authorSTREAM is a powerful online presentation sharing engine that allows you to upload your Power Point presentations online for free. It allows you to share your presentations with friends, students or co-workers anywhere around the world. authorSTREAM serves as an online community that gives you access to numerous presentations on varied subjects. You can find many interesting presentations on subjects that interest you. You can rate the presentations, post your comments, and even embed them in your blog. All these presentations are uploaded by community members.

Who can benefit from authorSTREAM?

authorSTREAM is for everyone to use. It allows people to share, connect and exchange valuable information. With authorSTREAM:

Educators can deliver knowledge by sharing presentations with the students.
Entertainers can reach out to a wider audience by floating presentations on the web.
Family members and friends can stay connected by sharing picture slideshows and greetings.
Co-workers and classmates can exchange content, such as project presentations, homework assignments etc.

What kind of presentation files does authorSTREAM support?

We currently support PowerPoint files (PPT, PPS, PPTX and PPSX formats). So, if your file is in formats like Open Document Format, convert it into any of the above formats before uploading.

How do I send my feedback on authorSTREAM?

Feedback, ideas, suggestions are most welcome. You can email us at [email protected]. Our support executive will get back to you within one business day.

I cannot see any slide show in authorSTREAM player. What should I do?

As the authorSTREAM presentation output is in flash format, you will need Flash 9 or the latest version of flash on your computer, in order to view an uploaded presentation. You can download latest flash player here

Registration

How do I register with authorSTREAM?

On the home page of authorSTREAM, there is a Join Now box. There is a Signup link on top right of every page.

Click on the ‘Join Now’button
Enter your name, and a valid email address
When asked, enter a unique name for authorSTREAM. The username will be used as your authorSTREAM user ID. You cannot edit the username later, so be careful in choosing the name.
Choose a secure password for your account and click join now.

You’ll be greeted with welcome screen and a welcome email, that’ll be sent at the email address you provided.

I registered with authorSTREAM but didn’t get welcome mail. What should I do?

We send the welcome email instantly; in case you haven’t received it, please check the spam folders of your email. If it’s still not there, email us at [email protected]. We will get back to you shortly.

Sign In:

How do I sign in?

On the top right corner of authorSTREAM homepage, you will see ‘Sign in’ box.

Click on ‘Sign In’
Enter your email address (the one you used to register on authorSTREAM) or authorSTERAM username and password
Click on ‘Submit’ and you are signed in

However, if you haven't registered, you can login to use authorSTREAM with your Gmail email address. Click on the Google icon (G) in ‘Sign in using’ section, authenticate at Google and you will be redirected back to authorSTREAM as a logged in user.

Is it safe to access authorSTREAM using Google sign-in credentials?

Yes, it’s absolutely safe sign-in. Users need not worry about security when accessing authorSTREAM using their Google sign-in credentials. We don’t have access to users’ Google password. We only store their respective email addresses for the purpose of identification.

I already have a authorSTREAM account with my existing Google email address. How will the Google sign in work in such scenario?

If you sign in using your authorSTREAM login credentials, you will get directly logged in. However, if you use your Google (gmail) email address, you will be directed to Google for authentication before getting logged in.

I have forgotten my password. Can I retrieve it?

Yes.

Go to the Sign In page
Click on ‘Forgot Password’
Enter your email address (the one with which you have signed up with authorSTREAM) or authorSTREAM username

We will instantly send you a new password at your email address.

I cannot login. What is wrong?

You must use the correct password and email ID/username when logging in. If you think you have forgotten your password, you can retrieve it by clicking ‘Forgot Password’ on the sign in page.

While trying to log in I’m encountering a server error. Is there a way out?

Refresh the browser and try to log in again. Make sure that it’s not a scheduled downtime, visit us at twitter or checkout our blog for latest announcements. If that is not the case and error still persists, email us at [email protected].

I’m facing“username and password don’t match” error, What is the problem?

You must use the correct password and email ID/username when logging in. If you think you have forgotten your password, you can choose a new one by clicking “Forgot Password’ on the Sign in page.

Are my username and password case sensitive?

Your password is case sensitive, but not your username.

Can I avoid entering password every time I visit my authorSTREAM account?

When you sign in to your authorSTREAM account ,check “Remember me on this computer” box. But remember not to check this box when using a public computer.

How come my username and password are automatically present on the login page?

Your browser settings store your username and password, so you automatically sign into your authorSTREAM account. If you don’t want your browser to remember your username and password, follow these simple steps:

Click on the ‘Tools’ menu on the top of your browser
select ‘Internet Options’
Open the ‘Content’ tab at the top of the dialogue box.
Click the ‘AutoComplete...’ button
uncheck the ‘User names and passwords on forms’ and ‘Prompt me to save passwords’ boxes.
Click ‘OK’.

Please note that above steps may differ for different browsers.

What will happen if I check the ‘Remember me on this computer’ box on the sign in page?

You will automatically get signed into your authorSTREAM account without entering your username and password again and again. However, you must remember not to check this box when using a public computer.

How do I sign out of my authorSTREAM account?

You can sign out simply by clicking on ‘Sign out’ button on the top of any page. Always remember to sign out, when you use a public computer.

Is there any way to know the password of my alternate email ID?

Password for alternate email ID is the same as that of primary email ID (The email ID you registered with on authorSTREAM). Alternate email ID facilitates you to receive authorSTREAM notification and messages on a different email address other than you registered with. You can also use alternate email ID along with password to login to authorSTREAM.

Account Info:

How can I view my uploaded presentations?

You can view your presentations, by either clicking on ‘My Presentations’ in ‘My Stuff’ menu or just clicking ‘My Stuff’ menu. By default presentations are sorted according to the time of upload, the latest being on the top.

Can I view a user’s profile?

Every presentation has the uploader’s name labeled as ‘Uploaded by’, you can view his/her profile snapshot by clicking on drop down at the end of name. To view complete profile and all his/her activities click on uploader’s name.

How can I view all the presentations uploaded by a particular user?

The uploader’s name appears on the side of each presentation you view. By clicking on the name, you can view all other presentations uploaded by that particular user. You can also view presentations uploaded by that particular user by clicking on ‘More by this user’ tab available beside related presentations.

How can I change my password?

Go to ‘Update Profile’ page from My Stuff menu
Click on ‘Change Password’
Enter your old password
Enter the intended new password and confirm it by re-entering it in the next field
Click on ‘Submit’

And your password will be changed. You can also access ‘change password’ from profile drop down on the header.

How do I delete a presentation uploaded by me?

Go to ‘My Stuff’ menu
Click on ‘My Presentations’
Now go to the presentation you want to delete and click on the ‘Delete’ button next to the presentation you want to remove

And your presentation will be deleted.

How can I import my contacts?

You can import contacts (address books) from Yahoo!Mail, GMail, AOL, and MSN into your authorSTREAM account either while sharing a presentation or by clicking ‘Import Contacts’ from right hand menu ‘Dashboard’ or ‘Import Contacts Now’ link on ‘My contacts’ page
Use the following steps to import contacts while uploading private presentation:

Click on ‘Import Contacts’
Select the email provider from which you intend to import contacts
Enter the relevant username and password
Click on ‘Import Contacts’ button
Remember your privacy is our top concern. We will not store your username and password; and recognizing that your contacts are your private information, we will securely import any information you upload for your own use
When the address book from the selected email provider opens up, select the contacts that you want to import by clicking on the relevant check box
Click on ‘Add Contacts’
All the selected contacts will be added to your Contacts’ list

To protect the privacy of our users and their contacts, we do not store user’s username and password. Since, we know that your contacts are your private information, we securely import the information you upload for your own use.

Is it useful to add an alternate email ID?

