Resource/Misc

PowerPoint for Website Mockup

This year, TLC Creative Services finally updated its website (which is still in process). I am very happy with the new site and additional information it provides. When developing applications, and websites, PowerPoint can be a great tool in the initial stages.

For example, here is the TLC website mocked up in PowerPoint.

Each item is a separate, and editable, PowerPoint shape. The navigation labels can be revised, their order adjusted and the drop down menus revised.

Just another example of using the flexibility of PowerPoint to accomplish more than just “slides.”

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:10:49-07:00October 30th, 2013|Portfolio, PowerPoint, Resource/Misc|

(Update to) PowerPoint Video Test Toolkit

Earlier this week, a post released a copy of our internal PowerPoint Video test slides. It was drawn to my attention that there were 2 errors in the slides (1. the .avi was not set to play automatic like all others, 2. the .mpg1 was a really badly rendered video). Thank you for the those that sent emails!

The original post’s download link has been updated with a revised version of the PowerPoint Video Test Toolkit and here is same link:
Download here.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:12:22-07:00October 11th, 2013|Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins, Templates/Assets|

PowerPoint Video Test Toolkit

For TLC Creative Services, I developed a slide deck that the 5 most common video formats. To test a computer’s setup, we just open this PowerPoint presentation, go to the video format we want to confirm the computer is configured to play and see what happens. If the video plays, we know the computer and PowerPoint are setup for that format and then can troubleshoot the client file with the knowledge that it is not the computer or PowerPoint.

Feel free to download our PowerPoint Video Test Toolkit and use as needed.
Download here (24 MB).

Also, check out the Sept 11 post of the video reference chart to know if a computer’s configuration is going to play a video format.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:13:10-07:00October 7th, 2013|Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins|

Desk with a View

Earlier this week, I was in Washington DC as the showsite Graphics Op/presentation designer. Great event (even with the government shutdown that cancelled a number of the scheduled presenters). There was a lot going on for presentations, videos, live camera and more. My “desk” requirement was room for 6 computers – here is my setup with 5 of those computers (one is an external monitor):

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:14:30-07:00October 5th, 2013|Personal, Resource/Misc|

Video of Animated Map From PowerPoint

Here is an amazing video showing a 1000 years of border history in Europe.

[original video no longer available from source]

Yes, you could fairly easily develop this video in PowerPoint. It would be what we internally call a “Flip Book” animation. One static slide per border change. Then set all slides to auto transition (with the CUT transition) and .01 to .05 seconds for the AFTER setting. When played, it will give the same effect as the above video – although sourcing the data and customizing the country shapes to each border would be a very large project! The video creation would be a simple as FILE>>EXPORT>>CREATE A VIDEO.

Here is a quick video I developed in PowerPoint using the Flip Book animation styling with a vector map of the United States (which was missing in the above video) and exported as a video.
[youtube src=”https://youtube.com/embed/Fpqd3v9gl7A?rel=0″]
57 slides, no animation, auto transitions, exported as video.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:15:18-07:00September 27th, 2013|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc|

“Don’t Be That (PowerPoint) Guy”

Today is the conclusion of this 2013 Presentation Summit. The event has been great, spending time with many friends has been great, spending time on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has been great, and leading my final session entitled “Don’t Be That Guy – to the AV Crew” has been great!

The topic was an overview of what presenters should know about AV and large meeting technical setups to have a successful meeting – and success starts with working with an event AV crew.

Note: Next year the Presentation Summit is on the West Coast in San Diego, CA – hope to see you there!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:15:53-07:00September 25th, 2013|Personal, Resource/Misc|

“PowerPoint is my Creative Suite”

Today was a wonderful day in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at the 2013 Presentation Summit. My session, entitled “PowerPoint is My Creative Suite,” had full attendance and we covered a lot of great projects we have done in the past 6 months at TLC. Specifically projects, tips & tricks, and fun stories of using PowerPoint as a editor or authoring tool for everything but presentations.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:16:16-07:00September 24th, 2013|Personal, Resource/Misc|

Atari is Back!

Microsoft has partnered with Atari to bring a number of classic games to your web browser – assuming you are using Internet Explorer 10. What fun!

Open Internet Explorer and go here: https://atari.com/arcade#!/arcade/atari-promo Very addictive for someone that grew up with the classic Atari 2600 and arcade games.

And they work with the touch screen version of E10 (tested on my Surface Pro – extensively).

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:16:39-07:00September 20th, 2013|Personal, Resource/Misc|

Will PowerPoint Play This Video?

Video in PowerPoint has been growing fast over the past 4 years. The number of people experiencing video issues has surprisingly not grown a tremendous amount too. In just the past few years, the number of variables that need to align for a video to successfully play in PowerPoint have also grown.

With so many video related questions filling my in box and seen on the forums, we have created a reference chart that provides quick answers on if a video should play with the computer setup. It also makes it easy to identify the key attributes for your computer setup that should be included in any troubleshooting request.

So what are the variables? For a video to play on a slide is a combination of the Operating System, installed CoDecs, version of PowerPoint, and video format used. Cross referencing each of these variables is tedious, confusing and difficult to find all in one place.

To remedy a lot headaches and wasted time, I am very happy to finally provide a download link to the “PPT-OS-and Video Format reference chart” (and the designers here at TLC Creative Services that have been gathering and testing each of the variables over the past 2 months are very happy too!).

Download the PDF here.

Side note: Attendees to my webinar on “Video in Powerpoint” at yesterday’s Outstanding Presentations Workshop were the first to see and be able to download this, and I walked through all of the information in the reference chart – just a benefit of attendance!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2021-05-12T13:18:34-07:00September 11th, 2013|Resource/Misc|
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