OT: Projecting PowerPoint Presentations with Embedded Movie Files

jcg wrote on 3/12/2004, 12:18 PM
A client required a PowerPoint-based presentation for one of their prospective clients. I have created this presentation using the full text animation capabilities of the software, and have embedded 8 movie files (MPEG2) and 12 audio files (WAV) created in Vegas. The presentation plays out beautifully on a computer screen. My client has made it through the initial levels of competition and is one of 3 finalist companies presenting to their prospective client. They now want to be able to project the presentation for a larger audience.

As with PowerPoint presentations in general, projecting them is not always successful when there are anything other than basic slides as the material. For example, even simple GIF files embedded into slides will not execute when run through a computer screen projector. I need to help this client find the right projection method, if this even exists.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks very much for any help or suggestions.

JCG

Comments

Jsnkc wrote on 3/12/2004, 12:26 PM
The best way would be to just use a scan converter and record the presentation, then burn it to DVD or something and then play it that way. Then you know what you will get instead of being suprised during a live presentation.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/12/2004, 12:43 PM
I’m, not quite sure what you’re referring to. I gave a PowerPoint presentation at a school just this morning for National Engineer’s Week and it had a spinning GIF file on the title page, an imbedded WMV file in a page and a hyperlink to a full screen WMV file on a CD-ROM and it played flawlessly through a projector. Why would the fact that you’re using an external monitor/projector make any difference? Perhaps its the PC you’re using. I have an IBM Thinkpad T30 and I’ve never had PowerPoint behave any different on screen or through a projector.

~jr
farss wrote on 3/12/2004, 1:24 PM
Two ways you could run into trouble.
1) The projector will only accept a low resolution signal and your PP ends up looking poor at that res or things just plain don't fit right.

2) The feed to the projector is going through a scan converter and then a composite feed to the projector. If the PP runs at a high res then you'll have major problems with thin lines and fine text, avoid this scenario if at all possible or else have available the whole thing on DVD. Make certain the DVD has been checked on nothing more than a TV taking a composite feed from the DVD player. There was quite a bit of discussion on this very topic a few weeks ago, seem to recall a tiny amount of blur helped a lot.

jcg wrote on 3/12/2004, 3:28 PM
Thanks very much for the replies. To be more specific, here is an example of what happens for a slide containing a GIF file. Let’s say the GIF file is a cartoon of a wolf jumping out from behind a tree to surprise Little Red Riding Hood. When the presentation is run on the computer screen and that slide comes up, the cartoon plays out as intended. When the same presentation is run through a projector, the cartoon remains stationary and does not execute. The beginning image (wolf hiding behind tree) is what shows for the duration of the slide.

Regarding using scan converter and recording the presentation, burning to DVD, etc., my client’s client specifically requires a PowerPoint presentation. This is unfortunate since I could provide something much more robust if not having to work with that limitation.

I will try working with my projector over the weekend and see what other ideas occur to me. Any and all thoughts appreciated.

JCG

farss wrote on 3/12/2004, 3:50 PM
OK I'm confused and confounded. If the wolf jumps out when run on the PC monitor how does the wolf know he's on a projector and therefore shouldn't jump out?

So maybe he's a shy wolf or he think there's someone in the audience with a gun that doesn't like wolves.

Sorry, not trying to trivialise the issue but unless you've changed screen res how does windows let alone PP know to do anything different? Maybe a clue lies in how the projector is drven versus how the monitor is driven. I think some vital clue is missing here.

Now also maybe it has something to do with frame rates, PC monitors do report supported frame rates to the driver, maybe the animated gif cannot be rendered at the necessary frame rate for the projector?

I'm stabbing in the dark here, some more info would help.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/12/2004, 7:31 PM
Wow, I’ve never heard of this. When I present, the images is shown both on my laptop screen and the projector at the same time. I guess the key is to find a projector that accepts your external monitor feed and not one that requires composite input via RCA jacks. This is the only way I could think of something going wrong because you’re not using the monitor jacks which would just make your PC think its using an external monitor.

~jr
musicvid10 wrote on 3/12/2004, 8:20 PM
Are you using the primary monitor output from your video card to feed the projector or a secondary one? Usually, the card can only feed overlay signals to one or the other, but not both. Check the overlay settings for the display adapter.