Adding an alternate email allows you to log into your account with an alternate email ID (using a common password though); and also enables you to view the private content shared with you on any of the alternate email IDs.

How do I add an alternate email ID?

Click to ‘Update Profile’ on My Stuff page or My Stuff menu.
Go to ‘Alternate Email ID’.
Enter your alternate email
Click on‘Save’.

I have an alternate email ID, but where do I enter a password?

When you add an alternate email ID to your authorSTREAM account, it uses the same password you provided for your primary email ID (the email ID you used to register on authorSTREAM). You don’t need to enter a password for your alternate email ID because the password for your primary email account is common for all your email IDs with authorSTREAM. So when you sign in with alternate email ID, just enter the password for your primary email ID, you will be logged in.

Preparing your presentation to be uploaded

What quality of images/photographs can I use in my presentation? Can I use high resolution images?

We do not recommend any specific resolution or quality for the images. If you use very high resolution images, you will get great quality output images, but will take longer to upload on authorSTREAM. Also, the time needed to download the converted files from authorSTREAM server will increase and the transition from one slide to another slide in the player will go slower. On the other hand, if you use low quality input images, you will get hazy or distorted output images.

How do I add audio to my presentation?

The Record Narration option available in PowerPoint allows you to capture live audio. However, you will need a sound card, a microphone, and speaker to add audio to your presentation. You can also add transition sound or audio file from your system using ‘insert sound from file’ feature of PowerPoint. For linked audio we recommend using authorSTREAM desktop - a free PowerPoint add-in.

Uploading your presentation file to authorSTREAM

Is there a checklist I can go through before uploading my first presentation?

There are some Do’s and Don’ts for the best user experience.

Maximum size of your file should be less than 1 GB.
Use PowerPoint’s ‘Add Narrations’ feature or ‘Sounds on animations’ to add audio. Remember authorSTREAM also supports ‘transition sound’ or a ‘Pre-recorded audio file’ embedded in your PowerPoint. For linked audio files you can use authorSTREAM desktop- a free PowerPoint plug-in.
Use authorPOINT to add a pre recorded file to the presentation.

Things you must avoid:

Don't add a password to your PowerPoint.
Don't enable the ‘Submit for Review’ or ‘Reply with changes’ option in your PowerPoint.
Do not make use of rare and exotic fonts or ‘Read Only’ Embedded Fonts in your PowerPoint.

Do I need to sign up on authorSTREAM before uploading a PowerPoint presentation?

No, you don’t have to sign up to upload a PowerPoint presentation. You can do it as a guest. However, signing in will allow you to do many things which are not possible otherwise. By signing in, you can

Share presentations with friends and family
Post comments and likes and dislikes about the presentation
Get your presentation widget
Present Live
Send presentation videos to YouTube

How do I upload a PowerPoint file onto authorSTREAM?

How can I upload a PowerPoint file on authorSTREAM?

You can upload PowerPoint files as a guest user (without sign-in) or as a registered user. Click on Upload PowerPoint and select the type of upload: upload from desktop (you can upload 10 files at a time from your computer), upload from web (just enter the web link of PowerPoint file) or single file upload. Uploading a PowerPoint presentation is a three step process.

Step 1: Browse and select the presentation you want to upload. You must ensure:

The file size of your presentation is less than 1 GB.
Your presentation is neither ‘Password protected’ nor marked ‘Read Only’.
Your presentation does not have content in Read Only Font. If you make use of Read Only Embedded Fonts in your presentation.
The ‘Submit for Review’ or ‘Reply with changes’ options are not enabled.

Step 2:

Enter the title and an explicit description of the presentation.
Select the language used in your presentation.
Enter the tags or the keywords used in your presentation. If you are entering more than one tag, you must separate them with a comma or space.
You can mark your presentation as private by clicking the check box in the display field. This ensures that your presentation will be seen only by people whom you have chosen to do so.
Select the license type you want to apply to your PowerPoint presentation. Either you can apply ‘All rights reserved’ or ‘creative commons licensing’.

Step 3: Select the category of your presentation. Remember the category you choose should match with the description of your presentation. Properly categorized presentations have greater chance of staying on top of search results. -You will receive a confirmation email as soon as your presentation gets converted in authorSTREAM format.

How can I upload presentations to authorSTREAM on a Mac? Is the procedure any different?

If you are a Mac user, save your presentation in the default ppt format and upload.

What is the maximum size of the presentation file that can be uploaded?

Currently, you can upload files of upto 1 GB on authorSTREAM.

How can I make my presentation description interesting?

Since the description informs the users about your presentation, it must be accurate and interesting. You can use the following tips to create the description of your presentation:

Use simple, clear language to describe your presentation
Write complete sentences
Categorize your description correctly - The category in which you place your presentation is part of its description too
Use accurate information
Avoid inappropriate content e.g. copyrighted material

What are tags? How do I add them?

Like any other online search engines, authorSTREAM uses keywords for the search process. Tags are keywords or labels that you add to your presentation to make it easier for the users to find later. For instance, a presentation on ‘Tutoring Tips for Online Tutors’ can have tags like “Tutoring Tips”, “Online Tutoring Tips”, and “Online Tutors”. Later when looking for presentation on tutoring tips, a user can just search on these terms to find presentation on “Tutoring tips for online tutors.” Tags can easily be added when uploading the presentation. When you select the presentation you want to upload, it will ask you to add tags. You can add tags by separating them with a space or comma.

Why is my file upload taking so long?

The time your file takes to upload depends on the size of your file and the speed of your Internet connection. If you have a high-speed Internet connection and smaller presentation size, you can expect the upload to take somewhere between 1-5 minutes for every 1MB. However, if you have a slow internet connection and your file size is large, the upload can take upto several hours.

For how long can I access my uploaded presentations on authorSTREAM?

Once uploaded, the presentations always stay on authorSTREAM. However, presentations violating the Terms and Conditions of authorSTREAM can be removed any time.

My presentation is taking too long to upload. Please help.

The time taken to upload a PowerPoint file largely depends on size of your PowerPoint file, your internet connection speed and load on our servers. If you feel that it's taking more than normal, you should cancel the current upload and try uploading again. We would also recommend that you use authorSTREAM desktop - a free PowerPoint add-in for bulky presentations.

Private Presentations

How can I share my private presentation?

There are two ways to share a private presentation.

How do I share my private presentation?

There are two ways you can share a private presentation.

While uploading the presentation, click on ‘Select Contacts’. A window displaying your contacts’ list will pop up and will enable you to select the contacts you intend to share your presentation with. While selecting the contacts, you have two options available:

You can import contacts from your address books at Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, AOL, and MSN, by clicking on ‘Import Contacts’. Then follow these steps:
- Select the email provider from which you intend to import contacts
- Enter the respective username and password
- Click on the ‘Import Contacts’

The contacts that you import here will be available to you while sharing the subsequent presentations also.

You can add more contacts by clicking on the ‘Add Contacts’ link.
- Just type the contacts' email addresses
- Separate the email addresses by a comma or a semi colon
- Click on ‘Ok’

The contacts you have entered will be available to you while sharing the subsequent presentations also.

After selecting the contacts, click on ‘Ok’. An invitation to view the presentation is sent to all the selected contacts. Then, click on the link ‘Share’. You can spot this link on the right-side section in Presentation View window. The ‘Share’ window by default will display the list of your contacts in case you have shared presentations in past.
Select/enter the email addresses of the people whom you want to share your presentation with.

Please remember, in order to view your private presentation, the invitee needs to be a member of authorSTREAM. They have to log in first to view your presentation.

*If you don’t want your invitees to login to authorSTREAM to view a presentation or want to password protect your private presentations, upgrade to premium membership.

How can I make my private presentation public?

