DOI:10.2214/AJR.05.0238
AJR 2005; 185:1074-1078
© American Roentgen Ray Society
Using Movie Clips in PowerPoint Presentations: Part 1, Compatibility Issues
Chun-Shan Yam1,
Jonathan Kruskal1 and
Michael Larson1
1 Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard
Medical School, WCC, Room 306, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.
Received February 11, 2005;
accepted after revision March 22, 2005.
Address correspondence to C.-S. Yam
(csyam{at}caregroup.harvard.edu).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to discuss common
compatibility issues relating to the use of movie clips in PowerPoint
presentations.
CONCLUSION. Our investigations found that successful display of
movie clips in PowerPoint depends on the following three factors: movie file
format, codec selection, and cross-platform compatibility. These factors
primarily result from the rapid change in today's computer operating systems.
Based on a compatibility study of common movie clips used in radiology
presentations, a general guideline for preparing movie clips is presented.
Also, a simple method is described for converting movie clips into compatible
movie formats and reducing large movie clips to manageable file sizes to
ensure smooth presentation.
Introduction
With advancements in high-speed computing, multidetector scanning, and
real-time image processing, many functional studies and protocols that could
not be accomplished previously can now be routinely performed. For example, a
full cardiac CT angiography study can be performed on a 64-MDCT scanner
(Aquilion, Toshiba) in just 10 sec. Subsequently, nearly 1,000 images can be
produced and transferred to an image processing workstation in less than 10
min. In addition to providing a swift and streamlined scanning workflow, most
of today's image processing workstations, such as Advantage Windows (GE
Healthcare), Vitrea (Vital Images), and InSight (Neo Imagery Technologies),
are user-friendly.
In all these workstations, 3D models can be rendered and displayed
virtually in real time using state-of-the-art volume rendering algorithms with
just a couple of mouse clicks. For example, a screenshot image of a
volume-rendered cardiac model is shown in
Figure 1. More important, users
can easily capture these screenshot images and create movie clips that can be
imported directly into PowerPoint (Microsoft). For many academic radiologists,
creating movie clips for subsequent presentation has become part of the
academic workflow. Depending on the application, a movie clip can be as simple
as a series of axial images or as sophisticated as a fly-through cine loop of
a virtual colonoscopy.
View larger version (113K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[as a PowerPoint slide]
|
Fig. 1 —Screen capture of 3D cardiac model generated at Insight
workstation (Neo Imagery Technology) from series of 658 CT images obtained
from 64-MDCT scanner (Aquilion, Toshiba). Scanning parameters are 120 kV, 0.5
mm, 80 mA, 200-msec temporal resolution, retrospective ECG-gating, and IV
contrast material.
|
|
Despite the ease and convenience of creating movie clips, however, there
are still problems with using them in PowerPoint presentations. Many of these
problems are the result of the rapid change in today's operating systems. The
purpose of this article is to discuss these common issues and to provide a
general guideline for successful presentation of movie clips in
PowerPoint.
Common Issues of Using Movie Clips in PowerPoint
Codec Selection
A codec (COmpressor and DECompressor) is a software algorithm used to
compress and decompress digital videotape or audio files. The purpose of using
a codec in movie clips is to reduce file size. This is especially important
for today's multimedia applications over the Internet, where transmission of
huge data files is a common bottleneck issue. Although using a codec can
greatly reduce file size, the absence of a specific codec at the client
computer will prevent the movie clip from displaying. For instance, some
PowerPoint movie clips that can be displayed in older operating systems (e.g.,
Windows [Microsoft] NT, Windows 2000, and Macintosh OS 9.0 [Apple Computer])
will no longer function in the latest Windows XP version without the purchase
and installation of an additional third-party codec, for example, Indeo codec
(Ligos Systems) (Fig. 2).
View larger version (39K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[as a PowerPoint slide]
|
Fig. 2 —Screen capture of error message in PowerPoint 2002 (Windows
XP Professional, both Microsoft) when displaying movie clip without proper
codec. In this example, movie clip was saved in AVI (Audio Video Interleave)
format and was inserted into PowerPoint previously using Ligos Indeo R4.4
codec. However, this codec is no longer available in Windows XP operating
systems. Similar error messages will appear when any invalid movie clip
attempts to display during PowerPoint presentation.
|
|
Although this specific codec has been included with or is available for
many Windows and Macintosh operating systems and is currently installed on
more than 50 million PC and Macintosh desktops
[1], Microsoft has decided not
to include this codec in the latest Windows XP operating system. As a result
of this decision, users must purchase and install the Indeo codec from Ligos
Systems ($14.95) on each of the client computers for this particular type of
movie to display [2,
3]. Although this example is
specific to Windows XP and Ligos Systems, similar issues can also occur with
other operating systems where a codec is used to compress movie clips.
