[jackfinn]

How do I convert my jpeg photo files so I can copy them to a CD that will play as photos on my TV?

[robertva]

Check your standard definition DVD player's faceplate, user manual and/or packaging/carton for indication it is compatible with Photo CDs. Many DVD players are able to display the folder structures of data CD-Rs on your TV screen, allow you to select the first jpeg image to display and display that image and subsequent jpeg images as a "slide" show on your TV.

With some cameras and DVD players all you need to do is copy the jpeg files from the camera memory to your hard drive and burn them to a CD-R. I've seen a few cameras that make files that aren't compatible with the typical DVD player, but those files can often be loaded into a picture editing program (many cameras and flat bed scanners come with the programs) and then re-saved on the hard drive. At the same time those programs can be used to rotate the picture into the correct orientation, adjust the brightness and contrast and reduce the picture to a more appropriate size for viewing on a standard definition TV set. As a bonus the smaller pictures will display quicker on your TV screen. A standard definition TV can only display pictures at a 480 vertical resolution. If the picture on the CD is taller the DVD player will have to shrink it to fit (leaves the file on the CD-R unmodified)

To download a free photo editor visit IrfanView - Official Homepage - one of the most popular viewers worldwide

Make sure you retain an unmodified copy of the picture files from your camera. On a Windows computer you can use Windows Explorer to copy the files from the camera memory to your hard drive. Be aware that any time you use a photo editing program's "Save" or "Save as..." function to write a jpeg format picture to disk some of the picture information will be lost in that copy of the picture and any subsequent "save" operation after loading that new file. The more "load" then "save" cycles the more the picture quality will deteriorate. The degree of deterioration will be dependendet on the amount of jpeg compression your editing software is configured for.

If you wish to you can have one folder on your CD-R for unmodified jpeg pictures and a separate folder for viewing with your DVD player. You also have the option of using separate CD-Rs for the DVD player slide show versions and the unmodified jpegs from your camera.