Go to ‘My Presentations’ page
Under each private presentation, you will see a link ‘Make Public’
Click on ‘Make Public’

And your private presentation will get converted into public.

My friend shared a private presentation with me. How can I view it?

You can view the presentation by signing up on authorSTREAM. Once you are signed up, view the presentation by clicking on the link your friend sent you. You need not to sign in to authorSTREAM if it’s a password protected private presentation. You just need to enter pass code set by the uploader.

Can I share a private presentation that I am invited to view?

No, you cannot share a private presentation that you are invited to view. Please remember authorSTREAM allows only the owner to share his/her private presentation.

I made my presentation private. But am not sure who can view it.

When you make a presentation private, it can be viewed only by you and the people you give access to.

Can private presentations be embedded or shared?

Yes, private presentations can be embedded on your website. Simply copy the embedded code of the presentation from the ‘Presentation Detail’ page and paste it on your website.

Post Uploading

I have uploaded a new presentation. How can I let my friends know about it?

We will let you send a word to your friends about your newly uploaded presentations using ‘Share Presentation’ feature.

How can I share my newly uploaded presentation with my friends?

Click on the link ‘Share’
Enter your name and the email address of the people you want to share your presentation with
Click ‘Send’

And your friends will get an email with the link to your presentation.

I want to embed a slideshow into my blog or website. How can I do it?

Embedding a slideshow into your blog is quite easy. First go to the individual presentation page. On the right of the slideshow, you will see a text box marked ‘Embed’. It displays the embed source code which looks something like this:
<object data = 'http ://authorstream.com/Content/player.swf?p=Brian-Clauses.xml'type='application/x-shockwave-flash'width='460' height='390'><param name='movie' value='http://authorstream.com/Content/player.swf?p=Brian-Clauses.xml' /></object>.
If you take that code and paste it into your blog post or web site, you will get a little embedded slideshow there. Remember, the code will be different for each presentation you upload on authorSTREAM.

I see some differences in the uploaded presentation and my original presentation. Why is it so?

Sometimes while uploading, the file does not get converted properly due to the following reasons:

Use of rare and exotic fonts in your presentation
Use of text with special characters
Improper conversion of the bullets
Use of picture bullets or the bullets having an ascii value above 255
Use of underlined text (underlined text appears without underline as underline is not supported)
Problem with the background color

I see a major difference between the fonts in the uploaded slideshow and fonts in the original presentation. Also, the fonts seem to overflow their original position. Why is it so?

This happens when you use rare and exotic forms in your presentation or the fonts in your presentation are not converted properly. We are currently, working on supporting as many fonts as possible. However, if you still face this problem, we suggest you to use system (common) fonts.

I cannot find the slide transitions and/or animations in the uploaded version of my presentation. Can you tell my why?

Currently, we are not able to support all kinds of animations and transitions. For further details, click here.

The photographic images that I have used in the presentation seem hazy in the converted slideshow on authorSTREAM. Can you do something about it?

This usually happens when the input quality of the image you are using is low. You can try uploading the presentation again with a high resolution or better quality images. Also the graphics inserted in your presentation should be of smaller dimensions and sizes than the slide size. The image quality is significantly distorted when you resize or stretch the graphics.

I had embedded a video in my presentation while uploading it. But I don’t see it anywhere.

Videos are always linked in a PowerPoint file. We suggest you to use authorSTREAM desktop- a free PowerPoint plug-in which will ship video files along with PowerPoint file to authorSTREAM resulting in video in authorSTREAM output. Read more at authorSTREAM blog.

Can I directly edit the content of an already uploaded presentation?

If you want to update few slides or text of your PowerPoint file, go to ‘My Stuff’ page and click on ‘Replace PowerPoint’ provided besides the presentation you want to update. Upload the new presentation and your presentation will be updated under the same URL. Read more on authorSTREAM blog.

The presentation, I was viewing in full mode, closed down suddenly. Why?

This might be due to two reasons:

You accidentally pressed ALT + TAB or ESC key on your keyboard or
You received a message that forced your operating system to bring its message/pop up upon any opened window at that time.

It happens when there is some problem either with the browser or the Flash player running in Full mode in a particular browser. To avoid it and view the presentation in Full mode, you should either try re-installing flash player or try another browser.

How can I convert my presentation to video or Ipod?

Presentations set to play automatically (either rehearsed or narrated) can be converted in video. However, if your presentation is set to play on click, it will not get converted in video. As video plays within a certain timeframe, you need to create a presentation which advances at its own - You can use add rehearse timing or narration feature of PowerPoint. After you have uploaded your presentation on authorSTREAM, convert it into video just by clicking on 'Convert to video' on ‘Your Presentation’ page or from Actions on dashboard. You can convert your presentation in MP4, WMV, AVI or FLV formats. You can convert only one PowerPoint presentation of duration up to 5 minutes to MP4 video format for free [For more we have a paid service: See below] and share the resulting MP4 video file on YouTube, iPods, iPhones and other hand-held devices. The presentations will remain the same, as the one you created - with animation, slide timings and even audio narration.

There is no sound in output. Where am I going wrong? Please tell.

Audio problems can arise if your PowerPoint files contain linked audio file path. Linked audio doesn't work in PowerPoint. authorSTREAM currently supports embedded audio, audio added in PowerPoint through record narration feature of PowerPoint, and transition sound played across the slides. For linked audio (Only MP3 and WAV formats supported) and embedded (linked) video (Compatible with Office 2007 only) you have to use authorSTREAM Desktop- a free PowerPoint plug-in. authorSTREAM desktop handles linked media pretty well. Click here to see the difference between embedded and linked audio. authorSTERAM desktop also lets you search images (from Bing) and videos (from YouTube) and insert them in PowerPoint slides.

Unable to download video on MAC system. Video download as txt file.

The problem is with M4V format files when downloaded using safari on MAC. Workaround for now is to save video file using save option on right click and remove .txt extension. If you download MP4(Audio based presentations are converted in MP4 format) then those will play fine. You can also download using Firefox or other browser.

Edit Presentation's Details

I want to update my PowerPoint presentation. What should I do?

If you want to update your PowerPoint file, go to ‘My Stuff’ page and click on ‘Replace PowerPoint’ provided besides the presentation you want to update. Upload the new presentation and your presentation will be updated under the same URL.

Read more on authorSTREAM blog.

How can I change the title of my uploaded presentation?

Click on ‘My Stuff’
Go to the presentation whose title you want to change
Click on ‘Edit Presentation Info’- ‘Edit Your Presentation Info’ window will open
Edit the title of the uploaded presentation
Click on ‘Update’ button

And your title is changed.

You can also edit the presentation related information by opening presentation page in logged in state. In the logged in state, uploader sees all the fields in editable mode.

How can I change the description of my uploaded presentation?

Click on ‘My Stuff’
Go to the presentation you want to edit
As soon as you click on the ‘Edit Presentation Info’ - ‘Edit Your Presentation Info’ window will open
Edit the description of the uploaded presentation
Click on ‘Update’ button

This will save the new description in your presentation.

You can also edit the presentation related information by opening presentation page in logged in state. In the logged in state, uploader sees all the fields in editable mode.

I want to change the category of my uploaded presentation. What should I do?

You just have to follow 5 simple steps to change the category of your uploaded presentation:

Click on the link ‘Your Uploaded Presentations’.
Go to the presentation whose category you want to edit.
Click on the ‘Edit Presentation Info’. A window ‘Edit Your Presentation Info’ opens up.
You can now select a different category for your uploaded presentation.
In order to save the changed category, click on ‘Update’.

You can also edit the presentation related information by opening presentation page in logged in state. In the logged in state, uploader sees all the fields in editable mode.

