PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds
Technical Support — Frequently Asked Questions

Please review these technical FAQs to see if your question is answered on this page. If your question is not addressed here, please read the Online Help page or see the contact information for our Technical Support department.

Using PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds
Downloading and Installation
System Compatibility
Miscellaneous
Playback Problems

Using PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds
1. How do I create a presentation with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
2. Can I import my own video clips?
3. What video file formats are supported by PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
4. What impact, if any, does the video compression format (“codec”) have on PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
5. How do I apply backdrops to the Video Backgrounds I've set in my presentation?
6. How do I remove backdrops from the Video Backgrounds I've set in my presentation?
7. How do I remove the Video Backgrounds I've set in my presentation?
8. How do I send my Video Backgrounds enhanced presentation to someone?
9. Does PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds support dual monitor display (also referred to as Windows Multiple Monitor mode)?
10. Does PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds support PowerPoint's 'Presenter's View' option?
11. Does PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds support videos that I insert in slides using PowerPoint's Insert>Movies and Sounds?
12. How do I get Video Backgrounds to work with multiple (linked) presentations, or as a kiosk presentation?

Downloading and Installation
1. What should I do when I've purchased PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player, but I receive an error message when trying to download the software?
2. How do I install PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
3. Can I Install PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds without Administrator rights?
4. How do I uninstall PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?

System Compatibility
1. What versions of Windows are PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds compatible with?
2. What versions of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint) are PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds compatible with?
3. What is the optimal system configuration for PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
4. Why is the Apply button in the Video Backgrounds dialog disabled in PowerPoint 2000?
5. What do I need to do if I upgrade to a later version of PowerPoint?

Miscellaneous
1. Why don't I see the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds tool in PowerPoint? --OR-- Why does the Add Video Backgrounds do nothing when I select it?
2. Why don't I see the video clip thumbnail previews in the gallery window of the Add Video Backgrounds dialog?
3. Why does the cursor 'jump' when I am trying to select the thumbnail display of a Video Background or Backdrop from the Add Video Backgrounds gallery?
4. When I copy and paste PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced slide(s) from one Powerpoint presentation to a new presentation, why does the pasted slide lose its formatting?
5. Why does the slide to which I apply a video background automatically change the color of the text?
6. Why does the text shadow that I have applied to my PowerPoint text look "jagged" when a video background has been applied to my slide?
7. How can I get my existing video clip converted to a format supported by PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds so that I can use it as a moving background?
8 Why can't i import my videos in Window Vista?
9. The following message displays when I insert a video in my presentation that has PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds: "The selected video background will need to remain still as long as there is an inserted video clip using temporal compression (such as MPEG or WMV) in the foreground of any slide." What does this mean?

Playback Problems
1. Why do the 3D transition effects that I applied to my Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation skip during playback?
2. Why don't I see the PowerPoint text on my slides that have Video Backgrounds during playback?
3. Why does the insertion of a video movie clip into any slide of a PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds enhanced Powerpoint presentation cause the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds to go static during playback?
4. I have enabled the 'Presenter View' option of PowerPoint's SetUp Show command (located in PowerPoint's SlideShow menu). Why do the thumbnail sized display of the slides all have a gray background rather than show the selected video backgrounds when I use View Show with Effects to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced Powerpoint presentation?
5. When I use View Show with Effects to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced Powerpoint presentation, why am I no longer able to go to a slide by entering the slide number from the keyboard and pressing Enter?
6. When I use View Show with Effects to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced Powerpoint presentation, why can't I use the arrow keys on the keyboard to advance / go back during the presentation?
7. Why does the playback of my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation appear 'jerky' and/or 'slow'?
8. Why does the message "Unable to detect Windows Media Player 9 or later" display when I attempt to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation (and I already have the current version of WMP installed)?
9. Why does the playback of my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation momentarily show the video background of "Slide A" even though I've clicked to advance to "Slide B" which has a different video background?
10. Why does the playback of my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation show a static background when I set the presentation to loop?

