colors are radically different when projected vs. onscreen

[Hallie]

I have a client who says that the PPT presentation colours appear fine
onscreen but she isn't happy with them when they are projected. "Oranges
turn green" and everything has a greenish tinge to it.

She says it helps to adjust the brightness/contrast on her personal
projector, but that her colleagues have had similar problems with the
document.

Is this a PPT issue I can resolve, or is it an issue with the projectors?
Any suggestions for possible work-arounds?

FYI: the RGB colour values are as follows:

Color #1 (Blue)
************
R= 70
G= 74
B=150

Color #2 (Light Orange)
************
R= 250
G= 178
B= 57

Color #3 (Dark Orange)
************
R= 255
G= 88
B= 0

Thanks!
Hallie

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

I don't see how this could be a PPT issue. Have you tried using the
projector for anything else? Just throw up a Word document or a Web site
or a JPG picture on the projector to see if those look funny too. My
guess is that you have a problem with the projector cable, possibly the
cable itself or the connection between the cable and the projector or the
cable and the computer. I have seen similar symptoms when the cable is
not quite in place.
--David

--
David M. Marcovitz
Microsoft PowerPoint MVP
Director of Graduate Programs in Educational Technology
Loyola College in Maryland
Author of _Powerful PowerPoint for Educators_
http://www.PowerfulPowerPoint.com/

 

[Jean-Pierre FORESTIER]

I had the same observation.
I changed the video projector and all went fine: maybe you should change the
bulb

 

[Guest]

In my agency, we accept that a projected image will not match your monitor.
With our Dell 4100/5100 series projectors, there are several settings built
in. PC mode is "optimized for brightness," and does distort the colors
significantly. Movie mode is "optimized for color," but the image is not as
bright as in PC mode. Absolute brightness, of course, depends also on the
projection distance. Larger screens distribute a given amount of light on a
larger area, which can significantly darken the projected image.

I'd like to make an offer to the group, and don't quite know how. I have
developed a PowerPoint tips show with demonstration slides for many of the
basic functions, with special interest in color, shapes, and positioning.
This includes color blocks of the basic Windows colors, which I use routinely
as a "test pattern" to see how the particular equipment I'm using at the time
responds. I'd be happy to make this available, if someone with the ability
to get it "out there" will lend a hand.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

In my agency, we accept that a projected image will not match your monitor.
With our Dell 4100/5100 series projectors, there are several settings built
in. PC mode is "optimized for brightness," and does distort the colors
significantly. Movie mode is "optimized for color," but the image is not as
bright as in PC mode. Absolute brightness, of course, depends also on the
projection distance. Larger screens distribute a given amount of light on a
larger area, which can significantly darken the projected image.

I'd like to make an offer to the group, and don't quite know how. I have
developed a PowerPoint tips show with demonstration slides for many of the
basic functions, with special interest in color, shapes, and positioning.
This includes color blocks of the basic Windows colors, which I use routinely
as a "test pattern" to see how the particular equipment I'm using at the time
responds. I'd be happy to make this available, if someone with the ability
to get it "out there" will lend a hand.

That's most gracious, sir.

Shoot me an email about it at steve at-sign pptools dot com

Let's see if we can get it up on the PPT FAQ.
I've got an inside track on the guy who maintains it. ;-)

 

[Echo S]

I see this type of thing especially with underpowered projectors -- clients
bump up both the brightness and contrast to their highest settings, and
everything looks like the same color!

So yeah, assuming the other projectors are also underpowered, her colleagues
will have problems with the file unless they adjust their projectors, too.
Tell them to look for a "reset" button so they can start over at zero and
see if that makes a difference.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

 

[Troy @ TLC]

Same here, if you want to send over I will review and make available on
ThePowerPointBlog.com.

--
- Troy Chollar
- TLC Creative Services, Inc.
- A MS PowerPoint MVP
- Host of www.ThePowerPointBlog.com
- troy at tlccreative dot com