You
may locate video clips in different folders using the folders and subfolders
controls. Using Current Folder, select a folder that contains
videos you wish to use. PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds will read all
of the videos in that folder and create thumbnail images of them, displaying
them in the gallery window. Use the Subfolders pane to navigate
to different folders containing video content. Your most recently used
video backgrounds can be located using the My Favorites folder.
You can preview
a video by clicking Show Large Preview. Pressing Delete Video
will remove the thumbnail image display from the gallery window, but
will not delete it from your computer. You can redisplay deleted thumbnail
displays of videos by reselecting the folder in Current Folder.
After you select
the video background, you can select the following options:
Speed
Normal
speed will play the background video at the speed at which it
was recorded. Slow will play the video in slow motion. Static
will freeze the video on the first frame. Normal is
checked by default.
Loop Video
If
Loop Video is checked, the clip will loop continuously, with
the first frame playing after the last frame. This is checked by default.
Backdrop
A
Backdrop in PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds is an opaque or
semi-transparent shape that you may apply to the slides in your presentation;
the backdrop inserts 'behind' the text and graphics on your slides,
and 'in
front of' the video backgrounds. The resulting effect emphasizes the
text displayed on your slides. You should use a backdrop if you wish
to make visual elements stand out from the video background, but still
show the moving background.
You can select
from a number of backdrop styles by clicking on the Select Backdrop
Style tab. Each style features a different shape and/or shadow.
There are 24 backdrops included with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds.
The default is a simple rectangle, and it is checked “on”
by default.
You may also
set the backdrop's level of Transparency between 0% (opaque) and 100%
(invisible) and you can use the color control to select the backdrop
color.
Applying the Background
After selecting
the desired video and options, you can click Apply and the
video clip will be assigned to the background on only the currently
selected slide or slides. (If you are using PowerPoint 2000, the only
option available is Apply to All. The Apply option
is disabled because Microsoft had not yet implemented this capability
in this earlier version of PowerPoint.) Click Apply to All
to have the video clip background display on all the slides in your
presentation.
To remove a video
background that you have previously applied, select the “No Video”
thumbnail and click Apply (for one slide or a selected group
of slides) or Apply to All (to remove all the video backgrounds
in your presentation).
Playing
Presentations with Video Backgrounds
When
you're ready to run your slideshow, you should use the PowerPlugs View
Show with Effects command which appears on the Video Backgrounds
toolbar, or PowerPlugs: View Show with Effects in the PowerPoint
Slide Show menu. If you have other PowerPlugs products installed, such
as PowerPlugs: Transitions, you may use the View Show with Effects
in that application's toolbar, too.
Tip: When you
play video on a computer, it will generally run more smoothly when you
play it at a smaller size. For example, a video that is recorded at
640x480 will run more smoothly at that resolution than it will if its
run full screen on a high resolution monitor at 1600x1200. If your computer
does not play PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds sufficiently smoothly, we
recommend that you reduce the resolution of your slide show playback
(Use the Slide Show menu Set Up Show option). For example,
most presentations will look good and run smoothly at 800x600 resolution.
Reducing color depth from 32 bit to 16 bit (in Windows Display Settings)
can also increase video performance, but the reduced color fidelity
may be noticeable.
If you start your
slideshow using PowerPoint's View Show or Slide Show
or F5 , the presentation will play, but the video backgrounds
will remain static. If you haven't applied any video backgrounds and
you press View Show with Effects, there's no harm – your
slideshow will run as if you had used PowerPoint's Slide Show command.
Exporting
Presentations
When you want to play back a presentation that includes Video Backgrounds
on a computer that does not have PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds installed,
use Pack With Effects. With this, you can pack up your enhanced
presentation and take it "on the road" or send it to someone else for
viewing. (The destination machine should have PowerPoint 2000 or above
installed.) Like PowerPoint's Pack and Go (PowerPoint 2002 and earlier)
and Pack for CD (PowerPoint 2003 and later), Pack with Effects will gather
together everything you need to play the presentation, and write it into
a single folder, which you can copy onto a CD or DVD.
Here's what to
do:
Open the
presentation you want to pack.
Select Pack with
Effects command which appears on the floating palette below. The equivalent
command, “PowerPlugs: Pack with Effects” is also located
in the PowerPoint File menu.
- Select the
'maximum compatibility' option if you are unsure of the hardware and
software specifications of the destination computer.
- If you know
that the destination computer has PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds installed,
then you can select the “minimum file size” option.
- Select the
'Custom' option when you are very familiar with the specifications
of the destination computer.
If you pick Custom,
you will be asked to fill in this form:
If your presentation
uses PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds and if either PowerPlugs: 3D Titles
or PowerPlugs: Transitions installed, you will be asked two additional
questions about the destination computer (see dialog screenshot below).
The destination
system must have PowerPoint 2000 or later installed to play Video Backgrounds.
Answer the questions
about the destination computer. (You can determine the DirectX version
on a Windows PC by selecting Start, then Run, and type in “dxdiag”.
The version will be listed on the System tab.) If the destination PC
does not have PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds installed, Pack with Effects
will include the PowerPlugs Player and the appropriate background video
files. If it does not have the correct version of DirectX, this will
be packed.
If you are using
PowerPoint 2002 or earlier, you will then go through the PowerPoint
Pack and Go wizard. Respond to each prompt; in most cases “Next”
will be sufficient. Click the 'Finish' button. The following dialog
box will display:
If you are using
PowerPoint 2003, you will see the following two screens pop up and close
automatically. Please do not try to click on them or try to
fill in any information. PowerPlugs will automatically fill in the required
information and then it will close the dialog boxes.
