Optimizing for CD playback

[wayneski webforumsuser@macromedia.com]

I'm working on a Director Movie the final will be distributed on a CD as a projector file. The presentation is 4-5 minutes long and will consist mainly of full frame photos (800 x 600) and a narrative soundtrack in which the photos need to be in sync with the sountrack via cues. I have several basic questions for optimizing the movie for optimal playback via CD-ROM.

1. Should my photos that I use be jpg images? Or is there a better file format?

2. Should my soundtrack be internal or external? If external will Director be able to recognize the cues that need to be placed in the soundtrack?

3. Should I use .wav or .swa as the final sound format?

4. Since the sound is 4 -5 minutes long should I break the soundtrack into smaller pieces say for example one minute sections? If I break the sound into sections should I make smaller individual movies that branch from one to another? Or should I string soundtrack pieces in one movie?

5. If I break the movie up into individual movies is there a way to prevent a pause in the sound as the next movie is loaded from the CD? (I want the movie to play as one continuous piece.)

6.Is there an extra or utility out there that would copy my projector file to the end users hard drive C:/temp and play from the end users hard drive rather than from the CD? (i.e. Flasjester's Jugglor)


Thank You!!
Wayne

[Tom at FIDIM (no spam)]

> I'm working on a Director Movie the final will be distributed on a CD as a

> projector file. The presentation is 4-5 minutes long and will consist mainly
> of full frame photos (800 x 600) and a narrative soundtrack in which the
> photos need to be in sync with the sountrack via cues. I have several basic
> questions for optimizing the movie for optimal playback via CD-ROM.
>
> 1. Should my photos that I use be jpg images? Or is there a better file
> format?

JPEG is fine. Unless you start having trouble with the audio synch. See
below.

> 2. Should my soundtrack be internal or external?

That's your decision, but I always prefer internal sound files. That way
there's no chance of Director not finding the sound file at run time.

> If external will Director be
> able to recognize the cues that need to be placed in the soundtrack?

Sure, as long as the format the file is saved in supports cue points.

> 3. Should I use .wav or .swa as the final sound format?

SWA will be smaller. You can also use MP3 and AIFF, but I don't think MP3
supports cue points.

> 4. Since the sound is 4 -5 minutes long should I break the soundtrack into
> smaller pieces say for example one minute sections?

Not necessary. If all you're doing is playing static images that come up in
synch with a sound file's cue points you shouldn't have any problems. The
only thing that may come up is there might be a slight pause in the audio
before a couple of the images display. This is because JPEGs are
uncompressed at runtime before they are displayed. If this is a problem use
a format that is not compressed, like a Photoshop file or a PICT file or
something. They'll be bigger files, but Director won't have to uncompress
them each time it runs.

> If I break the sound into
> sections should I make smaller individual movies that branch from one to
> another? Or should I string soundtrack pieces in one movie?

Don't bother breaking it up unless you absolutely have to. You're just
making more work for yourself. Do the presentation as one long sound file
with the images first. Burn a CD, and test it. If it runs, you're done.
If not, then break apart the sound file. But don't break it into separate
..dir files. That won't save you any memory.

> 6.Is there an extra or utility out there that would copy my projector file to
> the end users hard drive C:/temp and play from the end users hard drive rather
> than from the CD? (i.e. Flasjester's Jugglor)

There are free installer maker programs out there you can use. But this
probably isn't necessary for what you need to do.

->Later.....Spice