DVD Video Standards
If you are exporting a presentation as a video for use on a DVD, what setting should be used? If this is for a consumer video player DVD use, go with PowerPoint’s highest quality (960x720px for a 4×3 aspect ratio) and let the DVD authoring software lower the resolution.
DVD compliant video has very specific requirements in order to be viewable on standalone DVD players.
• NTSC Video
• 720 x 480 resolution
• Audio type (Dolby AC3, PCM, MPEG) 48KHz sampling frequency
• 29.97fps frame rate
• Maximum bitrate of 9800 bps
Note 1: DVD authoring software (TLC Creative Services uses Sony Vegas Pro + DVD Architect) will transcode the PPT video and set these specs.
Note 2: High Def Blu Ray DVD’s can use different specs.
– Troy @ TLC
eBook Showing All PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Microsoft PowerPoint MVP Geetesh Bajaj has released a new ebook that quickly shows all of the available keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint 2003-2007-2010. Just find the section that covers your version and it is all there.
“PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts” is available as a PDF download here. Geetesh has set the price at $0 (free) with the option for the buyer to set a price.
– Troy @ TLC
Friday the 13th “Doodle”
I am not superstitious, but the whole “Friday the 13th” thing is a phenomena that only happens a few times a year (actually 3 times in 2012 all 13 weeks apart in January, April & July – according to a quick web search).
This is my “doodle” in honor of today being Friday the 13th. It has nothing to do with any project, took less than 5 minutes, but is a fun visual using PPT 2010’s bevel, 3D perspective, shadows and other text style settings.
Download the single slide here, 40K.
– Troy @ TLC
New Version of ToolsToo Add-in Released (v5.1)
If you are regular visitor here, you probably know I am a big add-in/plug-in user for all programs. For PowerPoint, add-ins installed on all designer and show computers are those that make design work faster and easier. And the ToolsToo add-in is used daily.
Last week v5.1 was released. It adds a few new features and bug fixes. Also interesting, this is the first add-in I have seen that is only for use with PPT 2010, not 2007 (since v5.0) because it uses some PPT 2010 only features (such as the animation paintbrush). Although v4.5 is compatible with PPT 2007 and 2010 and still available. And, like almost all add-ins, it is only compatible with the 32-bit version of Office.
Website with more details and download options is here.
– Troy @ TLC
Ubitmenu Puts PPT 2003 Menus into PPT 2010
The number of companies moving from Office 2003 to Office 2010 over the past year has been amazing. They skipped Office 2007 and are now going from menus in 2003 to the ribbon in 2007 or 2010, which is a bit like starting over – and a focus for many TLC Creative Services onsite PowerPoint training programs. The Ubitmenu.com add-in can make the transition easier by bringing the familiar PPT 2003 menus into the new ribbon interface.
The add-in does not remove or alter the ribbon. It remains accessible and full function after the add-in has been installed. The Ubitmenu add-in adds a new tab called “Menu” and in it are all the familiar PPT 2003 menus which let you work in PPT 20007/2010 almost like you did in PPT 2003.
The ribbon interface is here to stay, so the best course is to become familiar with it. But I can see the Ubitmenu add-in as a good option during that transition period. It is free for personal use. Read more and download from this Swiss company here.
– Troy @ TLC
Billboard Design by TLC Creative Services
Highway billboards are like large scale presentation slides, designed for an audience that is far away, not focused on the screen (presentation = presenter, billboard = car in front of you) and made to be a message that can be understood in a few seconds.
This is one of 20 billboards showing up around San Diego right now that Lori from TLC Creative Services designed for our client. Of course, the huge GB size Photoshop image is a big difference from a slide design project.
– Troy @ TLC
4th of July 2012 Free PowerPoint Template
Amber, another great presentation designer here at TLC Creative Services, created this 4th of July themed PowerPoint template. It is free for all to download and use – just click here – 1.1MB.
– PPT 2010
– 16×9
– Master layouts include all the standards, plus a Theme layout and alternate full frame layout.
– Troy @ TLC