Professional Video in PPT (the Way it Should Be) - Device Control

  • Thread starter Thread starter Keith Tromer
  • Start date Start date
K

Keith Tromer

Hi all.

I have been working on a new addin that will be ready within weeks. I would
like to see how much interest there is from the folks in this forum. If you
have interest in this add-in please email me at: (e-mail address removed)

The program will allow control of external devices within PowerPoint through
RS-232/422 and TCP/IP!
- All devices have dedicated controller windows
- You can insert commands into your show and set the when the command
trigger in the custom animation box just like any other shape

Inital Devices included are: (more to come later)
- Beta Deck (any devices using the standard Sony BVW RS-422 protocol)
- Folsom Screen Pro (SPR-2000) Seamless Hi-Res Switcher
(http://www.folsom.com/Video_Home/video_home.html)
- Doremi V1 series DDR - http://www.doremilabs.com/products/product.htm
- PPTInternal - Control of the powerpoint show itself (Goto slide, Next
Build, etc...)

There are MANY features built-in not described here. For instance, you can
create a cue for Beta or Doremi that will WAIT for a particular TimeCode
before issuing the next command like Folsom Dissolve (or ANY command)

If you have interest in this product, please email me at
(e-mail address removed)

Thanks!
 
Yes,

I don't think the market is very big, and the price will reflect that :-)

--
Keith Tromer
Corporate Imaging Inc.
PowerTools - Productivity Add-ins for PowerPoint


http://www.corpimaging.com/PowerTools
TAJ Simmons said:
Keith,

I would think that this add-in would have a very specialized group of people
who would find it very useful...e.g. conference production companies.

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free sample templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com
Click to expand...
 
he's trying to put me & my techie siblings out of work!

Perhaps with this add-in the video operators can get some more, and much
needed, sleep. And they have another excuse for why the correct vid was not
played at the correct time :)

TAJ
 
Perhaps with this add-in the video operators can get some more, and much
needed, sleep. And they have another excuse for why the correct vid was not
played at the correct time :)
Click to expand...

Happened to us on a show once. The guy'd been up half the night (partying,
not working) and was usually reliable regardless of what he'd been doing.
But he ended up behind the screen, sitting next to a video machine with
nothing to do but wait in the dark to push the button 45 minutes later.

Luckily he didn't start to snore, but I had to run around back and kick him
awake, 'cause when he fell over asleep, he was blocking the buttons on the
vid player. ;-)
 
Steve Rindsberg said:
Happened to us on a show once. The guy'd been up half the night (partying,
not working) and was usually reliable regardless of what he'd been doing.
But he ended up behind the screen, sitting next to a video machine with
nothing to do but wait in the dark to push the button 45 minutes later.

Luckily he didn't start to snore, but I had to run around back and kick him
awake, 'cause when he fell over asleep, he was blocking the buttons on the
vid player. ;-)
Click to expand...
Then there's the time I was Projectionist/second ppt op sitting
backstage next to the main ppt op - who, it has to be said, was getting
on in years a little - and he was starting to nod. I was following the
presenter & as he was onto his last bullet point I thought it would be a
good idea to give the snoozing tech a heads-up. So I gave him a gentle
nudge with my elbow, at which point he yelled "WAYHAY!!!" and hit the
space bar twice going on 2 cues!

Phill
--
-=<[email protected]>=-
http://Phill.Power.com
tel +44 (0)1722 501084
mob +44 (0)7718 207715
fax +44 (0)1722 500739
 
Then there's the time I was Projectionist/second ppt op sitting
backstage next to the main ppt op - who, it has to be said, was getting
on in years a little - and he was starting to nod. I was following the
presenter & as he was onto his last bullet point I thought it would be a
good idea to give the snoozing tech a heads-up. So I gave him a gentle
nudge with my elbow, at which point he yelled "WAYHAY!!!" and hit the
space bar twice going on 2 cues!
Click to expand...

First rule: hire techs who can wake up in silent mode.

ROFL!
 
Or better still hire techs who can operate in sleep mode...e.g. get all the
right cue while still asleep (or reading a newspaper)
 
TAJ Simmons said:
Or better still hire techs who can operate in sleep mode...e.g. get all the
right cue while still asleep (or reading a newspaper)
Click to expand...
Hey! Here's an Idea! How about scheduling jobs so that the techies get
enough sleep? You know, finish slide changes & rehearsals BEFORE stupid-
o'clock-in-the-morning; have someone other than the show crew do the 2am
get-in; etc.
While you're at it, make lunches smaller than the usual 5-course feast &
follow them with someone other than the windbag from Finance mumbling
through 2 hours of incomprehensibility backed up by eye-watering charts!

