Technical Thread for Slideshows, Screenshots, Videos, GIF's, etc...

[Judy]

A thread for discussing and presenting how to do slideshows, screenshots, videos, GIF's, etc...

[Judy]

Photobucket Slideshow Instructions

Here is a way of doing a slideshow that Sherri suggested and that I find very easy.  It opens the slideshow in a new window and frames it with a large black border that makes the photos stand out.  I have a pro photobucket account and I am not sure how the slideshow will appear with standard accounts.

You do not have to resize the photos! :-)
The original size of my photos were large, 4500 x 3300, so it resizes nicely.
 
1.  Click "Upload now"
 
2.  Name your album
 
3.  Then click "create new album"
You can add as a new album as a sub-album if you have a pro account or keep it as a new and separate album if a standard or pro account.
 
4.  Click "select photos and videos" or use "bulk uploader".  Look on the right for the bulk uploader and click "try it now".  I think the bulk uploader is much better and it shows a small image of the photos.
Choose your photos and then click "upload".
 
5. This step can be skipped if you are not adding text.  If you want text, place your cursor over each photo and  "click to add title" will appear.  Type title and be sure to click "ok".  It is easy to forget clicking "ok".  The title will appear as text below your photo.
If you prefer to have text on the photo, place your cursor over each photo and click "edit".  On the edit page click "decorate" and then click "text".  On the right side of the page a text options box appears.
You can check "transparent background" so that all you see is the text, otherwise the text will be in a white box. You can change the font style by hitting the down arrow next to Cretino.  Moving the text placement seems to work better if you click the left allign under Cretino.  You can change the size of the text by changing the size of the text box.  When finished click "apply" and then click "replace original".
 
6.  "click view as slideshow"
 
At the end of the slideshow it will have the link or you can copy the link from the address box of your browser.
Here is a short slideshow I did with the different ways of adding text.
 
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/klbak/Dec052010slideshow/?albumview=slideshow

[JudyB]

Judy - I love the osprey pic!   

The egrets are also stunning - but ospreys are almost as near to my heart as eagles - and wow!

I've added a couple of ways to make title pages for slideshows to the tutorial thread - link.  We're still working out what goes in what thread, but for now, I think any questions/comments/clarifications can be posted here. 

[JudyB]

What programs do people use for recording and editing video?

I can do some basic recording with CaptureWizPro, the program I use for s'caps, but options for editing are very limited.  I'm forgetting the name of the program I had on my old computer for editing videos, but it was a lot more program than I needed, and tended to overload my computer (perhaps because of the number of cam windows I tried to open at the same time).

When I tried Google, WMRecorder came up as an affordable option - but I haven't tried googling "problems with WMRecorder" yet. 

I'd also like a program that would let me make a video from a series of s'caps as an alternative to doing a slideshow.

Suggestions?

[CLC]

JudyB You can use Windows Movie Maker to make videos from pics and get pics from video.. Comes free with XP and you can go to Microsoft to download WMM 2.6 for vista and 7 also free and easy to use.. Works better than the new one 

Some one Somewhere asked about saving YouTube videos to your PC. If you have RealPlayer you can right click and download videos to real player.. It will save in videos/real-player downloads..

[JudyB]

Thanks, Chris! 

[hazelkil]

1.  Record video:   I use Camstudio and it is free.  http://camstudio.org/

The Camstudio file is large, but you can convert it by downloading a trial version of a video converter application.  This can trim, crop, etc.  Or just run it through the coverter to shrink the file.  They usually have a 30, 60, or 90 day trial.   Mine shrinks the avi file but also cuts it off at the end a bit.  I find that YouTube accepts the large Camstudio file without a problem.  An upload site has limits, so record only a few minutes. Facebook restricts to 2 minutes.  YouTube I think is 5 minutes.

Camstudio is free as it is open source.  It is also very limited in features, but does well what would be useful here.

2.  Make screenshots:   Gadwin I think is the best screen shot tool.  http://www.gadwin.com/printscreen/

It is free for non-commercial use.   Settings are easy to change the options. I turn off most things and just copy as a rectangle that lets you draw the area you want to record with your mouse, and save the output to the clipboard that you can paste anywhere, like an image application to save as a gif file. 

3.  Edit recorded / video file:  Aieesoft is a tool that can also help.   www.aiseesoft.com/

After you create a video with CamStudio or other recorder, you can edit it in this tool - crop, trim, etc..  Or run it through the converter to shrink the file size.  The ending seems to be cut off a bit, so let the recording go a little bit after you want to end it.  Like my above post, these editing tools cost, but have long trial periods.

[morning]

Any Mac folks recording and if yes, what application to do this?

[morning]

Oh and my computer does not open any mms links?

[JudyB]

Thanks, hazelkil!  Good to know there are various options.

I don't know of any programs for Macs, morning, but have posted the question on the Mac User's group on the other forum where I hang out - will let you know what I learn.

I find that sometimes I have better luck with mms links if I copy the link, open Windows Media Player or RealPlayer (not sure if both work or only one of them), and then use File: Open URL or something like that.  I know that's a bit sketchy - if it helps, great!  If not, please post again and I'll do a bit more testing to figure out how I did it. 

[morning]

Thank you JudyB

[JudyB]

Jkr from the Hancock forum provided the following information in response to my question about programs for recording with a Mac:

There are two that I know of but I'm sure there are more.
One is SnapzPro X which is around $70 and is apparently one of the best.
The other is Jing and I think there is a free version of it.

She doesn't do videos, and I don't have a Mac - but perhaps it will providea place to start. 

[morning]

Thank you, I will look into it. I have a Mac guy scheduled for Tuesday to come to my home and help me figure out which Mac to get some applications on and how to run a live web cam on a nest for next year for me, if it is possible? I have purple martins galore and would love to cam one of the apartments.

[Laurad]

Tonya wants to know how to take captures so she can also post images. I think the easiest way is to use the button on the keyboard called PrtScr. If you press it at an appropriate moment it takes a snapshot (copy) of your entire screen. If you want to take a snapshot of just the most prominent window, then hold the Alt-key down and then press the PrtScr button.

You then need to "dump" (paste) this down into editing software - I use PaintShop Pro or you can use PhotoShop, or even Paint with normally comes free. You need to practice and to learn how to crop the picture and resize it to the most appropriate size.

You will then need somewhere to upload it. There are various free places you can have an account with, such as Photobucket, Flikr, etc. You then need to upload your picture, then copy the link to the Forum post, making sure you put the tags around the hyperlink [img ] and [/img ] (without the spaces), or use the little icon above the posting window second from left, next to the YouTube icon.

[Tonya]

Thank you Laura,  I have finally figured it out...  I am very slow at it, so not sure if I am going to like it or not...  Afraid I will miss alot of action....  Going to give it a try though....  Thank you again for taking the time to type out the directions....  Much appreciated