Note: If using PowerPoint 2003 with Pack
with Effects, DO NOT change information in the following dialog
boxes.
^
If using PowerPoint 2003 with Pack with Effects,
DO NOT change information in these dialog boxes.
Pack with Effects intercepts these dialogs to route resources and elements
pertinent to the presentation to a single location. This is done so
that you will have all the necessary files centralized when you proceed
with burning a CD, copying onto a ZIP drive, or sending the files to
others so they can play your enhanced presentation on their computers.
v
If
using PowerPoint 2003 with Pack with Effects, DO NOT change
information in the dialog box pictured above.
Once the files have been placed in the location / folder you designated
in the first Pack with Effects dialog, the packing process is complete
and you can burn the contents of this folder onto a CD to play it on
another computer. PowerPlugs Pack with Effects will display the following
dialog and you can click the OK button to close it:
Video
Backgrounds Content
CrystalGraphics
offers 9 volumes PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Content, which are very
high quality collections of professional video background clips modified
specifically for use with the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player.
Each volume contains 25 unique, high-quality, video clips in the WMV
format (640x480, 15 fps). Visit the PowerPlugs:
Video Backgrounds gallery to see samples of the video clips included
in each Video Backgrounds Content volume(s).
If you already
have a wide selection of video clips (or even one incredible video background
clip you are completely happy with) and don't necessarily need more,
you can purchase the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player software only
which includes a Demo sampler of the nine volume collection of video
clips.
These Video Backgrounds
are royalty-free, but not copyright-free. The video clips are original,
copyrighted video material created by professional and talented animators
who focus on creating moving backgrounds for broadcast television. You
may not give or sell these video clips to anyone else. However, you
may use them in your PowerPoint presentations royalty free.
PowerPlugs: Video
Backgrounds provides an option to import your own video files. Browse
/ select a folder which contains the video files you want to import.
PowerPlugs:
Video Backgrounds will import all the supported video files present
in that directory. Once your video file is imported, you can use PowerPlugs:
Video Backgrounds' “Add Video Background” to preview and/or
add your video clip(s) to your slide(s). Then, simply select the desired
video, click 'Apply' and the video clip will be assigned to the background
on only the currently selected slide (the 'Apply' option is available
to users of PowerPoint 2002 or higher); or click 'Apply to All' to have
the video clip background display on all the slides in your presentation.
Frequently
Asked Questions
How
do I know if my graphics card will support my presentation that has
been enhanced using PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds, and possibly other
PowerPlugs products, such as PowerPlugs: Transitions and 3D Titles?
Generally speaking, there are no special video graphics hardware
requirements when playing back presentations that have been enhanced
with Video Backgrounds. If you also used other PowerPlugs effects, such
as Transitions or 3D Titles, to enrich your PowerPoint presentation,
we recommend graphics display hardware with ample video memory to ensure
that PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds, Transitions, and 3D Title effects
display properly. Although special graphics hardware is not required
to run PowerPlugs, the playback quality and visual experience is better
when graphics hardware that supports 32MB or more of video memory (video
RAM or VRAM) is present (and Microsoft DirectX 9 or above). To
determine the amount of Video RAM configured on your system, right mouse
click on the Windows desktop and select Properties>Settings. Click
the “Advanced” button, then select the tab labeled Adapter.
Note the “Memory Size.” This is the amount of video memory
(RAM) that accompanies your graphics display adapter (video card).
Can PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds be run from a network / virtual
drive?
No. PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds must be installed onto the local hard
drive of an individual PC and run from that PC regardless of whether
the host application, PowerPoint, is running via a network or virtual
drive.
How much do updates cost?
Updates of the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player software
are, at this time, free. You can check the current version available
and download free update patches, if any, available on our CrystalGraphics
technical support pages any time you want to. It's our pleasure to serve
you!
Support
What technical
support services are available if I am having problems with PowerPlugs:
Video Backgrounds?
CrystalGraphics
provides the following technical support service options to its customers:
- Free,
unlimited access to our technical support Web pages
-
Free technical support for registered owners of CrystalGraphics software
(via email or telephone) during the first 30 days after your purchase.
You can get custom answers via email or call us toll-free at 866-454-4556.
For customers calling from outside the U.S. and Canada, please dial
+1 866-454-4556. Telephone-based technical support is available Monday
through Friday, 8:30AM - 1:00PM Pacific Time.
Note: Some locations outside the U.S. may not be able to connect directly
to this toll-free number. In this case, please call +1 408-496-6175,
extension 271 and leave a message that includes your name and contact
information such as your complete email address and a phone number
(include your country & city code numbers) along with a description
of the problem you are experiencing. A technical support representative
will make every effort to promptly return your call and assist you.
- Paid
tech support – for tech support requests beyond the 30-day “free”
period – see below for options:
• Option
#1: You can buy technical support on a per incident basis.
With the per incident option, you buy telephone-based technical support
in 15 minute increments or per individual problem or incident when
communicating electronically (i.e. fax and/or e-mail support). Price:
$40 per 15 minutes.
• Option
#2: You can buy a block of technical support time (or number
of incidences). The minimum block of time you can purchase is two
hours (or the equivalent of 8 incidences if communicating via electronic
mechanisms, i.e. fax or e-mail). Technical support purchased in time
blocks costs less than technical support purchased on a per incident
basis. However, the block of time purchased must be used within a
12 month period. Price: $100 per hour, minimum 2 hours.
• Option
#3: You can buy a 12-month technical support contract. The
technical support contract provides you with unlimited telephone-based
technical support or electronic incidences, and free software updates
if any updates ship while your contract is active. Price: $250
per yea
CrystalGraphics
