STEP 1: Create a new slide
With PowerPoint open and the Xpresenter software installed, create a
new presentation or add a new slide to an existing presentation. Select
Blank as the slide layout. Your slide should have an
NTSC resolution of 720 x 486 so that it’s ready for broadcast.
new presentation or add a new slide to an existing presentation. Select
Blank as the slide layout. Your slide should have an
NTSC resolution of 720 x 486 so that it’s ready for broadcast.
a) To set the slide dimensions:
- Click on the Xpresenter Settings button from the Xpresenter toolbar.
- Select the appropriate standard or custom slide width and height.
- If the option called “Automatically check and resize slides when a presentation is loaded” is enabled, Xpresenter will automatically scale any slide that is loaded to the dimension specified in this window.
b) To set output resolution.
- Select the appropriate standard or custom slide width and height. This should be a resolution that is supported by the PC’s video card.
Hint: If the option in the
STEP 2: Select your styles
If it isn’t already visible, drop down the Tools menu and select
Xpresenter Style Gallery. The Style
Gallery is the centerpiece of Xpresenter. It lets you quickly
view thumbnails of images, text styles, video clips and PowerPoint
objects, many of which come already bundled with Xpresenter to help you
get your projects rolling. By using the Style
Gallery, you can quickly assemble a broadcast-ready info
channel just like the ones you see on television.
Xpresenter Style Gallery. The Style
Gallery is the centerpiece of Xpresenter. It lets you quickly
view thumbnails of images, text styles, video clips and PowerPoint
objects, many of which come already bundled with Xpresenter to help you
get your projects rolling. By using the Style
Gallery, you can quickly assemble a broadcast-ready info
channel just like the ones you see on television.
STEP 3 Select a station logo, a ticker and other objects
In the Style Gallery palette, set the
Type to Objects by choosing
Objects from the drop-down menu, and a set of
objects will appear in the Style Browser. In this
case, you should see a set of pre-created demo objects that came with
Xpresenter. You can also create your own objects, but for now let’s
stick with the objects we already have.
Type to Objects by choosing
Objects from the drop-down menu, and a set of
objects will appear in the Style Browser. In this
case, you should see a set of pre-created demo objects that came with
Xpresenter. You can also create your own objects, but for now let’s
stick with the objects we already have.
Typical objects include a station logo, tickers and the current time,
date and temperature. Double-click on a demo object that you want to
include in your info channel. The object will automatically drop into
place based on a pre-defined location. Other objects in the set can be
placed into your PowerPoint canvas in the same way, saving you lots of
time.
date and temperature. Double-click on a demo object that you want to
include in your info channel. The object will automatically drop into
place based on a pre-defined location. Other objects in the set can be
placed into your PowerPoint canvas in the same way, saving you lots of
time.
STEP 4 Create a crawl
On television, a crawl often broadcasts weather data, sports scores,
financial information and other text that scrolls from left to right at
the bottom of the screen. You can create the same effect for
presentations and digital signage. Often, crawl text compliments the
visuals on-screen at that particular time and can be entered manually,
or inserted from an external file or streaming Internet feed. To create
a crawl in Xpresenter with manually entered data, click on the
Show Crawl Control Panel button, click
Add to open the Add Item dialog
box, and then enter your text in the Add Crawl Item
field, clicking the OK button when you’re done.
Click Save if you want the data to recycle, and then
click the Start Crawl button.
financial information and other text that scrolls from left to right at
the bottom of the screen. You can create the same effect for
presentations and digital signage. Often, crawl text compliments the
visuals on-screen at that particular time and can be entered manually,
or inserted from an external file or streaming Internet feed. To create
a crawl in Xpresenter with manually entered data, click on the
Show Crawl Control Panel button, click
Add to open the Add Item dialog
box, and then enter your text in the Add Crawl Item
field, clicking the OK button when you’re done.
Click Save if you want the data to recycle, and then
click the Start Crawl button.