Using PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds
1. How do I create a presentation with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
It's very easy to enhance your presentations with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds. Using an industry standard installer program, it seamlessly installs into PowerPoint with just a few simple clicks. And it works right inside of PowerPoint, so you never have to leave PowerPoint to apply moving backgrounds to your slides.

To assign a video background, use the "Add Video Background" command which appears on the floating palette (shown below). Or use the equivalent “PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds” command in the PowerPoint Insert menu.

When you click on either of these commands, a dialog box (shown below) appears which allows you to easily select and preview a video clip to be played as the background for the presentation. After selecting the desired video, you can 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. Just two or three clicks.

You can add semi-transparent or opaque backdrops to slides with moving backgrounds to overlay the videos to emphasize the text and graphics in your slides. The "Select Backdrop Style" tab allows you to choose different backdrop shapes, styles, borders and colors to overlay the video backgrounds on your slides. When you click on a backdrop, you will see a preview of it in the blue rectangular area shown below:

To play your PowerPoint Slide Show with moving backgrounds, use the "View Show With Effects" command which appears. The equivalent command “PowerPlugs: View Show with Effects” is also located in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, the second item from the top. (If you press just "View Show" or "Slide Show", the presentation will play, but without moving backgrounds.)

For further details on optional settings available in PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds, please read the Online Help documentation. You can also access the Help documentation by going to the Windows Start Menu>Programs>PowerPlugs>Video Backgrounds>Online Help.

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2. Can I import my own video clips?
Yes. PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds interface can import video files that are of a compatible file format that Video Backgrounds supports (AVI, WMV, MPEG). Select Add Video Background and use the Browse button to navigate to the folder that contains the video files you want to import. When you identify the folder / directory that contains your video file(s), click the OK button. PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds will import all the supported video files present in that directory. Once your video file is imported, you can see a thumbnail preview of the video clip(s) in the Add Video Backgrounds gallery window. Click the thumbnail display of the video clip(s) of your choice and then click 'Apply' or 'Apply to All' to insert the selected video clip into your slide(s).
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3. What video file formats are supported by PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds supports the following video file formats:
•  AVI
•  WMV
•  MPG / MPEG (MPG 1 format only)
(TIP: In our experience, WMV works the best.)

The following chart outlines video file formats that have been fully tested with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds:

4. What impact, if any, does the video compression format (“codec”) have on PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
Basically, a video codec is an algorithm used to compress video data to reduce the file size, and also to decompress it for viewing (hence, the term “codec”). Most video files are compressed using video codecs in order to reduce file size. When a video file is compressed using a particular codec, that codec must be installed on the machine that is going to display the video.

When videos without the corresponding codec are imported (using the Browse button or by selecting the path from the Current folder combo box), Video Backgrounds will display a thumbnail of the video clip with a caption, ‘Missing Codec' in the video grid. Clicking on this image will display the following dialog:

Click the OK button and download the appropriate codec that should be used with the selected video clip. If you need further information about video codecs, select 'Click here to learn more' in the dialog box.
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5. How do I apply backdrops to the Video Backgrounds I've set in my presentation?
Click the “Add Video Background” button. When the dialog box displays, select the tab labeled “Select Backdrop Style.” A gallery of thumbnail images of backdrops will be displayed. Click on your choice of backdrop shape and then make sure that the “Use backdrop” check box is checked. Then click Apply (to apply the backdrop to the currently selected slide) or Apply to All (to apply the selected backdrop to all the slides in your presentation) button.

