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Jobs' Keynote Setup

S

skymaXimus

macrumors regular
Original poster
Does anyone know what kind of system Jobs uses for his keynotes? We all know he uses the software Keynote, but what about that little remote in his hand, and when he switches to "demo" a computer is he actually switching the sources or is that someone behind the scenes?
Thanks for any info.
 
I think most of the time when he "switches" that he may just be showing QuickTime movies, which you can embed in Keynote (I think).
 
I am of the humble opinion that the remote in his hand actually is a signal box to people behind the scenes...it seems too "big" to be a simple backward-forwards remote to a Keynote presentation...and seems to have other features to it that tell minions behind the curtains to do certain things at certain times.

There's probably a "You're Fired" button on the thing as well.😛
 
I kind of agree. It seems like Steve is never actually pointing that cliciker anywhere in particular, rather he just cups it in his hand and clicks anywhere he darn well pleases. If it is a remote, I want it, becuase the range and omnidirectional capabilities it seems to have are great! 😉

Regards,
Gus
 
i think it's a really nice radio frequency remote. they are extremely expensive to get, but a lot of really big companies use them for huge presentations like steve's keynotes.
 
Originally posted by mnkeybsness
i think it's a really nice radio frequency remote. they are extremely expensive to get, but a lot of really big companies use them for huge presentations like steve's keynotes.
Click to expand...
I agree, and it makes much more sense than signaling to someone in the back to do it for him 🙄
 
Originally posted by medea
I agree, and it makes much more sense than signaling to someone in the back to do it for him 🙄
Click to expand...

Radio frequency remotes exist, but I've never seen anything quite like what is in Steve's hand. That's why I suspect there's more to it than that.

Check out this puppy...it's a beaut, and RF to boot, plus laser pointer...and reasonably priced:

http://www.interlinkelec.com/products/retail/rppresenter.htm
 

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yeah - i did a KNote presentation the other day and used my T68i to control it.

Sure, i modded that scripts a little dor my needs but I am sure that steve has a team to do that.

Also, with the switching to a demo computer: he always says "no lets show you" or something similar. So some guy in a sound box knows to flip a switch on his fancy control board.

It could be a mess of KVMs (also for the other computers they have on stage left) b ut i think it would be a control box. Also, it looks as if there may be three or four projectors:
  • One for the computer doing keynote
  • One for steves demo machine (BTW - it was a DP G5)
  • One for the D3LL (no swearing in here from memory)
  • One for the other DP G5 they used for the demo against the D3LL.

See, not hard and it is only $5000 a projector and they can write it off as a business expense.
 
it could be an RF remote hooked upt to the computer giving the presentation...that would explain the range and the ability to point it anywhere...it could very well also be someone behind the scenes who just watches as he points it and advances the slide but i think its probably an expesnive rf remote
 
Originally posted by benixau
yeah - i did a KNote presentation the other day and used my T68i to control it.

Sure, i modded that scripts a little dor my needs but I am sure that steve has a team to do that.

Also, with the switching to a demo computer: he always says "no lets show you" or something similar. So some guy in a sound box knows to flip a switch on his fancy control board.

It could be a mess of KVMs (also for the other computers they have on stage left) b ut i think it would be a control box. Also, it looks as if there may be three or four projectors:
  • One for the computer doing keynote
  • One for steves demo machine (BTW - it was a DP G5)
  • One for the D3LL (no swearing in here from memory)
  • One for the other DP G5 they used for the demo against the D3LL.

See, not hard and it is only $5000 a projector and they can write it off as a business expense.
Click to expand...

How do you know he used a DP G5?
 
The "clicker" looks to be an AMX RF transmitter, and the other end can have any kind of equipment you can imagine

I bet it is keying a DVD to play frames

it could be a PC but it would have to be RS232 controled

I bet there is behind the scenes a person switching sources on Jobs cue, but the presentation is all Jobs
 
Originally posted by benixau
[*]One for steves demo machine (BTW - it was a DP G5)
Click to expand...

