My photos to DVD player

August 18, 2008 5:22 PM

This should be easy, but I can't make it work. I simply want to make a DVD containing a slideshow of my photos that will play on a regular DVDplayer and TV. Background music and titles are a bonus.

I do not have mad computer skilz, need something easy and cheap.

I can't make it work with Windows Movie Maker or Roxio DVD Builder or Roxio Storyboard (older edition).

posted by Northwest to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Best answer: I used ProShow to do this for a friends wedding. The full version costs $69.95 but there's a trial version that works pretty good; I think the only 'restriction' on the trial version was that it adds a Proshow gold logo to the slideshow (from memory). It's also fairly easy to use. You can add background music, no worries. I'd reccommend it.
posted by Effigy2000 at 5:46 PM on August 18, 2008

I did this for my own wedding reception using Muvee Autoproducer and it was well worth the money for ease of use. The interface was dead simple and made it a breeze to do exactly what you're trying to do. That being said if you have access to a mac you could do this with iPhoto for free.
posted by genial at 5:51 PM on August 18, 2008

Muvee Autoproducer is notoriously buggy for larger slideshows (yet I insist on continuing to buy it and its updates!)

I posted an example of what it can do on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZnN6IGNS-4
posted by newfers at 10:20 PM on August 18, 2008

Many modern DVD players will recognize a CD full of JPEGs and play them as a slideshow, admittedly without music and titles. As a no-cost, no work option you could try it.

Making these kind of things relatively easy was one of the reasons I used to justify buying a Mac, though I'm positive it could be done on a windows computer, probably without spending any money too.
posted by sdevans at 4:44 AM on August 19, 2008

Windows Movie Maker should do what you need - what problems are you having with it? I did this with WMM and it was really slick.
posted by Twicketface at 10:19 AM on August 19, 2008

If your computer runs Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, use Windows DVD Maker. It's super easy to use, offers a good selection of DVD menus and transitions, and lets you add your own soundtrack or narration.
posted by prinado at 12:24 AM on August 20, 2008

Response by poster: I appreciate the software suggestions very much and will try demos of Muvee and Proshow. Newfers, thanks for the link, it's nice to see it in action. Twicketface, the DVD player at my parents home can't or won't play video CD's, I can't get Moviemaker to burn to a DVD.

I'm on XP Pro, but will soon have a Vista laptop, maybe I'll just wait.
posted by Northwest at 10:11 AM on August 20, 2008