Best Slideshow Software

Keebler said:

That's a great question! lol I sent them an email and the only response was:
"The option for Mac is to install Windows and use it in Parallels or bootcamp".

It's too bad they don't, but you know what, I caved!
I was holding out for a Mac version, but finally decided to try it on Windows. I have a Mac Pro with windows on it for something else so I figure, why not! Try the demo.

Wow. I drank the kool-aid and it's some fine tasting drink!!!

ProShow Producer is fantastic. The options almost seem limitless in terms of what one can do. Tons of transitions, tons of templates and with the ability to turn off certain features, the number of possible templates is hard to calculate - lots is the key!

I've always kept my slideshows simple enough so that the photos speak rather than cheesy transitions etc... I feel that ProShow Producer is going to allow me to keep doing that, but also in a more efficient manner by saving templates. Once i save these templates, it's easy enough to change a few features so that each slideshow is truly different for my clients.

The options to export a .mov work well and fast enough. The program uses all cores on my mac pro without asking it too. I import into FCX for some different outputs and needs.

The user interface is easy to understand and works well. I still don't like the help feature - it's just a crappy Windows feature overall imho. I find the help sections of Mac programs so much easier to search.

What I also like about ProShow is something that I love about the Mac world - a strong and knowledgeable user base. There are websites dedicated to this program and there are options for downloading more templates and transitions etc..

But right off the hop, the bang for the buck is there.

I've done 2 slideshows this week. It took a bit of time to learn the software and work my way through it for the 1st one, but once i saved it as a template after finishing, it was much, much faster as I loaded the photos for the 2nd one and changed a few features.

So far, this looks to be one of the smartest decisions I've made for my business.

Yes, I'd still prefer a Mac version for a number of reasons, but for now, this version is 'gold' har har

Cheers,
Keebler

Click to expand...

blurij said:

I hope this gets to Keebler. I got this question for him.
I too have a Mac Pro with Bootcamp, and am ready to bite the bullet and ProShow Producer.

How much of a hassle is it to get photos from iPhoto into ProShow?
Do you have to pre-select the photos you plan to work with and import them to iPhoto or can you work simultaneously between iPhoto and ProShow importing pictures as you need them?

Or did you just put your whole iPhoto collection into ProShow ?

thanks a lot

Click to expand...

Slideshowfan said:

I agree with all the frustrations on Proshow Gold not being compatible with Apple... I am finally coming over to Mac (from a Dell Inspiron 700m!!). After a year of indecision and waiting for upgrades, now the 13" Retina finally was released but it does not have a separate graphics card. I feel that my best decision will be to go with 15" Retina (although I travel quite a bit, this will be my sole computer.... and the better processing over rules the portability....)
comments???

Re Software - I was going to buy Final Cut but after reading all the comparisons to Proshow I am torn.... should I buy and load Bootcamp and try to get PSG to run on the Mac or should I go with Finacut, hoping it has the same great transitions like the Style Pack 5 for PSG....

HELP!!!!!

Click to expand...

Keebler said:

Hey there,

Sorry about the delay! I've been out of town.

I don't put any photos into iPhoto. For personal use, I use Aperture and for slideshows, I simply use the AppleTV features.

For client use, I scan into folders, duplicate those folders so I have an original (therefore bypassing any future need to rescan). Then I edit and create another folder to back up the edited photos.

Then I just access from PSG, which is another Mac in Bootcamp. I have them networked. Works like I charm. When done in PSG, I create the HD file from it and send back to my 2010 Mac Pro b/c it's 12 core for processing vs a 2006 quad MP. I do like using the titles and adding music on my Mac so I import the HD file into FCX (used to be FCP7). I bought some royalty free music or I have clients select songs from the Music Bed etc... to use the proper licenses.

I'm not toting myself as the be all professional slideshow guy, but I've used FotoMagico on the Mac and a few others for plenty of slideshows over the years and nothing even comes close to the WOW factor of PSG. It's intuitive to use (if you've made slideshows before), it has a larger user community for help and the features are really endless. It's a stable product too with consistent updates as needed. Oh and the features allow me to be creative enough to WOW the clients too by presenting their photos in a professional way that will stand through time I believe (and not look cheesy like some of the weddings I transfer on VHS). lol

Of all the software I've bought over the years for both platforms, it's definitely one of the best.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
keebler

----------



No. FCX doesn't have the same transitions as PSG, but i wouldn't expect that as they really are different products. PSG is made specifically for slideshows whereas FCX is geared more towards video editing (which does include slideshows, but not the main focus).