Browsing made easy

Do I need permission to embed the slides of my presentation on different blogs?

No, you don’t need permission to embed public presentations on your blog.

Can I download a presentation that I saw on authorSTREAM?

Yes, you can but only with the uploader’s permission. The user accessible presentations mostly have download icon right next to them.

If you want to ascertain whether the user has given the permission to download his/her presentation, you can check the download icon on the presentation page. If download icon is grayed out then you won’t be able to download the file. However, you can contact the uploader by posting public/private comments for the same.

I have created a customized image that I want to use as the thumbnail for my presentation instead of its first slide? Is this possible?

Currently, we do not support this feature. But will be available in future.

Does the content from authorSTREAM show up on search engines?

Yes, the content from authorSTREAM - based on tags, title, and description added while uploading, is indexed by search engines and show up in search results. However, the private presentations are not indexed and do not appear on search engines.

Can I get the URL for a particular slide of a slideshow?

You can comment on almost anything of the content.

Can I get the url for a particular slide of a slideshow?

The current version does not support this feature. We are working to bring it in our future releases.

What are Presentation transcripts?

The text version of your presentation is known as Transcripts. They are visible at the bottom of the presentation page and helps search engines index your presentation

I see a Post to button besides the presentation player. What is it?

It’s a social bookmarking button that lets you share your presentation on various social networks or bookmark the presentation URL on different bookmarking websites.

Can I find presentations of a particular category?

There are two easy ways to do it, you can either

Select the respective category from the Categories column available on category page, or
Click on the ‘Category’ displayed adjacent to the thumbnail of the presentation uploaded under that category.

In either case, you will be directed to the page displaying presentations on respective categories.

How can I go to the Categories Page?

Select the ‘Category’ option from the browse menu or click the footer link marked ‘Category’ under browse column.

This will open the Categories page. The page opens up with the ‘Entertainment’ category by default. You can select a category of your interest by clicking on the categories’ link on the left side of the Categories’ window.

How can I view presentations with Adult/Mature Content?

We strongly discourage Adult/Mature content. Any presentation found to be violating authorSTREAM terms and conditions can be removed without any prior notice. Some content, however, will be flagged as ‘18+’ if authorSTREAM deems it is within community guidelines, but contains mature content which can be viewed only by confirming that viewer is ‘18+’.

If you come across any presentation which you think is violating authorSTREAM's terms and conditions, flag the presentation as inappropriate (Mark inappropriate). We will review it and take appropriate action.

I came across some inappropriate content on authorSTREAM. What should I do?

You can report by marking the presentation ‘inappropriate’. On the slide view page, you can

Click on the link ‘Mark as Inappropriate’.
Specify your reason for marking the presentation as inappropriate. You can select a reason from the drop down present in the ‘Mark as’ field.
Click on ‘Submit’.

We review every submission in this category within 24-48 business hours. You can also leave a comment in the Comments field.

Rating and Commenting:

Can you explain what is ‘Like it’ and ‘Dislike it’?

‘Like it’ and ‘Dislike it’ are rating criteria. If as a user you like a particular presentation, you click on ‘Like it’ or else ‘Dislike it’. Remember you can rate a presentation only once.

Can I like or dislike a presentation more than once?

No, you can like or dislike a presentation only once. Once you have marked your choice for a presentation, you can only view it and not edit it.

How can I post my comment on a presentation?

Log on to authorSTREAM and view the slideshow on authorSTREAM slideshow player.
Next, you will see the ‘Comments’ field just below the player.
Click on the link, ‘Post Comment’ and the comments text box will open up.
Enter your comments in the text box and click on ‘Post Comment’. Your comment will be posted.

Is there a limit on the number of comments I can post?

No, there is no limit to the number of comments you can post. You can post as many comments as you want on a presentation.

RSS Feeds:

What are RSS Feeds and how do I use them?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an XML based format that is used for content distribution and syndication. When you subscribe to RSS feeds, you automatically receive custom and up-to-date information from your favorite online content sources automatically without checking for updates.

For instance if you subscribe to ‘Most Viewed presentations’ on authorSTREAM, you can automatically view them in your RSS Reader. RSS Reader displays RSS feeds from the websites you specify. You can either download a dedicated reader or you can use a web based reader.

How can I subscribe to RSS feeds on authorSTREAM?

Subscribe to ‘Featured’, ‘Featured Audio’, ‘Featured Animated’, ‘Latest Uploads’, ‘Most Liked’, and ‘Most Viewed’ slideshows using the RSS icon at the bottom of each page.
Subscribe to the RSS feed for a particular user's slideshows using the RSS icon marked ‘Subscribe to Author’ on the slide view page.
Subscribe to the RSS feed for the slideshows uploaded under a particular category using the RSS icon marked ‘Subscribe to Category’ on the slide view page.
Subscribe to the RSS feed for your favorite tags or users by simply entering the tag as specified below:
- To subscribe to a tag, say WiZiQ you can add the tag WiZiQ to the URL http://www.authorstream.com/RSS/tag/WiZiQ.
- To subscribe to a combination of tags you can add ‘WiZiQ + education’ to the URL http://www.authorstream.com/RSS/tag/WiZiQ+education.

Troubleshooting

I'm unable to hear the audio I had added to my PowerPoint. Why is it so?

We support audio in the presentations only when:

It is an embedded audio (.wav) file in slides
It is a transition sound (.wav)
It is an audio added using PowerPoint's “Add Narrations” feature

authorSTREAM indirectly supports ‘Linked Audio’ or ‘videos’ in PowerPoint with the help of a free desktop tool called authorSTREAM desktop. authorSTREAM desktop also lets you insert YouTube videos and images from Bing. You can find more information on how to install and use authorSTREAM desktop here.

If you want to create multimedia enriched presentations synced with pre-recorded audio or video file you need to use authorPOINT. Create your presentation with live audio or video from various devices such as a webcam, DV or mini DV camera, or any other USB or fire wire based device. You can use pre-recorded audio/video files (AVI, WMV, WAV and WMA) and sync them with PowerPoint. Convert your presentation in flash, preview, or add author information and upload on authorSTREAM with the upload feature.Read more…

My PowerPoint failed to convert. What is wrong?

It simply means your file could not be converted to authorSTREAM format. There can be many reasons behind it. It can be a temporary/random glitch with our servers; just retry after 5 minutes and see if it works. Or your file can be password protected, encrypted or contains macros or ‘Submit for Review’ or ‘Reply with changes’ enabled; remove the blocker and try again. If none of the above, then check out authorSTREAM forum for possible solutions.

How can I replace my existing PowerPoint file with a new one?

Go to ‘My Presentations’
Click on ‘Replace PowerPoint’
Upload the updated presentation

Your presentation will be replaced.

If I replace an already existing presentation with a new one, will it work fine?

When you replace a presentation with a new one, it does not change the way it shows on authorSTREAM or in embeds. Even the comments, views, tags, favorites, likes, and presentation URL, remain the same. However, you will have to recreate the video of your presentation or send it to YouTube again once it gets uploaded.

If for some reason, your PowerPoint upload or conversion fails, do not worry. Your existing presentation will continue to work fine on authorSTREAM or in embeds.

How can I edit the authorSTREAM specific details of the uploaded presentation, like category, title, description, etc.?

Click on ‘My Presentations’
Select the presentation details you want to edit
Click on ‘Edit Presentation info’
Edit - category, title, description, etc., you want to change

Your details will be edited and saved.

How can I upload bulky presentations?

