PowerPoint Presentations 4100MP w/Card Reader

Question

We just got our new 4100MP and it's optional 6 in 1 Memory Card reader. All is working well. But I have a question about the use of the card reader - mainly because the card reader doesn't come with a user's manual.

Can I load a Powerpoint Presentation onto say a SD Card and get the projector to play it without the need for a PC? I've found that I can put *.JPEGs on the card and it will do so with some minor tweaks to filenames, but I need to presentations as "light as possible" - ie without a PC.

And to answer the question ahead of time, NO, I have not yet tried to do what I'm asking...but will while waiting on a reply to this message. If I can't then the next obvious question is "WHY NOT?"

Thanks in Advance,

Kevin L. Collins, MCSE
Systems Manager
Nesbitt Engineering, Inc.

jingyenshiau · Answer

I am almost absolutely certain that you can use the card reader to present PowerPoint directly (it said so in the product highlight). If you don't mind, however, please test the following just for the benefit of my knowledge:

Make a PowerPoint and embed video clips in it. The way PowerPoint is designed, video clips won't be saved in the PowerPoint file like a picture would; instead PowerPoint only saves a snapshot of the video and an embedded link. The actual video file still needs to be saved separately. What I want to know is whether the video in PowerPoint can still be displayed in the absence of a PC.

(Why don't I test it myself? Well, I only have a 3200MP, which doesn't support a card reader...)

Message Edited by jingyenshiau on 06-30-2004 11:56 AM

KCollins_NEI · Answer

the 4100MP (or at least the one I have) will NOT run PowerPoint files directly. I have to click "File...Save As..." and change the format to JPG files.

That is workable for me, except that I loose the "fancy" abilities of PowerPoint - animations, slide transistions, and (as you wanted to know) embedded video.

-1 for Dell on this one. They really dropped the ball.

Kevin

Message Edited by KCollins_NEI on 06-30-2004 01:34 PM

BlueSideUp · Answer

How exactly did Dell drop the ball? Running a Powerpoint presentation or playing videos requires an operating system and an installed copy of Powerpoint. I don't know of any companies that sell projectors pre-installed with Powerpoint or Windows XP. The card reader is just that, a device that can read cards, it has no way of executing any type of code. The specs for the card reader note that it is for viewing JPG files only.

jingyenshiau · Answer

I bet many other people are thinking what I am thinking: 'Then it should be called 'able to run JPG directly as slide shows,' not 'share PowerPoint presentations directly.'' (Whoa! Wait a minute, I could almost swear that the clause on using jpg format was only added now -- it wasn't there the last time I looked -- or else I'd need new glasses.)

Steven Tomlin · Answer

I imagine the workaround is to save each slide with progressive bullet points as a seperate slide.

Alternatively one could live with a full list of bullet points for simplicity - there are still inbuilt transitions in the projector to liven it up slightly

Steve

Projectors

PowerPoint Presentations 4100MP w/Card Reader

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