Best Procedure for Actual Presentation

[Fried]

Hi Everyone

Over the past two days I've put together the skeleton presentation using a random selection of slides from my image library. This is cool. Very cool!

I'm now trying to work out the actual script and mechanics during the evening of presentation leading up to the first image. It will be a typical awards dinner setup in a mid-size banquet room. I intend to play the .exe file created by P2E direct from my laptop on a LCD projector. I will be able to check everything out in advance so lets assume the projector, sound system, and laptop are all ready to go.

The MC introduces the "surprise entertainment" of the evening (I'm not commiting until I know I can do it!) and says something like, "I'm sure you'll enjoy the show." At that point based on your experience, what is then the best sequence of events and their timing? I'm thinking:

1. Some shuffling around of chairs while I activate/"wake up" the laptop and LCD projector

2. The lights are dimmed (probably by someone else)

3. A period of darkness to allow people's eyes to adjust, move around their chairs some more, and quit talking

4. First slide transition begins

Q1: When in this sequence do I double-click the P2E .exe file?

Q2: How much time should I allow for #3?

Any suggestions are most appreciated!

Fried

[Conflow]

Hi Fried,

Obviously you are new-comer to PTE ~ and Welcome.

I do a lot of 'Technical Presentation' to Railway Engineers and Students, and I am heavily involved in 'Electronic Systems Development' and PTE is the only Presentation System that "cuts ice" with these hard-bitten Engineers on account of its flexibility and stability and control of presentation.

Having said that, human error comes into play and I have lost count on the number of times I have made a "Bo-Bo"with the presentations. In theory your approach is quite correct but believe me, in practice it simply doesn't work out ~ may I suggest a few things that will work,viz:-

1) Detailed Check-Sheet

Make up and 'print out' an Excel Worksheet. List every piece of equipment on to it, right down to the Multi-Outlet Power Adapter and extension lead and a cheap Laser Pointer not forgetting a small 15 watt Desklamp...thats the most important item !

2) Make-Up a Test Show

I made up a small 30 sec. Auto/Manual-Show complete with a 'Grey-Scale Slide' and 'Colour-Hatch Slide' together with a 'Standard-Sound Level of 440Hz @ Odb Level' and another sound recording with a Steel-Band (lots of Tymps & Percussions) ~ This tiny Show sorts out all the Set-Up problems.

3) Pre-Show Setup the PC

Arrive at least an hour before the Audience starts to trickle in ~ within that time set up your PC and Monitor and Sound-System and get all personal Systems up and going to your satisfaction.

4) Projector Set-Up

This is the 'tricky part' ~ however at this stage you know that you have Standard Signal Levels established and everything else is down to the Projector. Unfortunately this is a matter of 'suck-it and see' ~ alternatively ask the Forum Members for their advice on the best performer.

This 4 Stage Planning-Technique WILL MINIMISE your errors and go a long way to a successful presentation.

Best of Luck...

Brian.Conflow.

[ContaxMan]

I made up a small 30 sec. Auto/Manual-Show complete with a 'Grey-Scale Slide' and 'Colour-Hatch Slide' together with a 'Standard-Sound Level of 440Hz @ Odb Level' and another sound recording with a Steel-Band (lots of Tymps & Percussions) ~ This tiny Show sorts out all the Set-Up problems.

Thanks Brian - this is excellent advice & I, for one, will be taking it to heart.

[Fried]

Hi Brian

I'm a former physicist and I too am very impressed with P2E. It is obviously the right way to do this sort of thing.

Lists are big with me as well. Although new to P2E and these sorts of presentations, my photography equipment checklist is pretty extensive and it looks like I'll be adding to it!

Your test presentation sounds terrific! My paranoia level is pretty high and this morning after my post I started worrying about some sort of test setup presentation but nothing as sophisticated as yours. By chance is it available?

THANKS!

[Guest guru]

Thanks Brian, it's an excellent suggestion!

