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I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
pretty good at it, synching music and photos.

However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
shown, and develop the show on that laptop.

So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.

I have Nerovision Express and Irfanview, but have never used them for
slide shows.

the functionality I want is:

- Ability to show around 300 slides
- Most slides are visible for only two seconds
- Have mp3 music triggered at the appearance of certain slides
- Music continues as slides advance
- Maybe a few simple animations, like words appearing on slides

And I want the output to be a music/slide show, that plays acceptably on
multiple computers, music/photos synched consistently across all
platforms.

I'd prefer to distribute this as a download from a web server, but if I
could easily make a DVD or video CD from this, I'd consider it.

Suggestions, please.

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 01:12:20 GMT, TommyC <> wrote:

>I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
>events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
>pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>
>However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
>looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
>whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
>synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
>there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
>pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
>quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
>do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
>shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>
>So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.
>
>I have Nerovision Express and Irfanview, but have never used them for
>slide shows.
>
>the functionality I want is:
>
>- Ability to show around 300 slides
>- Most slides are visible for only two seconds
>- Have mp3 music triggered at the appearance of certain slides
>- Music continues as slides advance
>- Maybe a few simple animations, like words appearing on slides
>
>And I want the output to be a music/slide show, that plays acceptably on
>multiple computers, music/photos synched consistently across all
>platforms.
>
>I'd prefer to distribute this as a download from a web server, but if I
>could easily make a DVD or video CD from this, I'd consider it.
>
>Suggestions, please.

PicturesToExecute: Well, this one isn't free ($24USD), but I really
like it and find it quite useful: http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/

There are a bunch of free ones listed here:
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0-...=&ca=&x=31&y=8

If this link doesn't work, just go to www.download.com and change the
setting to "free".

Good luck!

Hal Lowe

http://www.halogos.com (logo t-shirts, mugs, etc.)
http://www.halowe-graphics.com/photo.html (digiPhoto)
http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=7391019 (web hosting)
http://www.halowe-graphics.com/tinc?...name=web_email

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 01:12:20 GMT, TommyC <> wrote:
> I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
> events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
> pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>
> However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
> looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
> whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
> synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
> there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
> pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
> quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
> do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
> shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>
> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.

My version of Powerpoint (2004 for Mac) can export slideshows as
QuickTime movies, which presumably would take care of synching the sound
and slides.

You didn't say which version of PP you're using, but you might want to
check to see if it supports this feature, and if that will cure your
problem.

-dms

In article <m->,
TommyC <> wrote:

> I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
> events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
> pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>
> However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
> looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
> whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
> synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
> there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
> pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
> quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
> do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
> shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>
> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.

Had the same problme with PPoint.

iMovie works great and comes free with your computer.

TommyC wrote:
>
> I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
> events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
> pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>
> However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
> looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
> whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
> synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
> there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
> pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
> quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
> do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
> shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>
> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.
>
> I have Nerovision Express and Irfanview, but have never used them for
> slide shows.
>
> the functionality I want is:
>
> - Ability to show around 300 slides
> - Most slides are visible for only two seconds
> - Have mp3 music triggered at the appearance of certain slides
> - Music continues as slides advance
> - Maybe a few simple animations, like words appearing on slides
>
> And I want the output to be a music/slide show, that plays acceptably on
> multiple computers, music/photos synched consistently across all
> platforms.
>
> I'd prefer to distribute this as a download from a web server, but if I
> could easily make a DVD or video CD from this, I'd consider it.
>
> Suggestions, please.

'Free' is a bit of a stopper, but I use ProShow Gold, a fantastic slide
show program that provides a 'light-box' screen to let you sort your
slides, lets you sync multiple sound tracks, syncs the music to some or
all of your images, automatically adjusts the timimg *exactly* where you
want it, allows zooming in or out of any slide to create pseudo movie
effects, then you can make an .exe program which will run stand-alone on
a computer, or you can burn CD's or DVD's to play in DVD players
attached to TV sets. Downside is price, about $US 70, but it's worth
every penny in ease of use and time saved.

have a look at http://www.photodex.com/products/proshowgold/

Colin D.

In article <m->,
TommyC <> wrote:

> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.

A good, but not free, alternative is Keynote. You should be able to get
Keynote 1 fairly cheaply on eBay, or get iWork (which includes both
Keynote and Pages) for a bit more there too.

In article <m->,
TommyC <> wrote:

> I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
> events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
> pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>
> However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
> looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
> whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
> synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
> there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
> pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
> quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
> do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
> shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>
> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.
>
> I have Nerovision Express and Irfanview, but have never used them for
> slide shows.
>
> the functionality I want is:
>
> - Ability to show around 300 slides
> - Most slides are visible for only two seconds
> - Have mp3 music triggered at the appearance of certain slides
> - Music continues as slides advance
> - Maybe a few simple animations, like words appearing on slides
>
> And I want the output to be a music/slide show, that plays acceptably on
> multiple computers, music/photos synched consistently across all
> platforms.
>
> I'd prefer to distribute this as a download from a web server, but if I
> could easily make a DVD or video CD from this, I'd consider it.
>
> Suggestions, please.