Note: If you notice the cursor 'jumps' when attempting to select a video background thumbnail or backdrop, the DPI setting of your screen display may the cause. Right mouse click on your Windows desktop. Select Properties>Settings>Advanced>General (tab). If the Display Setting is set higher than 96dpi, try reducing it to 96dpi.
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6. How do I remove backdrops from the Video Backgrounds I've set in my presentation?
Click the “Add Video Background” button. When the dialog box displays, disable the ‘Use backdrop' check box (by clicking to remove the checkmark).
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7. How do I remove the Video Backgrounds I've set in my presentation?
Click the “Add Video Background” button. Select ‘My Favorites' folder. Click on ‘No Video' image/thumbnail (this is the first cell in the grid) and click the Apply or Apply to All button.
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8. How do I send my Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation to someone?
Use PowerPlugs' “Pack with Effects” tool to pack up your Video-enhanced presentation. The Pack with Effects tool packs up the PowerPlugs Player and video background source footage and other resources so you can send your presentation to others and they can play it on computers that may not have PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds installed.
Note: The destination machine should have PowerPoint 2000 or above installed.
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9. Does PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds support dual monitor display (also referred to as Windows Multiple Monitor mode)?
Yes. PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player version 1.2 supports Windows Multiple Monitor mode if the graphics display adapter in your computer supports this option. To set the multiple monitor display mode, read the documentation in the Display Settings for your graphics display adapter. (To access the Display properties interface, right mouse click anywhere on the Windows desktop, select Properties and then click the Settings tab.)
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10. Does PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds support PowerPoint's 'Presenter View' option?
Yes. PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player version 1.2 supports the Presenter View option (located in the PowerPoint SlideShow menu is configured for multiple monitor display PowerPlugs View Show with Effects will automatically turn on Presenter View when you are using a multiple monitor configuration.

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11. Does PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds support videos that I insert in slides using PowerPoint's Insert>Movies and Sounds?
Yes. However, the inserted movie must be AVI format when you have applied a WMV or MPEG video clip to any slide in the presentation as a Video Background. If you insert a WMV or MPEG movie into any slide of a PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation, you will see the following warning message display:
The selected video background will need to remain still as long as there is an inserted video clip using temporal compression (such as MPEG or WMV) in the foreground of any slide.
So, if you proceed with inserting the WMV or MPEG movie, when you select "View Show with Effects," only a static image of any moving background in the presentation will display.

The following chart outlines what the outcome of "View Show with Effects" will display with various video clip combinations :

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12. How do I get Video Backgrounds to work with multiple (linked) presentations, or as a kiosk presentation?
Unfortunately, this cannot be done at this time. When a user clicks the link to another presentation, PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds Player cannot detect this action and therefore cannot display the linked presentation. We hope that a future version of PowerPlugs may be able to support this kind of interaction with linked PowerPoint presentations.
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Downloading and Installation
1. What should I do when I've purchased PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player, but I receive an error message when trying to download the software?
Attempting to download through a broadband connection (i.e. cable modem or DSL), or a company network's Internet connection, can occasionally interfere with your ability to access the FTP links (that CrystalGraphics provides in your purchase confirmation email). It may generate error messages, and perhaps restrict your ability to download the software you've purchased from CrystalGraphics.Please refer to our Download FAQs Web page for detailed assistance on resolving internet / file download problems.
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2. How do I install PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
Before you proceed with installing PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds onto your hard drive, and if you have PowerPoint 2002 or 2003 installed, go to the Tools menu of PowerPoint, and select Macro>Security. If the security level is set to "High," change it to Medium (or Low). Then, close PowerPoint. If your computer is configured in a networked Windows environment, check with your system administrator to make sure that your local PC is granted full administrative rights -- at least during the installation of PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds (your normal user rights privilege level can be set back to normal after installation). And, it is also a good idea to temporarily disable your anti-virus software.

If you have downloaded PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player software onto the local drive of your computer, locate the downloaded file on your computer, then simply double-click the file to begin installation.

If you are installing PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player and/or Content (video clips collections) from a CD-ROM, an Autorun screen should display once you insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive. Just click the Install button to proceed with installation. If you do not see an Autorun screen display upon inserting the CD in the drive, go to the Windows Start menu and select "My Computer." Select your CD-ROM drive and locate a file called Setup.exe. Double click on this file. Setup.exe will install the Vieo Backgrounds files onto your local hard drive. It will also automatically install it into PowerPoint.

Note: There are separate installers for PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player and PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Content, so be sure to use both installers if you obtained both the Video Backgrounds Player and Video Backgrounds Content.
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3. What is the optimal system configuration for PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds?
The answer to this is somewhat dependent on how your computer will be configured for displaying PowerPoint presentations that have been enhanced with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds. For example, the resolution of your computer's screen display is a factor, and whether you intend on displaying the presentation via projector or multiple monitor mode. In general, if you plan to use video and other multimedia elements in your presentations (i.e. inserted movie clips, Flash movies, custom animated text and effects), you should have a computer that has a fast CPU, ample system RAM and fast hard drive. It is also recommended (though not required) that the graphics display adapter in your computer is accompanied by dedicated video RAM (video RAM differs from system RAM because it is memory dedicated for the graphics display adapter).

