projection problem

[Bennoski]

I'm helping with the powerpoint, image, movie - projection for a play

but we want to be able to switch between things without

projection the windows of windows media player and stuff on the

projection screen for the audiance

 

so what I'm looking for is, a sort of program

that seperates that what will be project

and the rest of the screen were I can work on?

 

Is this even possible? and does somebody know the answer to my problem

 

probably a weird question and excuse me for my bad english (I'm dutch)

 

greets

[nickb12345]

Do you have access to a small vision mixer? You could use this to fade the projector to black*

 

Otherwise does the projector have a NO SHOW function. This would make the output black* and stop the video being projected.

 

Otherwise you could always put something between the lens and the screen (lens cap**, DMX shutter etc).

 

 

 

Nick

 

* = The black output here will be a black video image and will still be some light coming from the projector. In normal stage lighting etc this isnt visable, however in a blackout you can see the outline of the screen where this dark light is being projected.

 

** = If you use the lens cap dont leave it on for too long with the projector running because the light output will heat it up and it will melt (I know because I have done it).

 

 

Nick

[Bennoski]

the problem is that the projector hangs just below the ceiling

and I don't have access to a vision mixer.

 

:(

 

but thanks anyway, if you have an other idea

don't doubt to wright it down :(

[nickb12345]

One thing we did on Panto last year (my idea... but I think a BR member put it in my head anyway ** laughs out loud **), was to sabotage an old CD-ROM drive.

 

I extended the button to open the drive with the help of some bell wire and a soldering iron. And then hooked it up to an old PC power supply (use an old (pre-atx) supply because ATX ones are switched via the motherboard which we didnt have (you want one of the ones with the mains level switch on it)) to power it.

 

Then on the front of the drawer we attached some cardboard which was coated with blac-tac (to stick it and make it heat resistant). To start off with I tried just gaffering over the hole in the drawer but the drive decided when it closed and couldnt 'read' the gafa it spat it out again :S

 

 

HTH

 

 

Nick

[bruce]

If the "greyness" of a "black" display isn't critical.....

 

My favourite option is to use a PC or laptop with a decent graphics card which is configured with a secondary monitor - the sort of thing that allows you to "stretch" your desktop over 2 displays. You connect the secondary output to the projector and the primary to the local display.

 

Set the secondary display up to have a black background. Turn off your screensaver etc.

 

You can configure many applications - including powerpoint, winamp visualisations etc - to use the secondary monitor as the default full-screen display. The control windows stay on the primary display.

 

I've used this before in a show where we had a dual-headed PC, with the secondary output going to a number of projectors. We were able to display powerpoint, winamp visualisations, flash animations etc to the audience, but all the control stuff was only visible locally.

 

Bruce.

[mefju]

 

I'm helping with the powerpoint, image, movie - projection for a play 

but we want to be able to switch between things without 

projection the windows of windows media player and stuff on the 

projection screen for the audiance 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I don't know what exactly do you want to do, but you can import movies and images to PowerPoint. My theater regulary use PowerPoint to control movie clips during shows. No problems so far.

[JCoster]

Why don't you just export your PowerPoint presentation as a movie file (there are a few programs around that can help you) and then just use a keyboard hot key to move between chapters, like a DVD. Bound to work <_<