How To Use PowerPoint For Digital Signage Presentations
Digital signage is used to electronically display information, such as an advertisement or a public message. As it has become easier to connect computers to larger screens with the help of HDMI / VGA cables and other methods, one can now easily create digital signage from a software such as MS PowerPoint. Presentations containing digital signage can be useful for displays in educational institutes, offices, public areas and the like. In this post we will show you how to create digital signage presentations, adverts or public messages with the help of Microsoft PowerPoint.
For the purpose of this post, we will use the Digital Signage PowerPoint Template. To download PowerPoint templates that are optimized for Digital Signage, see the link given at the end of this post. To get started, open the PowerPoint template that you wish to use and go to the Animations tab. From the Advance Slide section check the box that says “After” (PowerPoint 2010) and select a time frame for displaying each slide. The standard time for displaying digital signage slides is 8 seconds.
Once done, head over to the Slide Show tab and select the “Setup Slide Show” option. This will open a new window where you can configure the various slide show options. For example, you can choose the pen or laser pointer color, configure monitor settings and select the slides to be displayed in the slideshow. Make sure that you check the Loop continuously until Esc option so that the slideshow does not stop.
Once you have selected all required parameters, run the slideshow by hitting F5 key or via the Slide Show tab. It must be noted that Digital Signage Slides should have designs and fonts that suit your display screen and are convenient for spectators. For example, large billboards will require bigger fonts and eye catching graphics, as compared to smaller LCD screens placed in a public area that are closer to the targeted audience. It is advised to use dual monitors during the creation and preview of such presentations so that you can view the output on one monitor and perform adjustments on the other.
The above mentioned steps primarily explain the process of running digital signage presentations, however if you want to easily create such presentations, then the best way is to use some good templates. You can check out our Free Digital Signage Templates, which are optimized for digital signage presentations. If you want to explore other different alternatives, there are free resources for free digital signage software, including Media Signage introducing a Digital Signage player and Media Server.
