Digital Video Thumbnails Tool

Battle Vaughan · August 25th, 2011, 10:32 PM

Thanks, Mike, you're GOOD!

BTW, +1 on Ralph's suggestion re selectable number of thumbs --- the original version ROCKS as a synopsis tool for archiving, love the updates but the original with more thumbs is my favorite flavor! Thanks again for all you do!

Mike Lee · August 26th, 2011, 07:12 AM

Ralph,

I'm glad you found Movie Thumbnailer Express. Now to make it more usable, for you, Battle, and others.

The help file and an uninstall option are located under "Start > All Programs > Movie Thumbnailer Express".

I am finding that no two users would probably want the same appearance, i.e. number, size and arrangement of thumbnails. Some would also want the thumbnail to be as small in KB as possible, others wouldn't care about the file size, they would just want the highest quality.

So... I'd like to make a generic version which hopefully be suitable for most. From the current feedback I'm finding it would need to have more than two thumbnail images. I'll try 4 for now. What I've always been available to do is customize any of my tools upon request, like having the thumbnails include the artist name, in lieu of "Movie Thumbnailer Express".

It wouldn't be difficult for me to offer menus for the user to select options from, I just think that the user would be selecting the same options every time he used Movie Thumbnailer Express, so the one-click simplicity of use would be lost. Better to have a simple to use, customized tool. Also, different video codecs behave differently with Movie Thumbnailer Express, and customization is usually based upon a submitted clip for me to test on.

I'm now developing a newer version with more thumbs, that will work with most codecs.

I have to say I'm very pleased with the positive feedback. Thanks!

Mike

Ralph Gereg · August 26th, 2011, 09:50 AM

Hmmm.... an easy way to keep the one-click simplicity may be to simply save the last settings selected by the user. ie.. if you select 4 thumbs, it "remembers" that and offers up 4 the next time you use it. But if you change it to 2, then that becomes the new setting, etc....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Lee

Ralph,

It wouldn't be difficult for me to offer menus for the user to select options from, I just think that the user would be selecting the same options every time he used Movie Thumbnailer Express, so the one-click simplicity of use would be lost. Better to have a simple to use, customized tool. Also, different video codecs behave differently with Movie Thumbnailer Express, and customization is usually based upon a submitted clip for me to test on.

Mike

Mike Lee · August 26th, 2011, 10:20 AM

Ralph,

Good idea. I will work on this.

Do you think just offering a choice of array dimensions, e.g. 2x1, 2x2, 4x4, etc. would be satisfactory?

Ralph Gereg · August 26th, 2011, 10:35 AM

I think offering the choice of array dimensions would be most excellent...

Mike Lee · August 28th, 2011, 12:02 PM

For all of you interested - I've updated this tool to offer 3 different array (grid) sizes: 2x1, 2x2 and 2x4. You can't save your preference (for now), but I'll work on that. The new version can be installed over the old. Any troubles (which there shouldn't be), please let me know. I'd sure like to know which cameras you use this tool with, so that I can add them to the "supported cameras" list.

Movie Thumbnailer Express - Folder Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage
(two versions: XP and Vista/7)

Again, many thanks for your encouragement.

Mike

Gordon Hoffman · September 1st, 2011, 08:11 AM

Hi Mike
Boy this is handy as I shoot nature footage and don't always look at it for awhile. I tried it on footage shot on a Panasonic GH1 (720p60) and it works great.
Thank you.

Gordon

Mike Lee · September 1st, 2011, 09:51 AM

Gordon,

Thank you for trying and using Movie Thumbnailer Express. I will consider it another success story. Thanks also for letting me know the camera.

To let you and other users know, I am always happy to customize the tool so that it would imprint your name in lieu of "Movie Thumbnailer Express - www.phototools.co.nr".

Mike

Ralph Gereg · September 8th, 2011, 09:57 PM

Hey Mike... It's been a while since I've been able to check back in on this thread. Finally had a bit of free time tonight to download the new version and I must say that the changes you made are some fantastic improvements!

