How to Use Powerpoint for Digital Signage
Digital Signage is the modern incarnation of the classic billboard. Multiple large-screen high-definition video monitors can be placed throughout a building to display a series of advertisements or messages viewed in sequence for short periods of time. Using Microsoft PowerPoint software, you can create presentations with “slides” that translate into full-screen video displays with video, pictures and text. A PowerPoint presentation can be easily adapted for digital signage applications by adjusting settings so the presentation loops continuously show each slide for a specified period of time.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Start PowerPoint. Press “Ctrl” and “O” on your keyboard and then select the PowerPoint presentation (PPT) you wish to open.
-
2
Select “Animations” from the menu to set the duration each slide will remain visible before PowerPoint advances to the next slide. Locate the “Advance Slide” section on the right side of the Animations menu and use your mouse to check the box next to “Automatically After.”
-
-
3
Enter the time (in seconds) you want each slide displayed in the timing window on the right side the “Automatically After” text. 8 seconds is a standard duration for digital signage slides.
-
4
Select “Slide Show” from the menu and click “Set Up Slide Show” from the menu.
-
5
Check the box next to “Loop continuously until ‘Esc’.” This will insure the slide show plays in a continuous loop without interruption.
-
6
Select “Using timings, if present” in the “Advance slides” section of the Set Up Show window and press the “OK” button to close the window. This will display each slide in the presentation for the amount of time you selected.
-
7
Press the F5 key on your keyboard to begin the digital signage presentation.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Digital signage slides should be designed similar to billboards, with large fonts and eye-catching graphics. Compose individual slides with minimal text to allow viewers to read the information in the short time available before the presentation advances to the next slide.
Download PowerPoint slide templates and graphic elements created specifically for digital signage applications (see Resources for examples).
Consider installing dual monitors on the computer running PowerPoint. A secondary monitor will allow adjustments to be made in the PowerPoint presentation while a slide remains visible on the primary digital signage monitors.
Use a VGA distribution amplifier to send the PowerPoint presentation from your computer's screen to all of your large-screen high-definition monitors at the same time.
