Digital Workshop

I've got an Opus Professional publication.

It's 12 screens long, with voiced wavs. Each screen has a number of bullet points that come on, all synced to voice. In addition there's timelines to play images.

The whole presentation can be left to play from beginning to end, and exits after a delay.

Successful so far (I make these regularly.)

However, the client would also like a copy on DVD.

So first I changed the programme type to DVD. On publish, certain sequences of events that had previously worked perfectly stopped working.

For instance, look at the actions below: after previuous successful actions, each stage shown here simultaneously plays a sound and shows an image, synced to the end of the previous sound.

(Excuse the fact that there's a separate error in my Opus where the "sync to end" name shows incorrectly - you can see it says "Sync to end 01A_03" where it's actually synced to end of 02A03. This is just a visual error, and doesn't affect the presentation)

Anyhow, on recording to DVD, rather than getting

Image1 / sound1
Image2 / sound2
Image3 / sound3

I get
Image1 / Image2 / Sound 2

ie I see the first two images together, with only the second sound, and then the third image never appears.

I have to quit the publish.

I tried the Video creator with the same result.

Does video export not work with sync to audio actions? Or is there another solution?

A second client has asked for the same thing today, so I need a soution. I tried using Camtasia, but I'm not getting a smooth enough result.

But I'd like an Opus solution, rather than using another programme.

Thanks, Linda

So, talking to myself (I know, a common occurrence...) I find the problem:

This records to DVD:
On show
Play wav01
Show image01
Sync to end wav01
Play wav02
Show image02

This doesn't:
On show
Simultaneous Action Group
Play wav01
Show image01
Sync to end wav01
Simultaneous Action Group
Play wav02
Show image02

Is this a bug, or is there another solution?

I attach a mini pub to prove the point - this works in preview, it works if you change the pub to Opus Professional, it works in DVD preview.

But it doesn't publish correctly.

Hi Linda,

Looks like it could be a logic issue to me. You're asking Opus to play a wav and simultaneously sync another to the end of that wav. Not sure that will work in a linear video stream. I know it looks like it should work but I can also see how it would be difficult to interpret to video. May even be simultaneous actions don't work for linear video - haven't checked yet.

Could you set it up on a timeline or with manual timings to sync everything - not as elegant but might offer a solution while we look into it?

Paul

No, I'm asking Opus to simultaneously play a wav and show an image.

Then I'm asking it to sync the next action to the end of the wav.

The problem occurs because the initial wav and image are in a simultaneous group.

If they show one after the other (without the simultaneous group), the end sync works.

Note that there is ONLY a problem when exporting to DVD, not when playing as an Opus presentation.



Yes, please confirm this - I suspect this is the problem.

Linda --

Not sure where I read or heard this, but I believe a DVD presentation MUST START as a DVD presentation. You can't successfully switch from another format to DVD without issues.

Try a test where you start from scratch and designate "DVD" for the presentation type, then re-create your project.

With anything linear, it may not be possible to simulataneoulsy start multiple Actions...

You can convert publications after they are created - the issue is simply that you may have already used a feature that might not work in the new type. With sufficient checking and editing it should be perfectly possible to switch an existing publication to a new type.

Yes, having tested further, it doesn't seem to matter what type of pub I start with.

I've amended each action in a screen where there was a simultaneous wav and image, and replaced these with a timeline.

The DVD publish now works as expected.

So the problem is:

Action 1
- Simultaneously play a wav and show an image.
Action 2
- Sync the next action to the end of the wav.
Action 3
- Simultaneously play a wav and show an image.
Action 4
- Sync the next action to the end of the wav.
- Publish to DVD.

It's not realistic to convert my current pubs to timelines (days of work, I think) but I'll remember this for the future.

But a fix would be so much more preferable - DW I'd really like you to look at this. I'll send over my pub if you like....