Thanks again for this very useful tool to help manage our media files.

Ralph

Ralph Gereg · September 8th, 2011, 10:05 PM

Oh, by the way...
footage was tested from the following cams:

Sony SR42
Sony SR200
Sony SR300
Motorola Droid Phone .3GPP files

As for the caption..... is it possible to have the program check for say, a specific ini file at c:\ or something and get the name caption from that file (if it exists), if not then have it default to the name imprint of "Movie Thumbnailer Express - www.phototools.co.nr"? What do you think?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Lee

Gordon,

Thank you for trying and using Movie Thumbnailer Express. I will consider it another success story. Thanks also for letting me know the camera.

To let you and other users know, I am always happy to customize the tool so that it would imprint your name in lieu of "Movie Thumbnailer Express - www.phototools.co.nr".

Mike

Mike Lee · September 9th, 2011, 10:47 AM

Ralph,

Thanks for the positive comments, you've made my day!

The portion of the stamp where "Movie Thumbnailer Express - www.phototools.co.nr" exists is rather hard wired, and offering an option there is not practical, except for my offer to customize that part for any user.

The "Modify" part of the stamping process, where the date/time/caption is stamped, could potentially be set up to always stamp a particular text. This would be convenient for a user who doesn't need or want the date or time stamped, and doesn't want to manually enter a new caption every time. In summary, the "Modify" option could always stamp the same text (caption) without user input. Would that help?

Michael

Ralph Gereg · September 10th, 2011, 10:17 PM

Hey Mike,

I just tried your suggestion to use the modify process, and it is a perfect solution for what I described.

This is such a cool tool to have, I can't say enough good things about it... :)

Ralph

Mike Lee · September 11th, 2011, 08:14 AM

Ralph,

Yes, the "Modify" option is a powerful part of the thumbnailing process. Thanks again for your support of the tool.

Mike

Gordon Hoffman · September 11th, 2011, 12:53 PM

Mike
I have to agree with Ralph, this is a great tool.
Works with my GoPro HD Hero 720p60 footage also.
Thanks again.

Gordon

Mike Lee · September 17th, 2011, 10:34 PM

I've updated Movie Thumbnailer Express to one version compatible with Windows XP, Vista or 7. There is no longer any particular need to download the XP or Vista/7 versions (although they are still available). The new version should work with all three Windows operating systems. I will update this statement to "will work" after I get some confirmation from users, as I don't have all three operating systems available to me for testing.

Movie Thumbnailer Express - Folder Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

August 25th, 2011, 10:32 PM	#31
Battle Vaughan Trustee Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami, FL USA Posts: 1,505	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Thanks, Mike, you're GOOD! BTW, +1 on Ralph's suggestion re selectable number of thumbs --- the original version ROCKS as a synopsis tool for archiving, love the updates but the original with more thumbs is my favorite flavor! Thanks again for all you do!

August 26th, 2011, 07:12 AM	#32
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Ralph, I'm glad you found Movie Thumbnailer Express. Now to make it more usable, for you, Battle, and others. The help file and an uninstall option are located under "Start > All Programs > Movie Thumbnailer Express". I am finding that no two users would probably want the same appearance, i.e. number, size and arrangement of thumbnails. Some would also want the thumbnail to be as small in KB as possible, others wouldn't care about the file size, they would just want the highest quality. So... I'd like to make a generic version which hopefully be suitable for most. From the current feedback I'm finding it would need to have more than two thumbnail images. I'll try 4 for now. What I've always been available to do is customize any of my tools upon request, like having the thumbnails include the artist name, in lieu of "Movie Thumbnailer Express". It wouldn't be difficult for me to offer menus for the user to select options from, I just think that the user would be selecting the same options every time he used Movie Thumbnailer Express, so the one-click simplicity of use would be lost. Better to have a simple to use, customized tool. Also, different video codecs behave differently with Movie Thumbnailer Express, and customization is usually based upon a submitted clip for me to test on. I'm now developing a newer version with more thumbs, that will work with most codecs. I have to say I'm very pleased with the positive feedback. Thanks! Mike

August 26th, 2011, 10:20 AM	#34
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Ralph, Good idea. I will work on this. Do you think just offering a choice of array dimensions, e.g. 2x1, 2x2, 4x4, etc. would be satisfactory?