Not that *I* get any lunch, of course, 'lunch' is something that happens
to other people. Lunchtime is when you get the client backstage asking
to go through their slides.
"Have you brought them on disk?" I ask, "Or are they on your laptop?"
"Oh no" they reply merrily, "We haven't made them yet, we hoped you
could just..."

All the meals I miss, all the angst I go through & adrenaline I pump -
why am I still such a lard-ass?

Phill
--
-=<[email protected]>=-
http://Phill.Power.com
tel +44 (0)1722 501084
mob +44 (0)7718 207715
fax +44 (0)1722 500739
 
WOW! I missed alot in this threat over the last few days!!!

<<My first thought was "WayHay! Great idea!" but then 2nd thoughts - he's
trying to put me & my techie siblings out of work!>>

OK Phil, I know where you are coming from and agree (to an extent)...
However I don't see this as a tool that will replace Video Playback
operators on the high end show. All this talk about letting the Video Op
get some sleep!! Think about it, it us Graphics guys that are the ones there
all night!!! And who wants to add more to the Graphics Guy's Plate? On the
large show there will always be the need for the Tape Op...

I'm sure there are plenty of uses, but here is what I see as the Primary
THREE
1. The Road Tour. Small show... multiple cities... No need for the extra
techs (who are local and don't know the show anyways) Program it once and
all video cues are perfect (with good PPT op) everytime.

2. The Breakout room that can't afford a tape Op and a switcher... Now they
can have profession video roll too when in the past it probably didn't make
sense (from a budget perspective as well as control space) to have all these
people.... Now one person can do it all with just the space bar.

3. This is the one I will use it for. The large show will still have a
tape op and a switcher (ScreenMaster or Montage, whatever...) and all
"Video rolls" will be taken care just like it always has. BUT my graphics
CPUs will go through my own Folsom and I will have my own dedicated DDR for
using Video MOS (without sound) as speaker support. I will render looping
animated themes, and use video footage (in windows OR full screen). The
system can stop and freeze on the dime, play loops, etc... The
possibilities are endless!

Your Thoughts?
 
First rule: hire techs who can wake up in silent mode.

ROFL!
Click to expand...

Been there, done that, got the pay cheque!!!!!!!!

Been doing SURTITLES for the opera here for over 10 years, since they
switched to video projection. Used VideoShow160 while they were
deciding to get something "more modern" . Turns out, it was PPT 3
viewer on WIN3.1 until about 2 years ago, which then became PPT2K on
WIN 98SE. Anyway, during a rehearsal, I remember we stopped, and went
back, to stand by. I distinctly remember pushing the "enter" key when
I heard the word "GO". I also remember checking against my copy of the
script and realizing we were about 5 slides past where we had paused
previously. Since then, my goal has been to do an entire opera while
unconcious, or at least, while asleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, since the Canadian Opera Company is getting ready to do the "Ring
Cycle", I figure I can catch up on my sleep. !!!!!!!!!!



Villem Teder
Toronto
 
WIN 98SE. Anyway, during a rehearsal, I remember we stopped, and went
back, to stand by. I distinctly remember pushing the "enter" key when
I heard the word "GO". I also remember checking against my copy of the
script and realizing we were about 5 slides past where we had paused
previously. Since then, my goal has been to do an entire opera while
unconcious, or at least, while asleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Just so you don't do the whole opera in your sleep while the rest of the
cast is doing the first aria, eh? ;-)
 
(Caution: Strange request coming...)
Villem,
Would you be willing to write up a short piece on how you got into the opera
job you do, what you do, etc? One of my volunteer jobs is as co-leader for
a group of Girl Scouts writing and producing an opera. (They wrote it last
year, are producing it this year.) I would love to share with them your
side of the opera world. They have gotten information on most of the front
stage stuff, as well as the basic back stage jobs. However, when we went to
two of the operas last year the girls were interested in how the surtitles
worked. (Here in Phoenix they use a different system, but that won't matter
to them: They are looking for more general information.)
If you want, email me off list at either the email above or at
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks!

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft PPT MVP
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
Cook anything outdoors with http://www.outdoorcook.com
Kathy is a trainer, writer, Girl Scout, parent, and whatever else there is
time for
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived
 
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