Sun Presenter Console on Ubuntu?

[RoryOF]

Has anyone managed to get Sun Presenter Console to run on Ubuntu? I have tried it on Ubuntu Karmic 9.10 beta. It installs, but doesn't give me the separate screen with current slide, next slide and notes I had under Windows. I've used Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 on both my netbook and laptop, runnng the Ubuntu 3.1.1 OpenOffice distro.

[Hagar de l'Est]

You should check with the Sun version.

[RoryOF]

I knew you'd say that, Hagar!

Before changing to Sun version I was enquiring for others' experience. If Presenter Console did not work on Ubuntu because of Ubuntu restrictions, then for the presentation purposes I need there would be little point in installing Sun OOo - my needs would be met by the Ubuntu distro, which automatically updates.

[Hagar de l'Est]

I knew you'd say that, Hagar!

Was pretty sure about it but couldn't help

No luck in the Ubuntu forum?

[RoryOF]

I found an old note that said the Suse version of OOo didn't work with Presenter Console but that Sun version did. I've uninstalled Unbuntu OOo on one laptop and am currently installing Sun version to see if that works with Prener Console. I'll report back later.

[RoryOF]

From my Toshiba laptop I removed the Ubuntu OpenOffice using Synaptic. For completeness I told it to Remove Completely. Then I installed the Sun (Ubuntu/Debian) version using the Tutorial on this site. I downloaded and installed the Sun Presenter Console (Linux 32 version). Aftter fiddling with the settings, OpenOffice Impress found the multiple monitors (Laptop + Beamer) and displayed a trial presentation on the Beamer with the Console displayed on the laptop. I will try an equivalent installation on my Netbook later. I have lost the codecs for video display, but that may be due to routine update of Ubuntu Karmic Beta. I'll reinstall them later and report back on the netbook installation.

Summary: Sun Presenter Console does not work on Ubuntu version of OpenOffice. Install the Sun version of OOo if you want the Presenter Console (and if you do presentations, you should try it out!)

It would be informative if other Linux users added their experience with using the Presenter Console with their distros.

[RoryOF]

The failure of a movie clip to play in Impress under Sun OOo and Ubuntu 9.10 was not due to the updating or removal of codecs in the course of automatic system updates. Sun OOo Impress does not play mpg videos using the codecs available under Ubuntu OOo. They are still installed and a reinstallation did not improve the situation. The movie clips play OK in an exernal application (Totem or Movie Player). It is not possible to insert one of the mpg files into a new OOo presentation "Type of file is not supported".

As there comes a time when one must stop messing about and get on with life, the easiest way is to convert the movie mpg files into .avi files, and insert them.

If anybody has suggestions on how to get the mpg files to play I would be interested.

[acknak]

Does Ubuntu package the SPC for their OOo?

As far as I know, the SPC is open source, so it could be re-packaged by the distributions. I know Fedora does that with the OOo language packs (Ubuntu as well, I guess).

[RoryOF]

SPC= Sun Presenter Console. No, they don't package it for their system, but one would assume that it worked, like most other extensions.

[sindrejh]

In Ubuntu 9.10 I found the plugin in the repos, and it works with OOo...

But I can't get Open Office to show the presentation on my external monitor, even thou I have a big desktop. So the result is: presenter screen on laptop, but still only my desktop on the external screen.

[RoryOF]

On the main Impress toolbar select Slide Show / Slide Show Settings and fiddle with the Multiple monitor dropdown. Also fiddle with Ubuntu / System / Preferences / Display, in both cases when you have the beamer or a second monitor atached.

I doubt you will have much luck unless using the Sun OOo and Sun Presentation Console versions; that allowed me to get the Presentation screen on the beamer and the notes screen on the netbook, which I couldn't do with Ubuntu version of OOo.

A lecturer friend uses her netbook (Acer A0 110) using Ubuntu Ooo 3.1.0 and gets the presentation on both screens by connecting the switched on projector to netbook before booting her netbook. She is fortunate as her slides are simply a list of bullet points which serve also as her aide memoire.

[sindrejh]

Wrong I've now got the Sun Presenter Consol (SPC) working with Ubuntu version of OOo!

But only as a temporary solution... I had already tried different settings both in OOo's and Ubuntu's display settings (tried both mirroring and big desktop). The solution was to place the two screens above in stead of aside each other. Looks like a bug, so maybe I will have to report it. But is it in Ubuntu or OOo? I think probably Ubuntu.

[RoryOF]

Wrong I've now got the Sun Presenter Consol (SPC) working with Ubuntu version of OOo!
But only as a temporary solution... I had already tried different settings both in OOo's and Ubuntu's display settings (tried both mirroring and big desktop). The solution was to place the two screens above in stead of aside each other. Looks like a bug, so maybe I will have to report it. But is it in Ubuntu or OOo? I think probably Ubuntu.

I'm happy to hear you have it working. Does it matter which screen is on top?

If you are showing videos as part of your presentation, (if you can get Sun JMF to work), you may notice an echo between the SPC and the screen sound. This seems to cure if one uses the notes console screen with the current screen in top left corner, rather than the slide sorter console screen or the current/next/previous slide screen.

I gave up on ttying to get JMF to play videos and am using another method, which I'll post about in a few days. I have to stop fiddling and get on - I've three 60 min presentations to revise for a different audience, and two more to write from scratch for delivery shortly.

[sindrejh]

Does it matter which screen is on top?

No, it makes no difference. Or it seems like the presentation and presentation consol have some problems filling out the screens 100% correct. This is not a big problem if I place the presentation screen on top. This seems to depend on the Gnome panels also.

If you are showing videos as part of your presentation, (if you can get Sun JMF to work), you may notice an echo between the SPC and the screen sound. This seems to cure if one uses the notes console screen with the current screen in top left corner, rather than the slide sorter console screen or the current/next/previous slide screen.

I've been trying to use some screen casts in my presentation. But the video is only blinking on the external screen and then gets gray. I can see it on the external monitor, thou. So my solution is to have links to the videos in the presentation, and then just bring them up in the background before switching.

[RoryOF]

I have found
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/How_Tos/Using_Movies_in_Impress_on_Linux_Without_Java
works OK, but it is a linux specific solution. If you want a cross platform solution, where you are presenting from a USB stick or CD/DVD rather than your own laptop, I think you have to install JMF from Sun, which is very picky, and again, may not work on every platform.