August 26th, 2011, 10:35 AM	#35
Ralph Gereg Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tampa Bay Area, FL (USA) Posts: 142	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool I think offering the choice of array dimensions would be most excellent...

August 28th, 2011, 12:02 PM	#36
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool For all of you interested - I've updated this tool to offer 3 different array (grid) sizes: 2x1, 2x2 and 2x4. You can't save your preference (for now), but I'll work on that. The new version can be installed over the old. Any troubles (which there shouldn't be), please let me know. I'd sure like to know which cameras you use this tool with, so that I can add them to the "supported cameras" list. Movie Thumbnailer Express - Folder Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage (two versions: XP and Vista/7) Again, many thanks for your encouragement. Mike

September 1st, 2011, 08:11 AM	#37
Gordon Hoffman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pincher Creek, Alberta Canada Posts: 619	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Hi Mike Boy this is handy as I shoot nature footage and don't always look at it for awhile. I tried it on footage shot on a Panasonic GH1 (720p60) and it works great. Thank you. Gordon

September 1st, 2011, 09:51 AM	#38
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Gordon, Thank you for trying and using Movie Thumbnailer Express. I will consider it another success story. Thanks also for letting me know the camera. To let you and other users know, I am always happy to customize the tool so that it would imprint your name in lieu of "Movie Thumbnailer Express - www.phototools.co.nr". Mike

September 8th, 2011, 09:57 PM	#39
Ralph Gereg Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tampa Bay Area, FL (USA) Posts: 142	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Hey Mike... It's been a while since I've been able to check back in on this thread. Finally had a bit of free time tonight to download the new version and I must say that the changes you made are some fantastic improvements! Thanks again for this very useful tool to help manage our media files. Ralph

September 9th, 2011, 10:47 AM	#41
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Ralph, Thanks for the positive comments, you've made my day! The portion of the stamp where "Movie Thumbnailer Express - www.phototools.co.nr" exists is rather hard wired, and offering an option there is not practical, except for my offer to customize that part for any user. The "Modify" part of the stamping process, where the date/time/caption is stamped, could potentially be set up to always stamp a particular text. This would be convenient for a user who doesn't need or want the date or time stamped, and doesn't want to manually enter a new caption every time. In summary, the "Modify" option could always stamp the same text (caption) without user input. Would that help? Michael

September 10th, 2011, 10:17 PM	#42
Ralph Gereg Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tampa Bay Area, FL (USA) Posts: 142	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Hey Mike, I just tried your suggestion to use the modify process, and it is a perfect solution for what I described. This is such a cool tool to have, I can't say enough good things about it... :) Ralph

September 11th, 2011, 08:14 AM	#43
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Ralph, Yes, the "Modify" option is a powerful part of the thumbnailing process. Thanks again for your support of the tool. Mike

September 11th, 2011, 12:53 PM	#44
Gordon Hoffman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pincher Creek, Alberta Canada Posts: 619	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool Mike I have to agree with Ralph, this is a great tool. Works with my GoPro HD Hero 720p60 footage also. Thanks again. Gordon

September 17th, 2011, 10:34 PM	#45
Mike Lee New Boot Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hopkinsville, KY Posts: 23	Re: Digital Video Thumbnails Tool I've updated Movie Thumbnailer Express to one version compatible with Windows XP, Vista or 7. There is no longer any particular need to download the XP or Vista/7 versions (although they are still available). The new version should work with all three Windows operating systems. I will update this statement to "will work" after I get some confirmation from users, as I don't have all three operating systems available to me for testing. Movie Thumbnailer Express - Folder Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage