Resource/Misc Archives - Page 45 of 81

Download Streaming Videos using Keepvid.com

Keepvid.com allows you to download streaming videos from of a variety of websites, including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and more. The process is quick, easy and very convenient.

A video version of this process is below.

1

To get started, you must first make sure that Java is enabled. According to keepvid.com/help, Java is sometimes required to fetch download links.

2

Find the video that you want to download, copy the link – URL (Uniform Resource Locator) to your video and paste it in the field to the left of the Download button.

3

A list of links to your video file will appear on the bottom of the page in various sizes and formats.

Formats to select from include Video formats: MP4, FLV, 3GP, WebM and Audio Formats: M4A, MP3.

Click on the actual link for your specific format and size to simply save the video file.

4

You now have the video (in the format of your choice) downloaded onto your computer!

– Troy @ TLC

Video Demonstration.

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/unnamed-file-3.mp4[/KGVID]

(Note: This an updated post. Original post 05/07/2014)

I’m sure you’re aware of the legalities over Copyright Infringement. Download videos that are not yours at your own risk.

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2019-10-28T10:00:53-07:00March 18th, 2016|Resource/Misc, Tutorial|

Introduction to AudioBlocks

AudioBlocks.com is a great resource that TLC Creative Services uses often we’re looking for sound to put in a presentation. Audioblocks is a sister company/service to Videoblocks which we reviewed in the previous post.

audioblocks-1

AudioBlocks is a subscription service (i.e. Annual fee) and you get unlimited downloads. The entire audio library is royalty-free so you can legally download and use sounds in both commercial and personal projects, without having to pay any additional fees. The library has over 100,000 sound effects, loops and music and adds new clips continuously.

Clips are available in MP3 and WAV file formats.

audioblocks-3

A really good option is that the Search feature can be filtered by keyword or style. Searches can be filtered by music, SFX or loops. My favorite search option is by duration to further focus the results. Additional search filters are by Music category, genre, mood, and even instruments. Daetona did a sample search for polka music and found 21 results (that’s a lot of Polka!). The duration of clips ranged from 00:11 seconds to 03:23, and if I needed just a short clip, the duration filter would even further focus the results.

audioblocks-2

TLC Creative has been using AudioBlocks’ online subscription since it launched a few years ago. We were even a customer of their CD-ROM collections before that. The lowest price I have found for an annual subscription is currently $99/year. A less valuable monthly subscription is also available for $79.

-Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:34:44-07:00March 9th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

Introduction to VideoBlocks

Presentations often feature videos. But where can designers get quality videos? VideoBlocks.com is a subscription-based site with unlimited downloads from a library of professional stock video footage. TLC Creative Services has used VideoBlocks for several years, going back to purchasing DVDs from their pre-online business.

VideoBlocks Photo 1

VideoBlocks has an in-depth library with over 115,000 studio-quality videos, motion backgrounds and after effects clips. Additional videos are added every month. VideoBlocks members have two download options – videos included in the subscription (great value) or videos from an a la carte Global Marketplace where professional videos are uploaded and sold individually (average $49 per video).

In addition to variety (more on that in a moment), quality and value, one thing that distinguishes VideoBlocks from their competitors is their royalty free permissions on all videos (at least those in the subscription library). Videos are pretty much permitted to be used for any project, with any level of distribution and they include global usage rights. Other VideoBlocks customers include big companies like ABC, MTV, and even National Geographic, so we are in good company!

For variety, my sample search for puppies gave me over 27K results! That broke down to 65 videos in the free Unlimited Library and 27,000 in the a la carte Marketplace. Sixty-five puppy videos is a good result AND I found the perfect one for my presentation.

VideoBlocks Photo 2

The search can be filtered only to show videos included in the subscription library or to include those available in the Global Marketplace. It can also be filtered by category or resolution (more on this in a moment). In addition, VideoBlocks has 15 preset categories that range from Business and Professions to Holidays and Celebrations. All in all, the TLC Creative Design Team has little trouble using the search options to find a video clip suitable for their presentations.

MP4 and MOV file formats are available for all video clips. Resolution sizes vary from SD 480p to full HD 1080p but almost all videos are 1080p. You can also look under the “Red Camera” category for a good selection of 4K resolution videos.

