whamcomics uploads

[captain billy]

I'm preparing Whiz 85, 120, 127, 140 & 148 for uploading, almost done.  In my cbr every other page is bright and high contrast. The scans are consistent from pg to pg, so I guess in the rar compression process they got goofy.  Is there a way to prevent this?  They scans are 150dpi jpgs, fwiw.

[captain billy]

127 looks swell, so I'll just try 85 again. 

Edit: re-compressed 85, still alternates good pages with weirdly contrasty/bright ones.  120 is the same.  I'll hold these back 'til I figure it out.

[captain billy]

But seriously, if anyone has experience w/ this issue and can help, that'd be awesome.

[Yoc]

Hi Wham,
Have you tried using WinZip instead of rar?
How about you upload Wham 127 and an example of a 'bad' one to the FTP and I'll take a look at them for you?
I've never heard of a compression app buggering every other page like yours.

-Yoc

[John C]

Two possibilities come to mind, but they're both sort of longshots:

First, take one of your bad files and extract everything from the archive.  Are they the same files you believe you put in?  Like, are they the same size and look the same in a normal viewer?

What software are you using to view the archive?  Different systems have different settings.  CDisplay, for example, changes the background color based on some sort of guessing game regarding the edges of the image, and severe differences could make the image look much different.

Did you process the images for consistency?  Is it possible you're picking up the originals?  I know I've scanned material over the years where the scanner did produce results similar to what you describe.

[captain billy]

I'm viewing w/ CDisplay, the scans are super consistent when viewed in photoshop or the standard windows viewer.  I can try winzip, also I'll upload the god vs bad files tonight or tomorrow, I'm away from my machine now.

I'll also play w/ file extraction and see if they've been changed or not.  Thanks for the suggestions, more asap.

[builderboy]

Whamcomics,

What software are you using to edit the images? I use Photoshop, and it has a quirky way of retaining the last compression rating that you used as a default.

When I prepare the cover image, I generally target a slightly higher file size than the interior pages, anywhere from 1.5 to 2 Mb. For interior pages, I try to target 500Kb or less, specially for the 52 and 68-page books, just to keep the final package size small.

My point is, however, I will find that, when editing a book, if I haven't done all the interior pages in succession, my compression settings will not be consistent across files, requiring me to go back and re-compress some.

What Yoc suggested is best: post one of the troublesome books and let somebody take a look. It might be something simple.

[captain billy]

I've just uploaded 127 and it's huge!  Despite scanning at 150 dpi, it's around 125mb.  I'm pretty sure the CMA 150 I added long ago was scanned identically and is a mere 25mb.  I obviously have little idea what I'm doing here. 
Anyway, 85 is uploading now.  Holla w/ tips. 

Thanks!
Sandy

[captain billy]

I have moved from Photoshop CS1 to CS2 since scanning the CMA 150.  Fwiw.

[narfstar]

I have the same problem. It seems to depend on what scanning program you are using. I have been using my samsung and it makes them big

[Yoc]

Hi Wham,
I just downloaded your Whiz85.  
I can see what you mean about some pages being more yellow than others but it's not that Terrible.  I've seen a lot worse for sure.  Have you got your scanner set for 'auto-colour' on?  Turning it off might give you more consistency between scans.

As for the final file size it's because each page is Very Large!  2mb or more.  DCM has an upper file limit of 200MB but we really would like a 36pg book below 50mb for sure.  Your page dimensions are fine so I'm guessing you are saving your jpgs on Photoshop at the maximum 'quality' level.  Try saving them at lower levels (5-7 say) until you can get to around 1mb per page.

I'll hold off adding your uploads to the site until I hear what kind of luck you have.

-Yoc

[captain billy]

I just started at the end and posted 148, decidedly smaller.  I'll try to reduce some more file sizes tonight.

Thanks!
Sandy

[Yoc]

Sounds good WC.
I don't see it on the FTP or waiting on the site though.  I'll check again tomorrow.

GL!

[captain billy]

127, 140 and 148 up.  Hopefully properly.  I'll work on the other two asap, but It might be next week.

[Yoc]

Looks better WC!
I've renamed the Download Name to match the others on the site - ie Whiz Comics 127.
I cover that in the Upload tutorial here - http://tinyurl.com/yfrkumk

Not trying to nitpick here as I think you are looking for feedback,  but you could have saved each page a bit larger if wanted.  Perhaps one more level higher for Quality level when saving with Photoshop.  Personally I shoot for between 500-800kb per a page.  Each scanner has his own preferences but those are my suggestion.  So your Whiz 148 would have been about 28mb instead of the current 10.  But they are readable and that's the important thing!

Thank-you Very Much for sticking with it and helping to fill so many holes in our Whiz collection!  Thankfully the process becomes second nature once you've done it a few times.  Sadly it never is 'exciting' to scan unless you're seriously into it and have a Much faster scanner than my own super slow HP Scanjet 4370!

Take care,
-Yoc