Using a card reader/writer & THM files

[Sky_&_Sea]

Hello.
I've been using my beloved Ixus500 for some time now and invested in a card reader/writer so that I could backup my photos.
Since then I've bought a bigger memory card and I want to be able to put the original images and images I've edited/created back onto the camera so that I can share them, show people, get them printed without wasting CDs etc.

Unfortunately some of the images come up as "unrecognised JPEG format" and some are invisible to the camera. I think the problem is I renamed the images and deleted the associated THM files from a lot of them.:confused:

Is there some way I can create THM files and some way I can convert photos I've edited/pictures I've created in Photoshop into a format my IXUS will recognise and show on the LCD display?

Help would me much appreciated as I've been trying to figure this out for ages and stumbled across this site by accident.

Also I'd like to be able to put AVI files back onto the camera too. In fact this is the main trouble I was having, as with most originals it was just a case of renaming the files to something like IMG_0410.

[tim]

THM files are just small JPEGs. It's possible that Photoshop compresses JPEGs that your camera can't read, but a camera screen's a terrible way to share photos anyway. Just copy the image to the card, any PC or printing system will pick the photo up and print/display it just fine.

[Sky_&_Sea]

Thanks but I specifically want to be able to see the pictures on my camera's LCD.

It isn't a terrible way to share photos! :mad: It actually works really well.
So there.

I don't have a laptop (yet) and I carry my camera with me everywhere. I can show the pictures on the camera, If my friend/client whoever wants a print of it, I can plug it straight into a printer or take the card to a developers without having to get to a computer.

But actually the main thing I want to do is to play AVI files on my camera, which won't work without the thumbnails.

[tim]

I'm sure it's possible to do, but I don't think I can help with it, sorry. It's not a common requirement, hopefully someone will be able to help you out.

[Sky_&_Sea]

Thanks anyway. I suppose it's not surprising it's not a common requirement. I really like the quality of video on the Ixus and quite often use it as a mini camcorder.

Most people wanting to do this sort of thing would probably use a laptop or one of those portable jukeboxes which display photos and video e.g. iRiver, which would be a nice gizmo to have if I could afford one.

In the meanwhile I've found one way of doing it (for the benefit of anyone else wanting to do this):
1)copy a THM file from another identically sized AVI file,
2)change the filename to match the AVI file,
3)check to see which thumbnail is the "fake" one and copy the file in the camera,
4) delete the AVI file with the incorrect thumbnail.
The AVI file should now have a correct thumbnail and will be located at the "end" of the card.

This seems to work OK if you have another AVI file of the same size. Otherwise you're stumped. Which I have been. Actually it works with a bit of leeway, but I'm not sure how that affects the AVI.

And I still have the problem with unrecognised jpeg formats.

Seems I do need to go via the computer after all!

[tim]

I wouldn't think many people would share photos with their camera long after they've taken them. Personally i'd get the printed 6*4 if I wanted to show people them, and all my good photos go onto my website. I print very few photos as I mainly just tell people to look at my site. I don't like 6*4s either, I tend to print things A4 or bigger if i'm going to bother, and my best I print A1 and frame.

[Sky_&_Sea]

Same here. Except I don't have a website yet.
As I said, the main thing I wanted if for was video. With a big memory card it actually makes a pretty good video camera.

Except for one thing.
Do you know if there's a way I can get rid of the 30 second time limit on AVI files?
Actually two things. I can't zoom in or out whilst recording.
Is there a firmware upgrade for IXUS available which might get round this?

Maybe I should ask that in a different thread.

[tim]

I doubt you can get around those limitations, they're probably hardware dependant or there for good reason. You never know though, try asking or google.