Tools for Creating your own Multimedia Modules
Modules can be created from Powerpoint slides using a PC with a sound card and microphone, using the Sync-O-Matic software (below). This is a freely available program (currently unsupported) created by Chuck Severance who was at Michigan State at the time. It requires Real Networks' Real Producer (the free version, or the "Pro" version) and Real Player -- both available below. RealPlayer is an audio/video browser plugin and RealProducer is a tool that allows Sync-O-Matic to create multimedia RealPlayer files. When you get done, all the HTML and files will be created automatically, and when viewed in a browser it will look much like the one at right. We can assist in putting in your own photo and other enhancements.

Our objective is to have lightweight modules that can be easily streamed to users around the world. Thus, we want only image-and-audio, and prefer not to consider video streaming for this application. We understand that Powerpoint XP (2003) is able to record audio clips on a slide-by-slide basis, and then can be distilled (using Sync-O-Matic) into the final files needed for the web; this would be an advantage, since this allows for updating the audio for any slide -- and for updating or inserting slides -- then re-distilling to easily created an updated version of the web-based presentation.

You may download a ZIP file containing just the Sync-O-Matic program and tutorials (below, left - 5MB) or the full "package" that includes the installer for Real Producer 8.51 and Real Player 8.0 (below right - 15 MB).

Sync-O-Matic Package This ZIP download contains the following: sync2-b5.zip -- the Sync-O-Matic 2000 install program (Beta 5) Sync-O-Matic tutorial.doc -- the printable Tutorial Sync-O-Matic HTML Tutorial -- folder with browser-based version of Tutorial csev summary.doc -- Notes on slide/audio capture, by Chuck Severance DOWNLOAD NOW (5 MB) create a new sub-folder (named, for example, "temp/Sync-O-Matic") UnZIP the files into the sub-folder Install the application and read the Tutorial

Sync-O-Matic and Real Producer Package This ZIP download contains the following: The items listed to the left, plus: RealPlayer8-setup.exe -- Install program for Real Player 8 (Basic) if you don't have a more-recent version RealProducer_Basic_8.51_Setup.exe -- Install program for Real Producer 8.51 (Basic) if you don't have a more-recent version RealProducer HTML Tutorial -- folder with browser-based Tutorial for Real Producer DOWNLOAD NOW (15 MB) create a new sub-folder (named, for example, "temp/Sync-O-Matic") UnZIP the files into the sub-folder Install the applications and read the Tutorials

We don't have tools or instructions for creating multimedia modules (GIFs of slides, plus audio) on Macintosh or UNIX systems. If you have a system that works and can write up instructions, we would be pleased to make the information available.

Once You've Created the Modules
The CPMT Society would like to obtain a license-free right to place Modules within our technical areas on our website, for others to use. Please contact Paul Wesling (link below) regarding making them available more broadly to the technical community.