Tech Geek

I'd be willing to guess that many of us are using either Head to the Heart from Faith Inkubators or Here We Stand from Augsburg Fortress as a part of our confirmation program. I have no interest in debating the merits and shortcomings of either of these systems (you can do that yourselves in the comments section, if you like), but I do want to talk about the ways that they have propelled me to learn more and more about how to use presentation software and some of the tricks that I have developed.

When I start to work on a lesson, I open up the PDF of the lesson in one window and the powerpoint in another. I may even open up a third window for the additional lesson ideas and quite often a web browser or two. Then I warm up my copy (CTRL-C) and paste (CTRL-V) fingers. In case you didn't know, those keyboard shortcuts work with most programs, as well as cut (CTRL-X). As I decide which portions I am going to use, I copy-and-paste the text into the notes area of Powerpoint. That way, when I'm actually going through the lesson with my class, I don't have to juggle sheets of paper but I also don't have to try and remember everything from just the slide I'm showing the class. You can also drag the slides into a different order and add your own thoughts with a few more clicks and keystrokes.

After you've pasted the notes into the show, you need to configure your system to use the Presenter View. Then it will show you a snapshot of the main screen, as well as the time, upcoming screens, and your notes. In order for this to work, you have to have a dual-monitor system. Virtually all laptops are capable of outputting a second screen, different from what they're displaying on the built-in screen. Desktops need to have a dual-headed video card or a second video card installed. If you have a machine devoted to presentations, this is a worthwhile upgrade. Go to your Set Up Slideshow menu. Under Multiple Monitors set the slideshow to display on Monitor 2 and check the box next to Show Presenter View. Then click Okay and test it out. My laptop doesn't show me the Presenter View of the slideshow if I have the box for Use Hardware Graphics Accelleration checked, so I leave that off. I'm hoping that a video driver update might fix that someday.

The other thing I'd like to cover today is how to play a video within Powerpoint when it's not a format that powerpoint will play. Powerpoint will natively play most Microsoft video format and MPG files, but won't play, for example, MOV files. You could convert the file or use a lower quality version, but I don't like those options. I have started using VLC Media Player, an open source video player, and inserting the video as an object, then activating that object. It's really not as hard as it sounds.

1. Download and install VLC Media Player from http://www.videolan.org/ 
2. Make sure it will play the video that you want to play.
3. Go to Tools-->Preferences, click on Association Setup and select the audio and video format that you want VLC Media Player to play, then click the Apply button. Next, click on Video in the left-hand column, and set it to play Fullscreen, and Always on Top. Click Save to save these prefences.
4. Drag the VLC Media Player window onto your second monitor so that it will open up on that screen.
5. Go back to your presentation and find the slide that you want to have the video play on.
6. Go to the Insert Object screen, click the Create from File radio button, and find the file that you want to play. Do not click the Link checkbox.
7. You can drag the object that is created to the side of the slide so it's not visible when you're presenting. While you have the object selected, choose Custom Animation. Click Add Effect and choose Object Actions-->Activate Contents. You can then choose if you want it to activate automatically or after a mouse click.
8. The video will play in a full screen when you get to that slide in your presentation. After it's over, you do have to close VLC Media Player to return to your presentation.

Using the above method and a tool called Vixy.net to convert YouTube videos to MP4 format, I've been able to use YouTube videos as part of my presentations.

God's blessings on your daily life and ministry,
Pastor Andy

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