review

Wipster.com – Online Tool for Video Review

Videos projects, or PowerPoint decks exported to video, are sometimes difficult to send to a client due to large file size. They are also difficult for the client to provide exact feedback. Wipster is one online tool that provides a solution to both difficulties.

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Wipster is an online tool that makes getting video to a client, and giving them a way to give you feedback, very easy – and secure. Upload a video to your Wipster account, send a secure link to your client and they can view online, and have a set of tools to make comments and feedback for you to review. Feedback is pinned to a specific frame of the video so you know exactly what is being referenced.

Here is a quick demo of using Wipster to get feedback, or approval, of a video:

1. Upload the video with a drag and drop system (or click upload to get an upload screen).

1_Wipster

2. Review uploaded video or a new version (there is a versioning control built in).  Links can be sent to videos, information can be added and they can be moved to a specific folder or deleted. All the vital information is also available: version number, the upload date, the number of reviewers, and the number of comments.

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3. To share the video, select the Share video

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4. Pick the review options, including feedback notes and an approval button. The video can be password protected, downloads disabled, and commenting turned on/off.

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5. When reviewing, adding comments is super easy and intuitive. Click and drag a window around the exact area, on an exact frame, to provide feedback on. Then, type feedback into the comment dialog box. All reviewers are notified of new comments and they can reply to them.

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6. To view all comments as an action To Do List, click on the button in the upper right hand corner.

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7. A list of all existing comments will expand on the right side of the screen. As you complete each item, check the box next to the Reply…

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If an updated version is created, rather than setting up a new Wipster review, just upload the new version to the original video. Everyone is notified of the new version, the feedback process can simply continue until everything is approved and you get the electronic approval to finalize and turn on the download link so the client can have the video for use.

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There is a free account option, and approximately $15 month for unlimited video proofs. Wipster just announced a new feature last week that integrates directly into Adobe Premiere called “Wipster Review Panel for Adobe Premiere” which may change the way we implement client feedback on video projects.

-Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T08:21:35-07:00April 20th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

Introduction to AudioBlocks

AudioBlocks.com is a great resource that TLC Creative Services uses often we’re looking for sound to put in a presentation. Audioblocks is a sister company/service to Videoblocks which we reviewed in the previous post.

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AudioBlocks is a subscription service (i.e. Annual fee) and you get unlimited downloads. The entire audio library is royalty-free so you can legally download and use sounds in both commercial and personal projects, without having to pay any additional fees. The library has over 100,000 sound effects, loops and music and adds new clips continuously.

Clips are available in MP3 and WAV file formats.

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A really good option is that the Search feature can be filtered by keyword or style. Searches can be filtered by music, SFX or loops. My favorite search option is by duration to further focus the results.  Additional search filters are by Music category, genre, mood, and even instruments. Daetona did a sample search for polka music and found 21 results (that’s a lot of Polka!). The duration of clips ranged from 00:11 seconds to 03:23, and if I needed just a short clip, the duration filter would even further focus the results.

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TLC Creative has been using AudioBlocks’ online subscription since it launched a few years ago. We were even a customer of their CD-ROM collections before that. The lowest price I have found for an annual subscription is currently $99/year. A less valuable monthly subscription is also available for $79.

 

-Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T08:34:44-07:00March 9th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

Introduction to VideoBlocks

Presentations often feature videos. But where can designers get quality videos? VideoBlocks.com is a subscription-based site with unlimited downloads from a library of professional stock video footage. TLC Creative Services has used VideoBlocks for several years, going back to purchasing DVDs from their pre-online business.

VideoBlocks Photo 1

VideoBlocks has an in-depth library with over 115,000 studio-quality videos, motion backgrounds and after effects clips. Additional videos are added every month. VideoBlocks members have two download options – videos included in the subscription (great value) or videos from an a la carte Global Marketplace where professional videos are uploaded and sold individually (average $49 per video).

In addition to variety (more on that in a moment), quality and value, one thing that distinguishes VideoBlocks from their competitors is their royalty free permissions on all videos (at least those in the subscription library). Videos are pretty much permitted to be used for any project, with any level of distribution and they include global usage rights. Other VideoBlocks customers include big companies like ABC, MTV, and even National Geographic, so we are in good company!

For variety, my sample search for puppies gave me over 27K results! That broke down to 65 videos in the free Unlimited Library and 27,000 in the a la carte Marketplace. Sixty-five puppy videos is a good result AND I found the perfect one for my presentation.