File Size
To avoid the codec dependency issue, some of today's workstation
manufacturers are cautious not to apply any data compression to their movie
clips (or, at least, use "uncompressed" as the default movie
format). The file size of uncompressed movie clips can be quite large. For
example, the file size of a 20-sec movie clip with typical settings of 10
frames per second, uncompressed, red-green-blue color, and 512 x 512
pixels is 150 MB. Generally, the file size (in bytes) of a typical
uncompressed color movie clip can be calculated using the following formula:
 |
Although most of today's portable storage media can be used to store large
data files (e.g., 700-MB CD-R [CD-recordable] and 1-GB USB [universal serial
bus] drives), using large movie clips in PowerPoint will present problems such
as system crashes or sluggish presentations, especially when a client computer
is using a slow processor or does not have sufficient random access memory
(RAM). At least 256 MB of RAM is generally necessary.
Platform Compatibility
Another frequently encountered issue is platform compatibility. Many movie
clips created on the Windows platform are not compatible with Macintosh and
vice versa. Although some movie formats claim to be cross-platform for both
Windows and Macintosh [3], the
true display capability in PowerPoint is still an ongoing issue. For example,
the Apple QuickTime movies (.mov. or .qt) cannot be imported into PowerPoint
in Windows XP unless a change is made to the Windows registry
[3]. Similarly, MPEG-1 (Moving
Picture Experts Group) is the only movie format supported by PowerPoint on
both Windows and Macintosh systems. Any higher version (i.e., MPEG-2, MPEG-3,
or MPEG-4) cannot be used.
Guideline for Preparing Movie Clips
To ensure smooth presentation, simple precautions can and should be made
when using movie clips in PowerPoint. For this purpose, we generated an array
of sample movie clips using common movie formats and parameters. We examined
the compatibility of each of these movies in different computer operating
systems and PowerPoint versions. For practical reasons, we examined the movie
formats that are commonly available in today's radiology environment from PACS
and image processing workstations— that is, QuickTime (Apple Computer),
MPEG, and AVI (Audio Video Interleave). These common movie formats are
generally cross-platform and compatible with common Web browsers, and they are
also being used in many Web-based radiology presentations (e.g., the
recommended movie formats for the Radiological Society of North America 2004
annual meeting at
www.rsna.org
and the GE Scientific Movie Library at
www.crd.ge.com/esl/cgsp/projects/video/medical/index.html).
Nonetheless, the ability to display on the Internet does not necessarily
ensure equivalent compatibility in PowerPoint. Tables
1,
2,
3 contain summaries of the
results from a compatibility study of these three movie formats in different
operating systems and PowerPoint versions. Our study showed that Cinepak
(Compression Technologies) and MPEG-1 are the most appropriate choices for
PowerPoint presentations. Also, users can use our study results as a general
guideline for movie conversions if necessary. For movie conversion, we suggest
using a commercial software utility—QuickTime Pro.
Movie Conversion Using QuickTime Pro
QuickTime Pro ($29.99; Apple Computer;
www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qt)
is one of the most common software applications for digital movie editing.
Unlike other professional applications such as Premiere Pro ($699; Adobe
Systems;
www.adobe.com)
and Xpress Pro ($1,699; Avid Technology;
www.avid.com),
which are typically expensive and designed particularly for movie production,
QuickTime Pro is cross-platform, low-cost, and user-friendly. QuickTime Pro is
the professional version of the freeware QuickTime Player. Unlike the freeware
player, which can be used only for viewing movies, the professional version
provides many other functions such as movie creation, conversion, editing, and
scripting. To activate the professional version, a license key, which can be
purchased online at the Apple Web site, is required. The software installation
is straightforward for both Macintosh and Windows versions. Although there are
many useful movie editing functions in QuickTime Pro, in this article, we will
only discuss the simple 2-step function for movie conversions. More detailed
information for other functions can be found at the QuickTime Developers Web
site [4].
