Camera photos with audio comments to DVD with VS10??

[rcurzon]

Not often I have multiple "new" technologies at once. It's too confusing.

Like now... I just got VS10, and also an Canon A540 camera. The camera has a microphone... one thing it permits is adding 30 seconds of commentary to every picture. It goes in as a .wav file somehow linked to the picture in some new industry standard.

Sounds great, you can add much better commentary by reviewing your pix the same day you took them.

Can someone suggest a pretty simple way to burn a VS10 slideshow with the audio playing beside the picture? I can imagine a couple of ways that might give me carpal tunnel syndrome ... but maybe there's an easier way??

[Ron P.]

Hi Rcurzon, welcome to the forums..

Recording a short narration for the pics is not that new. I have an old Sony Mavica FD95, which also allows this. However I have never used that option. I've always just added any narration in post production.

So I know as of now, I'm of no help, but I will shoot some random pics, and add narration to them in the camera. Then see what happens, and if the sound stays with the images when imported to the computer, and VS10...

Ron P.

[Ron P.]

Rcurzon,

I just ran a short test using my Mavica FD95. It only allows 5 secs of narration. What it does is save the image to MPEG1 format. It's like having a still video shot.

For example here is the properties of the image/MPEG shot using the Audio option on a still image:

FILE FORMAT: MEPG-1
FILE SIZE: 57,024 Bytes
Duration : 5.4 seconds

VIDEO
VIDEO TYPE: MPEG-1 Video
Total Frames : 135 Frames
Attributes: 24 Bits, 320 x 240
Frame Rate: 25. Frames/Sec
Data Rate: Varible Bit Rate

AUDIO
Audio Type: MPEG Audio Layer 2 Files
Total Samples: 172,800 Samples
Attributes: 32000Hz, 16 Bit Mono
Layer: 2
Bit Rate: 32 kbps

So you can see that it creates an MPEG file when using the audio option. I don't know if your camera will do the same, but I think it would be similar.

I then just copied the file to my desktop. From there I was able to insert it ito Video Studio, where it played the audio while viewing the image. I would be able to edit this clip just like any other.

In my situation the size of the MPEG1 (320 x 240) would not be acceptable for a DVD. Again since my camera is rather old now, your camera will probably do a better job.

So I guess I really didn't answer your question, since your camera saves the audio to a seperate file, instead of combining it in an MPEG.

I don't know of any other method to sync the audio (wav) file with your images, that does not incorporate the Carpal Tunnel Syndrom...

Ron P.

[rcurzon]

Hi vidoman....

I tried it in a small test here, and surprise... it's quite different.

Using the vendors download s/w ZoomBrowserEX, the picture appears with a little icon indicating it has sound. In some views, a Play Sound button enables itself when an annoted pic is selected. The pic quality appears to be a normal.

But in watching an automated slideshow, an AVI will play with sound, but the annoted pictures are silent.

So then I looked behind the scenes... no magic here.

It's implemented by filename with a WAV extension, with a filenaming containing the ID number equal to the JPG file.

In my case, it won't help at all to make a DVD slideshow it appears...

tx
Richard

[Ron P.]

I agree Richard,

It seems the best option is to use VS to create the slideshow. Then choose to open the slideshow in VS Editor. From there you can while viewing the images add voice over narration.

Go to the audio tab, then select Record Voice. This will play the video/images, while you record a narration. Have in mind or scripted what you want to say, because it adds the recording in real time.

Ron P.