VideoBlocks Photo 2

The search can be filtered only to show videos included in the subscription library or to include those available in the Global Marketplace. It can also be filtered by category or resolution (more on this in a moment). In addition, VideoBlocks has 15 preset categories that range from Business and Professions to Holidays and Celebrations. All in all, the TLC Creative Design Team has little trouble using the search options to find a video clip suitable for their presentations.

MP4 and MOV file formats are available for all video clips. Resolution sizes vary from SD 480p to full HD 1080p but almost all videos are 1080p. You can also look under the “Red Camera” category for a good selection of 4K resolution videos.

 

VideoBlocks Photo 3

After a quick search on the site, I found that a one-year subscription is currently $149. The subscription price is a huge value and something TLC Creative has renewed annually for several years so we always have a video resource for our projects. They also have specials a few times per year that drop the price to $99. And you will be locked in at that special rate for renewals. I asked and received a referral link that will get anyone a $50 discount. Click here to bring the current price down to $99 a year!

 

-Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T08:35:12-07:00March 7th, 2016|Resource/Misc|

Awesome Screenshot.com – online screen capture app

[text]All of the designers at TLC use Snagit for screen shot needs; it is installed on every computer we have. Windows and Mac OS both have built in screen capture options that are cute and nice, but not robust. We recently found Awesome Screenshot.com which is a great online screen share, and edit app, something we can use when working on a guest computer.[/text]

Awesome screenshot 12

[text]Awesome Screenshot is free for 30 images and 1 project folder. The premium option (currently $8.99 promo, regularly $11.99 year) has unlimited image captures and project folders. The Chrome browser is the only one that supports the add-in, but the annotation and editing features can be used on any browser. The Chrome add-in makes Awesome Screenshot a more full featured option (eg. Use Chrome for this app).
[/text]

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[text]Possibly one of the coolest features of Awesome Screenshot is adding comments to screenshots (much of what we use SnagIt for) and sharing directly from the site. In addition, other users are able to comment on the screenshot image as well, so this can make collaborative feedback simpler than ever! Some other cool tools are highlighting or blurring text. But the editing tools are more limited than other apps with fewer less colors, shapes, etc. Still, the ability to organize the screenshots by project is unique and pretty awesome (pun intended)![/text]
[text]Use Chrome and create an account. Under the Tools tab, select Add to Chrome, and follow the steps to install.[/text]

[text]After installed, Chrome has this app icon.[/text]

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[text]Click the Awesome Screenshot icon to view capture options.[/text]

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  • Capture visible part of page: Captures only the visible area of the current browser page
  • Delayed capture: Captures only the visible area of the current browser page three (or five) seconds after clicking
  • Capture selected area: Allows you to select the area of the current browser page to capture using a marquee selector
  • Capture entire page: Captures the entire area of the current browser page (include non-visible areas that require scrolling to see)
  • Select a local image: Allows you to choose an image that is saved locally to your computer or drive[/list_item]
  • Capture desktop: Allows you to select from any open windows or computer screen(s) to capture
  • My projects: Takes you to the Projects library
  • Options: Allows you to update the settings, such as image format, shortcut, and delay time specifications

[text]In addition, you can drag and drop existing images into the open project folder of your choice or select “Add images” from the project folder page on the website.[/text]

[text]Capture a screenshot (all or part of the screen) and it shows up in the simplified Annotation (or edit) screen. Save the image to a project folder to get to the full editing options.[/text]

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[text]There are several save options – save online for best collaboration.[/text]

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[text]To edit, click the Annotation icon while hovering over the image.[/text]

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[text]The top bar is the editing tools: Crop, draw, shapes (rectangle or oval), arrows/lines, text, blur, color, line weight, undo, redo, reset, delete shape, and zoom.[/text]

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[text]Save edits and add comments. By default, it goes to the comments page. You can also select other images in the project folder, share the image, return to the Annotation page, or view the comments list.[/text]

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[text]Click the “eye” icon to exit the page, or right-click select Save image as to get a local version of the image on your computer – which can be added to a presentation.[/text]

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[text]Thanks to staff designer Michelle for this review.
– Troy @ TLC[/text]

By |2016-08-10T09:03:57-07:00July 17th, 2015|Software/Add-Ins|

SlideDog – Out of Beta Review

Original review is here here.

TLC presentation designer, Amber, has done a follow up testing and review of the SlideDog offering. SlideDog has completed its Beta phase and released its first official version of the program. This version has significant improvements over the beta. I should note, this review is a bit overdue as we started it in January and lost track of it until this month.