View larger version (84K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[as a PowerPoint slide]
|
Fig. 3 —Screen captures of QuickTime Pro (Apple Computer) showing
functions for importing movie clip. Top: "Open Movie in New
Player" function and viewing detailed movie properties. Bottom:
"Get Movie Properties" function.
|
|
For illustration, we will discuss the essential steps in converting a
sample AVI movie clip from Indeo 4.4 to Cinepak codec, so that it will be
compatible with many operating systems, including Windows XP.
Step 1: Import Movie Clips
In QuickTime Pro, select "Open Movie in New Player" function
from the "File" dropdown menu to import an existing movie clip
(Fig. 3). After importing,
detailed information of the movie clip can be reviewed using the "Get
Movie Properties" function from the "Movie" dropdown menu
(Fig. 3).
Step 2: Export Movie Clips
Once a movie is imported, it can be saved in different formats using the
"Export" function from the "File" dropdown menu in
QuickTime Pro (Fig. 3). In the
"Save Exported..." window, select the movie format and then click
the "Option" button for codec selection
(Fig. 4). Although AVI and
Cinepak are selected for this illustration, other movie formats and codecs can
be used (see Tables 1,
2,
3).
View larger version (37K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[as a PowerPoint slide]
|
Fig. 4 —Screen captures of QuickTime Pro (Apple Computer) showing
process steps for converting movie format. In this example, codec of AVI
(Audio Video Interleave) movie clip is converted from Indeo (Ligos Systems) to
Cinepak (Compression Technologies). Current formats and codecs supported by
QuickTime Pro are available at QuickTime Support Web site
[5].
|
|
File Size Reduction
As mentioned above, some movie clips obtained from workstations are
uncompressed and large (> 100 MB). To reduce file size, these movies can be
compressed using a PowerPoint-compatible movie format and/or codec based on
our results presented in Tables
1,
2,
3. For illustration, we
compared the file size of our sample AVI movie clip using different movie
format and codec combinations (Table
4). Our study showed that movie compression can greatly reduce
file size. For example, using Cinepak codec for both AVI and QuickTime formats
can reduce the movie file to less than 10% of the original file size without
causing significant resolution change.
Alternatives and Limitations
Although AVI, QuickTime, and MPEG are the most common movie files obtained
from today's image processing workstations, other media files can also be used
in PowerPoint, for example, animated GIF files, WMV files (Windows movie
videotape, Microsoft), and Shockwave (Macromedia) files. However, it is not
within the scope of this article to discuss the applications of these types of
media files. Although we have discussed compatibility issues in this article
(part 1), we have not yet described how to edit the contents of movie clips
(e.g., brightness and contrast, cropping, masking, arrow drawing, and image
rotation). In part 2, we will discuss a simple method for performing image
processing on movie clips using common software such as Adobe Photoshop.
Conclusion
In this article we have discussed the pitfalls of compatibility and file
size issues in using movie clips in PowerPoint and provided a general
guideline for movie format and codec selections. We have also described a
simple method for converting movie clips into compatible movie formats and
reducing large movie clips to manageable file sizes.
References
- Ligos Systems Web site. Available at:
www.ligos.com/indeo.htm.
Accessed July 8, 2005
- Ligos Systems Support Web site. Available at:
www.ligos.com/indeo_support.htm.
Accessed July 8, 2005
- Microsoft Support Web site. Available at:
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;enus;821417.
Accessed July 8, 2005
- QuickTime Developer Web site. Available at:
www.apple.com/quicktime/resources/.
Accessed July 8, 2005
- QuickTime Support Web site. Available at:
www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qt/specifications.html.
Accessed July 8, 2005
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
C.-S. Yam, J. Kruskal, and M. Larson
Creating Animated GIF Files for Electronic Presentations Using Photoshop
Am. J. Roentgenol.,
May 1, 2007;
188(5):
W485 - W490.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.-S. Yam
Preparation of digital movie clips for online journal publication.
Am. J. Roentgenol.,
July 1, 2006;
187(1):
W93 - 101.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.-S. Yam, J. Kruskal, and M. Larson
Using Movie Clips in PowerPoint Presentations: Part 2, Movie Editing
Am. J. Roentgenol.,
November 1, 2005;
185(5):
1371 - 1376.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
Top
Abstract
Introduction
