Design Features:  

Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD offers 3 slideshow design modes to develop photo slideshows. Storyboard mode gives users the opportunity to focus on individual photos that comprise the slideshow and select transitional effects and fades. Timeline mode allows users to view and edit audio in relation to the images and video, with up to 4 tracks available. Overview mode gives users a chance to view the slideshow as a whole and make more informed decisions on image order and sequence. At any time in the process you can preview your slideshow.

Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD also provides an easy to use tool menu for editing and implementing effects, applying titles and text, incorporating media, designing movement between images and video and even selecting or creating fades and transitional features to be used in the slideshow.

One of the more compelling reasons to buy Xtreme Photostory is that you can download for free a full photo editing program and a full music editing program. This includes a lot more than just a few features like red-eye-reduction and brightness/contrast control that is common in other slideshow programs. You can even erase parts of the images you don’t like, such as oddly-placed telephone poles.

The Deluxe version of Photostory CD & DVD contains many more templates, effects, and design options than the standard version has. For a full list of features, visit the side-by-side feature comparison chart on the photo slideshow software homepage. 

Input/Output:  

Magix Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD can import dozens of image and video file formats. For images, this includes Windows bitmaps, JPEG, GIF, Zsoft Paintbrush, PNG, Portable Pixmap, Portable Greymap, Adobe Photoshop, Sun Rasterfile, Tragea, Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) and Photo CD. And for video, this includes AVI, DV-AVI, Windows Media 9, MPEG

Along with images and video, Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD also supports several audio file formats, including Wave, MP3, OGG Vorbis and WMA.

Finished photo slideshows can be published to Video-CD, CD or DVD with customizable DVD menus although those that come with the program leave something to be desired. Slideshows can also be published online to YouTube, displayed or integrated within a website, shared through email or exported to multimedia devices as a video file. However, in order to export to a format an iPhone or iPod can read, you’ll need to pay an extra $5 to download an MPEG-4 plugin. In all cases, Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD slideshows can be published in both (4:3) standard or (16:9) widescreen aspect ratio.

Slideshow Quality:  

The main feature that is missing in the Standard version of PhotoStory CD & DVD is the ability to export your slideshow in high definition or to burn it on a Blu-ray disc. If you aren’t concerned as much about showing your photos in the best quality possible, this product is your best bet.

Help/Support:  

Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD provides comprehensive help and support features at every level. Aside from built-in help menus and video tutorials, Magix offers a support-centric site, additional online tutorials and technical support forums. Additional assistance can be obtained by phone or through email correspondence.

Magix Xtreme PhotoStory CD & DVD is our #3 pick for photo slideshow software because it still has a huge feature set and publishing options and is very easy to use. However, if you’d like a little more bang for the buck with the ability to export in high definition or Blu-ry, check out the top-ranked product Magix Xtreme Photostory CD & DVD Deluxe.