For many of the WWDC presentations, I seem to recall Steve mentioning the computer he was using as being a Dual 1GHz G4. I could be wrong, but I thought he presented many of Panther's new features by mentioning its improved speed on a Dual 1GHz and making it clear he was demonstrating it on the same machine.

But I could have very well have misunderstood what he was saying.
 
Originally posted by benixau

It could be a mess of KVMs (also for the other computers they have on stage left) b ut i think it would be a control box. Also, it looks as if there may be three or four projectors:
  • One for the computer doing keynote
  • One for steves demo machine (BTW - it was a DP G5)
  • One for the D3LL (no swearing in here from memory)
  • One for the other DP G5 they used for the demo against the D3LL.

See, not hard and it is only $5000 a projector and they can write it off as a business expense.
Click to expand...

No my friend, you don't use a 5000 dollar projector when you are doing a presentation in a space of that size with a screen of that size. Those 5000 dollar units are little toys compared to real CRT or advanced LCD projectores. At roughly 30-50 thousand dollars each, these are the types of projectors being used for major presentations. This is because they are brighter and allow for much larger screens. My school gave me a (yes, gave) Barco 1208/2 CRT projector. It beats any LCD unit for 5 grand hands down as it has a max resolution of 2500x2000 and 25 foot diagonal screen size. This puppy also weighs about 200 pounds. When doing presentations of that scale, these large babies are brought in.

BEN

PS - My projector orginally had it's home in a 150-200 person lecture hall, using a 20 foot screen. Now it's my personal home theater. 😀
 
There are control booths behind the audience which regulate the audio and direct the proper video stream to the projector from whichever demo machine is being used.

The hand-held remote does control the slide presentation.

(I was there, and attended several other sessions in the same room where the keynote was held.)
 
Originally posted by saabmp3
No my friend, you don't use a 5000 dollar projector when you are doing a presentation in a space of that size with a screen of that size. Those 5000 dollar units are little toys compared to real CRT or advanced LCD projectores. At roughly 30-50 thousand dollars each, these are the types of projectors being used for major presentations. This is because they are brighter and allow for much larger screens. My school gave me a (yes, gave) Barco 1208/2 CRT projector. It beats any LCD unit for 5 grand hands down as it has a max resolution of 2500x2000 and 25 foot diagonal screen size. This puppy also weighs about 200 pounds. When doing presentations of that scale, these large babies are brought in.

BEN

PS - My projector orginally had it's home in a 150-200 person lecture hall, using a 20 foot screen. Now it's my personal home theater. 😀
Click to expand...

Thankyou for clarifying that. Seeing as i only have dealt with a school on the subject of projectors they liked the $5K projector that would allow them to do the auditorium they have (It is 35-40m for the projection). It was a mitsubishi that they got. It had about 5000 lumins in it and so was bright enough with enough of a zoom to do the whole throw.

Anyways: i dont ever look above that when i go on a regular home theatre looking spree.
 
I was at the Apple Final Cut Pro 4 launch here in Sydney last night.

The whole thing was run as I had imagined it would be, in typical "Apple Style" - and that's just going from seeing Steve's keynote presentations on streaming videos.

The guy presenting at one stage was having trouble with his remote control. It looked identical to the one Steve holds in his hand at keynotes, and the presentation was *definately* done in Keynote.

The presenter (can't remember his name sorry) said "I'll have to tell Steve to do something about USB remotes" at which the audience laughed. My guess is they're RF of some sort, with a USB reciever. He didn't mention bluetooth, sooo maybe it's something else, like the Logitech cordless devices perhaps?

There was someone switching sources on cue - occasionally the presenter made comments such as 'this has audio can you turn it up a bit' and so on.

Derek.
 
I wonder, why do they use RF? BT has a better range and more badnwidth.
Other than that BT is more integrated with Mac OS X.
I think it may have been that it was a pre-BT Power Mac, like mine, so it needs a BT dongle.
Remember, in australia, we dont need the best technology at good prices. <- read: we can not be bothered to treat you (or the rest of the world) like we treat the US.
 
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