PowerPoint Heck

Here is a list of details to watch out for when running a PowerPoint presentation with integrated video. This list is based on my experience this week putting together and running PP for our church's VBS (Vacation Bible School). Granted, I didn't do myself any favors by thinking I could dub the video from a VCR to the PC during breaks, even though I had never done this before.

• Don't turn off the monitors when you are done. Someone might think the computer is off or hung and reboot it.
• Don't use CDs or floppies. If someone reboots the machine with the disk still in, you get a very upsetting and confusing "NTLDR is missing" message.
  
• When dubbing video from the VCR, remember to plug it back into the projector--or the next segment thats still on tape won't be seen.
  
• Make sure that the sound cable is plugged into the sound board and working. It might be plugged into the wrong channel on the board, too.
• Make sure the sound-guy knows if you are playing off the VCR or PC.
• If playing a 'slide show' using XPs default tool while waiting to run the presentation, de-select any image files, in case you accidentally double-click and try to open 94 images simultaneously.
• The projector's 'video' button needs to be pressed twice to switch from the PC (once goes to S-video, which we don't use).
• Don't dub the video starting at a black screen, or you won't be sure what video it is until you start to play it.
  
• Arrive early!
• And a lesson from last year--don't touch anything while a video or sound is playing in PP.
  

Doing video/PP for such an event does have its challenges, but it does give you a geek-high and expands your skill set. Lots of fun!