TurboDemo Pro 2
Bernard D&G

www.turbodemo.com

Maureen Shannon, NJPCUG

I have been on a voyage of discovery since I first saw an application that created demos of this type. The first product I found created a very nice flash file format demo. The next one I found had many more options and I loved it from the start. That led me to this product which has even more features and a new updated version that should be out by the time you read this. Right from the beginning, I could see how much these products would help anyone who needed to create files to help others learn how to do something or explain how it works. If you want to create any kind of instructional help or demonstration, this application is an absolute must to have.

TurboDemo 2 allows the user to create online demos in a variety of formats including Java/HTML. It is the only product currently available that offers this format as well as the Flash file format, an EXE file, AVI, and standalone demos. There are advantages and disadvantages to each format. For the sake of accuracy, I am quoting a file sent to me by Bernard D&G which explains what situations are best suited to the various formats and why. It will be at the end of this review.

I discovered TurboDemo when I was using the last product I reviewed and someone asked me what the differences were between the two products. I didn’t know at the time. When I found the TurboDemo web site and viewed their demos, I was very interested in learning more about their application. It had many similar features to the other one and others that I had never seen before. I found two new features that I liked very much. I mentioned above that I am reviewing version 2 and that version 4 is due to release in a week or so from the time of this writing. I will be doing a follow-up review of version 4. Version 4 offers more functionality to features of the flash format that aren’t available in the flash version of version 2. This review will introduce you to TurboDemo.

TuboDemo creates demos that can be a straight running movie or an interactive demo. The interactive elements are not available in the flash format of this version but are supported in the new one. The Java/HTML version supports all of the interactive features such as Rollovers and Text Click Areas.

You begin to create a demo by taking a series of screen shots that will be used as the slide frames in the demo. Each frame is completely editable with interactive features, text notes or balloons, animated features (transitional fade ins/outs), hyperlinks, flashing animated arrows (attractors) and animated shapes that flash as they expand and contract (rubbers), sounds, moving mouse pointers, and more.

When you open the program up and select “New” to create a new demo, it will walk you through the steps to select the options for taking the screen shots. You will select the size, such as 640x480, this will create a red box area that will be the size of the screen shot. In an open application, you will begin taking the series of shots by using a hotkey to take the shots. “Pause” is the default hotkey for doing this. You can move throughout the application you are using, setting up the sections you want to capture, and then press the hotkey to take the shot. You can also use screen shots you may already have taken, open them in an image editor, fit the image within the red screen shot rectangle, and capture the images for the demo. When you are finished, click on the TurboDemo icon which is on the taskbar and it will open a window that asks if you are finished taking screenshots. Clicking yes brings you back into the TurboDemo application and you are ready to begin editing the frames. Each frame is entered in the order in which it is taken. You don’t have to rearrange them to place them in the correct order. You also have the ability to add or insert blank slides, copy and paste slides into other areas, duplicate slides, and delete slides. Adding a slide or slides places them at the end of the frames and inserting a slide places it before the highlighted slide frame.

To navigate between the frames, to the beginning, the end, or to view the slides, a “player control” bar is available the sits on top of the frame and moves from slide to slide with you. The play button will run the demo for viewing. You also have the option to go directly to another slide by clicking the end button and entering the slide number.

Slide features include the “Notes” or “Balloons” with customizable text features. Notes or balloons  can be used to explain the slide or as a question area when using the interactive “Click Areas” or “Text Areas”. The notes and balloons have other options that can be further customized such as the color, order, or style (animated or 3D). Images can be inserted into the slides. An image can be added to a slide or into a blank slide – for example if you have forgotten a screen shot, you can easily add one by capturing the image using any screen shot application you may have, resizing it to fit the slide size, and then inserting it into the blank frame. Other features of the slides include adding audio, rollovers, attractors, rubbers, pause button, hotkey area, and the cursor features.

A mouse cursor can be added to a frame and it can follow through the frames indicating each movement that is being made in the demo. Use it to point out the next step in a series of steps being followed or to indicate an item you want to point out in the frame. The mouse cursor has multiple styles to choose from as well as the ability to use a straight or curved path. This feature look like someone is actually pointing and clicking on each slide.  The mouse has a beginning indicator that is placed where the cursor was on the previous frame and then the cursor is moved to the new area on the current frame. The path it is following is shown in the frame while you are working but invisible in the running demo.

If you prefer not to use a moving mouse cursor to show what you are explaining, the attractors (flashing arrows) or rubbers (flashing, moving elliptical or rectangular shapes) call immediate attention to the area or item being pointed out. I am really impressed with this feature. It caught my eye right away when I viewed the online demo at the TurboDemo web site. I could see its value as an item that would greatly enhance any demo. The options for these items can also be customized to suite your needs. The colors can be changed in both of them, the attractor has a single bar that is a second color which brings more attention to it, the rubber can be changed from a circle to an oval shape or from a square to a rectangle and the size of the outline can be made thicker for a more pronounced outline. The attractor can have its line count set from 3 bars to 10 and it’s orientation from N, S, E, to W. Or it can be moved by clicking the mouse when it is highlighted and it will flip around to point in another direction with each click. Each can be sized to fit over anything on the slide. I just love these two items. I have used them to indicate most of what I want to point out in the demos I have created with TurboDemo. I thought the moving mouse pointer was a fantastic feature the first time I saw a demo of this type but this feature really has taken this type of application to the next level when it comes to drawing attention to something.

After you have edited all of the slides, the next step is to save the file and create the demo. You have the option to “Create an Online Demo/Compile” it into a Java/HTML file which includes the “player controls” and an information button on the player that gives the product demo name, version, author’s name, web site, and email address. Choosing this option launches a window that allows you to enter this information and then saves the file and creates the movie. If you choose to view it when it has created the file, you will get an HTML page that explains how to add the file to your web site and a link to click to view your demo. It tells you what files need to be uploaded to your server in order for the demo to work. You can make a direct link from you web page to the HTML page that he demo has created. This format will take longer to load. For those of us still using dinosaur dial-up connections, if the file is large it will be a long wait, for those with fast connections it probably won’t take too long but this format gives you the option of creating larger files that can contain more information than the faster flash format. I am including an example of this in the online review so if you are using a slow connection and want to see this format with the interactive features please be patient while it loads. Click here to view the java demo.

*The interactive features work in the demo - try them. You need to answer the question in the Text Box to continue on with the demo.

To create a Flash file the Export to Flash Animation (SWF) option is selected from the file menu. This saves the file to that format and creates an HTML page with the flash file. You can use this page as your link or copy and paste the flash code information into another page. The flash file has to be uploaded to your web site in order for the file to work. This format loads very quickly and runs extremely well. I made two demos for another review, one of which was a huge file when I looked at its size (over 11 megs) and the flash format reduced it to under 2 megs. When I viewed it online, it ran right away. I was impressed again with this application when I saw how quickly it ran on the web site. Click here to see the flash demo.

When you view you demo, if you find that a slide moves too quickly to another one and you feel it needs more time to allow viewers to read at a comfortable pace, the time settings can be adjusted. There’s an option to increase or decrease the time it is displayed on the player controls bar. This option adjusts in increments of half second intervals. Under the Project drop down menu you also have options that can affect the time display, the character reading speed, and the mouse cursor speed.

TurboDemo is easy to work with and has a fast learning curve. You can experiment with the various features that work with the interactive demo and you will find that they greatly increase the functionality of the application. As previously mentioned, this is not supported in the flash format in this version but will work in the new version that is out by now. In a very short time you can be on your way to creating great online demos to help with all of your learning or demonstrating needs.