As a point of reference, the Minimum System Requirements for Video Backgrounds are as follows:
Windows 2000 or XP
PowerPoint 2000, 2002, or 2003
Pentium III or faster processor recommended*
System RAM: 128 MB or more**
32 MB video RAM (128 MB video RAM recommended)***
10 MB of disk space for PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player
60 - 150 MB of disk space per volume of PowerPlugs: Backgrounds Content

So, an "optimal system configuration" to run PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds might be as follows:
* - Recommended processor: Intel Pentium M or AMD Athlon XP running at 1 GHz or higher
** - Recommended system RAM: If the graphics display adapter in your computer has no dedicated video RAM (i.e. Intel Graphics controllers built into the motherboard of the computer) and instead shares system RAM, we recommend 512MB or more (you may want to consider "more" system RAM if the resolution at which you plan to display your presentation is going to be set higher than 1280x1024).
*** - Recommended video RAM: 128MB or more.
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4. Why is the "Apply" button in the Video Backgrounds dialog disabled in PowerPoint 2000?
Earlier versions of PowerPoint, such as PowerPoint 2000, cannot apply a template, video or backdrop to a selected individual slide. Instead, you must apply the video background to all the slides in your presentation ("Apply to All"). So the Apply button will always be in a disabled state when using Video Backgrounds in PowerPoint 2000.
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5. What do I need to do if I upgrade to a later version of PowerPoint?
When you upgrade to Office XP (PowerPoint 2002) or Office Systems 2003, open PowerPoint and go to the Tools menu. Select Macro>Security and change the security level from High to Medium (or Low). Then, close PowerPoint. Run the "Reconfigure" program that is included with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds. Go to Start Menu>Programs>PowerPlugs>Video Backgrounds>Player. Click on Reconfigure. First click on the "Remove PowerPlugs from PowerPoint" button and then click on "Add PowerPlugs into PowerPoint." This enables the PowerPlugs interface to be added into the new version of PowerPoint that you just installed. (If a message appears about "Disable or Enable Macros," select 'Enable Macros.') Open PowerPoint thereafter and you should then be able to use the Video Backgrounds tools.

If the above steps are followed and you are still unable to use the PowerPlugs tools in PowerPoint, go to PowerPoint's Tools menu and select Addins... Verify that PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds is listed in the "Available Addins" list. Highlight PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds in the list. Then, select "Remove." Thereafter, select "Add New" and browse to the following location -- C:\Program Files\PowerPlugs. Select POWERPLUGS VIDEO BACKGROUNDS.PPA, then click OK and close the Addins dialog box. You should then be able to use the Video Backgrounds tools shortly thereafter.
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Miscellaneous
1. Why don't I see the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds tool in PowerPoint? --OR-- Why does the Add Video Backgrounds do nothing when I select it?
Make sure your Windows log-in had full administrative rights when you installed PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds If your log-in ID did not have full administrative rights when you installed PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds, uninstall it, establish full administrative rights for your Windows log-in ID, restart your computer, and then reinstall.

If you have verified that installation of PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds was with full administrative privileges, yet you still cannot access the Video Backgrounds tools, open PowerPoint and go to the Tools menu. Select Macro>Security and change the security level from High to Medium (or Low). Then, close PowerPoint. Run the "Reconfigure" program that is included with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds. Go to Start Menu>Programs>PowerPlugs>Video Backgrounds>Player. Click on Reconfigure. First click on the "Remove PowerPlugs from PowerPoint" button and then click on "Add PowerPlugs into PowerPoint." This enables the PowerPlugs interface to be added into the new version of PowerPoint that you just installed. (If a message appears about "Disable or Enable Macros," select 'Enable Macros.') Open PowerPoint thereafter and you should then be able to use the Video Backgrounds tools.