VideoBlocks Photo 3

After a quick search on the site, I found that a one-year subscription is currently $149. The subscription price is a huge value and something TLC Creative has renewed annually for several years so we always have a video resource for our projects. They also have specials a few times per year that drop the price to $99. And you will be locked in at that special rate for renewals. I asked and received a referral link that will get anyone a $50 discount. Click here to bring the current price down to $99 a year!

-Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:35:12-07:00March 7th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

Interlaced vs Progressive with Powerpoint

When it comes to exporting video in PowerPoint, or any other program, there are many factors that play a role in the final quality.

One of those factors is the concept of interlaced or progressive.

All PowerPoint videos export as progressive, but why?

In order to understand the answer, we first need to know what progressive vs. interlaced really means.

Here is the simple explanation:

Interlaced is sending half the picture in 1 frame and the other half in the next frame. When done fast enough, the human eye sees a full picture.
Progressive is sending the entire picture on every frame.

progressive and interlaced video example

Interlaced video was made popular with television and over the air TV transmission (in the dark ages, before Cable TV). Interlaced video sends half the data and bandwidth, so it made TV signal transmission easier. For video editors, it made digital editing and processing faster because you were working with half the amount of data.

With current technologies of HD and beyond, computer monitors, television monitors and projectors, the idea of interlaced (or 1/2 quality) video is virtually a thing of the past. So 720p and 1080p stand for “progress video” at that resolution. 720i & 1080i means the video is interlaced at that resolution. If there is not an “i” or “p” after the resolution it is assumed to be progressive “p.”

Because progressive video has more data than interlaced video (entire picture in each frame vs. half the picture in each frame), it appears sharper and richer in color.

Progressive

progresive video

This technique, however, is not ideal for broadcasting, due to the amount of data that needs to be transmitted. This brings us to Interlaced video. For the most part, interlaced video is used by TV broadcasters. It outputs from two adjacent frames one after the other, blending odd and even lines to form each image.

Interlaced

interlaced video

Quite a difference, right? To answer the original question “Is all PowerPoint video progressive?” – the answer is yes. PowerPoint’s video export only has profiles for progressive video, with 3 different resolution options. There is no practical need for interlaced video on any computer playback. If you are sourcing a video for a presentation and one of the options is progressive or interlaced, choose progressive.

-Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:35:32-07:00March 4th, 2016|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc|

Office Insider for Office 365

Get early updates to Office 365 as an Office Insider

Office Insider is an early release program, sort of equivalent to a Beta Release. For Office 365 subscribers, it’s called “Office Insider” and for Business subscriptions, it’s called “First Release.”

Both programs get new features automatically added to Office programs such as: PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Skype, Excel.

The Office Insider program is free and easy to add to your subscription. The Office Insider program includes: PowerPoint for Windows Desktop, Mac, Android, and Mobile.

Here’s how to be an Office Insider

This example is based on Office 365 Business, which is the version we use at TLC. Your subscription might be different so take a look at the version of Office 365 you have.

1. Log into your Office 365 account to access the Admin Center (Note: The Admin option is only available to those with admin permissions). This Account Admin is not the same as the individual Admin inside PowerPoint or any Office app.

There’s different logins for different Subscriptions. Click this link for more information: Office 365 Login

2. Go to the Account Admin > SERVICE SETTINGS > UPDATES > NEW FEATURES AND UPDATES > EARLY RELEASE and select the option you want.

Office Insider for Office 365 1

Office 365 Updates and who gets them

First, Office 365 Home, Personal, or University subscribers get the updates. Next, Office 365 Business subscribers, that do not have Admin restrictions, receive early release features. And finally, approximately 3-5 weeks later, the new features will install to all O365 subscribers.

Here is a page with details for Office 365 Early Release Options.

Here is a page that details each of the Office 365 Subscription Options .

-Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:37:20-07:00February 24th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

iPhone Hotspot Fix for Windows 10

With continuous travel, I use my iPhone Hotspot option to get my laptop online quite often – it is often faster than the hotel or airport WiFi and keeps me from paying ridiculous $20/day internet fees. Recently, something went awry and the connection would not connect – very frustrating. I tested with 3 different Windows 10 computers, all 3 did not connect. Then, I tested with an iPad, which connected fine. So I identified that the phone Hotspot works and it was not one specific computer, so it had to be with the iPhone setup.

iphone hotspot 3

After doing some online research and more testing, I solved the issue. Windows 10 does not allow any special characters in the phone name. In my case, the phone name was “Troy’s iPhone.” As soon as I removed the apostrophe (special character), every computer was able connect to the iPhone Hotspot. My phone is now simply named “Troy.”

iphone hotspot 4

To change an iPhone name, go to SETTINGS > GENERAL > ABOUT > NAME (this does not affect iTunes account in recognizing iPhone).

iphone hotspot 5

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:43:51-07:00January 25th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

PowerPoint 2016 and the QAT (it doesn’t fit!)

I have been moving TLC Creative Services to Windows 10 and Office 2016 in small groups. The new OS and updated version of Office are stable and provide a great work environment (with a lot of customization of settings to be what I want!). One item I have not been able to figure out a solution for is how PowerPoint 2016 displays the QAT.

Here is my QAT with Office 2013 (captured last month) with PowerPoint full screen on a 1920×1080 resolution. There are 37 quick access buttons to make my design time more efficient. Note: The last button is close to the middle of the PowerPoint ribbon.

2016_QAT_3

Now here is the exact same QAT, on the exact same resolution monitor and full screen app. The only change is a move to PowerPoint 2016. Note: The last button on my QAT is not visible, the QAT buttons are incredibly spread apart and now span the entire ribbon width – and the last few buttons do not even fit, they are cut off!

2016_QAT_1

I do not have a solution (yet). I did think of the Touch Mode that adjusts the interface, but it does not affect the QAT, just the ribbon buttons. I will report back if (when) I find a QAT display solution.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:51:16-07:00October 16th, 2015|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc|

Presentations are Getting Bigger and Hard Drives are Getting Smaller!

We have been building up and optimizing a number of new presentation show computers. Standard spinning platter hard drives have been pretty much banished from all TLC Creative computers (far left silver drive). Everything has SSD hard drives because of the reliability and incredible performance boost (middle black drive – Samsung Evo series being my preferred), and we have these in every computer, designer and show, usually with a standard spinning 1TB drive for file storage.

HD_Size_1

But it took some time to figure out our newest set of show computers hard drive setup (Sager NP9700 series). They are spec’d with 256GB Samsung Evo Pro drives (again, my current preference), and these notebooks have 4 hard drive bays! But after looking everywhere, I could not find the drive. I was looking for the middle black drive and these are the first laptops I have that use the M.2 drive connector. The far right thing that looks like a stick of memory is also a 256GB Samsung Evo Pro drive (so the middle and right drives are the same specs)!

Just more amazing things to be found in the TLC Creative computer room.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:52:25-07:00October 12th, 2015|Resource/Misc|

The PowerPoint QAT – A Designer’s Best Tool

The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is one of the best options for making your design work faster, if setup properly. The PowerPoint QAT is basically a collection of the top used “buttons” always accessible without having to change tabs on the ribbon.

Setting up the QAT is fairly easy, but tedious. But Microsoft has made it very easy to leverage someone else’s effort. In this case, my effort, think of it as my gift to everyone that reads this post, and instantly setup your QAT with 37 buttons to speed up design.

Download the QAT file HERE (unzip and “PowerPoint Customizations.exportedUI”).

In PowerPoint, go to FILE > OPTIONS > QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR > IMPORT/EXPORT > IMPORT > select the downloaded file > say YES to the dialog > done.

PowerPoint QAT 2

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:54:31-07:00September 28th, 2015|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins|

Office (PowerPoint) and Windows 10

With the move to Windows 10, I have been concerned with what would, and would not, work in PowerPoint. Being that both Windows and Office are Microsoft products, I expected few issues, and my assumption has been correct. Microsoft recently posted a list of all known issues between Windows 10 and Office which you can read here.

Win10Issues

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-08-10T08:57:11-07:00September 16th, 2015|Resource/Misc|