One other feature I didn’t mention earlier is the ability to print the demo. On the “File” menu is the print preview option selecting this brings up the printer selections window. Here you can choose if you want all of the details in the slides printed or uncheck items you prefer not to have printed. (Such as attractors, balloons, notes, etc.) This is available under an “Options” button. You also have the choice of printing a single slide, which would be one being viewed, or all of them. The slide will print exactly as you see it on the screen. After making your choices, click the printer icon and the slide or slides will be sent to the printer.

This product is excellent for just about anyone who wants to demonstrate how to use an application, a web site feature, show a product, or who wants to create any type of tutorial to help others learn how to use software or any other type of product. It is a must have tool for businesses. Educational institutions will find it an invaluable aid in helping students learn, and organizations will find it handy for their demonstration purposes. For example if you were teaching a group of children how to use the computer, a visual demonstration will show them exactly how to do it and offer them the opportunity to view it as often as needed. The demos can be saved and used as executable files on computers, or in the flash or HTML formats, and saved on CD’s too. This method makes learning and understanding so much easier than trying to read directions which can very often be confusing. These demos are time saving because you can have them already prepared and save many steps in the teaching/demonstrating process and reuse them whenever needed. For me, they are excellent for explaining the applications I use when I want to help someone else learn how to use them and for demonstrating the features of the products I am reviewing. TurboDemo is one of those products that once you use it you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it! For pricing and more information, please visit the TurboDemo web site at www.turbodemo.com.

Format Advantages & Disadvantages:

“To send a movie or demo to someone, it is dependent on, how the end user will view the demo. This means the end user may have:

·          A different operating system on their machine than what you have (MS-Windows, Mac, Linux …)

·          Another Internet browser than yours ( either no Internet browser, Netscape Navigator , MS -Internet Explorer …)

·          A long demonstration time (1 Minute Demo, 1 Hour Demo or longer)

advantages (+) and disadvantages (-) of these formats

Flash-Demo (Macro Media Flash *.SWF)

-  Flash demos are limited with 16000 Macromedia Flash frames, which conform 10-13 minutes maximum.

-  Internet browser is required.

-  Demo file size could be larger than Java-Demo file size.

+  The average of 1 Minute demo is 100 – 350 KB.

+  Flash-Plug-In is small and quick to download from the Internet.

+  Flash-Plug-In is going to be a standard plug-in.

+  Platforms (MS Windows 95 and later, Macintosh, Unix, Pocket PC, Linux).

Java/HTML-Demo

-  Java-Plug-In is large to download from the Internet.

-  Internet browser is required.

+  The average of 1 Minute demo is 100 – 200 KB.

+  No duration limit with Java demos.

+  Java-Plug-In is going to be a standard plug-in.

+  Demo file size is smaller than Flash-Demo file size.

+  Platforms (MS Windows 95 and later, Macintosh, Unix, Pocket PC, Linux).

Exe-Demo

-  Exe-Files are undesired from Mail-Server.

-  Exe-Demos enlarged the demos with 300 KB.

-  Flash demos as Exe-files are limited with 16000 Macromedia Flash frames, which conform 10-13 minutes maximum.

+  Internet browser is not required.

+  No duration limit with Java demos.

+  Java-Plug-In is going to be a standard plug-in.

+  Platforms (MS Windows 95 and later).

Standalone-Demo

-  Demo file size is large and is around 5 MB.

-  Flash demos as EXE are limited with 16000 Macromedia Flash frames, which conform 10-13 minutes maximum.

+  Applicative to send via CD to end-users.

+  Internet browser is not required.

+  No duration limit with Java demos.

+  Platforms (MS Windows 95 and later).

AVI-Demo

-  Demo file size is large.

-  The average of 1 minute demos is 100-300 MB uncompressed (compressed 3-5 MB).

-  Player-Plug-In is required.

+  Applicative to send via CD to end-users.

+  Internet browser is not required.

+  No duration limit with AVI demos.

+  Platforms (MS Windows 95 and later)”