PowerPoint Tips and Templates

Laptops, video RAM and movies in PowerPoint

Sometimes a properly inserted movie file will play just fine in a PPT presentation on a host computer’s display. When you try to display that same PPT file on the same PC (or laptop) with a data projector attached for projection the same presentation will not show play the movie. The rest of the presentation plays great, but no movie.

The reason for this is motion files require an enormous amount of video RAM. If the same video display card tries to drive two different displays (the monitor and the data projector) simultaneously, in runs out of gas.

The solution to this problem is to divert the entire signal to the data projector. Many laptop computers have a provision for sending the video signal to the LCD display, to only the data projector or to both. Toggle the laptop so that it only sends the video signal to the data projector. The monitor or LCD display will be blank, but at least your movie will move.

Thanks to Ernie Bailey at UAMS for this solution