Tell me! Should I use APMediaStudio?

[bookbiz]

Is AutoPlay Media Studio the best software for my needs and skill level? I need help deciding, and will value any constructive input.

I am a published author and designer moving toward self-publishing my work as e-books on CD-rom. Initially, I plan to publish only for Windows users. I have no programming knowledge, but I am moderately computer literate. I have designed several web sites using MS FrontPage, and I produce digital video and digital images on both Mac and PC.

I’m looking for software that will let me produce e-books that contain text, sound, digital images and instructional digital videos. I would also like the end-user to be able to print out patterns from PDF files. I want the end-user to be able to use this book directly from the CD, without the need to install anything on their hard drive (excepting widely used readers for PDF, Flash, etc.)

After extensive research into multi-media authoring programs, I have nearly settled on AutoPlay Media Studio. I’ve read through the web site and much of the forum, and downloaded the trial program. I just need a few questions answered to help me better conceptualize how the software works.

I began by searching for software that would allow me to burn a multimedia web site to a CD-rom. However, I was told the many variables in computers and browsers would give me zero control over how my work looked to the end user. Hence my search for multimedia authoring software. However, I see in APMedia Studio that one of the templates is for a browser. Does this browser exist independently within the finished project, or would it call on whatever browser the end user has installed? If the browser is within APMedia Studio itself, would this imply that web pages could be imported into a Media Studio project?

Is there any way to create transition effects, like fades or barn doors, between the pages in an APMedia Studio project? Or do the pages simply appear on the monitor, one after another with no effects, as they do in a web site?

Is a project published to a CD-rom with APMedia Studio encrypted in any way? How do you protect an APMedia Studio project from piracy?

Has anyone used Swish files in a MediaStudio project? Swish says it’s capable of exporting a file as SWF, indistinguishable from a file actually produced in Flash, but I’d rather hear from someone that has used it in MediaStudio.

And lastly, is APMediaStudio, as its web site claims, something that can be mastered by anyone that can drag and drop? Or will I find myself, weeks hence, dissolving bottles of aspirin in a quart of vodka as a means of “tech support”? Enlighten me, ye with experience!

[Corey]

Re: Tell me! Should I use APMediaStudio?

Hi. I'll answer point by point

Is AutoPlay Media Studio the best software for my needs and skill level? I need help deciding, and will value any constructive input.

>>> Users of all skill levels can benefit from AMS...

I am a published author and designer moving toward self-publishing my work as e-books on CD-rom. Initially, I plan to publish only for Windows users. I have no programming knowledge, but I am moderately computer literate. I have designed several web sites using MS FrontPage, and I produce digital video and digital images on both Mac and PC.

>>> Cool. AMS is not an e-book (format) creator per se but it is defintely the best choice on the market for self publishing CD ROMs.

I’m looking for software that will let me produce e-books that contain text, sound, digital images and instructional digital videos. I would also like the end-user to be able to print out patterns from PDF files. I want the end-user to be able to use this book directly from the CD, without the need to install anything on their hard drive (excepting widely used readers for PDF, Flash, etc.)

>>> Then you came to the right place, AMS is perfect for that.

After extensive research into multi-media authoring programs, I have nearly settled on AutoPlay Media Studio. I’ve read through the web site and much of the forum, and downloaded the trial program. I just need a few questions answered to help me better conceptualize how the software works.

>>> We are here to answer all your questions anytime. As you can see the forum is nice and comfortable and well serviced.

I began by searching for software that would allow me to burn a multimedia web site to a CD-rom. However, I was told the many variables in computers and browsers would give me zero control over how my work looked to the end user. Hence my search for multimedia authoring software. However, I see in APMedia Studio that one of the templates is for a browser. Does this browser exist independently within the finished project, or would it call on whatever browser the end user has installed? If the browser is within APMedia Studio itself, would this imply that web pages could be imported into a Media Studio project?

>> AMS browser object allows you to easily fully embed web sites right into your presentations and applications. You just drag and drop a new browser object to the stage, drag to size it and then click on it and enter the URL of your web site (local or remote) and Voila, it's working...


Is there any way to create transition effects, like fades or barn doors, between the pages in an APMedia Studio project? Or do the pages simply appear on the monitor, one after another with no effects, as they do in a web site?

>> Current version doesn't do page transitions although that's on the list of suggestions for a future version. You can do that with Flash though and it's easy to add Flash to your AMS projects. You can also do it with Javascript via a browser object, and finally you can also embed actual video with real transitions if you like as well...

Is a project published to a CD-rom with APMedia Studio encrypted in any way? How do you protect an APMedia Studio project from piracy?

>>> The project itself is published encrypted in terms of your source application but accompanying external files are not encrypted although you can easily do that using the en ryption utility I posted last week here in the forum (do a search for "Encryption"). As for protecting against piracy, I'm not sure what's meant by that but that's a huge issue with many tentacles. I'd need to know specifics. As you well know there isn't any way to 100% any software from piracy, thus the proliferation of pirated stuff on the net from the top companies in the world. If they could protect it they would. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] That being said, it's easy enough to deter the low level pirates and the high level ones are likely busy on bigger projects...

Has anyone used Swish files in a MediaStudio project? Swish says it’s capable of exporting a file as SWF, indistinguishable from a file actually produced in Flash, but I’d rather hear from someone that has used it in MediaStudio.

>>> Yes, works fine. 100%. Lots of people do this and we've never heard of anyone having any problems at all...

And lastly, is APMediaStudio, as its web site claims, something that can be mastered by anyone that can drag and drop?

>>> In theory that's true. But it depends on the effort of the user. For those who are trying, the application can be learned in no time flat. For those who are reluctant to learn, no software is easy to learn.

Or will I find myself, weeks hence, dissolving bottles of aspirin in a quart of vodka as a means of “tech support”? Enlighten me, ye with experience!

>>> Our support is as good as it gets. You ask, we answer. Premium support policies are also available, details on the AMS product page support link.

Hope that helps. All the best...





Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[Yazoo]

Re: Tell me! Should I use APMediaStudio?

It the best thing for authoring cds. when i started i was a green as the spring grass. Now i can do almodt anything, if i can not do it the guys in the forum can. if they can not give you an answer there and then. they go away and figure it out. and that guy like you and me, sorry Cory :-) i was talking about Tiger ..... and those like him.

In short, do yourself a favor - buy it you will never forgive yourself if you didn't. and its easy to learn..


Regards Yazoo

[Corey]

Re: Tell me! Should I use APMediaStudio?

You'll get no argument from me there, Tigger's great...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[kpsmith]

Re: Tell me! Should I use APMediaStudio?

One of the beautiful things about AMS is that out of the box the basic functionality is easy to use. As you dig deeper and understand more about AMS you realize ....WOW!!...AMS can do a whole lot of cool stuff. I never realized what a powerful authoring tool it is.

It really is some of the most flexible software that I've ever seen in that it meets the beginners needs but also the experts.

[TJ_Tigger]

Re: Tell me! Should I use APMediaStudio?

I think kp did a good job summing it up. I only know the little bit of AMS that I use and the more I play around or read this forum, I am finding more and more stuff I need to learn an want to incorporate.