Auto-create photo vcd / svcd 's with menu from digital photos, images and movies for DVD player.

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Created: Jan 16, 2003
Updated: Nov 24, 2004
Contact: Martin

:: Introduction
:: Key Features
:: Next version(s)
:: Screenshots
:: Creation
:: Movies
:: Manual
:: FAQ
:: License
:: Thanks
:: Download
:: Pricing & Ordering
:: Version history

Introduction

Photo to VCD/SVCD Creator is a program to create a VCD or SVCD from your JPG images (for example from your digital camera) in high resolution (PAL 704 * 576, NTSC 704 * 480) and from your MPEG movies. You can mix photo's and movies within the same menu.
This program will automatically create a menu on the VCD/SVCD based on the directory structure where your pictures and video's are located.
The created VCD/SVCD will play in most standalone DVD-players on the market.

The main difference between this program and others in the market is the virtually unlimited menu length and menu depth (sub-menu's). Also this program creates high resolution still pictures instead of low resolution mpeg video of your source images.

Key Features

LITE version:

Simple to use
Easy recreation of the VCD/SVCD when new photo's are added.
Add movies to the VCD/SVCD (for LITE version there is a maximum of 2 movies).
Photo's and movies can be mixed in the same menu.
Original date and time of the shoot is extracted from the JPG file (EXIF information) and can be printed on the bottom of the screen.
Optionally display the filename of the image.
Works on most DVD players.
Automatic menu generation.
Burn the CD from within the program.
Full size preview window, operates like a DVD player.
Menu will scroll if longer than screen, menu order can be changed.
Menu selection by using the buttons Next track, Previous track, Play and Return or by using the numeric keypad.
Choose your own fonts, sizes and color of the menu's.
Place the date/time stamp anywhere on the picture in the font, size and color you want.
Approximatly 1900 photo's can be put on a VCD / SVCD.
Optional correction of Aspect ratio and TV edges (Television takes about 5% off the edges).
Option to reduce the flickering of thin lines (anti-flicker filter).
Multi language support (currently Dutch, English, German, Portugees and Italian. Swedish is coming soon).

Extra's in PRO version:

No limit in menu depth (Lite version has 1 level i.e. no sub menu's).
Design your own menu buttons and menu background (in LITE version the background is always black):
Number of movies only limited by the avaliable space on the VCD/SVCD
Add text to your images. When the image is being shown just press the [enter] key on your remote to view the text.

Next version(s)

I am working on the following new features:

Creation of DVD's, many many photo's on one DVD!
More languages
Want something added ? Contact: Martin

Screenshots

Screenshots:

Interface of the Photo VCD Creator

Settings screen.

Examples of the result. Notice the 5% correct edges setting, on your TV set you will not see these edges.

The informational text is displayed on a dimmed image when pushing the [ENTER] button on the remote control.

Burn created VCD/SVCD to CD-R or CD-RW

Creation

The creation of a VCD/SVCD will only take the next simple steps:

Create a directory structure according to your menu wishes

Put your JPG's and/or MPG's in the right directories
Start the Photo to (S)VCD creator
Enter the path of your directory structure (e.g. C:\Photos)
Enter a target directory for the converted images (for resizing).
If you do not delete this directory after the creation process then the next creation (after you added more pictures) will only take the time to process the new pictures.
Click on the 'Read Structure' button.
Use the preview window to view the result as if it were on your television.
Select your options (SVCD or VCD / NTSC or PAL / Main menu title)
Click on the 'Create VCD/SVCD' button
Burn created image from within the Photo to VCD creator or your own burning program
Put the CD in your DVD player and enjoy your photo's on your television using the navigation buttons

Movies

The movies you want to add to the VCD/SVCD should be converted to the right MPEG format. For VCD this is MPEG1 and for SVCD this is MPEG2.
A Good method for doing this is using the TMPGENC Plus program. This program has templates for VCD and SVCD and does all the conversions needed.
You can download a 15 day trail version from their website

Manual

A manual is available here.

FAQ

When I buy the PRO version, do I get all the updates for free?
Yes, you will always be able to download the latest PRO version when it becomes available.

Is it possible to add music to the VCD ?
No, because I am creating High resolution still images it is not possible to add music. This is a limitation of DVD-players.

Can I add the original images to the VCD / SVCD ?
In one of the next releases this option will be added.

What is the best resize method ?
This is very personal. You should try a few different photo's in preview mode (do not select fast preview) or burn it to a CD(RW) before making your decision. I think the Mitchel method is pretty good.

Do I need the anti-flicker filter ?
Again, this is very personal. When you have found the resize filter you want to use you should try viewing the vcd on your DVD-player with and without the anti-flicker filter. Not every resize filter requires the anti-flicker filter.
If you have a 100Hz television you might not need the anti-flicker filter.

Previewing the photos is slow
You should select the 'Fast preview' options. Image quality will not be as good but it is fast. For the final creation the program will use the selected resize method.

