First of all, we'll assume you know the basics of using TMPGEnc, a WAV editor, and your burning software. If you are using Cool Edit and/or Adaptec 3.5c I'll be happy to help if I can. Otherwise, consult your software's documentation for specific help.

With my method we'll use TMPG to convert our JPG or BMP images to MPG clips. Some of you may point out that the VCD format supports actual still pictures. While this is certainly true, not all burning software supports still images, plus my method allows you to add sound and/or narration to each picture.

Before you begin preparing your clips, you need to decide which authoring method you will use. This will be determined by the capabilities of your burning software and by your target platform. If your burning software supports menus and allows you to specify the delay value for menu pages, and your target platform supports PBC (anything that supports VCD 2.0 or above... most DVD players that play VCDs and most VCD players fall into this category) we'll use what I call the "PBC Method". If your burning software does not support menus, or does not allow you to specify the delay, or if you want to ensure compatibility for non-PBC platforms (computers, game consoles, CDI players, or very old VCD players) you'll need to use what I call the "Embedded Delay" method.

Here's a quick comparison....

PBC Method pros:
+Faster encoding of clips
+Faster burning of disc
+Change delay times without re-encoding clips
+Unlimited delay time
+Manual change (infinite delay) possible

PBC Method cons:
-Not compatible with all playback platforms
-Not compatible with all burning software
-Sequential access only

Embedded Delay pros:
+Compatible with all playback platforms
+Use any VCD burning software
+Random access possible via number keys

Embedded Delay cons:
-Longer encoding time
-Longer burning time
-Can't change delay times without re-encoding clips
-Limited total delay time
-Manual change (infinite delay) impossible

PICTURE PREPARATION:

OK... now whichever method you are going to use, you'll need to plan out your slideshow. Remember that the VCD format supports up to 99 items, so if you are going to have any introduction, title, end, or credits, you'll need to allow for this. Gather together all the pictures you will use. I find it convenient to put them all into a new empty folder. The files can be any format that TMPG recognizes as an input format... JPG, BMP, and TGA, for example. The dimensions of the picture do not matter because TMPG will automatically resize them to fit the screen and will maintain the aspect ratio. Next, it helps if you rename the files adding a number to the filename indicating the order the picture will be shown. For example, "kittens.jpg" would be renamed "01-kittens.jpg".

Note: due to a bug in TMPGEnc, any image files you have with a .JPEG extension must be renamed to .JPG to be properly processed.

MAKING A SILENT WAV:

If any or all of your pictures will be silent (no sound or narration) you'll need to make a silent WAV file. If you will be using the PBC method, make a 1-second silent WAV file, at 44k, 16-bit stereo. Most audio editing software (I use Cool Edit) has a function to do this. Or you could use almost anything (including Windows' Sound Recorder) to do it... just unplug your microphone or turn it off in the mixer, adjust your record settings for 44k, 16-bit stereo, and record for 1 second. If you are using the Embedded Delay method, use the same procedure to create a silent WAV file of whatever duration you want your image to remain on the screen... say 5 or 10 seconds, for example. I find it easiest to put this file in the folder with the pictures, and call it "silent01.wav" (for 1 second) or "silent05.wav" (5 seconds).

PREPARING SOUND OR NARRATION (skip to the next section if making a silent slideshow):

Now, if any of the pictures in your slideshow will have narration or other sound that will play when they are shown, you need to record those now. Remember to record at (or convert to, if your sound is pre-recorded) 44k, 16-bit stereo. If you want the picture to remain on screen for longer than the sound,and you are using the Embedded Delay method, add the appropriate amount of silence to the end of your WAV file. For example, your descriptive narration lasts 3 seconds, but you'd like the picture to be displayed for a total of 10 seconds, you'd add 7 seconds of silence at the end of your WAV file. For the PBC method we can skip the silence padding step since we will specify the delay later in our burning software. I find it useful to name the wave file the same as the corresponding picture file (including the number we added) and save it in the folder with the pictures.

