making a slide show in FCP with stills

Hello
I'm trying to do a split screen slideshow for a plasma screen where the left images run at a different time to the right ones. But what comes out after the export looks pixelated and blurry.
I'm not sure at what res and size to import the images, what to set my sequence to and how to export to create best possible picture?
Thank you.
e

Have you tried using PowerPoint or Keynote?



www.strypesinpost.com

I don't know how to so I went for FCP. Do you think there is no way with that?

If you're planning to do a slideshow for a presentation, you would be much better off with Keynote or PowerPoint as those applications are designed for that. In FCP you can't really switch slides at the push of a button during the presentation. Also, you'll have to wrap your head around video formats, how an NLE works. It's a much steeper learning curve for a presentation.



www.strypesinpost.com

The slideshow would be on a DVD on a loop as part of an exhibition in a gallery. So it does not need to be paused.

In that case, set the sequence to Uncompressed 8 bit, either PAL or NTSC, depending on where you live. You could try using PAL as it has better vertical resolution, but it depends on whether the player supports it. Go to sequence>settings and set field dominance to "none".



www.strypesinpost.com

will try that thank you.
e

i have now realised that although the mov that I get once exported looks good in the Tv screen, once I create it as a DVD and play it on TV screen it looks pixelated again. would you be able to advise on how to overcome that please? I use iDVD as don't have else. thanks. e

It sounds as if you are suffering from the compression you need to use when you make a DVD. My guess is that your stills are pretty hi resolution. Most things shot even on an iPhone these days have a larger pixel matrix then HD television.

DVD's are standard definition only. So when you take your finished presentation and crunch it down to to the file specification for a DVD (720x486 MPEG 2) you are left with some less than appealing looking images.

If that is the case you need to find an alternate to delivering on DVD. Two quickly come to mind, Blu-Ray, which will allow you to have resolutions up to HD video, or computer delivery. The first will require you to purchase additional hardware and software. The later might not.

For an unattended loop I would use the Blu-Ray method if you can budget for it. It will be less likely to crash.

VPiccin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> DVD's are standard definition only. So when you
> take your finished presentation and crunch it down
> to to the file specification for a DVD (720x486
> MPEG 2) you are left with some less than appealing
> looking images.
>
>

I'd like to add a contrarian view to this- by judicioius use of brightness and contrast, colour correction,the use of ProRes 422 and reasonable sized
images for pan and scan (say 25% larger), you can make awesome looking DVDs in Standard Definition.
I make SD slideshows on FCP 6.02 all the time.

...and if it looks good in SD, it will look even better in "Baby HD" (1280x720)

Just my half a nickel (as Canada has discontinued the penny as legal currency)