STEP 5 Add your video clip
Click on the Insert Video Window or
Clip button in the Xpresenter toolbar to add a
video. The Video Object Properties window will
appear. Select Live Video Input or
Clip. If Clip is selected, browse
to the desired video clip file and select Open.
Click OK to insert the video window into the current
slide. Add a video window, which will insert live or prerecorded video
into your graphic, by clicking on the Insert Video
Window or Clip button. Make sure to size
the video window to fit the info channel background.
Clip button in the Xpresenter toolbar to add a
video. The Video Object Properties window will
appear. Select Live Video Input or
Clip. If Clip is selected, browse
to the desired video clip file and select Open.
Click OK to insert the video window into the current
slide. Add a video window, which will insert live or prerecorded video
into your graphic, by clicking on the Insert Video
Window or Clip button. Make sure to size
the video window to fit the info channel background.
STEP 6: Render and broadcast
When you’ve got everything positioned just the way you want, click the Take (
) button to render the output for broadcast. Voila! Your info channel
is ready to air, whether it’s on a corporate signage network, cable
info channel or Web site.
is ready to air, whether it’s on a corporate signage network, cable
info channel or Web site.
Support Gear:
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint
YOUR GUIDE
Neal Evan Caminsky
Product Manager, Digital Signage
VertigoXmedia, Inc.
Product Manager, Digital Signage
VertigoXmedia, Inc.
Neal is an acclaimed post-production artist and producer of almost 15
years, an award-winning freelance Web site and graphic designer, and
not too bad of an amateur hockey player, either. He worked at Matrox
Graphics for nine years in its Video and Public Information Display
Group before joining Vertigo in early 2005, where he champions
Xpresenter. Aside from hockey, his interests include watching reality
TV and any show that starts with "Star" and ends with "Trek."
years, an award-winning freelance Web site and graphic designer, and
not too bad of an amateur hockey player, either. He worked at Matrox
Graphics for nine years in its Video and Public Information Display
Group before joining Vertigo in early 2005, where he champions
Xpresenter. Aside from hockey, his interests include watching reality
TV and any show that starts with "Star" and ends with "Trek."
Neal Says Keep In Mind…
VertigoXmedia’s Xmedia Suite is used by broadcast TV networks for
demanding live TV applications. But many simpler applications like
digital signage, corporate communications, cable info channels and
Webcasting don’t require full-featured systems like the Xmedia Suite to
achieve high-quality char-acter generation. Vertigo’s solution is the
affordable Xpresenter, which turns Microsoft PowerPoint into a high-end
broadcast CG creation tool.
demanding live TV applications. But many simpler applications like
digital signage, corporate communications, cable info channels and
Webcasting don’t require full-featured systems like the Xmedia Suite to
achieve high-quality char-acter generation. Vertigo’s solution is the
affordable Xpresenter, which turns Microsoft PowerPoint into a high-end
broadcast CG creation tool.
Because it works within the familiar PowerPoint user interface,
Xpresenter gives you a simple way to drag and drop objects from content
libraries directly onto the PowerPoint canvas. You can create
data-driven CG graphics, animations and video, even populated by live
data feeds, without the learning curve or equipment expenditures it
might otherwise take. It provides a terrific way to use a tool that
many people already know to get messages across quickly, easily, and
affordably.
Xpresenter gives you a simple way to drag and drop objects from content
libraries directly onto the PowerPoint canvas. You can create
data-driven CG graphics, animations and video, even populated by live
data feeds, without the learning curve or equipment expenditures it
might otherwise take. It provides a terrific way to use a tool that
many people already know to get messages across quickly, easily, and
affordably.
VertigoXmedia, Inc.
www.vertigoxmedia.com
147 Saint-Paul West, Suite 100
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 1Z5
Canada
ph. 514.397.0955
147 Saint-Paul West, Suite 100
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 1Z5
Canada
ph. 514.397.0955
Sections: Technology
Topics: Tutorial
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