[Jsteinamite]

I’ll try this, though I think this might be what I did. Actually what I need is for the letters in the text to also be transparent so that the images behind them show through.

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

This is great advice. I’m going to practice using different bit rates..

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

You wrote:
Under file, project settings, you choose the format 4×3 or Widescreen. So if you choose 4×3 as the format and then in the rendering choices chose widescreen – the render will have pillar bars left and right. If you chose widescreen for your project and rendered to 4×3 – you would get bars top and bottom – ‘letterboxed.’ Hope that clear things up.

So, I checked under File>Properties (there was no actual “project settings” option under the File menu), I could see that the template setting was Custom (320×240, 29.970 fps), which in my understanding is 4×3. Right?

Then I went to “Render As” and the Template setting is “Default Template”. In the Template dropdown box, there are many possible option, including widescreen ones (that I guess I don’t want in order to get rid of black bars). How do I choose the proper template. I think I’m leaning toward rendering in DVD format but under Template, it seems that there is an overwhelming array of DVD options. Which do I use?

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

I’m not sure how to ansewr that. I guess it makes snese to render it as a DVD, in which case it will be more versatile, right? I could play it on a DVD player, in a CD player, and post it on the web eventually too right (or is that an entirely different ballgame?)

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

That’s a great question. Actually, what I’d like to do is render it to a format that is most versatile, has good quality, and isn’t HUGE.

My intention is to ultimately be able to show it on a digital slide projector from my computer; post on our web site; and also make it available for others to simply play on their own computers.

Should I render it as a DVD then? If so, would I render it in MPEG-2 format? And what template option would I select?

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

Man, I hate to sound stupid but here goes…

In response to your question, “Did you take a 4×3 project and render to widescreen?”, my answer is that I’m not sure. I’m really figuring all this out as I go.

How do I check these two things:
-Is my project 4×3?
-How do I know if I rendered to widescren?

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

Yes, I already used the “Match Aspect Ratio” option for all of my still images and in the preview winodw, they appear to be filling the whole screen. It’s only AFTER I’ve rendered them that they end up having the black bar on the sides. Any ideas why that would be happening?

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

You wrote: “Don’t forget to de-interlace them.”
What exactly does that mean and how and why should I do it?

You also wrote: “Vegas likes 655 X 480”.
I’ve seen this written before, and knowing that 720 X 480 is a norm, why do we say that Vegas “likes” 655 X 480?

Finally, you wrote: “If I’m going for the Ken Burns effect, then I generally leave them in their original size.”
I’ve heard about this Ken Burns effect also. What is it? And why would you keep images in their original size?

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

Scratch this comment. I replied before I read all of your responses. Thanks for all the clarification!

Jonathan Stein

[Jsteinamite]

Hm. Sounds like there’s concensus on this. But given that I’m working with stsills and not actual video footage, does it still not apply?

Jonathan Stein