Converting Presenter to video file

[jod-zeee]

Is it possible to export or convert Presenter to video or is the only option HTML and SWF files? I used Captivate awhile back and I believe I was able to export that to FLV ... can this be done with Presenter?

Flash is not an option for my project, any suggestions are appreciated!

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

If Flash is not an option for your project, then you probably need to use a different tool. Captivate can output to an FLV or MP4 file, so you may want to look there.

[jod-zeee]

If I've already got it all laid out, animated, and sync'd with voice over, will that be easily ported into Captivate or do I need to start from scratch? When I used Captivate with PowerPoint previously, it was a pain to go back and forth synching the animations with the voice over, that's why I decided to try Presenter this time. I'd assumed I could create video with it <sigh>

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

If your goal is to simply get a video out of it and you have Captivate, you might try it this way. Configure the presentation to play and surround it with Captivate. Then record it using the Full Motion capture feature of Captivate. That may do what you want.

You may also find that Captivate doesn't do that well with the full motion. If that happens, you might try other tools such as CamStudio ( http://camstudio.org/  It's freeware ) or TechSmith Camtasia Studio ( http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html )

Cheers... Rick

[jod-zeee]

Thanks for your help. I currently have v4 of Captivate. Maybe I'll try Camstudio or Camtasia.

[Captiv8r]

Hi there

Version 4 should have the full motion ability. Certainly CamStudio is free but Camtasia Studio will cost a chunk. I do suppose if it's a one off, you could use the trial. But I'd try to use what I already have available unless it just doesn't work.

Cheers... Rick

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

I agree that it is not going to be terribly easy. However it may not be too bad to either try importing the PPT deck into Captivate (though I wouldn't hold your breath for this to yeild good results), or you can re-build the presentation in Captivate. We've had to rebuild presentations in Captivate that started in PPT and once you get the process of it in Captivate, it can go pretty quick.

One trick of note is to do a save as on your PPT deck and save it as a series of JPG images and then use color matching highlight boxes to hide/reveal the text and images on the slides. That or make a JPG version of your blank master slides and then use that as the background on your slides in Captivate.

[jod-zeee]

Last time I did it, I imported a PPT into Captivate and the animations worked surprisingly well, including transitions. Then I added the audio and went back and forth syncing the timing. That's why I used Presenter this time, I thought it would make it easier.

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

I do think that Presenter is easier to use when working with PPT, but it all depends on what your need your end result to be.

[jod-zeee]

I think what I might end up doing is adding the audio and timings in PowerPoint and recording it using Captivate or Camtasia and skip Presenter altogether. I don't need the quizzing feature (at least not at this point), so hopefully that will work.

Is there a way to remove the audio I added using Presenter? Maybe it doesn't matter, but I couldn't find a way to remove it.

Thank you for all your help!

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

Presenter should create a folder with the same name as your PPT. In that folder will be an audio folder. Just pull all the MP3's out of that folder. They won't be named anything useful, but you will have them.