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Fried,

One thing you could do is use the "customise start up window"in the project options. This allows you to put a slide on the screen with a "RUN" button. This will guide your viewers to the screen, and give you a last look at the image on screen before you go. Click run and as we say in A/V circles "you are now over the top on the rollercoaster, sit back and enjoy the ride!"

Alan

[Maureen]

Having set up equipment, I always run an intro menu sequence, which also mentions switching off mobile phones (this is usually a great cue for me to switch mine off too !)

I always use a special AV show background (see clearing the decks -clean backgrounds the notes are on the website at www.digital-av.co.uk

I usually click a small mini sequence "Interval" before the coffee break (asking people to avoid any leads etc.) .....had that idea from Ron Wilkinson (Thanks Ron!).

Hope your show goes well Fried!

BW

Maureen

[ContaxMan]

Your test presentation sounds terrific! My paranoia level is pretty high  and this morning after my post I started worrying about some sort of test setup presentation but nothing as sophisticated as yours. By chance is it available?

I'd be really interested in this too, if you would be prepared to make it available.

[Conflow]

Hi Guys,

I would like to reply concerning the 'Mini-Test Program' but at the moment I am back on 'Conflow Radio on 56kHZ' as my VHF Service has failed ~ that damn Cat !

We have a Mini-Server here complete with a Programming Keyboard and we recently found out that 'Eric the Cat' simply loves going On-Line ~we found him pouncing around on the Keyboard~ and my god did he mess up the Software....@#$%&* !!!

So bear with me till we sort out the 'mess' and I shall get back to you when we restore the VHF Service.

Really, what can a person do but laugh !

Brian.Conflow (AM Radio)

[ContaxMan]

Good luck with the sorting out, Brian.

[alrobin]

Brian,

This gives new meaning to the term "software". Or should we call it "catware"? Maybe Norton should be on the lookout for a new "feline-virus". Perhaps Isabel has a solution for you.

My daughter's cat loves to sleep on my monitor whenever she brings it over for us to babysit. However, I've been expecting it to burn out one of these times (the monitor, not the cat) due to the accumulation of hair in the vent openings.

[Conflow]

Thanks Guy's,

Al, I'm breakin' my sides laughing about your Feline visitor ~ don't all female's love the comforts of life, Cat's included ~ but the 'moggy' taking up residence on top of your Monitor, that really takes the biscuit !!!!....or should that be called, "Catnapped"

Wonderful story,

Brian.Conflow.

[Fried]

Well... I'm back. And I am most happy to report that Friday night's slide show was a HUGE SUCCESS!!! Wow, was it cool! People were just blown away.

Looking back on it, I have plenty of things I can do to do to improve my onsite Photoshop workflow but the P2E + Audacity aspect of it was flawless and painless. Many thanks to everyone involved in creating P2E and the contributors on this forum!

At the venue the yacht club's staff was very "don't worry" concerning the projector and sound system (California cool.) But with everyone's emphasis on testing in advance of the event ringing in the back of my mind, I kept pushing them to allow me to test everything and it was a very good thing I did. Missing cables, crappy speakers, a tiny screen in the wrong place in the room... it took all week and several "discussions" with the club management but by the end of the week everything was as good as I could expect. In the future I am going to have my own LCD but I'm very seriously looking at what it will take to also be self-sufficient in terms of sound system and screen.

I have some tweaks to a few of the images I want to make and a bit of reordering but when I get v2.0 finished I will upload the presentation.

Thanks again!

Fried

[ContaxMan]

I'm glad to hear it went well.

Your remarks about having to push to check the equipment certainly ring a bell with me. Going around schools to deliver IT training, I lost count of the times I was told everything was in order only to find the contrary to be true!

Perhaps you could write up your top tips for other users of this forum?

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Fried,

Glad to hear it all went well. If you want to be self sufficent, be prepared to spend the dollars! I suggest a "bare bones" computer high on graphics and sound card. A good amp and large room spekers. And also the digital projector needs to be 1200 lumens+. If you deside to bring your own screen as well, you can see that you will not fit it all under your arm, or on the back of the bike .

