Controlling Powerpoint

Jeff
Jeff Junior Member
in AMX General Discussion
I've got a conference room that is getting a touch panel on the table, not just off to the side with the computer. As such, I'd like to integrate powerpoint control from the table. All I really need is next slide/previous slide/black screen control. I'm already putting a wireless keyboard/mouse in there, but if they just want to control powerpoint, I don't want them to have to use that.

I've never done this before. I've got two rooms in the building that currently have this capability. One of them has a projector in the room that has a serial cable running from the projector to the computer. The projector remote has mouse commands on it, those commands were captured, and the computer commands are sent to the projector from AMX and then sent to the computer via 232.

The other room has an IR keyboard receiver in it. I don't know where the IR Keyboard itself is, or if you can purchase just the receiver. Apparently the installer of this room captured the commands for next slide/previous/etc from the keyboard, loaded them into IREdit, and stuck an IR emitter to the IR Receiver.

So I've seen two ways to accomplish this. My real question is, are either of these a particularly good way to accomplish this. If the projector can send mouse commands via serial, can the AMX do it as well? The projector in this new room doesn't have that capability (or if it does, it still seems cumbersome and not all that reliable), and I'd like to avoid purchasing an IR Keyboard Receiver.

Any suggestions about ways you've integrated powerpoint control to panels that you're happy with would be appreciated.

J
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Comments

  • Danny Campbell
    Danny Campbell Senior Member
    Look on the AMX web site for i!-PCLink/PowerPoint. I used it once several years ago.
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  • Jeff
    Jeff Junior Member
    I'm looking at that now, but I must admit $310 to control powerpoint seems a bit excessive . . . .

    J
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  • Chip Moody
    Chip Moody Junior Member
    You have to pay for the software now? I integrated this into a system years ago - the software was free then...

    Just checked the product description - says it doesn't support PP 2003 or more recent. That's pretty bogus, huh? Guess it's not a real solution anymore.

    - Chip
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  • Jeff
    Jeff Junior Member
    OK I missed that as well.

    most of the free i! applications are downloadable from their product page, and PCLink Powerpoint wasn't, so I checked GSA Advantage and got $310.

    So assuming this is no longer a real solution because we're using Ppt 2003 and moving to 2007 soon, whats the next move?

    J
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  • Jimweir192
    Jimweir192 Junior Member
    I've used i!PCLink Powerpoint fairly extensively, including with 2003, it works fine apart from a couple of glitches with slide numbering overcounting at the end of a ppt and the blackout not being a toggle. If you need more complex control add in PCLinkWeb and you can overcome the missing control elements with keyboard shortcut keys.

    Works great and clients can understand it.

    Still available for download free from amx
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  • trav
    trav Get off my lawn
    I recently had a quick bespoke job to do for SEAT Motorsport, then were using latest powerpoint so I just used iPCLinkExtra and rolled my own in C#. Just used the features I wanted/needed and it worked fine.
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  • Jeff
    Jeff Junior Member
    Jimweir192 wrote:
    Still available for download free from amx

    Where? I can't find it . . . .

    J
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  • trav
    trav Get off my lawn
    In the Tech center, application files, part of the integration! Solutions ....

    http://www.amx.com/techcenter/applications.asp?Category=integration!%20Solutions

    That should take you to all of them.
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  • Jeff
    Jeff Junior Member
    Actually, I've done a little more looking, and I've revealed a further problem.

    My AMX masters are not on the same LAN as the computers in the room, so pcLink wont work because the control is over the network. The reason for this is that I'm controlling the Polycom VSX7000s in each room via IP, and the Polycoms in our building are all on a separate VLAN that has fixed bandwidth for them (and a few other security issues, yay for government work)

    Any further suggestions that don't involve network communication with the computer?

    J
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  • Jeff
    Jeff Junior Member
    Seems I've had days with much better reading comprehension . . . . .

    I'm gonna give PCLink Powerpoint a shot using the 232 mode.

    J
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  • yuri
    yuri Junior Member
    you could modify a PC mouse. Just connect contact closure to the 2 buttons, and connect those to 2 relays :)
    It's sneaky, but it works... Hide the mouse, or put the print inside a nice closed box, and no-one will notice :D
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