Sharing Video Photoshop.com (free version)

[ATR]

Recently, using Premiere Elements 7.0, I created a DVD-VIDEO widescreen from photos (jpeg) and video clips (AVI MPEG4) from a birthday party and added some music (mp3 and .wav) and titles created in Premiere Elements 7.0. It was just a little movie (about 3.5 minutes), and I wanted share it with some via email rather than send DVD-VIDEO on a DVD disc. Looking for the smaller file size, I explored use of a .wmv version (Share/Personal Computer/Windows Media/ with preset of Cable Modem, DSL, with the following settings:
Video Codec: Windows Media 9
Encoding Passes: 2
Frame Width: 720 pixels
Frame Height: 480 pixels
Pixel Aspect Ratio: D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 16:9 (1.2121)
Everything else left as is.

Even making a .wmv version of that Timeline, the file size was about 17 MB, too large for most email systems. So, I decided to explore the possibility of sharing by uploading to photoshop.com (free version).

(1) Upload to Photoshop.com
I uploaded the Premiere Elements 7.0 .wmv export from its hard drive save location to photoshop.com using the “Photoshop.com Uploader” which was obtained according to photoshop.com FAQs….
there is an Adobe Photoshop.com Uploader you can use to upload and sync JPEG and video files between your desktop and Photoshop.com. Download the program from Photoshop.com (there’s a link to it under News in the left column) and log in with your username and password. Drag photos onto the Uploader to get them up to Photoshop.com.
I have the Photoshop.com Uploader shortcut on the computer Desktop and work the upload from there.

The reason that I did not upload using the direct upload to photoshop.com route (Share/Online/photoshop.com) was that came with a fixed configuration, namely 640 x 480 at 25 frames per second, and my video was 720 x 480 widescreen at 29.97 frames per second.

(2) Emailing of Video
It took awhile for photoshop.com to process my uploaded video, but, once it did, it played back as great (video and audio) there as when it was seen on playback of the DVD-VIDEO on my DVD player. There are various options, including Email and Link. I opted to use Link where you copy the link provided and then paste it to your email. When you click on the link in the Sent Email, the video that opens looks great and plays back well with video plus audio.

I have not been a big fan of photoshop.com. In the past I have met with severe resistance and problems uploading and/or getting playback of the uploaded video at the site or playback of the shared video at the email recipient's site. But, in this case, it did a great job. I am not sure if I just got lucky or whether the service has undergone a marked improvement since the last time I investigated the process a few months ago.

If interested and have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

ATR

[Denny]

ATR,

I am trying to share my video on Photoshop.com but it does not play back as it was created. The 3D motion effect is not played back true to life. Instead of having perfectly matched, turning pages in my book turning pages effect the pages are "jumping". I accepted the default settings for uploading it. Are there alternative settings to try or is this just the way things work on the site?

[Tom Cat]

ATR: This is interesting that you can share video on the Photoshop.com website. Until recently, I did not know about Microsoft free space for those that have win 7. Go to microsoftessentials.com (not sure about spelling) and click on skydrive. You get 25GB of free storage, and can send others links to view or download. I have used it for pictures, and since I am just getting my feet wet in video, I do not know if you can share video there, but I am sure that if pictures, work, then video should also.

[ATR]

Tom

I think that you are referring to Windows Live Essentials 2011 series of programs...
http://explore.live.com/skydrive
But, in Denny's case, I suspect that the issue does not go to free space (25 GB Skydrive/100 MB per file vs 2 GB Photoshop.com) for upload but rather formats. Yes, Skydrive does appear to accept video. Things may have changed but my last recollection is that it has a "Silverlight-based" video player that just supports the .wmv format. But that part is for another time and another thread if necessary. BTW, Photoshop.com used flash video for its video play back.

ATR

[ATR]

Denny,

First, what project preset did you set for this project that you are trying to upload to photoshop.com with the direct and settings fixed route of Premiere Elements 8.0/8.0.1 and Share/Online/Photoshop.com? Am I correct in assuming that you are below the 2 GB free space given you at photoshop.com? Using that route you will have H.264.flv at 640 x 480 at 25 frames per second.

Depending on your answer to the above, the following is what I want you to do:
1. Export your Timeline
Share/Personal/Adobe Flash Video with a preset of NTSC Flash Video 8 700K
Description of that should be: 640 x 480 pixels at 29.97 frames/second with MP3 Stereo audio. In this case the video coded = On2VP6.

Play back that export with one of your players that supports the play back of .flv. I use the free VLC player for something like that. Does this export have any problems at play back of those turning pages?

Also, double check the Timeline before any export to make sure your have good play back of the page turning effect at the Timeline level before heading for Share...direct to Photoshop.com or the test Share/Personal Computer/Adobe Flash Video that I just suggested as a test run to define some of the problems.

We will be watching for your results.

Thanks.

ATR

ATR

[Denny]

ATR,

I am confident that my video project plays back smoothly in the Timeline and on DVD+RW. I am also confident that I have enough space to load the project to Photoshop.com since it tells me after the upload that there is still 614MB left.

I have exported the project using the format you suggested. However, Quicktime and Windows Movie players apparently do not support the flv format for playback. I found the site to download the VLC player and am considering that as my next step. Before I do so I'm wondering if my target audience will also have to do the same to view it? If this is the only way to share it (without the hiccups) maybe I'll just send them a disc.

[ATR]

Denny,

What I was getting at with the Adobe Flash Export...trying to rule in or out that the flash format has any affect on the page turning effect independent of what photoshop.com is doing to it with its encoding to H.264 flash video.

Yes, with .flv you need a flash player, Windows Media Player or QuickTime does not play back that format, as you found out. That is why I mentioned my use of the VLC player for playback of .flv. It is always a consideration what players your viewer has available for the format.

But again I would ask...what is the project preset for that Timeline that you want to share?

Depending on further details, you might consider exporting the Timeline to .wmv (Share/Personal Computer/Windows Media with appropriate preset) and uploading that .wmv to http://www.photoshop.com at the web site itself. I have found that photoshop.com may opt to store a particular video format, but cannot/will not display it. The .wmv should be OK. The processing time at the site can be long, but....

We will be watching for your progress.

Thanks for the follow up.

ATR