To upload bulky presentations, you can use our free PowerPoint plug-in- authorSTREAM desktop.

authorSTREAM supports audio added using PowerPoint's ‘Add Narrations’ feature, transition sound and embedded audio. authorSTREAM indirectly supports ‘Linked Audio’ or ‘videos’ in PowerPoint with the help of a free desktop tool called authorSTREAM desktop. authorSTREAM desktop also lets you insert YouTube videos and images from Bing. You can find more information on how to install and use authorSTREAM desktop here.

I inserted a hyper link in my presentation, but it is not working. What should I do?

Remember, hyper links inserted only on the images or text will work in the final output. Hyperlinks inserted on few shapes may fail to work in the authorSTREAM output.

Why did I get an invalid file format error?

It’s because the file type you are trying to upload isn't supported by authorSTREAM.

Why was my presentation removed?

We only remove presentations on the grounds of Terms of Use or copyright violation. We suggest you to review our Terms and Conditions before uploading your presentation.

Why can't I see my uploaded presentation?

Possibly it’s password protected or has ‘Submit for Review’ or ‘Reply with changes’ option enabled. Disable these options and try viewing it again.

YouTube Information

Even after clicking the ‘View on YouTube’ link, I'm unable to see my video on YouTube. Why is that so?

When you use ‘Send to YouTube’ feature on authorSTREAM, we transfer your presentation video to YouTube servers. However, the processing time on YouTube varies depending on the format of your original video, file size, and upload traffic. The uploading can take somewhere between a few minutes to a few hours. You can see the status of your video file at:
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos.

How much time does a video take to get transferred on YouTube?

It mostly takes not more than a few minutes. If you are not able to see the ‘View on YouTube’ link on ‘My Presentations’ page even after an hour, please contact us at
[email protected].
You can also check out our Forum for possible answer to your question http://www.authorstream.com/ Forum

I have opted for a complete transfer of my video on YouTube. I want to know what broadcast option (Public/Private) is set by default for my video on YouTube.

Videos are uploaded in your YouTube account as ‘public’. However, you can change broadcast option from http://www.youtube.com/my_videos after logging into your YouTube account.

In which category will my videos sent to YouTube be placed?

As few categories used by authorSTREAM are unavailable on YouTube so we map categories as below:

authorSTREAM Category	YouTube Category
Education	Education
Entertainment	Entertainment
Product Training/ Manuals	Howto
News & Reports	News
Celebrities	People
Science & Technology	Science & Technology
Sports	Sports
Travel/ Places/ Nature	Travel
Spiritual/ Inspirational	Education
Others/ Misc	Entertainment
Business & Finance	Entertainment
Occasions/ Family	Travel

You can, however, change the category and other information related to your videos on http://www.youtube.com/my_videos page.

Are there any do's & don'ts for video upload? I'm seeing ‘Send to YouTube’ failed message.

While uploading videos on YouTube, you have to ensure that the video is under the 100MB file size limit. Simply because: the longer the video, the more will be the compression required to fit it into that size. This is why most videos on YouTube are of less than five minutes duration and there is a 10-minute length limit for all videos. Visit http://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/ for details. You can also download video from authorSTREAM and try uploading it on YouTube from YouTube's upload page.

It's been long and the transfer to video progress bar is still showing on the screen. How much time will it take the ‘View on YouTube’ link to appear?

Normally, video transfer takes just a few minutes. All you have to do is refresh the page to see ‘View on YouTube’ link. If you are not able to see the ‘View on YouTube’ link on ‘Your Uploaded Presentations’ page even after an hour contact us at [email protected].

WordPress Embed Code

Why WordPress embed doesn't work on www.WordPress.com?

Our embeds don't work on wordpress.com blogs (example.wordpress.com. However, they work well with WordPress hosted blogs (Powered by www.WordPress.org). So, if you want to use WordPress embed in your hosted blogs, you will need to install authorSTREAM WordPressplugin (http://www.authorstream.com/plugins/wordpress/authorstream.zip) in your plug-in directory. You can also use normal embed code in WordPress hosted blogs.

Present Live

What is Present Live?

Present Live enables a presenter to deliver any type of PowerPoint presentation live over the Internet. This tool is available to all registered members, to share and discuss PowerPoint presentations with live audience over the Internet.

To use Present Live, upload your PowerPoint presentation and share the ‘Present Live’ URL with your contacts. Your contacts can now watch and discuss the same presentation. They can click through the slides, chat with the group in a common chat text area and can even have audio conference. You can display an audio conference number to all participants for real time voice communication (not a feature of authorSTREAM). Animations in Present Live work the same way as in PowerPoint file.

Can I invite people to join the discussion on my presentation? If yes how?

Yes, you can - copy the ‘Present Live’ URL from the ‘My Stuff’ page and send it to your friends and contacts.

Is there a limit on the number of people I can invite to discuss my presentation using Present Live?

There is no specific limit on the number of people. The number is dependent on the hardware we deploy for our servers. We’ve hosted discussion forums of around 1,000 participants in the past. Depending on our users needs, we are working on accommodating larger groups.

Can I see who all are logged in Present Live?

Currently, this feature is not available in Present Live. We're working to introduce it in our future releases.

Is it possible for me to view the chat history or recording of my Present Live session?

No, this feature is currently not available on authorSTREAM.

Can the same presentation be presented multiple times using the same URL?

Yes, you can use Present Live multiple times for the same presentation, with the same URL.

I refreshed my Present Live session and lost the Chat history. Did I do something wrong?

Chat history is not saved, so if you refresh or have just joined Present Live session, there are chances that you might miss some chat.

Does Present Live support audio conversation?

Present Live does not support audio conversation directly. But, you can always call the participants on a conference bridge, phone, Skype, Google talk or some other voice software.

What is conference number? Can I share the number with people attending Present Live?

Conference number is the number you share with your participants to connect for audio conversation like a phone conference bridge or Skype. You can share this number using conference number field provided in the chat section. Only the presenter has the permission to edit the conference numbers.

What is the best way to use Present Live feature?

For the best user experience, you must ensure the following:

Set the PowerPoint to advance on Click. Rehearsed/narrated presentations do not play automatically in Present Live interface. They may sometimes result in repetition of animations set to play with/after previous.
Check the animations in your presentation before you send an invitation.
Send the URL at least 15 minutes in advance via e-mail to your contacts.
For a better visual experience, ask your contacts to view the presentation in Browser's full screen mode (F11).

I'm not able to connect to Present Live. What should I do?

Make sure that your internet connection is working fine and Port 1935 is open. Click here to test for Port 1935.

How do I make my attendees attend 'Present Live' session without logging in?

If you are a premium user of authorSTREAM (Pro or Business), you can allow your attendees to join 'Present Live' session without joining authorSTREAM:

Go to ‘My Stuff’ page.
Tick attendee login optional checkbox for the presentation you don’t want attendees to login to authorSTREAM.
Copy 'Present Live' link and share it with your attendees.

Guest Uploads

What is a guest account?

It’s an account which allows you to upload PowerPoint presentations without signing up with authorSTREAM. It allows you to access only a limited set of features but you can instantly upload a presentation, get the URL and embed code to share or use in your blog. All guest uploaded presentations show up publicly by default.

I have uploaded my presentations as a guest. Can I claim them?

Yes. Once you register with authorSTREAM from the same computer and the browser that you uploaded the presentations from (as a guest), your account automatically gets accredited. If you have cleared cookies or you register from some other browser/computer then your presentations will not be automatically credited into your account. In such a scenario you can use the guest pass code that was provided to you after each presentation you uploaded. You can enter the guest pass code on ‘Your Uploaded Presentations’ page by using the ‘Claim you guest Presentations' link.

What does ‘Claim your guest Presentations’ mean?

‘Claim your guest presentations’ is used when you upload your presentations as a guest and then want them to be transferred to your permanent account on authorSTREAM. authorSTREAM offers you a unique guest pass code after each upload. You can use it later to claim your presentation.