Good luck with your shopping

Alan

[JRR]

Hi Fried:

Some advice from somone who carts around all the necessary equipment to present AV shows 2-3 times per week in the winter....

- you are better off to get a commercial quality screen as it is less prone to damage while being loaded and unloaded. I have a non-commercial one that has a very thick padded case (home made) that helps protect it, but...

- look for a white matte screen at least 60" if not 72".

- I looked around for speakers and amplifiers and a suitcase to put them in for ease of lugging in and out of venues. Then I found the PEAVY system that has a sound system all in a wheeled case - speakers, speaker stands, amplifier(mixer), wiring, microphones etc etc. I have a PEAVY 2000 and have found it more than enough for me.

There is another system, that I forget its name right now, (see reply below) that has the amp and speakers in one cabinet - no wheels, and the speaker stands are carried separately.

The Peavy is not quite as good as the other system (hopefully someone will come along with its name) but to my ear it is not different enough to make up for the lack of convenience of no wheels and separate speaker stands.

Both systems are not the lightest.

I have an attache case with extra wiring, duct tape etc etc.

My laptop and projector have extra heavy padded cases as well because of the abuse they take.

[JRR]

update July 19th:

I dropped by a store in town today and found out the name of the other system. It is Fender's passport line.

The p150 is more similar to my Peavy in terms of sound quality/strength etc, the P250 is slightly better. But in both Passport models there are no wheels, and the speaker stands have to be carried separately. I don't think the Fender systems have microphones and cabling unless you buy the "D" line (Deluxe)

[Ronniebootwest]

Hi Maureen!

I am going to follow your advice contained in 'Clearing the Decks' so I can present my shows in a more professional manner.

When creating the new user account and then deleting all the shortcuts on the desktop, I find that the Recyle Bin icon cannot be deleted - is there a way round this?

Ron

[Bethan]

Hello Ron

Not sure if this is what you mean but on XP at least I use right-click on the desktop, select 'arrange icons by', and then toggle 'show desktop icons'. This hides or reveals all icons including 'recycle bin.'

Beth

[Steve S]

Exploring this topic a little further: -

I’m planning on giving an illustrated talk in the form of a classic slideshow; there will be no music – just my dulcet tones for accompaniment. I expect there to be a need for a short intermission about half way through. So here is my question.

Have folk found it best to create a single presentation with an “intermission” slide in the middle, and just hold the presentation where it stands until it’s time to proceed or would it be best to create two separate exe files, one for each half?

I would be interested in reading your views.

Thanks.

Steve.

[Ronniebootwest]

Hi Bethan,

That is exactly what I wanted, thankyou!

A simple little thing but difficult when you don't know about it.

Ron

[ronwil]

Steve

I create a separate presentation for the second half, as I switch off my Royale Digital Projection System. One's equipment always comes under scrutiny, with inquisitive fingers and feet knocking the stand not unknown.

Ron [uK]

[Steve S]

Ron,

Thanks for that hint, I had'nt given any thought to the possibility of tampering between shows.

Steve.

[BillM]

Hi Fried,

One thing you could do is use the "customise start up window"in the project options. This allows you to put a slide on the screen with a "RUN" button. This will guide your viewers to the screen, and give you a last look at the image on screen before you go. Click run and as we say in A/V circles "you are now over the top on the rollercoaster, sit back and enjoy the ride!"

Alan

Hi Alan

I tried to use the "customise start up window"on the opening slide made a button ,set it to run and exit, but the show still starts immediately.Please tell me what am I doing wrong.

Bill

[Alan Lyons]

Hi Bill,

When you add a button you need to right click and go to prpoerties.

Here you wilfind a box and a dropdown window called Action. In here you can set the action for that button.

To start a show you sellect "run application or open file... This then openes another window below this called "enter programme name. Here you enter your show name, but with out the address ie "MY Show.exe" not "c/:Documents/My Show.exe" Press OK then when you click the button the show will run,

Hope this helps,

Alan