Online PPT broadcast still limited to 10 if no audio/video?

[Jason]

If I want to use the Online PPT broadcast to broadcast only slides and
do not broadcast audio or video do I a)still need a media server and b)
am I limited to 10 users?

I would be hosting the slides slide to be broadcast on a webserver.

Thanks.

 

[Echo S]

I don't know much about PPT broadcasting, but I believe that yes, you still
need the media server and you're still limited to 10 users.

 

[Jason]

What role does Windows Media Server play in the broadcast of the slides
(the audio and video I get) if the slides themselves are basically html?

 

[Echo S]

Not a clue. But I do see that broadcasting is doable with PPT 2000 and WinNT
4.0, anyway, so maybe you don't need a media server.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;226770

I can tell you that I've never seen really good answers to PPT broadcasting
questions, probably because the feature is so fiddly. I think it no longer
even exists in PPT 2003.

So at this point, I'd suggest calling or emailing Microsoft support.

 

[Austin Myers]

Let me turn the question around, why would you need to broadcast it if your
not using any media? Can you not do what you want in html?

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

Solutions to Multimedia in PowerPoint www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Jason]

Fair question.

The end game is that I need to broadcast video and slides for live
intranet presentations. Ideally I would do this via a web page with a
couple frames: one containing the video, the other containing the slides.

The existing PPT add-in only supports old codecs, an old (unpatched)
server OS and an old version of Media Services all of which come with
unacceptable compromises to supportability and security. I can
broadcast the video portion using new codecs and Media Server 9 and
build a web page to present that video. What I want to do is use the
existing PPT add-in to broadcast just the slides, which I can use to
populate the other part of my web page. The key is that this is live
broadcasts- the slides need to flip for the viewer when the presenter
wants them to flip- and that is why I believe I need to use the PPT
add-in. If there was a relatively easy way to have a live slide
broadcast in HTML without relying on the barely working PPT add-in I
would do it in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the help.

Jason

 

[Austin Myers]

Jason, this is the key ingredient, yes?

the slides need to flip for the viewer when the presenter wants them to

flip- and that is why I believe I need to use the PPT

add-in.

You are correct, if you want the presenter to control the flow of slides
it's going to have to be done from a server. PPT Broadcasting is probably
the best tool available in this situation, although there are other third
party tools to do it. But if you are using a media server there is no
restriction to 10 clients, I believe that limit is only when broadcasting
from your PC.

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

Solutions to Multimedia in PowerPoint www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Jason]

Yes, that is the key ingredient. The trouble I am having is that the
add-in seems to have some very specific requirements- I get that it
needs Media Services 4.1- but it also seems to require something
specific in terms of OS. I can't get the add-in to work with Server
2000 SP 3 or 4 and I am loath to have to use NT4, or any Windows Server
2000 SP2 or below. Is there any detail on the exact OS requirements?
All I can find are some requirements about Media Services 4.1

I am using the add-in in PPT2003. It works fine from my Windows XP
system, I just can't get it to connect to The Window server 2000 SP4
server running Media Services 4.1. I was hoping to get around using an
old version of Media Services but it seems I may be stuck.

 

[Austin Myers]

Jason,

I have to be honest here and tell you that I have never gotten Broadcasting
to work as advertised. I got it to work (sort of) running Server 2003 and a
Media Server, but even then it was less than I had hoped for. Why MS has
not straightened this out, and given a step by step instruction guide is
beyond me. I wish I could be of more help but I think your going to have to
ask MS support for help on this.

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

Solutions to Multimedia in PowerPoint www.pfcmedia.com