Supported file types are PowerPoint (.ppt and .pptx), PDFs, Prezi, Movies (multiple formats), Web Pages (URLs), and images (multiple formats), with more expected.

SlideDog has the ability to seamlessly switch between applications, making it appear that they are all 1 file. You create playlists of different file types, run the show, and SlideDog takes care of the rest.

Download and Install is same as before. The setup process searches your system for the applications SlideDog requires to run the different file types. It helpfully provides links to download missing software it needs, which are all free options.

When you’re ready to create a SlideDog presentation, you can either browse for specific files or simply drag and drop into the playlist area (a great use of multi screen computer setups). SlideDog then generates thumbnails of each presentation element to give a preview of the files.

When you run the show, SlideDog preloads all of the files, which makes switching between the applications faster during the show, but you do have a dialog window with a preloading notice during this time. The preloading notice is onscreen depending on the number of files and their size. In our test, it was visible for up to 90 seconds, so this is something to consider when getting ready to present (you do not want the audience waiting and watching this dialog). The end result was a seamless presentation.

SlideDog now offers different licenses: Free, Pro, and Shared License. Pro offers dual screen mode, unbranded presentations with custom backgrounds and free updates for 1 year. Shared License has all of the Pro features, plus you can use SlideDog in an auditorium or meeting room with multiple users on the same computer. The free version allows you to create playlists and run them seamlessly, but with a SlideDog logo. There is also an option to try Pro for 15 minutes.

Note: The file wrapper error that was present in Beta is now fixed and the dual screen mode will close when SlideDog closes.

We did have a conflict with SlideDog not recognizing PowerPoint 2010. This was caused by having a dual installation of both PowerPoint 2010 and 2003. But it did create an opportunity to contact SlideDog’s support, which was top notch. Dag Hendrik worked with us for a few days to figure out the issues, and then sent patches which fixed them. It was very nice to have the issue resolved so quickly, with great customer service.

Our end result was that SlideDog has made a lot of great progress since the Beta release we reviewed, and we recommend testing it if you have presentations that need to use several different files, file types and even presenters (with the Shared License option).

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T10:35:10-07:00June 19th, 2013|Software/Add-Ins|

What I Learned from “Present It So They Get It” – Book Review

I ended the year with some reading and “Present It So They Get It” is on my recommendation list! I was happy to spend some time with the author, Dave Paradi, earlier in the year at The Presentation Summit where he was also a presenter. I learned we have a lot of similar presentation design goals, but Dave is the first to admit he is not a presentation designer. What he brings is the audience perspective, the executive/presenter understanding, and works on crafting the message, both spoken and visual, into a professional package.

The books subtitle, “Create and Deliver Effective PowerPoint Presentations Your Audience Will Understand” reinforces all of this perfectly. Topics cover everything from explaining that PowerPoint (or any presentation software) is not the problem with boring presentations (chapter 1) to detailing what charts and graphs should contain to carry a message to the audience (chapter 14) and lots more.

Read more about it, and Dave Paradi, at his site here.
The book is also available at Amazon.com here.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T08:51:09-07:00January 3rd, 2013|Resource/Misc|

JewelBeat Review

We integrate multimedia (music, video, etc.) into a lot of projects. TLC Creative Services has also invested in a lot of royalty free music for our resource library. JewelBeat makes a lot financial sense with royalty free tracks at $.99 each.

What does “Royalty Free” mean for music? No performing rights fees, mechanical licenses, cue sheets, ASCAP or BMI expenses to worry about. For a presentation, it means when the music is purchased, you have the license to use it – anywhere.

I like that all tracks can be previewed for the full length. And there is a free demo (sound marked and low quality) to test and confirm it fits with your project. The site says 35,000+ music tracks and it is a wide range of styles. On the technical side, tracks are generally .mp3 format, 44Hz with a 128k bit rate (ie. good).

One of the best online deals is their hundreds of FREE downloads. Even better, make just a single $.99 purchase and you jump to 1,000+ FREE music tracks, SFX and loops.