Burning the CD gives an error.
Not all drives are supported by the methods of burning I am using (CDRecord and CDRDAO tools). If you are unable to burn the generated image using the built in burning tool you should try another program to burn the generated image.
You can find the image in the build-directory.
To burn it you can use Alcohol 120%, Nero, CDRWin, fireburner or another program capable of burning bin/cue images. Roxio Easy CD Creator is not capable of this!
For best compatibility you should burn at a maximum of 4 speed.

Alcohol 120%:
Select Image Burn Wizard
Select the vcd.cue file in your build-directory

Nero:
Close the wizard
Choose File/ Burn image from the menu
Select the vcd.cue file in your build-directory
!! Some drives (mostly DVD burners) do not support normal DAO mode, if you get an error you should select DAO/96 mode.

CDRWin:
Select 'Load cuesheet'
Select the vcd.cue file in your build-directory

fireburner:
Choose File/ Import tracks from cuesheet from the menu
Select the vcd.cue file in your build-directory

License

You can read the license of the LITE version here
You can read the license of the PRO version here

Thanks

Special thanks go out to:

Henk for the graphics.

Christian Berndt for the German and Portuguese language support. Contact Martin if you need his email address.

Marco D'Amato for the Italien language support his website

Download

You can download the free LITE version here

Pricing & Ordering

The Lite version is completely free of charge, the PRO version is available for 25 USD.

You can buy the PRO version through PayPal (Credit card only)

or

You can buy the PRO version through share-it (Credit card, Wire transfer, Check, Switch/solo or Cash)
Information on Share-it can be found in the Customer Care Center

After purchase you will receive a special key file (photovcd.lic) by E-mail (normally delivered within 24 hours after payment is received). This key file will carry the registered username.
Also you will recieve an URL where you can download the PRO version. Download and install the Lite Version and copy the key file and the downloaded PRO version in the same folder as where you installed the Lite version. Start the Photo to VCD creator and check if your license name is in the title bar

Because of the type of product (software) and the method of payment (online), it is not possible to cancel an order nor give any refund.

The actual payment is handled by PayPal/Share-it, who have a SSL secured payment site. This also means that I do not get to know your credit card number, I only get the money from the payment.

Version history

Version 2.0.4

Fixed a bug in CD-burner support.
Added capacity warning when creating VCD's with to many images/menu's.

Version 2.0.3

French language added.
New cd recording library for better support of cd/dvd burners.
Fixed some small problems.

Version 2.0.2

Fixed a problem when burning a VCD as a non-administrator user.
Fixed a problem in ordering the menu-items.

Version 2.0.1

Complete rebuild of the image library. You can now choose from 10+ resize algorithems. Image quality has improved a lot.
Added option for quick preview. This uses the fastest resize method.

Version 1.3.2

Better burn support. Normal mode now uses CDRecord instead of CDRDAO
Added German, Portuguese and Italian Language
Fixed a bug introduced in 1.3.0 where date/time was not displayed on the image
New cygwin version, solves some problems in creation process.

Version 1.3.0

Added support for movies
Added multi language support
Added numeric hotkey support. User can now press numeric keys on the remote control to select a menu option. This fixed a problem for some DVD players that did not support use of the ENTER key
Fixed memory problems on systems with low memory.
Fixed build problems on some XP systems

Version 1.2.0

Added option to add text to the images. Text is displayed after pressing the [ENTER] key on the image (PRO version only).

Added options for displaying date/time stamp and/or filename as subscript on the image.

Some bug fixes.

Version 1.1.5

Fixed a problem where an out of memory error could occur on windows 95/98/ME systems.

Fixed an ordering problem with the menu's.

Version 1.1.4

Fixed a problem with the order of the images, image order is alphabetical now, Manually changing the order will be implemented in the near future

Version 1.1.3

Added generic-raw option for burning with non-supported drives.

Version 1.1.2

Corrected some problems when choosing illegal source path.

Added counters for reading the directory structure.

Version 1.1.1

Added option to use generic driver for burning.

Moved settings to seperate window for users with screen resolution below 1024x768.

Fixed a problem where menus did not create properly in some resolutions.

Version 1.1.0 major update

Added support for burning directly from the Photo to VCD creator

Restyled the user interface.

All known bugs/problems are solved.

Version 1.0.4

You can now pick custom colors for the fonts.

fixed: Strange behaviour with the full size preview window.

Version 1.0.3

Splash screen added.

Minor bug fixes.

Version 1.0.0

New icons added to the program (thanks Henk!)

First NON BETA Release.

Version 0.96

Bug fix when jpeg files did not have valid EXIF information.

Version 0.95

Minor bug fixes.

Version 0.94

Added option to change the order of the menu items !!
Fixed problem when dir's or files had illegal charakters in it.
Minor bug fixes and added extra checks at startup.

Version 0.93

Fixed a problem when running under windows 95/98/ME.
Fixed problem with directories with '&' in it.

Version 0.92

Error handling added.
Some minor bugfixes

Version 0.91

Error when building VCD.
Full rebuild option did not work

Version 0.90

First public release