What is guest pass code?

It is a unique key which is provided to you when you successfully upload your presentation on authorSTREAM as a guest. You can use it later to claim your presentations.

If I use a guest account, what are the services I cannot access?

As a guest uploader, you can instantly upload and get the URL as well as the embed code of your presentations, but you can’t use the following services:

Download other user's presentations
Present Live
Send to YouTube
My Presentations Widget
See/upload private presentations
Import Contacts
E-mail notifications

Also all guest uploads are available for download by default. We suggest you to upload as a registered user to access all the features and protect the privacy of your file.

Follow/Following

What Follow/Following is?

‘Following someone’ means receiving their authorSTREAM updates. This feature enables users to receive updates about their favorite uploaders.

You find someone’s presentations on authorSTREAM awesome, want to get updated as and when he/she uploads a new presentation and want other users to know that you are a fan – you can do it now through authorSTREAM Follow/Following feature.

How can I follow someone on authorSTREAM?

You can search for people and follow them or click on ‘Start Following’ on the profile page of the user you want to follow.

I am following certain people on authorSTREAM. What updates will be visible to me?

You will get updates on recent uploads, comments, presentations getting featured, and so on.

Can I block someone from following me? If yes how?

Yes. Just click on ‘Block’ button on your follower’s page.

Can I remove myself from following a user?

Visit ‘Manage link/See all’ or the ‘People You are Following’ link on ‘Dashboard’ and click on ‘Stop Following.’

What's the difference between following a user publicly vs privately?

When you follow a user privately - your profile image and link to your profile page on authorSTREAM does not appear on the user's profile page and you get updates on ‘Dashboard’.

When you follow a user publicly - your profile image and a link to your profile page appears on the profile page of the user you are following. This way everyone knows who you are following.

All about Channels

What is Channel?

authorSTREAM Channel is your personalized web page to showcase your presentations on the theme of your choice. The Channel allows you to categorize your presentations into different themes. For instance, you may choose to create presentations on gardening and cooking. Users interested in cooking can visit your cooking channel and the ones interested in gardening can view your gardening related presentations.

It’s our way of appreciating the users’ interests and an effort to provide them the right content.

Is there a limit on the number of channels that I can create?

No, there isn’t any limit on the number of channels that one can create. However, to create a branded channel you need to upgrade to business membership

How can I create a Channel?

Just click on ‘My Stuff’, ‘My Channels’, and ‘Create Channel’. Enter your channel information, image and theme, and you are ready to go.

Define Channel tags? How do I add them?

Channel tags are the keywords that are used to describe and search your channel. For example, a channel on ‘Tutoring Tips for Online Tutors’ might be tagged with ‘Tutoring Tips’, ‘Online Tutoring Tips’, and ‘Online Tutors’. Whosoever is looking for these tips can search on any of these terms.

Channel with these keywords will then be displayed in search results. Tags help you label your channels so that other people can find them more easily. You can add many tags separated by comma while creating channel.

Are other users authorized to contribute to my channel?

Yes, with your permission, they can. You will have to allow the subscribers to upload permission from your subscriber’s page.

I want to contribute to a user's channel. How can I take his/her permission?

You can request upload permission (presentation contribution) by clicking on ‘send upload request’ link provided on the Channel page.

What is a subscription?

It’s simply subscribing to a user's channel. When you subscribe, you receive notification on your dashboard whenever there is a new presentation on the user's channel. This way you don’t have to check the channel regularly to get updates.

Can my subscription be blocked by a Channel owner?

Yes, channel owners can block your subscription from the channel subscriber page. Once blocked, you contributions to the channel cease to appear and you no longer get updates on your dashboard about that channel.

If I unsubscribe myself from a channel or my subscription is blocked then what will happen to my contributions to that channel?

The moment you unsubscribe or are blocked from a channel, your presentations will stop showing up.

How can I add a presentation to a channel?

There are three ways to add a presentation to your channel:

Select channel name from the ‘Add to Channel’ drop down while uploading or from ‘My Presentations’ page.
You can add your presentations by clicking 'Add presentation to this channel' link provided on channel page.
You can add any public presentation to your channel by clicking ‘Add to Channel’ button provided on presentation page.

Is it possible to add presentations of other users to my channel?

Yes, you can add any public presentation to your channel. Simply click on ‘Add to channel’ and it will get added.

How can I remove my presentations that I don't want in a channel?

You can remove your presentations from any channel by clicking ‘Remove from Channel Settings’ provided on ‘My Presentations’ page.

How can I promote my channel on other blogs and websites?

You can use Channel embed to promote your Channel. authorSTREAM channels can be embedded on other sites. Each authorSTREAM channel has an embed code listed on the channel page. In order to embed the channel in question onto your website or blog, just copy the embed code from the channel and then paste it on to your site or blog. The embedded channel will then appear for your site visitors to view.

You can share your favorite authorSTREAM channels with web pages or blogs you own. The visitors to your webpage or blog can view the channel you embedded and play that channel's presentations without leaving your website. Also the embedded channel allows the viewers to navigate to the actual authorSTREAM channel or subscribe to the channel directly from your site.

Premium Membership Information

What is the 30-day money back guarantee?

If for any reason, you are not happy with your authorSTREAM account, just email us within 30 days. We will refund your money.

Do I have to sign a long term contract?

No. authorSTREAM is a pay-as-you-go service. There are no long term contracts or commitments on your part. You simply pay month-to-month or year-to-year depending on your plan. If you cancel, your plan will downgrade from next billing cycle, but you won’t be billed again; however, you will be responsible for any charges incurred till the time of cancellation.

What are the different types of authorSTREAM premium plans?

We currently offer two kinds of premium plans Pro and Business. Pro is for any advanced user of authorSTREAM. Business is for user who wants to use authorSTREAM for branding, customization and get an insight into the effectiveness of their content. For more details, see: http://www.authorstream.com/premium/compare/

Can I change my current premium plan anytime?

Yes, you can change your current premium plan any time.

What methods of payments I can use?

Currently we accept payments through PayPal only. But will soon accept credit cards and debit cards for payments. (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover).

Can my premium membership fees be refunded?

A premium plan once purchased cannot be rolled back.

What is a Premium Plan?

Premium plans are for those users who want to get more than the regular features that a free user enjoys. Premium plans offer a myriad of features that make your user experience even more enriching. With Premium plan, you can enjoy more private uploads, get Presentation Analytics, brand your channels and many more.

What is the difference between my current premium plan and free?

As a free member, you are not entitled to all the features. But once you upgrade to a Premium plan, you can enjoy benefits like Presentation Analytics, unlimited private uploads, ad-free browsing, etc. For more details, see: http://www.authorstream.com/premium/compare/

Why should I upgrade to a premium plan?

With Pro and Business membership you get: Unlimited private uploads, advance presentation analytics, branded channels, ad-free browsing and content, conferencing tool, complete branding, secure embeds and unlimited PowerPoint to video. For a complete feature set, see: http://www.authorstream.com/premium/compare/

How do I upgrade to a premium account?

It’s very easy to upgrade your account. First sign into your authorSTREAM account and then click on this link: http://www.authorstream.com/Premium/. Select the membership type you want and click on ‘Upgrade Now’. You will be directed to your PayPal account to make the payment. Once the payment is confirmed, your account will be upgraded.

Can you describe your refund policy?

We don’t provide refunds because authorSTREAM is a pay-as-you-go service. However, if you are not satisfied with the service, you can get it canceled at any time. It will become effective from the next billing cycle. But, you will be responsible for any charges incurred till the time of cancellation.

How do I cancel my current premium plan?

