Biplane Products
Airtime Products
General Support
What's the difference between Biplane and Barnstorm
Tips for setting up the Matrox TripleHead 2 Go
Known issues
Biplane 1.3 file open error
Affected program: Biplane 1.3
Problem: When double-clicking the name of a presentation in the File Open dialog the following error may appear in a message box: "Specified argument was out of range of valid values. Parameter name: -2 is not a valid value for value." That message box is followed by another which reads: "Please load a presentation beofre continuing."
Workaround: Workaround #1: If you do not double-click the file open dialog box the message will not appear. Therefore, single-click the filename in the File Open Dialog, then click "Open". Workaround #2: Click "OK" on both message boxes. You'll file the presentation file is already loaded without error. This problem appears to be related to the position where the file dialog box opens in Biplane 1.3. It does not appear to be a problem in Barnstorm. We are working to correct the issue.
FAQs:
Why not just use Powerpoint?
Powerpoint's a great product for what it does, but Biplane was specifically designed to marry the power of a dual projector presentation with a familar look. We worked hard to make Biplane as easy to use as a slide projector's remote control while taking advantage of the computer strengths.
While you can create a dual projector presentation using Powerpoint, it's not simple. That's Biplane's advantage
How much?
Biplane (or Barnstorm) is $249.00 US. The Biplane CD includes one copy of ShowBuilder to get you started with your presentations.
Individual copies of ShowBuilder are $69.00 US.
A site license for 25 copies of Biplane (and/or Barnstorm, mix and match as you wish) and 100 users of ShowBuilder is $6500 US.
What's the difference between Biplane and Barnstorm?
Enkadia products are tightly integrated with the Matrox line of TripleHead and DualHead graphic adapters and interfaces.
Biplane was created for "semi-permanent" installations where a computer is installed in a lecture hall, conference room or auditorium. Biplane takes advantage of the surround graphics of Matrox Parhelia, Millenium TripleHead series, and TripleHead 2 Go, each providing a 3840 x 1280 display.
The concept behind Barnstorm is to use a laptop with a Matrox DualHead 2 Go interface. Barnstorm was created for portability, for "on-to-go" presentations and for client meetings.
Tips for setting up Matrox TripleHead 2 Go
1. In our installations of the TripleHead 2 Go adapter we've found you may need to connect your monitor to the VGA connector marked center to see an image on a single monitor. We suggest this is because Matrox assumes a three monitor (surround gaming) environment. Therefore, when the adapter is set to 1280 x 1024, the desktop is placed on the center monitor. When set to 3840 x 1024, the desktop is "moved" to the left monitor. Keep this in mind when connecting a display and projectors in rooms using matrix switchers.
2. The TripleHead 2 Go is for three analog displays only. DVI displays are not supported at this time.
3. The text is a bit soft in TripleHead mode at 3840 x 1024 as the maximum refresh rate is 60Hz. When the screen resolution is set to 1280 x 1024, the refresh rate can be set to 75Hz and text will be crisp.
4. Biplane includes a routine to adjust the display from 3840 x 1024 to 1280 x 1024. We will test if it adjusts the refresh rate and well and determine its impact.
My images seem to load slowly, what's going on?
The first thing you might want to check is the size and resolution of the image you've scanned. It's not unusual to scan an image for print then try to use it for video. The number dots-per-inch (DPI) of a video monitor is much lower than a printer. The DPI for a monitor using Windows is 96, while a Macintosh is 72. On the other hand it's not unusual to find printers with 600 or 1200 DPI.
So, when you're scanning your images for Biplane, set the resolution as low as possible. Also try keep the size within the 4:3 aspect ratio of typical monitors and projectors, such as 640 x 480.
One thing you could do to reduce your workload is use the batch function of your photo editing software to automate the conversion process. In this way you could scan the image at a high resolution, convert it to low resolution for use on the web, and a medium resolution for use with Biplane.
Use the Enkadia Convert for Biplane(created in PS 7.0, but will work from 5.0+) in connection with Photoshop's File|Automate to make the conversion process easier.