video start delay in powerpoint

[Guest]

We have several powerpoint presentations that contain a 60 second video in
WMV format. The slide that contains this video is part of a 140 slide, very
large PPT file. Whenever the presenter gets to that slide, it can take up to
10 seconds for the video to open and begin play.
Anyone have any idea the reason for this delay? Size of total PPT file?
(shouldn't because the video is a link...)
Thanks,
Courtney

 

[Bill Dilworth]

Hi Courtney,

There will always be some delay in the movie starting (as the movie file
loads), but here are a few suggestions that may help.

Big number one) Reduce the size of the "very large PPT file." The less the
computer has to sift thru, the faster it can run. Check out the info at:
**Why are my PowerPoint files so big? What can I do about it?
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00062.htm

2) Always run the presentation from the hard drive, never from a CD. You
did not say you were doing this, but ...

3) General housekeeping. See info at:
**PowerPoint gets the SLOWS
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00114.htm and
**General troubleshooting procedures
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00035.htm

4) Add a blank slide AFTER the slide with the video. PowerPoint tries to
work ahead on the next slide where it can. If you reduce the work-load, it
may run faster.

Post back if these do not improve the movie delay.

--
Bill Dilworth, Microsoft PPT MVP
===============
Please spend a few minutes checking vestprog2@
out www.pptfaq.com This link will yahoo.
answer most of our questions, before com
you think to ask them.

Change org to com to defuse anti-spam,
ant-virus, anti-nuisance misdirection.
..
..

 

[Suvodip Moitra]

Dear User,

You may go through page http://www.echosvoice.com/tshoot_video2.htm by Echo
s.

Suvodip Moitra

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the ideas. The original AVI file was 190 meg, compressed to 7 meg
using MS Media Encoder and output as a WMV file. This presentation is run off
a Dell 400 laptop.
The PPT is massive (132 meg) and I've suggested they go compress the
pictures used in the other slides.
I'm still a bit confused as to why the delay in the video starting. Is some
sort of background program being called? The video plays immediatedly if run
in Media Player.

Thanks again.

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Courtney,

Powerpoint does not actually play the video clip. instead it passes the job over the whatever media player will play it
best. Add this to the time it takes to read the video clip, plus any slowed down time if the big file is fragged (defrag
your hard drive).

Is the Dell 400 a (400 Mhz Pentium 2 laptop?)


Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

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