DVD photo album capacities... 1000's of photo's , talk about a bogus claim . Even if the photo's are 160X120 the software still enlarges the photo's to 704X480 pixels (standard NTSC or 704X576 PAL) .

DVD photo slide show or Ulead dvd picture show v2 won't allow any more that 300-450 photos per dvd (dvd capacity ruler calims to be full). Not good for a collection of 15000+ photo's when a vcd can take 1200 photo's at the same quality (explained below).

p3: Dvd photosoftware that uses frame looping delays (arrrgh!). Instead of using a delay code such as one used by Nero Burnng Rom or Winoncd, Ex; Uleads dvd photo software loops the same picture over and over again that creates a ex 5 sec delay. Therefore there is an additional 5 seonds of image data per picture. Therefore less photo's per dvd. To explain, let's say you have 200 photos burned to vcd or dvd via Nero = 100mb , Using Ulead's software (DVD) with it's frame copy looping delays 200 photo's at 5 seconds each is now 1.5GB.
Same 704X480 pixel size and the bit rate is the same, no decernable quality difference between vcd mode and dvd mode.


p4: Subdirectory and subsub-directory importing. Granted Ulead dvd picture slideshow 2.0 does have the same direct directory to album importing as Winoncd. This refers to the ability to simply drag and drop entier directories (including sub-directories (folders for you newer techies) with photo's all in one task. The drag and drop creates the individal albums
on the dvd/vcv menu and on the dvd/vcd itself and there subsiquent sub-directories. Granted there is still a 99 menu limit, however technicaly there shoould be a 99X99 file limit (based capacity of course). Unfortunately again the problems #1, 2,3 explained above come into play limiting to 300-500 (even if you've already converted the images to ntsc standard and no compression (no jpeg compression).

p5: I dont'know about you but recently Nero Burning rom 's photo album/vcd is terrible. All pictures are incredibly blury. So I went back to version 5.5x and the vcd album has nice clear pcitures. Any one else notice this?>

p6: I can't get a demo of 3d-albums Picture Pro software (there ar no demos / trialware) and I can't get any straight answers form 3d-album inc. itslef.

Would any one care to share thier expierence with picture pro?

Thankyou

yt
Flame

P.S.> My appologies in advance for any typos ...

I have almost 6 photo album softwares installed... which one is the one you 're referring to??? tell us the company...

About nero's photoalbum, you are right... it surely is terrible... I tried to use earlier versions, but my burner has problems with them... So, i just don't use nero for dvd/cd photoalbums...

However, a solution to all your problems could be Ulead DVD moviefactory... I managed to fit almost 5000 photos of any size, i can remove looping delays e.t.c.... Of 'course this is a DVD authoring software, and not as easy to use as all others photoalbum software...

Anyway... i will check the programs you mentioned and i'll get back to u

(in reply to Flame)

Thankyou Kogos, Ionian & Emperor

To answer your question Kogos.

The first piece of software is:

Brand: Ulead (www.ulead.com)
Name: DVD Picture Show 2

Pro's: Allows for simple direct drag and drop of entier folders (including sub-folders) into thier own auto named albums and sub albums. Without the need to make individual albums & sub-albums and copy picture by picture.

Nice batch import interface as well a a nice menu system.

Cons: No media capacity control for vcd or dvd (Note: max capacity for a VCD/SVCD standard is 1980 images).

No control over inter photo delay format.

No sizing control. All image are auto sized to ex 704X480 and will leave many images distorted.


The next dvd/vcd photo album software is:

Brand: Dvd Photo slide show (http://www.dvd-photo-slideshow.com/)
Name: Dvd-Photo slide show ver 2.21

This software has basicaly the same problems as Ulead's photo dvd album software.

The drag and drop is simular to Ulead's interface. However one must click on the folder then click on new which auto creates a new album with the
proper name and title, then one can click on "add all"


The next piece of dvd/vcd photo album software is:

Brand: 3d-album (http://www.3d-album.com/)
name: 3d-album Picture Pro ver x.xxxx

As I stated before I've yet to find any one that has this software as there are no demos/trialware available. There seem's to be good customer reviews on this software . However as with the other software mentioned in this posting. There are no explanations for the common problmes I've come to know.

Winoncd 5.x and 6.x are excelent with the exceptions that:

#1: It's only available in europe (even if it's now owned by ROXIO)
#2: It's not always compatable with DVD or CD writers drives here in
North America. (that includes updates)
#3: It's a tad costly as it is a FULL (comperable to a full version of NERO)
piece of CD/DVD burning software.

I hope this clears things up?

Thanks again

yt

Flame.

P.S.> Yes I litteraly downloaded perhaps 2 dozzen or so dvd/vcd photo album software packages (trials) and in all honesty the one's mentioned above are the only ones that even came close to adiquate.

(in reply to kogos)