Page Setup Sizes: Widescreen TV (16:9)?

[clintonG]

I'm interested in comments from those who may have been using a projector to
display page setups configured to display on Widescreen TV (16:9)? What is
the quality of doing so and what were the page setup values that gave you
the best results? Finally, has anybody blogged a conversion guide listing
page setup values for various aspect ratios?

 

[Guest]

Remember that, at its heart, PowerPoint is a resolution-independent
Vector-based program. That means size doesn't matter. You could choose a
page size of 16"x9", or 1.6 x .9," and when you project it will look exactly
the same.

Don't forget that most widescreen laptops and projectors are actually 16x10
in aspect ratio (1280x768). If you choose a 16x9 aspect, you'll see
letterbox black bars top and bottom. (BTW, if you show a 16x9 PPT on a 4x3
projector, PowerPoint will automatically letterbox.)

The only time size becomes an issue is if you want to export frames for
HDTV. In that case I've found the magic numbers to use: For 1080i/p, use a
page size of 20x11.25 inches. When you choose Save As and choose any bitmap
format, you'll get a 1920x1080 bitmap. (If you're using Sony HDV, after
you're done with the layout, change the size to 15x11.25 inches and you'll
have a 1440x1080 anamorphic bitmap.) For 720p, use a page size of 13.34x7.5"
for 1280x720.

SteveP
Join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/razor_users

 

[clintonG]

Its funny Steve because you kept telling me to remember this and don't
forget that but the last time I used a slide projector was probably more
than 15 years ago so how can I remember what I don't know yet? I've been
under a rock man.

When the slides are displayed the projector will be used to project against
a large fixed screen on a wall. The projector will be literally located in a
projector room and the screen on the wall is literally 16:9.

I understood how useful your tips are while reading. I'm doing more study on
projectors that support 16:9 [1]...

<%= Clinton Gallagher

[1] http://www.projectorreviews.com/advice/screens/calculatescreen.asp

 

[Guest]

I guess I'm showing my age! I still have 15 or so slide projectors haunting
my basement.

I guess the important question is, do you understand the difference between
a bitmap graphics program and a vector graphics program? (This has nothing
to do with 35mm slides).

Bitmap programs are resolution dependent. If the image is smaller than your
screen size, the program will either show it small (1:1) or enlarged, which
induces artifacts like fuzziness or stairsteps (aka "aliasing"). An example
of a bitmap program is Windows Media Player. A video has a fixed image size,
and if you try to blow up a small image to a large screen, you'll know it!

Vector programs are resolution independent. Because the graphics are
composed of points, lines and fills, the image can be scaled to any display
size without artifacts. Since PowerPoint is a vector program, slides can be
projected on any size projector without any degredation. Of course since you
can embed photos and videos within PowerPoint, those images need to equal or
exceed the bitmap size of the final projection to avoid image degredation.

It's all interesting, which is why I'm writing a book.

Enjoy!

SteveP

Its funny Steve because you kept telling me to remember this and don't
forget that but the last time I used a slide projector was probably more
than 15 years ago so how can I remember what I don't know yet? I've been
under a rock man.

When the slides are displayed the projector will be used to project against
a large fixed screen on a wall. The projector will be literally located in a
projector room and the screen on the wall is literally 16:9.

I understood how useful your tips are while reading. I'm doing more study on
projectors that support 16:9 [1]...

<%= Clinton Gallagher

[1] http://www.projectorreviews.com/advice/screens/calculatescreen.asp

Remember that, at its heart, PowerPoint is a resolution-independent
Vector-based program. That means size doesn't matter. You could choose a
page size of 16"x9", or 1.6 x .9," and when you project it will look
exactly
the same.

Don't forget that most widescreen laptops and projectors are actually
16x10
in aspect ratio (1280x768). If you choose a 16x9 aspect, you'll see
letterbox black bars top and bottom. (BTW, if you show a 16x9 PPT on a
4x3
projector, PowerPoint will automatically letterbox.)

The only time size becomes an issue is if you want to export frames for
HDTV. In that case I've found the magic numbers to use: For 1080i/p, use
a
page size of 20x11.25 inches. When you choose Save As and choose any
bitmap
format, you'll get a 1920x1080 bitmap. (If you're using Sony HDV, after
you're done with the layout, change the size to 15x11.25 inches and you'll
have a 1440x1080 anamorphic bitmap.) For 720p, use a page size of
13.34x7.5"
for 1280x720.