One more thing about the WAV files... the total time cannot exceed the capacity of the disc. If you are using the Embedded Delay method, the delay for *each* picture counts toward that total. Usually this is not a problem, but you should keep it in mind if you are preparing a disc with lots of pictures and long narrations for each picture.

ENCODING TO MPG:

Open TMPG. Click the "Load" button and select the desired (PAL or NTSC) VCD template. Leave the default settings (since our source is a still image, there is nothing to be gained by changing the "quality" setting or trying to tweak the GOP or Matrix settings).

Select a "Video Source" - click the corresponding "Browse" button, navigate to and select your first picture file.
Select an "Audio Source" - click the corresponding "Browse" button and find the desired WAV file... either the narration file previously prepared for that picture, or, if silent, the appropriate silent WAV (1-second for PBC method, or desired length for Embedded Delay method).

TMPG will automatically name the output MPG file the same as your "Video Source" file and put it in the same folder. You may change that if you want, but I find it easiest to leave it that way.

Click "Start" to begin encoding. Actual time will vary depending on the length of your WAV file and the speed of your CPU. It only takes a few seconds for a 1-second file. That's one reason I recommend the PBC method if your target platform and burning software support it.

Once it is finished, go back and select the video and audio source for your next picture, and then encode it. Repeat until you have encoded all pictures to MPG with the appropriate sound or silent WAV files.

BURNING:

I use Adaptec Easy CD Creator Deluxe 3.5c so the procedure may vary slightly if you are using different software. It should, however, be similar... consult your software's documentation if you are not sure how to use it.

EMBEDDED DELAY METHOD:

Open your burning software. Load all of your MPG files ("Add play items"). Next, add each file, in the desired playback order, to your 'Start Sequence". Burn as usual. Enjoy your slideshow!

PBC METHOD:

Open your burning software. Load all your MPG files ("Add play items"). Next, add each file, in the desired playback order, as a menu page. Specify the number of selections on the page as "0". Now set the delay for each item. In Adaptec, right-click the item in the Menu Pages list and select "Properties". Set the repeat to "1" and set the delay to the desired delay (or infinite if you want a "manual" slideshow). Note that this is the delay time *after* the clip plays, so if you have, for example, 4 seconds of narration and you want the picture to be displayed for a total of 10 seconds, you'd set the delay to "6". Repeat this step, setting the desired delay for each slide (menu page) in your presentation. Burn as usual. Enjoy your slideshow!

Please note that if you try and test the layout with the "Play VCD Layout" function in the Adaptec software, it will not do the delays, but they are in there and will work as planned on the finished disc in your DVD/VCD player. If you want to be sure, try burning a small slideshow with just a few pictures first to test it.

ADDITIONAL TIPS AND TRICKS:

You can make a "Mixed Media" presentation by intermixing regular full-motion MPG clips with your prepared "still" clips.

You can have a total of up to 99 items. Total play time cannot exceed capacity of the disc. Embedded delays and audio counts toward this total, while PBC delays do not.

As a fun variation, try using a sound effect such as a camera clicking in place of the silent WAV file.

You can add titles and credits by using the text feature of your image editing software to add text to an existing picture or to a plain or patterned background.

If using the PBC method, you can make a totally manual slideshow (slide stays on screen until you change it) by setting the delay to infinite, but I would recommend instead just setting a long delay (like several minutes) instead of infinite. That way, if you get distracted, the same image will not stay on screen forever and possibly burn it in. This is an important consideration if you will be viewing it on a big-screen projection TV.

An alternative to using long delays with the Embedded Delay method (which makes for longer encoding and burning times) is to use a shorter delay like 5 seconds (or maybe even one second?), and then use the slow motion feature of your player to let the pictures stay on screen longer, or pause to leave a picture on screen indefinitely. Of course, the slow-motion trick is only useful if you have a silent slideshow, otherwise you lose your sound.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? phxphun1@yahoo.com