Saving a PowerPoint slideshow to play on a DVD player

[Stefanie]

I've created a slideshow for my company and I want to
play it in the DVD player in our lobby. Any idea what
format to save the slideshow so it will play in a DVD
player?
Thanks!

 

[John Langhans [MSFT]]

[CRITICAL UPDATE - Anyone using Office 2003 should install the critical
update as soon as possible. From PowerPoint, choose "Help -> Check for
Updates".]
[TOP ISSUE - Are you having difficulty opening presentations in PPT 2003
that you just created in PPT 2003? -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=329820]

Hello,

PowerPoint does not have the built-in ability to save presentations as
video files or other video formats such as DVD-Video and, even if it did,
there would be significant loss of interactivity (because DVD-Video and
PowerPoint slide show have very different capabilities in this area) and
loss of visual fidelity (DVD-Video resolution is less than typical computer
display resolution and most television will not render colors the same way
that a computer display will).

If it is important to you (or to anyone else reading this message) that
PowerPoint have the ability save presentations directly to DVD-Video (even
with unavoidable loss of some interactivity capabilities), or if there are
specific features of PowerPoint slide show distribution that you would like
to see (which might eliminate the need to save presentations as DVD-Video),
don't forget to send your feedback (in YOUR OWN WORDS, please) to Microsoft
at:

http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

As with all product suggestions, it's important that you not just state
your wish but also WHY it is important to you that your product suggestion
be implemented by Microsoft.

* Is there some problem with PowerPoint's current output options for which
you believe DVD-Video output is the solution/workaround?
* You want to distribute/show your presentation on DVD-Players (even though
there will be loss of functionality) because....<why>?
* Other reasons?

It's VERY important that, for EACH wish, you describe in detail, WHY it is
important TO YOU that your product suggestion be implemented. A good wish
submssion includes WHAT scenario, work-flow, or end-result is blocked by
not having a specific feature, HOW MUCH time and effort ($$$) is spent
working around a specific limitation of the current product, etc. Remember
that Microsoft receives THOUSANDS of product suggestions every day and we
read each one but, in any given product development cycle, there are ONLY
sufficient resources to address the ones that are MOST IMPORTANT to our
customers so take the extra time to state your case as CLEARLY and
COMPLETELY as possible so that we can FEEL YOUR PAIN.

IMPORTANT: Each submission should be a single suggestion (not a list of
suggestions).

John Langhans
Microsoft Corporation
Supportability Program Manager
Microsoft Office PowerPoint for Windows
Microsoft Office Picture Manager for Windows

For FAQ's, highlights and top issues, visit the Microsoft PowerPoint
support center at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=ppt
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of any included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Stefanie,

It would be nice if you could just open your powerpoint presentation in powerpoint and go

File > Save to DVD

But you cannot.

(1) One option

is to buy a DVD recorder (like a DVD player but it records) and hook it up to the TV-out (if your graphics card has
one) and cable it up (picture and sound)...and record direct to DVD as you play your presentation.


(2) Another option:

You can follow this tutorial
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com/powerpoint-to-dvd.htm
Camtasia can capture both the slideshow (images) and the sound if you have a certain soundcard. I prefer to use Camtasia
to capture the slideshow (images). And then use the Camtasia 'editor' to add the sound/music afterwards. Then use Nero
CD/DVD burner software to publish everything to a DVD with a nice menu front-end. It's not perfect, but it is one way of
getting a powerpoint slideshow to play on a home DVD player sound and music.

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free powerpoint templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com

 

[Jacky]

You can try PowerPoint2DVD from http://www.powerpoint-to-dvd.com. It's
a very easy to use software to burn your Microsoft PowerPoint
Presentations on DVDs and then view them on your big TV. Original
transition effects can be will kept. Thanks.