SteveP
Join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/razor_users

 

[clintonG]

Sure I know what vector graphics are. I've been a CAD user for a couple of
decades. At the moment I'm not concerned with resolution. Its aspect ratio
I'm concerned about. and there's other variables involved such as the
distance of the projector to the screen when using these types of projectors
[1].

<%= Clinton Gallagher

[1] http://www.christiedigital.com/AMEN/Products/christieCineNET.htm

I guess I'm showing my age! I still have 15 or so slide projectors
haunting
my basement.

I guess the important question is, do you understand the difference
between
a bitmap graphics program and a vector graphics program? (This has
nothing
to do with 35mm slides).

Bitmap programs are resolution dependent. If the image is smaller than
your
screen size, the program will either show it small (1:1) or enlarged,
which
induces artifacts like fuzziness or stairsteps (aka "aliasing"). An
example
of a bitmap program is Windows Media Player. A video has a fixed image
size,
and if you try to blow up a small image to a large screen, you'll know it!

Vector programs are resolution independent. Because the graphics are
composed of points, lines and fills, the image can be scaled to any
display
size without artifacts. Since PowerPoint is a vector program, slides can
be
projected on any size projector without any degredation. Of course since
you
can embed photos and videos within PowerPoint, those images need to equal
or
exceed the bitmap size of the final projection to avoid image degredation.

It's all interesting, which is why I'm writing a book.

Enjoy!

SteveP

Its funny Steve because you kept telling me to remember this and don't
forget that but the last time I used a slide projector was probably more
than 15 years ago so how can I remember what I don't know yet? I've
been
under a rock man.

When the slides are displayed the projector will be used to project
against
a large fixed screen on a wall. The projector will be literally located
in a
projector room and the screen on the wall is literally 16:9.

I understood how useful your tips are while reading. I'm doing more study
on
projectors that support 16:9 [1]...

<%= Clinton Gallagher

[1] http://www.projectorreviews.com/advice/screens/calculatescreen.asp

Remember that, at its heart, PowerPoint is a resolution-independent
Vector-based program. That means size doesn't matter. You could
choose a
page size of 16"x9", or 1.6 x .9," and when you project it will look
exactly
the same.

Don't forget that most widescreen laptops and projectors are actually
16x10
in aspect ratio (1280x768). If you choose a 16x9 aspect, you'll see
letterbox black bars top and bottom. (BTW, if you show a 16x9 PPT on a
4x3
projector, PowerPoint will automatically letterbox.)

The only time size becomes an issue is if you want to export frames for
HDTV. In that case I've found the magic numbers to use: For 1080i/p,
use
a
page size of 20x11.25 inches. When you choose Save As and choose any
bitmap
format, you'll get a 1920x1080 bitmap. (If you're using Sony HDV,
after
you're done with the layout, change the size to 15x11.25 inches and
you'll
have a 1440x1080 anamorphic bitmap.) For 720p, use a page size of
13.34x7.5"
for 1280x720.

SteveP
Join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/razor_users

:

I'm interested in comments from those who may have been using a
projector
to
display page setups configured to display on Widescreen TV (16:9)?
What
is
the quality of doing so and what were the page setup values that gave
you
the best results? Finally, has anybody blogged a conversion guide
listing
page setup values for various aspect ratios?

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/
MAP 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W : 43°2'17"N 88°2'37"W

 

[Guest]

No, there's nothing special regarding the projector, other than making sure
to match the display settings of the computer to the native resolution of the
projector. Distance to screen will be determined by the lens focal length,
and there are as many options just as there are with 4x3 projectors.

Unless you have a projector with lens shift, you need to line it up even
with the bottom (or top - upside down) of the screen. Most projectors have
digital keystone correction and signal scaling to correct both problems, but
the artifacts can be ugly. I avoid them at all cost.

Theoretically, distance-to-screen affects image brightness, according to the
inverse square law, so the closer to the screen the brighter you'll be. But
that's often offset by "variable speed" zoom lenses, meaning they have a
lower (brighter) "f" number at one end of the zoom range than the other.
Ideally you'll find a projector that has a fixed "f" number through the whole
zoom range, but on a practical level, set the zoom to the fastest (lowest)
f-range for the brightest image, then move the projector to fill the screen.