Chapter 3: Converting PowerPoint Slides into Streaming Media

This chapter gives you step-by-step instructions on how to use RealPresenter to create streaming media from your PowerPoint slides. You will add audio and video to the slides, creating a multi-media presentation that can be experienced by anyone with a RealPlayer. You will learn everything from creating a script, preparing the slides, to recording the narration for your presentation.

Basic Steps: an Overview

Because there are many steps involved in creating RealMedia with RealPresenter, the rest of this chapter is divided into sections that guide you through each step. Select a link to go directly to that step.

Step 1-Create a Script: write out the script that you will use to talk through the slides

Step 2-Start RealPresenter: open the program

Step 3-Prepare to Narrate the PowerPoint Presentation: make sure everything is ready before you begin recording

Step 4-Record Your PowerPoint Presentation: run through the slides, recording from your script

Also see "PowerPoint Tips" for tips on creating an effective PowerPoint presentation.

Step 1-Create a Script

The first-and most crucial-step in creating a streaming media presentation is creating a script. A script is a written document containing everything you want to say in your presentation.

It really doesn't matter what the format of the script is. You can write it on a computer using a word processing program, on a legal pad, or on a cocktail napkin.

What is very important is that you write a script before you begin recording. You may be a great public speaker or great at ad-libbing, but deciding what you will say ahead of time will give you a better chance of creating an effective presentation.

Tip
Use the Notes feature of PowerPoint to create a script and save it with your PowerPoint file. You can create a note that opens with each slide. These note will not be recorded, and they allow you to easily read a script, slide after slide.

	Tip
Use the Notes feature of PowerPoint to create a script and save it with your PowerPoint file. You can create a note that opens with each slide. These note will not be recorded, and they allow you to easily read a script, slide after slide.

Step 2-Start RealPresenter

You are ready to open RealPresenter and begin the recording process. This section shows you how to start RealPresenter from either the Windows Start menu or from within PowerPoint.

To start RealPresenter from the Start Menu:

From the Start menu, select Programs>RealPresenter.
RealPresenter opens to the main window. The main window is the starting point for all RealPresenter features.
Click on the first choice, Narrate a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation.
The Open a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation dialog opens.
Browse to the PowerPoint presentation you want to convert into streaming media, select it, and click Open.
PowerPoint opens the presentation you selected and RealPresenter opens to the Presentation Options dialog. In the next section, you will learn how to prepare to narrate your presentation.

To start RealPresenter from PowerPoint:

Open PowerPoint and open the PowerPoint presentation you want to convert into streaming media.
From the RealPresenter menu, select Narrate a Presentation.
RealPresenter opens to the Presentation Options dialog. In the next section, you will learn how to prepare to record your presentation.

Step 3-Prepare to Narrate the PowerPoint Presentation

Now that you have your script ready and you've opened a PowerPoint file within RealPresenter, you can prepare RealPresenter to create a quality streaming media presentation. In this section you will enter information about your presentation and check your recording devices.

Entering Information About the Presentation

Every presentation needs a few items of information to distinguish it from the others: the title, the author, keywords, and a brief description. This sections shows you how to add this information.

To add information:

In the Presentation Options page, select Record for Viewing Any Time and click the Next button.
The Presentation Information page opens.
Enter the following information in the appropriate areas:
1. Author: enter your name or the name of your company
2. Copyright: enter the year and owner of the presentation you will create (for example, "copyright 1999, ABC Corporation")
3. E-Mail Address: enter your valid e-mail address; users will be able to send you comments on your presentation using this address
4. Title: type in an appropriate name for the final presentation
5. Keywords: one or two words that will help your audience search for your presentation.
6. Description: type in a brief summary of what your presentation is all about
Click the Next button when finished.
The Ready to Record page opens.

Checking Audio and Video

RealPresenter is just about ready for you to begin recording. But first, you must make sure that your equipment is set up properly. If you are using basic recording equipment, such as a small microphone and video camera that came with your computer's video capture card, a few moments is all you need to get ready. See "Before You Record" for tips on preparing your equipment.

To check your audio and video equipment:

Make sure your microphone and camera are connected and turned on.
In the Getting Ready to Record page, click the Check Audio/Video Equipment button.
The Check Audio/Video Equipment dialog opens.
Point the camera towards yourself.
In the dialog, see if you appear in the Video window.
If you see yourself, click Yes. If you cannot, click No or click Video Help for recommendations.
Move the Audio Record Level Slider until the meter reaches the yellow indicators when you speak.
Click Done to return to the Ready to Record Page.

Click the Finish button to continue.

RealPresenter converts your slides.

Additional Information
In order for your slides to be streamed through the RealPlayer, they will need to be converted into JPEG images. This is just an image format that can be converted into streaming images. RealPresenter does this automatically for you.

Once the conversion is complete, RealPresenter opens the Recording Control Panel.

	Additional Information
In order for your slides to be streamed through the RealPlayer, they will need to be converted into JPEG images. This is just an image format that can be converted into streaming images. RealPresenter does this automatically for you.

Step 4-Record Your PowerPoint Presentation

You are ready to begin recording the narration for your presentation. This section guides you step-by-step through each part of the process. We will show you all the controls used during recording and how to record your audio and video.

Below is a brief tour of the Recording Control Panel and the controls you will use to record your audio and video.

Start-begins recording

Pause-pauses the recording

Stop-stops the recording

Video -closes or opens the Video window

View-makes the Recording Control Panel larger or smaller

Help-launches the online Help

Exit-closes the Recording window and returns you to PowerPoint

Record Level-shows the recording volume of your audio input

Time Counter (00:00:00/00:00:00)-the left counter keeps track of the time recorded for each slide. The right counter keeps track of the time recorded for the entire presentation.

In addition, you will see the following windows:

The Video Window-the current video input shows in this window (only used if you are recording a video narration)

The Slide Window-the current PowerPoint slide appears in the background

To record your presentation:

When you are ready to record, click the Start button.
Recording of audio and video (if selected) begins. You will see the time elapsed and the words "Ready to begin" change into "Recording."
Read your script, remembering to speak at a normal pace.

Tip
Allow at least five seconds of recording per slide to assure that there are no problems with the audio streaming during playback.
Navigate to the next slide as you would with PowerPoint (clicking an arrow, clicking on the slide, etc.) Try not to speak during the slide changes.
Continue through each slide.

	Tip
Allow at least five seconds of recording per slide to assure that there are no problems with the audio streaming during playback.

When you are finished recording, click the Stop button.

The recording pauses, and you are given the following options:

Resume recording-returns you to the Recording window and starts recording again
Save this recording-saves the recording you just completed
Discard narration and return to Microsoft PowerPoint-deletes what you just recorded

Re-Record from the beginning-returns you to the beginning of the presentation so you can start recording a new narration

Note
When you resume recording, the subsequent recording is "merged" to the prior recording, creating a single audio recording. But if you switch to a new slide during the pause, a new recording is created for the new slide when you resume.

Select Save this recording and click OK.
Congratulations! You have just created a streaming media presentation.

In "Reviewing, Editing, and Publishing Your Presentations", you will learn how to play the presentation, change narration for a slide, and make the presentation available to your audience.