Need tech help creating project with PE11, Windows 7

Question

I still need help creating a slideshow set to music for DVD playback at my 50th high school reunion. 
Video Media = 700 still images in .jpg or .tff format.  Pixel sizes range from 200x200 to over 3000x4000.
I first created this project using PE's presets and original image sizes.  Images added to PE were more blurred than originals & images burned to DVD were even more blurred so I asked for advice.
Last week several people in the forum tried to help.  I really appreciate everyone's suggestions but would still appreciate further advice. 
Forum experts said to restart my project with project settings changed to DV 720x480...and to resize my images to 1000x750 pixels.  Then today in a PE11 chat session, I was told something different: use project settings changed to DVD 720p 30 and resize only larger images down to 1280 x 720 (leave smaller images alone). 
So what project settings and resizing should I use for better image clarity?  How do I change project settings?  By clicking on "new" under "file" >change project settings >DVD 720p 30 or something else?

Answer 1

Up-rezzing small Still Images, regardless of the program and the Scaling algorithm used, can lead to a diminished quality. As Steve says, pixels are created, where none existed. I try to stay away from up-rezzing, whenever possible, due to that diminished qualtiy.
If I have to work with very small Images, I often use another workflow, and a different asethetic choice. When faced with the prospect of using small Images, I will create a background of some sort (many options here), and then use that small Image at its original size, "framed" within that background - no Scaling involved, but obviously, that small Image will not fill the screen. The viewer usually has fewer problems with the small Image, than one that is larger, but has started to fall apart, due to the up-rezzing.
One "trick" that I use is to use that small Image AS the background, but alter it greatly, probably dropping its contrast and upping its brightness, and even adding a Blur to it, then do a PiP (Picture in Picture) of the Image at its original size. I might even create a "picture frame" in Photoshop, to really set that small Image apart from the background. That is but one of dozens of such possible treatments, and one is only limited by their imagination.
Another possible treatment would be to do a "photo wall" with several of the small Images in say a 3 x 2 matrix of PiP's. Sort of like a Contact Sheet.
Good luck,
Hunt