Slideshow Videos

[MarkBarbieri]

I finally converted my old PC executable slideshows into videos. The slideshows are basically the same, but now they can be viewed in your browser. If any of you were interested in them but couldn't or wouldn't run a Windows executable program to see them, now you can.

My slideshows can be accessed from my main Smugmug video slideshow page, or you can get directly to the Disney related ones here:

October 2007 - Walt Disney World
December 2006 - Walt Disney World
December 2006 - Walt Disney World (Animal Kingdom Only)
December 2006 - Walt Disney World (Epcot Only)
December 2006 - Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom Only)
December 2006 - Walt Disney World (MGM Only)
January 2005 - Walt Disney World
January 2004 - Walt Disney World

The videos can be viewed in several different resolutions, from "web", "iPod/DVD", "Mid-Def", and "Hi-Def". I think this will be my standard approach for sharing future slideshows, so please give me feedback if you have problems or suggestions for changes.

 

[boBQuincy]

The shows look good Mark, especially in hi-res! Interesting, SmugMug (or you) has encoded them in Flash. I have Flash CS4 but have not played around with it enough to do video yet. Flash/H264 is supposed to be one of the best encoders for the compression/quality tradeoff.

The hi-res seem to show a slightly more compressed image first, then a millisecond later (ok, maybe 1/4 second) the full hires version comes in. Any idea what the files sizes are?

 

[bostran1]

Mark,
Those are looking good. Thank you for sharing them with us Mac users!

I don't mean to highjack but I figured I'd put a link to the slideshow I made. I'm conscious of the bandwidth I use so the quality isn't nearly as great as what you were able to put up with smugmug but here it is. I think I used the Ken Burns effect a little much...

 

[boBQuincy]

This thread doesn't seem to get much airplay.

I ran one of my slide shows through the Flash Video Encoder to see how it would do. The file size went from the 440MB mpg to a 115MB flash, with little loss in quality. Not bad for a good quality 10 minute 640x480 "video" that will play on just about any PC.

With the big loss in file size and little or no loss in quality I can see why SmugMug uses Flash video.

 

[wenrob]

They keep stalling for me but it could be my browser, I'll try in IE later.
So what did you use to put them together? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[boBQuincy]

They keep stalling for me but it could be my browser, I'll try in IE later.

One of the shows stalled occasionally on one of our PCs (the lower powered one with a smaller video card). I am not sure if it is a streaming speed issue or a PC power issue or what.