Easiest Way for In-Laws to View Images on TV?

[Mum2J&M]

I have a smugmug account with hundreds and hundreds of images in different galleries. My in-laws in England - yes, the ones with dial-up - want a DVD so they can watch the pics on their TV. Trouble is, I was going to order a backup from smugmug, but it says it's unlikely they can be seen on TV due to compression. So what is my alternative? My husband said he'd put everything on DVD here so it will work on their TV, but my file storage has changed and it would take me hours to put only the ones I want (that are already on smugmug) into one folder. :( So what would you do? Thanks for any info...

I should also add that my hubby said it doesn't matter if he just sticks all my images on there, but I have experimental stuff, etc. that they would just NOT understand, lol!

[theflyingkiwi]

what you want to do is create a photo cd/dvd. this way they can just put the disk in to the player press play and bingo away they go.

there is software out there that can do this for you, and even some of them can make transitions etc.

an example of this software is

http://www.dvd-photo-slideshow.com/photo-cd.html

[Mum2J&M]

Thanks for that link. However, I think the hubby would turn down the $60 cost. He'll likely still want to do it himself. So I guess my only option is still to put all the pics I want them to have in a folder. Question is, would they be better viewed on the TV at their original file size, or the size I make them for smugmug, which is considerably smaller, but still decent for a 4 x 6 print?

[BillsBayou]

Wow. I have no advice, but it sounds like you're about to do more than $60 worth of work on your own.

I've run into problems with DVD players and CD's with photos on them. Some of the players will display some,but no all. Some will not show any of the photos. When I can get them to display, the compression was never really an issue.

Good luck.

[Mum2J&M]

Yeah, thanks. Sounds like a pita, doesn't it? I don't want to do it, but I don't want my husband just sending them all of my junk without my approval. Many of the pics were never intended to be viewed by others as they are dupes, experimental, or downright suck! LOL.

[theflyingkiwi]

regarding the size it doesn't matter. if they are using a old crt type TV the even 800x600 is still going to look good.

if they are using a new LCD or Plasma TV then I would recommend at least 1024 maximum on either side. again it's not a very big size at all when it comes to the original file sizes.

if you have a look at this link you can see the file sizes in question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Common_Video_Resolutions_2.svg

as you can see standard TV in the US is 720x480 and Europe standard TV is 720x576, so you could make each picture a size that fits with in these standards and it will look great.

the max for HD is called 1080p which is 1920x1080, and this is the highest I would ever go for displaying a image on a tv. everything above it is going to be wasted. this has the effect of course that you can fit more pictures if you wanted to on a CD/DVD.

I have writen pictures to disk with out using any software. of course there isn't any effects and it also means that they can get the pictures printed if they wanted to. I haven't had any problems with using the disks on my DVD player but that's a single player. Just an extra note, most DVD players are able to play a disk with pictures on it, esp if it's a new player.

[Mum2J&M]

Holy cow. Thanks for all that info! I am clueless about all this stuff. I'd love to just have photo books printed for all my family members, but with the number of photos I've taken, it would cost a millon bucks.

[BillsBayou]

Oh, one other thing...

Is there a regional coding problem with DVDs burned in North America and played in Europe? There's a problem when it comes to purchased movies, but does that affect self-burned?

[theflyingkiwi]

Oh, one other thing...

Is there a regional coding problem with DVDs burned in North America and played in Europe? There's a problem when it comes to purchased movies, but does that affect self-burned?

I shouldn't think so. some software may enable you to set a regional coding. I use Nero and never seen that option. I also think that option would only be in effect if you are burning a DVD video/audio.

[theflyingkiwi]

Holy cow. Thanks for all that info! I am clueless about all this stuff. I'd love to just have photo books printed for all my family members, but with the number of photos I've taken, it would cost a millon bucks.

NP, just remember if you don't understand anything or got any more question, feel free to ask :)

[Mum2J&M]

Thanks much. I'm going to let the hubby handle the DVD/CD part of it. Looks like there should be enough room on even a CD to fit them all as I've weeded through them now. I copied the ones I re-sized for the web. Their TV is pretty old, so I don't think it'll make a darn bit of difference.

[KirkHMB]

How much to order the DVD from smugmug? Get it, sent to yourself, of the directory you want them to have, then copy that somewhere on your hard drive. Then burn as appropriate to a new DVD to send to them.

I suspect the smugmug is a data DVD, the one you send will need to be a video DVD if I remember my Nero terminology correctly.

[S.Horton]

Contact SmugMug customer service -- I'll bet they can find a way!

[Crockadile]

I have a smugmug account with hundreds and hundreds of images in different galleries. My in-laws in England - yes, the ones with dial-up - want a DVD so they can watch the pics on their TV. Trouble is, I was going to order a backup from smugmug, but it says it's unlikely they can be seen on TV due to compression. So what is my alternative? My husband said he'd put everything on DVD here so it will work on their TV, but my file storage has changed and it would take me hours to put only the ones I want (that are already on smugmug) into one folder. :( So what would you do? Thanks for any info...

I should also add that my hubby said it doesn't matter if he just sticks all my images on there, but I have experimental stuff, etc. that they would just NOT understand, lol!

I've found a website with plenty of tips to help you show your photos on TV. www.fotodiscs4u.co.uk/how_to_make_a_slideshow.htm (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/www.fotodiscs4u.co.uk/how_to_make_a_slideshow.htm)

[Hades]

Save the images to your hard drive and then use Microsoft Windows Movie Maker bundled with XP/Vista and create the pictures from there.

I have done it loads of times and you can add music etc and transistional effects between the images.

Also, it beens Region 0 (Global) I believe.

Good luck!