If the above steps are followed and you are still unable to use the PowerPlugs tools in PowerPoint, go to PowerPoint's Tools menu and select Addins... Verify that PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds is listed in the "Available Addins" list. Highlight PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds in the list. Then, select "Remove." Thereafter, select "Add New" and browse to the following location -- C:\Program Files\PowerPlugs. Select POWERPLUGS VIDEO BACKGROUNDS.PPA, then click OK and close the Addins dialog box. You should then be able to use the Video Backgrounds tools shortly thereafter. .
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2. Why don't I see the video clip thumbnail previews in the gallery window of the Add Video Backgrounds dialog?
If you are looking for PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Content, make sure you have installed the Video Backgrounds Content from the CD. (Note: there is a separate installer for PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player and PowerPlugs: Video Background Content.) To confirm whether you have installed the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Content, go to My Computer and select the C drive. Go to C:\Program Files\PowerPlugs\Video Backgrounds. Verify if there is a "Videos" folder within the Video Backgrounds folder, and, if so, look in the Videos folder to see if there are "Volumes" (of Content") and/or video files within this folder. Return to the Add Video Backgrounds dialog and verify whether the volumes of video clips display in the "sub-folder" list of the dialog box.

If you did not purchase PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Content along with PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player, or, if you installed the Video Backgrounds Content in a different drive or folder other than the default, you may have to use the "Browse" button in the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds "Add Video Backgrounds" dialog to locate and import the video files. Once you select the directory / folder where your video files are stored and click the OK button, the video files supported by PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds should import and display a thumbnail preview of the videos in the gallery area of the Add Video Backgrounds dialog.
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3. Why does the cursor 'jump' when I am trying to select the thumbnail display of a Video Background or Backdrop from the Add Video Backgrounds gallery?
If you notice the cursor 'jumps' when attempting to select the thumbnail display of a video background or backdrop, the DPI setting of your screen display may the cause. Right mouse click on your Windows desktop. Select Properties>Settings>Advanced>General (tab). If the Display Setting is set higher than 96dpi, try reducing it to 96dpi. If the dpi is already set to 96, then try changing the color quality in the Display properties>Settings interface from "Medium" (16-bit) to "High" (32-bit).
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4. When I copy and paste PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced slide(s) from one Powerpoint presentation to a new presentation, why does the pasted slide lose its formatting?
Unfortunately, using Copy and Paste on slides that have PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds, does not give the user the option to "keep the source formatting" of the slide(s). When the Paste operation is done, it simply does not retain the original source format of the slide(s). To access the option to "keep original source formatting," select the "Insert Slide from File" command within PowerPoint's Insert menu rather than doing a Copy & Paste operation.
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5. Why does the slide to which I apply a video background automatically change the color of the text?
When text on the foreground of a Video Backgrounds-enhanced slide matches or is in close color value to the video background applied to the slide(s), PowerPlugs; Video Backgrounds automatically adjusts the contrast of the text in the foreground from the predominant color of the video background. For example, dark colored text in the foreground against light colored video backgrounds, or, light colored text against dark colored video backgrounds is an ideal contrast.
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6. Why does the text shadow that I have applied to my PowerPoint text look "jagged" when a video background has been applied to my slide?
The edges of a drop shadow effect applied to text may appear jagged so that the text in the foreground "blends" against the predominant color of the video background when viewed at full screen display.
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7. How can I get my existing video clip converted to a format supported by PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds so that I can use it as a moving background?
There are a number of tools available that will convert video clips from one format to another. A couple of examples are Autodesk's Cleaner® XL or PFC Media from Plays For Certain Technologies – it converts any video to a file that PowerPoint will play.
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8. Why can't i import my videos in Window Vista?
This may be due to the security restrictions applied to the folder where they are located. Please ask your systems administrator to correct this problem by granting “Full Control” of the PowerPlugs folder to the “Creator Owner”. To do this, do the following:

a. Right click on the PowerPlugs install folder (eg: PowerPlugs in the case of default install path) -> Click ‘Properties’.
b. Select the tab ‘Security’.