PSG is the way to go.

btw, in no way am I endorsed by PhotoDex (although that would be neat to get a commission lol

Click to expand...

Dock Status said:

Pretty efficient and gorgeous end results
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ipicture/id431562230?mt=12

Click to expand...

Keebler said:

Hey there,

Sorry about the delay! I've been out of town.

I don't put any photos into iPhoto. For personal use, I use Aperture and for slideshows, I simply use the AppleTV features.

For client use, I scan into folders, duplicate those folders so I have an original (therefore bypassing any future need to rescan). Then I edit and create another folder to back up the edited photos.

Then I just access from PSG, which is another Mac in Bootcamp. I have them networked. Works like I charm. When done in PSG, I create the HD file from it and send back to my 2010 Mac Pro b/c it's 12 core for processing vs a 2006 quad MP. I do like using the titles and adding music on my Mac so I import the HD file into FCX (used to be FCP7). I bought some royalty free music or I have clients select songs from the Music Bed etc... to use the proper licenses.

I'm not toting myself as the be all professional slideshow guy, but I've used FotoMagico on the Mac and a few others for plenty of slideshows over the years and nothing even comes close to the WOW factor of PSG. It's intuitive to use (if you've made slideshows before), it has a larger user community for help and the features are really endless. It's a stable product too with consistent updates as needed. Oh and the features allow me to be creative enough to WOW the clients too by presenting their photos in a professional way that will stand through time I believe (and not look cheesy like some of the weddings I transfer on VHS). lol

Of all the software I've bought over the years for both platforms, it's definitely one of the best.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
keebler

----------



No. FCX doesn't have the same transitions as PSG, but i wouldn't expect that as they really are different products. PSG is made specifically for slideshows whereas FCX is geared more towards video editing (which does include slideshows, but not the main focus).

PSG is the way to go.

btw, in no way am I endorsed by PhotoDex (although that would be neat to get a commission lol

Click to expand...

blurij said:

Thank you Keebler for getting back to me. I'm trying to follow what you said, but I'm not all the way there.

I got an email from Photodex trying to explain how ProShow accesses photos to use in its slideshow program. Proshow cannot access iPhoto directly. Apparently, I have to put the photos I want to use in a slideshow in a separate folder on my Mac Pro hard drive that has bootcamp.

This is what I got from Photodex:
" The recommended way to import images or video into ProShow is by doing the following.* Within the main interface of ProShow, notice the "Folders List" in the top-left quadrant of the window.* Thats where you browse to the folder that contains your images.* Then, when that folder is highlighted/selected, just below, in what's called the "File List", your images and videos should appear.* In other words, the "File List" shows the contents of the selected folder in the "Folders List".* At that point, you can add any image or video in the "File List" by dragging that image or video down to the "Slide List" at the bottom of the window.* Alternatively, you can right-click on the image or video and choose "Add to Show".* Dragging images from other programs or from a Windows Explorer window is not recommended. "

So it sounds like all the photos have to be pre-selected before utilizing ProShow. But you said you use Aperture. I am trying to figure out where you keep your body of photos and how ProShow accesses them.

I have 3 separate hard drives on my MacPro - one of them being bootcamp and Windows dedicated. So all I can figure out is that I have to put all my photos in a folder in the bootcamp hard drive so that ProShow can access them.
You seem to have a different setup allowing you to network 2 computers with PSG. Not sure how PSG accesses your photos if it does not work with iPhoto. Does it find your photos in Aperture on your other computer? Where is the main library of photos that PSG uses or accesses? I also have a Macbook Pro, but I would rather do it all on my MacPro.

I don't have PSG yet. Just want to figure it out how the accessing of photos works first between Mac and Windows. Thank you again for your help and if you can respond to how specifically you access your photos for PSG use, I'd appreciate it.

Click to expand...

sickmacdoc said:

From all the ones that I have tried, Fotomagico 2 that was noted above is head and shoulders above the rest on the Mac platform. While it may still not offer everything you have grown accustomed to, it offers a tremendous level of flexibility particularly when compared to the other Mac based showings.

They have a 5 day free trial at the link above, so would certainly be worth a look to see if it would fit your needs.

Click to expand...

sickmacdoc,

I need to make one single slideshow and im new in Mac and slideshow applications in general.
I have been looking for an application that have options enough, where i can use a big amount of pictures, and that comes with a music package from where i can choose from. Because the most important thing for me now is time, and i dont have time to search on internet what music, or from where to get it if right now i dont have any music for example in my computer.
So i wonder if Fotomagico comes with music included when you purchase it, or if you can recommend me any other software?

Thank you