When you need to create images from slides, the PPTools Image Export add-in is invaluable.

PowerPoint 2016 has updated the built-in tool for saving slides as images – and it is really good. But, I still prefer to use the PPTools Image Export add-in. The reason is that the export dialog gives me complete control over the image(s) created.

1. Select the format for the image (I generally use .png for my images)
2. Select a range of slides or the entire presentation (Note: I do like PowerPoint’s option to export the selected slides, something you can manually type in slide numbers here, but a one-click button would be a great addition)
3. Easily set a destination for the images
4. Create a naming structure for the images (This is great when exporting images from different presenters or multiple versions of the same slides)
5. Set the exported image size!

Find out more about PPTools Image Export tool on the web here.

-Troy @ TLC

When it comes to exporting video in PowerPoint, or any other program, there are many factors that play a role in the final quality.

One of those factors is the concept of interlaced or progressive.

All PowerPoint videos export as progressive, but why?

In order to understand the answer, we first need to know what progressive vs. interlaced really means.

Here is the simple explanation:

• Interlaced is sending half the picture in 1 frame and the other half in the next frame. When done fast enough, the human eye sees a full picture.
• Progressive is sending the entire picture on every frame.

Interlaced video was made popular with television and over the air TV transmission (in the dark ages, before Cable TV). Interlaced video sends half the data and bandwidth, so it made TV signal transmission easier. For video editors, it made digital editing and processing faster because you were working with half the amount of data.

With current technologies of HD and beyond, computer monitors, television monitors and projectors, the idea of interlaced (or 1/2 quality) video is virtually a thing of the past. So 720p and 1080p stand for “progress video” at that resolution. 720i & 1080i means the video is interlaced at that resolution. If there is not an “i” or “p” after the resolution it is assumed to be progressive “p.”

Because progressive video has more data than interlaced video (entire picture in each frame vs. half the picture in each frame), it appears sharper and richer in color.

Progressive

This technique, however, is not ideal for broadcasting, due to the amount of data that needs to be transmitted. This brings us to Interlaced video. For the most part, interlaced video is used by TV broadcasters. It outputs from two adjacent frames one after the other, blending odd and even lines to form each image.

Interlaced

Quite a difference, right? To answer the original question “Is all PowerPoint video progressive?” – the answer is yes. PowerPoint’s video export only has profiles for progressive video, with 3 different resolution options. There is no practical need for interlaced video on any computer playback. If you are sourcing a video for a presentation and one of the options is progressive or interlaced, choose progressive.

-Troy @ TLC

Two ways to export images from PowerPoint 2016

Image Export Improvements in Powerpoint 2016 have made things more interesting. Depending on previous version used, this may have been an okay result to a not-so-good result. But that has changed for the better with PowerPoint 2016.

Image Export Improvements Option 1

Here is my sample slide to demo the PowerPoint 2016 image export. Single widescreen slide  (13.33″x7.5″) with a full frame image.

The original image inserted was very large (for PowerPoint needs) at 5184x3456px.

A great way to export a number of slides as images is through the SAVE AS option. This export option can be used for a single slide, a selection of slides, or an entire presentation.

Go to FILE > SAVE AS > and click the SAVE TO TYPE drop down.

From the available list, select .PNG or .JPG format (personal preference).

Exporting this way creates good image at 1280×720 – the low end of HD resolution.

Image Export Improvements Option 2

To export a single image, not a full slide, multiple images or slides. The advantage is a much higher resolution image.

Select the image, right click and select SAVE AS PICTURE.

Exporting this way creates a much higher resolution image (depending on the original image size). This image exported to 2000x1122px.

Conclusion

The 2 options are available and use based on what is needed. I will also say that when working with very unique page sizes (e.g. 50″x 9″), slide export as images do a much better job than previous versions.  Note: there are several 3rd party add-ins that export slides as images in a variety of formats and to any pixel size needed (Here at TLC Creative, all computers have PPTools Image Export installed).

-Troy@TLC

Another behind the scenes upgrade in PowerPoint 2016 is the video export size options. Now true, 1920×1080 HD video can be exported from PowerPoint.

Go to FILE > EXPORT > CREATE A VIDEO

The export size options have been revised to 1920×1080, 1280×720 (the PPT 2013 highest res option), and 852×480.

-Troy @ TLC

PowerPoint has some very good video features, such as the ability to play multiple video formats, embed videos into the slide deck file, visually stylize the video and export video from the PowerPoint.

It is the export video feature that is being used for this tutorial.
Here are three videos that are inserted into PowerPoint 2013.

Each video is set to auto play, one after the other.

Then, go to FILE.

EXPORT >> CREATE A VIDEO >> CREATE VIDEO

The result is a single video file that was previously 3 separate videos.

– Troy @ TLC

This one could easily be in my top 5, but there is so much good stuff in this version of PowerPoint it makes the top 10 list.

Yes, PowerPoint for Mac has had an export to video function for a few versions. Yes, Keynote has had an export to video function. Yes, I like everyone else has wanted, needed, hoped for this function and have invested lots of money in third party solutions. Well it is here and it works incredibly well!

1. It is easy to do. Go to BACKSTAGE >> SHARE >> CREATE A VIDEO

2. Pick a quality level (High Quality = 720p (1280x720px))

3. Watch the progress bar and when done, watch your presentation as a video!

Observations:
– Only exports to .wmv format
– Appears to be be frame accurate (eg. no gaps or jumps in animation)

– Troy @ TLC

I have just completed a screen capture tutorial that walks through the process of exporting an image from a presentation, opening it in PhotoShop, adding a soft dropshadow, properly saving it out and then inserting back into the presentation. This is a 4 minute narrated online movie, because if a picture is worth a 1,000 words, seeing a real demonstration is worth hours of frustration! To view click here.

– Troy @ TLC