c. Click ‘Edit’.
d. Select the user from ‘Group or user names’ and check the option ‘Full Control’ from ‘Permission for users’

e. Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’.
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9. The following message displays when I insert a video in my presentation that has PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds: "The selected video background will need to remain still as long as there is an inserted video clip using temporal compression (such as MPEG or WMV) in the foreground of any slide." What does this mean?
As described in the previous FAQ, when you apply a WMV or MPEG video clip as a Video Background and you insert a WMV or MPEG as a movie clip in any slide of the same presentation, this warning message will display. Windows Media Player ("WMP") cannot store and play back the temporal compression data for more than one video format. The work around to this limitation is to insert an AVI movie clip into your slide(s). And, choose either WMV or MPEG for your Video Backgrounds. This works because when "View Show with Effects" is selected, the PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds Player plays back the AVI while concurrently, the Windows Media Player displays the moving video background(s). For detailed information about video compression and temporal compression, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_compression.
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Playback Problems
1. Why do the 3D transition effects that I applied to my Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation skip during playback?
If you are using the Cursor XP product from Stardock (http://www.stardock.com/products/cursorxp/) for cursor control on your computer, there is a known incompatibilty with Cursor XP and PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds and 3D Transitions. So, when CursorXP is operating on your system and you use your mouse to advance through your 3D Transitions + Video backgrounds enhanced presentation, the 3D transition effects will skip. A work around to this problem is to use keys on your keyboard to advance through the presentation.
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2. Why don't I see the PowerPoint text on my slides that have Video Backgrounds during playback?
Make sure you have inserted a transparent backdrop on the slide(s) that have Video Backgrounds applied. Select the “Add Video Backgrounds” button. When the dialog box displays, select the tab labeled “Select Backdrop Style.” A gallery of thumbnail images of backdrops will display, and you simply click on your choice of backdrop and enable the Transparent option (place a check mark next to it) and then click Apply (to apply the backdrop to the currently selected slide) or Apply to All (to apply the selected backdrop to all the slides in your presentation). Then select "View Show with Effects" from the PowerPlugs floating tool palette.
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3. Why does the insertion of a video movie clip into any slide of a PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds enhanced presentation cause the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds to go static during playback?
When "View Show with Effects" is selected, the PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player invokes Windows Media Player to play back the video that has been applied to the presentation. However, Windows Media Player cannot store and play back the temporal compression data for more than one video format. (It cannot concurrently play a video clip inserted in a slide as well as video applied to the background.) The work around to this limitation is to insert an AVI movie clip into your slide(s). And, choose either WMV or MPEG for your Video Backgrounds. This works because when "View Show with Effects" is selected, the PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds Player plays back the AVI, while concurrently, the Windows Media Player displays the moving video background(s).
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4. I have enabled the 'Presenter View' option of PowerPoint's SetUp Show command (located in PowerPoint's SlideShow menu). Why do the thumbnail sized display of the slides all have a gray background rather than show the selected video backgrounds when I use View Show with Effects to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation?
It is not possible to play videos in the thumbnail display of the slides, and thus, the background of the thumbnail slide images is grayed out.
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5. When I use View Show with Effects to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation, why am I no longer able to go to a slide by entering the slide number from the keyboard and pressing Enter?
It is not possible to go to a specific slide by entering the slide number from the keyboard when a dual monitor configuration (i.e. system monitor + projector or multiple Windows monitor) is enabled.
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6. When I use View Show with Effects to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced Powerpoint presentation, why can't I use the arrow keys on the keyboard to advance / go back during the presentation?
When you have a dual monitor configuration (i.e. system monitor + projector or multiple Windows monitor) enabled, the SetUp Show 'Presenter View' option is enabled and PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds Player does not detect the keyboard arrow entries. Avoid using the keyboard arrows in this situation.
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7. Why does the playback of my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation appear 'jerky' and/or 'slow'?
There could be a number of reasons for lack of a smooth play back of your Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation. Try the following steps to see if the play back improves--