You can cancel by clicking on ‘Downgrade to Free’ link provided on premium dashboard under ‘Manage membership’. Your membership will be cancelled from the next billing cycle, you won’t be charged again; however, you will be responsible for any charges incurred till the time of cancellation.

What will happen to my content if I downgrade my current premium plan to free?

Downgrading restricts you from using certain features that are not part of the plan you opt for. If a Pro user downgrades to free membership, he will not be able to enjoy features that are a part of Pro membership. Also, his private presentations will be blocked/deleted. Similarly, if a Business user downgrades to Pro, he will not be able to enjoy the features that are a part of the business plan. For instance, his branded channels will work but without branding. For more details, see here

I want to know the premium membership conditions. Please help?

You can opt for an unlimited Business membership for which you will have to agree to get the subscription price automatically charged to your PayPal account immediately prior to the start of the next billing period. You can, however, terminate unlimited premium membership as and when you want.

Do you offer any discounts for students or educators?

We do offer special discounts for students and educators from time to time. But currently there are no offers available. You can check here for updates: http://www.authorstream.com/edu/ or contact us at [email protected]

I am a Pro member. How much will I have to pay if I upgrade my membership in the middle of my billing cycle?

If you upgrade your Pro membership to Business, you will have to pay the full amount i.e. $39.95 for the entire month. Because you are upgrading in the middle of a billing cycle, the difference will be credited automatically to your PayPal account within 7-days. For example: If you still have 6 months left of your Pro plan but you decide to upgrade to Business, we will refund 50% of the amount you have already paid which will automatically be credited to your PayPal account within 7-days.

Will I be billed automatically once my monthly membership expires?

Yes, you will be billed automatically every month for your membership unless you cancel it before the beginning of your billing cycle. You can, however, cancel your membership whenever you wish to.

Will I have to pay monthly for Premium membership?

For Business membership, you can either pay monthly or yearly. But for Pro membership we only offer yearly membership.

Can I put my logo on my presentation embeds?

Yes, you can put your own logo on your presentation embeds, if you are a Business member. You also have the privilege to brand your channels to give a personal touch. You can even add a banner or background image to your channels.

What are Presentation Analytics?

Presentation Analytics are a detailed textual or graphical representation of your presentation statistics. Through graphs and statistics you can track where your content is going, who is interested in it, and what is the buzz on Twitter or Facebook about it. You can even download these stats in CSV format.

I am a Pro member. What options do I have to privately share my PowerPoint presentations?

As a Pro member, you can share your private presentations in three ways:

Everyone with the presentation link can view your presentation after signing into authorSTREAM. With this option, you can send a presentation link to the people you want to share your private presentations with.

Only you can view your presentation. You can select this option if you do not wish to share your private presentation with anyone.

Anyone with the pass code can view your presentation. With this option, you can apply a unique pass code to your private presentation. And if you wish to share your presentation with anyone, you can share the pass code with them. They will then be able to view your presentation.

I am a Business member. What options do I have to privately share my PowerPoint presentations?

As a Business member, you can share your private presentations in four ways:

Only you can view your presentation. You can select this option if you do not wish to share your private presentation with anyone.

Only people you select can view your presentation. With this option, you can share your presentation with selected contacts. Non authorSTREAM members can view this presentation by registering on or by simply clicking on the link sent on their email address.

How many presentations can I convert to videos and in which formats?

As a free user, you can convert only one presentation to videos (MP4 format only) and it should be less than 5 minutes of duration and output will have authorSTREAM watermark. Pro members can convert upto 15 presentations to videos of duration less than 100 minutes without any watermark in output. Business members, on the other hand, can convert unlimited number of videos of duration less than 100 minutes without any watermark in output. Videos can be in formats like MP4, AVI, WMV, FLV.

Can I revoke access rights for a private presentation that I shared with selected contacts?

Yes, this is possible. To revoke rights for a private presentation that you have shared with selected contacts, all you need to do is to delete the email address/user name from the ‘Shared with list’. Once you do that, these contacts will not be able to view your private presentation.

Can I restrict embeds of private presentation to few websites or blogs to ensure that people with whom I’ve shared don’t able to misuse even if they manage to get the embed code from HTML source?

Yes, you can block embed for all websites or blogs except few of your own choice.

Profile

How can I make my profile stand out?

You can make an impressive profile by giving as many details as you can. You can add a good picture of yourself, write more details about yourself like hobbies, interests, educational background, etc. Here’s how you can do it:

Click on ‘Update Profile’ from ‘Profile’ drop down menu on the upper right corner of your page

Here you add profile picture, fill in your personal details, and write about yourself

To save changes, click on the button ‘Save Changes’

How can I add a picture to my profile?

To add a picture to your profile, follow these simple steps:

Click on ‘Update Profile’ in the Profile drop down menu on the upper right corner of your page

Here you will see ‘Add/Edit Photo’, click on ‘Choose File’ to upload a photo

Click ‘Save Changes’ and your picture is added to your profile

I cannot upload my profile picture. What’s wrong?

This is possible when the size of your photo exceeds the maximum size allowed i.e. 1 MB. Another reason can be if the photo is of a different format. authorSTREAM supports only BMP, JPG, GIF or PNG formats.

Will my profile be visible to everyone?

Yes, your profile will be visible to everyone on authorSTREAM.

What is a Private Message? How can I send it?

When you visit any user’s profile and want to convey something to him, you can send him a Private message from his profile. Here’s how you can do it:

Go to the user’s profile whom you want to send a Private message

Click on the link Send Private Message

Write your message and click on the ‘Send’ button

Your message is sent.

Where can I see my presentations?

You can see all your presentations by clicking on ‘My Stuff’ on the top navigation bar. You will find all your presentations listed here.

Who can comment on my presentations?

Anyone on authorSTREAM can comment on your public presentations. However, in the case of private presentations, only those people who have the presentation link can comment on your private presentations.

Can everyone view my presentations and channels?

Yes, all your public presentations and channels are visible to anyone on authorSTREAM. If you want your presentations should not be seen by anyone, you can make them private. You can also decide who all can view your private presentations; this feature is only available to Premium members. See here for more details about premium plans: http://www.authorstream.com/premium/compare/

How can I stop following people?

If you want to stop following someone, follow these simple steps:

Click on ‘View Profile’ in the Profile drop down menu (from the upper right corner of your page)

Under ‘Following’ header at the bottom, click on the person’s profile whom you want to Stop Following

Now, click on the ‘Stop Following’ button (under the person’s profile pic)

Why provide an alternate Email ID?

The email address with which you register or sign up on authorSTREAM (called primary email) is used to send important information like email, notifications, information about your plan or account, etc. In case, this email address gets compromised or you forget the primary email address, authorSTREAM can use the alternate email address that you provide. This alternate email ID can be used to sign in, recover password, receive notifications, etc.
It is not mandatory to add an alternate email address when you register on authorSTREAM. You can add it later too.

How can I know who visited my profile recently?

To know who has visited your profile recently, you can look at recent visitors on your profile page. Recent three visitors are listed there. And if you want, you can look at their profile or start following them.

Where can I see recent activities?

You can see recent activities on your profile page. To go there, simply login on authorSTREAM and click ‘View Profile’ in the ‘Profile’ drop down menu. You can now see your presentations, recent activities and recent visitors on this page.

What are the recent activities I can see on my profile page?

Under the following scenarios you will see activities on your profile page:

When you are following someone

Someone is following you

You upload a new presentation

When you comment on someone’s presentation

Someone comments on your presentation

When you create a Channel

When someone subscribes to your Channel.

Can I remove any activity from my profile?

No, this is not possible at present, but we might bring this feature soon.

I don’t see an activity which was there sometime back. What’s wrong?

You can see only the top 20 recent activities on your profile page.