Thanks for the great ideas provided. Yes, if they were easy to use and
worked great, I could probably easily live with the $30 or $70
suggestions.

Another question I had: PowerPoint can somehow take "small" jpgs (I
typically use 600x450) and make them look fantastic, full screen, on
monitors as large as 1152x864 - no blur, no jpg blocks or artifacts.
Playing around with irfanview and Nero, I found that their full-screen
shows really made the images look bad. Any comments on the full-screen
mode (or even if one is available) for the programs suggested?

Take a look at PhotoStory 3 by Microsoft. It is Free. It has transitions,
pan and zoom, sound, narration, titling, etc.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

Gordo



"TommyC" <> wrote in message
news:m-...
> I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
> events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
> pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>
> However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
> looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
> whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
> synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
> there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
> pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
> quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
> do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
> shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>
> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.
>
> I have Nerovision Express and Irfanview, but have never used them for
> slide shows.
>
> the functionality I want is:
>
> - Ability to show around 300 slides
> - Most slides are visible for only two seconds
> - Have mp3 music triggered at the appearance of certain slides
> - Music continues as slides advance
> - Maybe a few simple animations, like words appearing on slides
>
> And I want the output to be a music/slide show, that plays acceptably on
> multiple computers, music/photos synched consistently across all
> platforms.
>
> I'd prefer to distribute this as a download from a web server, but if I
> could easily make a DVD or video CD from this, I'd consider it.
>
> Suggestions, please.

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 11:09:50 GMT, in rec.photo.digital TommyC
<> wrote:


>Another question I had: PowerPoint can somehow take "small" jpgs (I
>typically use 600x450) and make them look fantastic, full screen, on
>monitors as large as 1152x864 - no blur, no jpg blocks or artifacts.
>Playing around with irfanview and Nero, I found that their full-screen
>shows really made the images look bad. Any comments on the full-screen
>mode (or even if one is available) for the programs suggested?

In Irfanview go to Options => Properties =>Viewing and make sure the
top Use "Resample" function Fit-Options and Full-Screen mode option
is checked.
__________________________________________________ ______
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
See images taken with my CP-990/5700 & D70 at
http://EdwardGRuf.com

TommyC <> wrote:
>In article <m->,
> TommyC <> wrote:

>> I've gotten drafted to do PowerPoint slide shows for various kids
>> events, like scouts, little league, youth football etc. And I've gotten
>> pretty good at it, synching music and photos.
>>
>> However, PowerPoint timing is completely inconsistent, and a show that
>> looks great on my desktop computer winds up looking not as good on
>> whatever laptop I use to show it at banquets. Usually the timing and
>> synchronization of the mp3 music files gets goofed up, so that either
>> there is a long silence between songs, or two songs overlap too much, or
>> pictures that are supposed to appear at certain times don't. And it's
>> quite clear that this is a PowerPoint issue, and there's nothing I can
>> do about it, short of getting the laptop on which the thing will be
>> shown, and develop the show on that laptop.
>>
>> So I'm wondering if there is a good (and FREE) alternative.
>>
>> I have Nerovision Express and Irfanview, but have never used them for
>> slide shows.
>>
>> the functionality I want is:
>>
>> - Ability to show around 300 slides
>> - Most slides are visible for only two seconds
>> - Have mp3 music triggered at the appearance of certain slides
>> - Music continues as slides advance
>> - Maybe a few simple animations, like words appearing on slides
>>
>> And I want the output to be a music/slide show, that plays acceptably on
>> multiple computers, music/photos synched consistently across all
>> platforms.
>>
>> I'd prefer to distribute this as a download from a web server, but if I
>> could easily make a DVD or video CD from this, I'd consider it.
>>
>> Suggestions, please.

>Thanks for the great ideas provided. Yes, if they were easy to use and
>worked great, I could probably easily live with the $30 or $70
>suggestions.

>Another question I had: PowerPoint can somehow take "small" jpgs (I
>typically use 600x450) and make them look fantastic, full screen, on
>monitors as large as 1152x864 - no blur, no jpg blocks or artifacts.
>Playing around with irfanview and Nero, I found that their full-screen
>shows really made the images look bad. Any comments on the full-screen
>mode (or even if one is available) for the programs suggested?

That's interesting. I've had exactly the opposite experience.
Photos that look great in Photoshop or Irfanview often look
horrible in PowerPoint.

For straight shows with no music I use Irfanview. Works for
me. Your milage will vary.

----- Paul J. Gans