(a.) Make sure as much system RAM as possible is available. That means close all unnecessary applications and system processes that may be running in the background. Use the Windows Task Manager to close programs (Ctrl+Alt+Del keyboard entry).
(b.) Verify that the Macro>Security setting in PowerPoint's Tools menu is set to "Medium" or "Low."
(c.) Try lowering your slide show resolution. Go PowerPoint's Slide Show menu, select SetUp Show and in the "Performance" section of the dialog, change the resolution from "Current resolution" to a lower value, such as 800x600. Click OK. Then select "View Show with Effects."
(d.) Try lowering your screen resolution. Right mouse click on the Windows desktop. Select Properties>Settings. Lower the display resolution to 800x600. Click OK. The icons on your Windows display will appear very enlarged. But, you can go back to the previous display settings later. Go back into PowerPoint and select "View Show with Effects."
(e.) Change the color quality of the screen display. Select Properties>Settings. Lower the Color Quality setting from "Highest" (32-bit) to "Medium" (16-bit). Click OK. If the play back of the presentation displays a noticeable degradation of the color quality, you may have to change the color quality back to "Highest" (32-bit) and adjust the display resolution lower.
(f.) Verify that you have a current driver installed for your graphics display adapter. Go to the Windows Start menu. Select "Run." in the Run command prompt type the following:
dxdiag
Click OK.
The "Direct X Diagnostic" program will then display. On the "General" page, verify that DirectX 9.0 or higher is installed. Then, click on the tab labeled "Display." Note the version of the graphics display driver and the date of the driver. Close the Direct X Diagnostic program.
Visit the Web site of your computer manufacturer and search their site for "Software Updates / Driver Downloads." From there, check to see if there are any "video driver" (sometimes referred to as "display driver" or "graphics driver" for your particular computer model. If so, compare the date / version of the available driver to the driver / version currently installed on your computer. If the driver at the computer manufacturer's Web site is newer, download it and install it. Restart your computer and then open your presentation and try "View Show with Effects" to see if a newer driver improved play back performance.
(g.) If you are using your own video clips as video backgrounds (not video clips from PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Content collection), try loading your video clip directly into Windows Media Player and set the Media Player to play your video at FULL-screen display, If your video clip plays back 'jerky' or 'slow' using the Windows Media Player standalone (outside of using PowerPlugs: Video backgrounds "View Show with Effects"), then it could be that the codec used to compress your video clip is not fully supported by Windows Media Player, and thus, PowerPlugs Video Backgrounds Player. Consider using a different video clip or using a video conversion tool to save the video clip using a more suitable codec.
(h.) If your presentation has a lot of multimedia effects, such as inserted video clips, embedded Flash effects, PowerPoint custom animated text and effects with automatic timings, try reducing these features one at a time, testing the play back smoothness inbetween to identify if these other elements are competing for system memory during play back.

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8. Why does the message "Unable to detect Windows Media Player 9 or later" display when I attempt to playback my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation (and I already have the current version of WMP installed)?
If you have verified that you do have Windows Media Player version 9 or 10 installed, then perhaps your Windows log-in ID did not have full administrative privileges when you installed PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player. Your Windows log-in must have 'Read' permission for the following Windows registry key: "KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer".
Check with your system administrator / IT manager to arrange for these privileges and then uninstall PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player, restart your computer (with the admin / permissions privileges described above) and reinstall PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player.
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9. Why does the playback of my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation momentarily show the video background of "Slide A" even though I've clicked to advance to "Slide B" which has a different video background?
A slight delay in the transition from one video background to the next may occur when advancing from slide to slide, because View Show with Effects changes the foreground slide (containing the PowerPoint text) first, then the video background changes. So, if your Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation has one slide with a predominantly blue background and you advance to the subsequent slide that has a predominantly green background, you will see the text change from Slide A to B, then, the background will change. The only work around to this for the time being is to limit the dramatic color changes of the video backgrounds from one slide to the next (i.e. keep the backgrounds in the same color range from slide to slide).
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10. Why does the playback of my PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation show a static background when I set the presentation to loop?
This is a bug in the current version of PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds Player. It will be addressed in a future revision of the software. In the meantime, do the following to work around this problem: Apply the video that is on slide 1 to the last slide of your presentation. The play back of the looped Video Backgrounds-enhanced presentation should then consistently display moving backgrounds.
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PowerPlugs: Video Backgrounds home page