Slideshow XL 2

Video slideshows have many advantages. If you wish to take one with you, on a portable device, you would have to copy only one file, instead of dozens of images. Furthermore, you can make sure that none of the images will get lost or corrupted and your slideshow will always have the same settings. Slideshow XL 2 can help you create your own video slideshow, without too much effort. The software places a wide variety of customization options at your disposal. Setting up different transition effects and durations for individual slides, adding soundtracks or watermarks are just a few examples.

Slideshow XL 2 works on Windows XP, Vista, Win 7 and Win 8. It requires at least 256 MB of RAM and a 500 MHz processor or better, which should not be a challenge for any modern day computer. The software comes in a small package and it can be installed in a matter of seconds.

To create a video slideshow, you must go through four simple steps, in different sections of the user interface. First, you must import the pictures you wish to use in your slideshow. You can target individual photos or entire folders, insert text slides and extract images from videos. Imported items are added to the slideshow automatically. You can arrange them in a different order, change their duration and transition effects and add text to individual slides. It is also possible to make brightness, contrast or color adjustments to each picture and add a few visual effects.

When you are done customizing your slideshow, you may proceed to the next steps, by clicking a Next button or one of the navigation tabs, located on the upper part of the interface. The following steps can be completed much faster. When you reach the second stage, you can choose to add one or more soundtracks, which can be imported from local folders, ripped from audio CDs or recorded with a microphone. The third tab contains a series of options, for enabling or disabling controls on the slideshow, playing it on a loop, adjusting the transition speed and more.

Finally, you can choose one of several output methods. Besides saving the slideshow in a local folder, the software can also store it directly on a USB drive or other portable device or burn it on a CD. Furthermore, the software can set the new slideshow as your default screensaver, save it as a web page and optimize it for online viewing, on YouTube or other services.