OT: ProShow Gold vs. MemoriesOnTV Pro

Nathan_Shane schrieb am 01.11.2006 um 18:16 Uhr

Okay...like others here, I'm about to have to jump into doing the slide show thingy. From what I've read already in the forum posts, the three most common tools used are VASST Still Motion, ProShow Gold, and MemoriesOnTV Gold.

I watched the Still Motion Tutorial and downloaded the demo, played around with it some, but it's just not catching my attention enough. I guess I'm looking for more features...though I'm not exactly sure what those features would be. I'm about to download the demos of the other two to tryout.

I like the fact that MOTV Gold will output to AVI...and also export to Flash, these output formats alone make me lean towards this product.

ProShow Gold only outputs to MPEG 1/2...

But could some of you comment on which of these tools you prefer and why exactly? And if there are some other similar programs out there, please mention those so I can check them out as well.

Kommentare

wwaag schrieb am 01.11.2006 um 21:06 Uhr

I've been doing slideshows for a number of years now and have used MemOnTV quite a bit. The new Pro version really has a lot of nice features. As you point out, it can export to AVI which can in turn be imported into Vegas. I especially like what they term their "multi-picture" slide wherein you can have multiple video layers, each with their own motion and transparency effects. I use these a lot for making dynamic title slides.

I've recently started doing HDV productions where I combine HDV footage from my HC1 with the "simulated motion" footage from still photos. MemOnTV can output a 1920x1080 AVI using Huffy that can be imported onto the Veagas timeline. Be aware that MemOnTV only outputs progressive video at 30fps and has no capability for changing pixel aspect ratio. There are also limitations on the size of the output file.

Because of such limitations, I routinely use another product, Imaginate, from Canopus. It's more expensive, but it really gives much greater control over motion effects. It also comes with a plug-in for Premiere, although some on the Imaginate forum have reported problems with Premiere 2.0. I export to AVI using Huffy, although you can use Cineform if you've purchased Connect HD.

As a final thought, the 2 programs you mention are what one might call "stand-alone" solutions. They enable you to create motions, add titles and narration, and author a DVD. My own view is that you're better off to use the software only for creating the desired motion effects and Vegas for the remainder. You will have a lot more control.

Suggest that you download trial versions and see what works best for you. Good luck.

wwaag

Nathan_Shane schrieb am 01.11.2006 um 21:38 Uhr

Well...as you pointed out about MemOnTV, that there is no capability for changing the pixel aspect ratio, that now seems like a deal breaker. I hadn't taken notice of this immediately as I was playing with the demo, but your comment brought it to the front of my attention, thanks.

I played with Still Motion some more and like the Vegas plugin aspect, as well as it allowing for match project aspect ratio, so perhaps it's not as bad as I thought initially. I'm about to install ProShow Gold demo and give it a go.

wwaag schrieb am 01.11.2006 um 22:32 Uhr

For me, the problem was not so much pixel aspect ratio, but the 30P limitation. It has no capability for 60i. The bottom line is that you are pretty limited on the rates at which you can pan without strobing.

This is another advantage of Imaginate. You can change progressive vs interlaced and frame rate as well as pixel aspect ratio. In fact you can render at 60P if needed.

I tried ProShow Gold a few years ago and found the PQ output pretty poor compared to MemOnTV. Perhaps it's improved, but the lack of AVI output would be a real limitation.

DavidMcKnight schrieb am 01.11.2006 um 22:39 Uhr

There are obviously many different types of slideshows and montages, but the things that I find to be listed as "features" by some products - including a lot of the transitions found in Vegas and other NLEs - are just too gaudy for my taste. Just because you can have a photo swirl around and flip 4 times into the next one doesn't mean you should. And some of these tools I've seen provide backgrounds and simulated 3d environments that to me take away from the subject - the photo. When I do a montage I try to do the same thing with photos as I do with video, which is to tell a story. Some well placed motion on a photo can add more character and be more pleasing than making it appear that the photo is in outer space.

Vegas + StillMotion from VASST works wonders for us, but to each their own.

Nathan_Shane schrieb am 01.11.2006 um 23:36 Uhr

I think you really hit the nail on the head with your comments about taste. After trying some of the more "interesting" transitions in MemOnTV, it really struck me at how powerful a simple fade transition and a little movement seems to go much further towards looking more natural and drawing less attention (if any) to the transitions themselves...in other words, the photos are the primary focus when you keep it simple. Good food for thought!

wwaag schrieb am 02.11.2006 um 00:47 Uhr

Agree with the 2 previous comments 100%. These more "interesting" transitions are more of a distraction. I've used such things as a "page curl" after the introductory title and perhaps an "iris" at the end, but nothing else for the main content other than the simple fade. For some types of slideshows, e.g. photos timed with music, simple cuts (no transitions) are preferable, in which case, you don't need additional software. (Actually, I don't know if Vegas easily supports this--Premiere does. Sorry to say that I remain a switch-hitter!)

Paul_Holmes schrieb am 02.11.2006 um 03:37 Uhr

Other than Vegas my favorite is ProShow Gold, Created some fun slide shows with that in the past. However, for anything important I just use Vegas. It really has everything you need. If I want some 3d motion I use Satish's 3D plugin.

The other thing I like for slide-shows is Bluff Titler. Not as intuitive as Vegas but once you get the hang of it you can lay down a sound-track and end up with some pretty impressive motion with photos flying in and out, photos becoming cloth-like and waving in the wind, etc.