Jewelbeat.com

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T09:05:52-07:00September 28th, 2012|Resource/Misc|

SlideDog – Review

SlideDog is a Windows only app that allows you to create a seamless presentation made up of multiple file types. SlideDog supports PowerPoint files (.ppt and .pptx), PDFs, videos, Prezi presentations, web pages, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, flash animations and photos. The elements do not need to be combined into a single file, instead you sequence them in SlideDog and seamlessly shows each, no matter what file type, in the order set. It plays the files in the playlists by using the most appropriate tool available, which is going to vary sometimes, based on what is installed on the computer. Some files are played directly by SlideDog, others will by an external application (ie. Adobe Reader, for PDFs). But viewers see a single application for a clean and seamless presentation.

To achieve this, SlideDog launches the files in the playlist in full screen on the second monitor or projector without displaying the desktop which is loading the files. The presenter sees something similiar to PowerPoints “Presenter Mode” where they see and control what is being presented, either with the playlist order or manually jumping to elements with an on-the-fly order. The presenter can also see notes, timers and scroll through the files that are to be played.

Note: This is currently a beta release, so not something I can guarantee as a stable solution for a real meeting.

Amber, a TLC Creative Services presentation designer installed, tested and created this review of SlideDog.

Download and Install:
– Download from here.
– Installing is straightforward, the setup searches your system for applications it requires to run the different file types and if not found, provides links to download pages (all are free).

Using SlideDog:
You can drag and drop the files into the application, or browse for files. The program then creates thumbnails of the different files. When not presenting, there is an area for recent files added and playlists.

When you hit play on any of the files, the app goes into speaker mode and a timer starts. You are provided with a bigger viewer in the middle of the application that shows exactly what the audience is seeing on the secondary output (a 2nd monitor or projector). You are still able to see the other files in your playlist, and scroll through to view the thumbnails.

I used a Word document, PDF, and PowerPoint file to test. There was a minute to two minute load time switching from Word to PDF while SlideDog closed Word and opened Adobe Reader. Because it just displays the PDF full screen from Adobe Reader, the “Tips” that appear when Reader opens, are also displayed in the presentation. I can mouse over and close the window, but that ruins the presentation effect.
There were a few errors using the program that I experienced. When adding PowerPoint files, I receive an error about generating the thumbnails, and the PowerPoint doesn’t play. Also, when exiting the program my second monitor remained black with no visible way to exit. I had to go into Task Manager and end the pptWrapper.exe process. Hopefully these errors will be sorted out in the Beta phase.

– Troy and Amber @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T09:19:22-07:00July 25th, 2012|Software/Add-Ins|

CloudOn Puts Full PPT on iPad

I have been experimenting with “CloudOn” for the iPad which launched just a month ago. The company description “Use the CloudOn workspace on the iPad to access your files and manage them.” “Edit, review and present docs in Microsoft Office” is a good summary of the offering.

Here are a few screen captures of designing slides on my ipad:

– This is the real PPT 2010, so the same ribbon interface and options (some features are disabled).

– The smaller iPad screen size was a factor in editing slides.

– I really like the keyboard CloudOn uses with all of the Function, CTR, ALT and other keys.

Basically, you are accessing a remote version of Microsoft Office 2010, just like you can connect to your computer through your iPad using LogMeIn or other remote access apps. Of course, the service means you must be online to work in PPT, so WiFi is good or your monthly bandwidth may get a lot more use. It is the real PPT 2010 interface, which is not touch sized (I tap on the wrong icon a lot) and has no gesture control.

For me, it is a fun novelty that does prove more valuable for presenting than designing slides.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T09:28:29-07:00March 26th, 2012|Personal, Resource/Misc|

Review: PowerPoint To Go Free Templates

PowerPoint To Go (PPT-to-go.de) is a company based in Germany and offers a collection of PowerPoint templates that are free. The main categories are maps and nice looking 3D shapes in colorful layouts.

Unfortunately, we were not too impressed with the site. To access the free templates you must go through a registration process – for 1 template per month. While registering, the site timed out twice with a fatal error on the server being reported. It took four log in attempts before successfully accessing the downloads page. So the online experience was far from smooth.

The template downloaded is a .ppt (PPT 2003) and on our systems it opened with a corrupt file warning.

The thumbnail image on the download page was very different (and visually better) than the actual slide:

I had expected to see a full PowerPoint template with all of the master slide formatting preset. There is minimal template formatting in place and it is actually more jumbled than the MS default (and uses the German language dictionary).

Many of the thumbnails look great and I would recommend using just the content (map, 3D pyramid, etc.) by importing into your template and not using the PowerPoint to Go file as a template.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T09:53:03-07:00September 30th, 2011|Personal, Resource/Misc, Templates/Assets|
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