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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
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    8

    Default Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Dontcha just LOVE newbies!?

    My latest problem - I use the freebie slideshow (I don't have Premium as I only do one small website for a non-profit group - so, yeah, I'm a total non-professional at this stuff). The photos I drop in are all pre-set (by me) to the exact size of the slideshow box (thanks to a great tip from someone on this Forum), and 72 dpi.

    But when the slideshow runs, the photos are noticeably fuzzier and less distinct than the original that I dropped in there. I feel like I have cataracts or something.

    So I 'optimized' them all - and that didn't help at all. I turned off the 'Retina' option - and that didn't help. I somehow think that 'optimizing' is the culprit, but I can't find any global switch that automatically optimizes all the photos. I dropped in some new, fresh, non-optimized photos -- and they show up just as blurry as the others.

    Any ideas folks?

    Thanking you in advance ...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Bracknell, UK
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    8,659

    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Dontcha just LOVE newbies!?

    Well yes!

    They often have great ideas and use the software in a different way.

    The only ones that aren't popular are the ones that complain it doesn't work like product XYZ.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Placitas, New Mexico, USA
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    41,487

    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    72dpi is Apple screen resolution and since Windows screen resolution is 96dpi the images will be very blurry indeed.

    Your images need to be exported (and have to be this or better before you export) at 96dpi if you want the images to appear sharp and focused.

    And actually we don't mind newbies. They amuse us.

  4. #4
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    Sep 2000
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    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    I don't really fully understand the relationship between manufacturers DPI today. In the past it had a relationship with the dot pitch of monitors, but that is no longer the case, and I've always believed that the notional text DPI is more about the relationship of text to display than graphics.

    Many modern display have dot pitches that are neither 72DPI or 96DPI, so I would give it a go at a much higher resolution.

    I know my Mac has a notional screen size of 1440x900, but the monitor resolution is actually double that.

    The slideshow will be of a specific size, so I recommend producing artwork of exactly that size and/or double that size. I think DPI is pretty meaningless for graphics used for display.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Quote Originally Posted by gwpriester View Post
    72dpi is Apple screen resolution and since Windows screen resolution is 96dpi the images will be very blurry indeed.

    Your images need to be exported (and have to be this or better before you export) at 96dpi if you want the images to appear sharp and focused.

    And actually we don't mind newbies. They amuse us.
    Please read this page and take special note of the example photos (which are displaying via your computer's video system)
    http://www.scantips.com/no72dpi.html


    The OP needs to post his file so we can see what he is seeing.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Quote Originally Posted by pauland View Post
    I don't really fully understand the relationship between manufacturers DPI today. In the past it had a relationship with the dot pitch of monitors, but that is no longer the case, and I've always believed that the notional text DPI is more about the relationship of text to display than graphics.

    Many modern display have dot pitches that are neither 72DPI or 96DPI, so I would give it a go at a much higher resolution.

    I know my Mac has a notional screen size of 1440x900, but the monitor resolution is actually double that.

    The slideshow will be of a specific size, so I recommend producing artwork of exactly that size and/or double that size. I think DPI is pretty meaningless for graphics used for display.
    Exactly!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Placitas, New Mexico, USA
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    41,487

    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Just checking something out here.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	72.jpg 
Views:	159 
Size:	70.3 KB 
ID:	106253   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	96.jpg 
Views:	168 
Size:	116.3 KB 
ID:	106254  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	72 stretched.jpg 
Views:	158 
Size:	93.0 KB 
ID:	106255  

  8. #8
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    Sep 2000
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    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Gary, here's my expectation.

    In a document set up for pixels, I wouldn't expect an exported image pixel size to be changed in size when altering the DPI, because the pixel size is set.

    In a document set up for paper measures, I would expect the exported image pixel size to change according to the DPI setting.

    If you get my drift.

  9. #9
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    Aug 2000
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    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    Yeah, I hear you, Paul. My thinking is when you export an image from Xara at 96dpi with a zoom factor of 100% it is 1:1 and should appear at the same size and resolution when you see it in a browser. If I had another point it is lost to the ages.

    Ah, maybe it was this. For print, what matters is the actual pixel dimensions. So if I export an image that on the screen is 960 x 768 at 300ppi the actual size in pixels is 10" x 8". But if I take the same image an post it on the web, the size is 3000 x 2400 pixels, larger than most monitors.

    Was that a point? I'm not sure.

    When preparing art for a slide show image that is say 600 x 400 pixels, then the image needs to be at least 96dpi at this size to export in a reasonable resolution. If I take an image created at 72dpi @ 600 x 400 pixels and stretch the image to 600 x 400 pixels in Xara the image is not going to be sharp. It is going to be fuzzy. Which I believe is where this topic started.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    8

    Default Re: Fuzzy pictures in slideshow

    I tried increasing the DPI to solve the problem, but it doesn't appear to have done the trick. On the left is a 150 DPI image as it appears on the website in the slideshow maker. On the right is same 150 DPI file as it looks prior to being inserted into the slideshow.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	on screen 150 dpi.JPG 
Views:	189 
Size:	35.7 KB 
ID:	106258Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Hedderick_landscape.JPG 
Views:	176 
Size:	81.6 KB 
ID:	106259

    Interestingly, as a test I loaded the photo onto the web page itself, instead of into the slideshow thing. It looks perfect on the webpage - crisp and clear! So - somehow, something is happening in the slideshow that makes the photos look blurry. Maybe I'm scrunching the photo ..?.. since the blurry photo isn't the same size as the one I created. 590x432 is the size of the slideshow box, and that's the size I made all the pictures to go in it. But obviously, I need to experiment more with those picture sizes. These are all various artists' paintings ... I'm sure they'll notice.

    So -- I took the 150 DPI original photo, and resized it to be 596x389 - which is what I get when I do a screen capture of the slideshow in operation. Same exact thing - fuzzy. Maybe Xara's freebie slideshow does this to get me to buy the premium edition ... with CLEAR photos! hahaha

    Well, if anyone has any other test or whatever I can try - I'm game. Perhaps if I feel brilliant tomorrow, I'll try embedding one of those free slideshow makers and see what happens with a different slideshow module installed.

 

 

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