My Stuff

Where can I see my uploaded presentations?

You can see all your presentations by clicking on ‘My Stuff’ on the top navigation bar. All your presentations are listed here in separate blocks. Each presentation block provides options that let you convert PowerPoint presentation into video, start a Present Live session, edit presentation details, etc.

How can I delete a presentation uploaded by me?

You can delete a presentation by following these simple steps:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

Click on the ‘Delete’ button provided on the top right of each presentation

Your presentation is deleted!

I don’t want anyone to download my presentations. How can I disable download of my presentations?

If you do not want that your PowerPoint presentations be downloaded by anyone, you can disable this option from My Presentations page. Here’s how you can do it:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

You will see all your presentations here. Now select the presentation for which you want to disable download option

Click on ‘Edit’ button

On the ‘Edit Presentation Details’ page, uncheck the download option - ‘Anyone can download my presentation’

Click ‘Save Changes’

I uploaded a presentation just now, but I can’t see it on authorSTREAM. What’s wrong?

Once you upload a PowerPoint presentation, it takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute to convert before you can view. It sometimes takes a little longer, if your file is heavy in size.
You can check the status of your uploaded presentation on your presentations page by clicking on ‘My Stuff’ on the top navigation bar. The presentation block auto refreshes every 10 seconds.
We will also send you an email once your presentation is ready for view.

I am not able to find my presentation that I uploaded a few days back. How can I find it?

If you are not able to find your presentation, go to ‘My Presentations’ page by clicking on ‘My Stuff’ on the top navigation bar. Now write the name of your presentation in ‘Search my presentations’ box and click on ‘Go’. The presentation you are looking for will appear on the page.

What all can I do on ‘My Stuff’ page?

You can do a lot of things on ‘My Stuff’ page. You can delete a presentation, make a presentation private or public, all in one-go by checking the box located on the upper left corner of each presentation. After making your selection, click on the appropriate button i.e. Make Private/Make Public/Delete.

What are private presentations? How do they differ from public presentations?

At authorSTREAM, you can publicly share your presentations or keep them private. There are a few differences in public and private presentations:.

Public presentations can be seen by anyone on authorSTREAM whereas private presentations can only be seen by selected people or people you share presentation URL with.

Public presentations are indexed by search engines and show up in search results on authorSTREAM and on search engines. Private presentations do not show up in search results and are not accessible to anyone.

Both public and private presentations can be embedded on blogs or websites. However, unlike public presentations, people who view embedded private presentations cannot re-embed the presentation on another web page, nor can they share the presentation with anyone else.

Can I make a public presentation private? How?

Yes, you can make a public presentation private. To do this, simply follow these steps:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

You can see all your presentations here. Now select the presentation you wish to make private

And then click on the ‘Make Private’ button

You can also make a public presentation private by following these steps:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

Select the presentation you want to make private

Click on ‘Edit’ button

On the ‘Edit Presentation Details’ page, set the Privacy option to ‘Private’

Now, select the radio button ‘Only I can view this presentation’ and click on the ‘Save Changes’ button

Is it possible to share my private presentations with selected people?

Yes, you can share your private presentations with selected people. But you need to be a Business member to avail this option. With Business membership, you can share private presentations with selected people - even if they are not a member on authorSTREAM.
Here’s how:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

Select the presentation you intend to share and click on the ‘Edit’ link

On the ‘Edit Presentation Details’ page, set the Privacy option to ‘Private’

Select the radio button ‘Only people I select can view my presentation’

In the ‘Add people’ section, add the email address or authorSTREAM username of the people you want to give access to the presentation

You can either enter email addresses manually or add people from your contact list

You can also enter their authorSTREAM user names (Make sure to enter a correct username). Username must be from the contact list which gets added automatically when you import email contacts (If user with email address is on authorSTREAM). For now you cannot add usernames manually.

Click ‘Share’ and the people added by you will be sent a share email.

Can I revoke access rights for a private presentation that I shared with selected contacts?

Yes, this is possible. To revoke rights for a private presentation that you have shared with selected contacts, simply delete the email address/user name from the ‘Shared with list’. These contacts will no more be able to view the private presentation.

Is there any a quota restriction for file storage on authorSTREAM? How many presentations can I upload?

You can upload unlimited number of public presentations. In case of private presentations, though there is no limit on the number of private uploads, a free user is however entitled to only 500 MB of private storage. Premium members enjoy unlimited private uploads. For unlimited storage for your presentations, upgrade to Premium membership.

I’m getting a message “Private Upload quota exhausted?” What does this mean?

This means that you have used all the storage space (500 MB) that was allotted for your Private presentations. For unlimited storage for your presentations, upgrade to Premium membership.

Is there a way to apply passcode protection to a private presentation?

You can protect a private presentation by setting a unique passcode. The presentation can then be viewed by only people who have the passcode. Here’s how you can set a passcode for your private presentation:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

Click on the ‘Edit’ link for the selected presentation

On the ‘Edit Presentation Details’ page, set the Privacy option to ‘Private’

Select the Radio button ‘Please enter a passcode’

Enter a passcode and click on the ‘Save Changes’ button

Only the people who have the correct passcode can view your private presentation.

Can private presentations be embedded or shared?

Yes, a private presentation can be embedded on websites and blogs. Simply copy the embed code in the presentation block of the selected presentation and paste it on your website/blog. If you are a Business Premium member, you can allow or deny access to your private presentations. To enjoy this feature, upgrade to Premium membership.

Can I stop embeds of private presentations from working outside authorSTREAM? How?

Yes, you can stop embeds from working on any other website/blog except authorSTREAM. However, this option is only available for Business Premium members. Here’s how you can do it:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

Select the presentation for which you want to stop embeds outside authorSTREAM and click on the ‘Edit’ link

On the ‘Edit Presentation Details’ page, set the privacy option to ‘Private’

Now under the ‘Presentation Embed’ heading, disable the check box ‘Allow embedding outside authorSTREAM’ and click on the ‘Save Changes’ button

Can I allow private embeds on some specific websites?

Yes, you can allow embeds for some selected websites and block them from working on other websites or blogs. Here’s how:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top of your page

Select the presentation for which you want to allow embeds outside authorSTREAM and click ‘Edit’

Set the Privacy option to ‘Private’

Now under the ‘Presentation Embed’ heading, enable the check box ‘Allow embedding outside authorSTREAM’ and select the radio button ‘Allow embedding on websites and blogs I select’

Enter the websites/blogs where you would like embeds for your private presentations to work and click on the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Even if someone gets the embed code from a HTML source of page for a private presentation, this setting will prevent unauthorized use of embeds. However, this option is available only to Business members. To enjoy this feature, upgrade to Premium membership.

How can I import contacts?

You can import contacts from Yahoo mail, Gmail, AOL, and MSN into your authorSTREAM account either while sharing a presentation or by clicking ‘Import Contacts’ on the right menu of the ‘Dashboard’. After clicking on ‘Import Contacts’, simply follow these steps:

Select the email provider you intend to import contacts from

Enter the correct user name and password

Click on the ‘Import Contacts’ button

When the address book of the selected email provider opens up, select the contacts that you want to import by clicking on the check box

Then click on ‘Add Contacts’

And all your selected contacts will be added to your authorSTREAM Contacts list

You can also import contacts by clicking on ‘My Contacts’ page on the home page. And then click on the link ‘Import Contacts Now’.

Referral

What is authorSTREAM Referral program?

authorSTREAM referral program is a unique program where you can earn authorSTREAM credits by referring authorSTREAM to your contacts. One referred contact can get you authorSTREAM credits worth ¢10. And the best part is authorSTREAM credits are credited to your account as soon as you refer authorSTREAM to friends - no matter whether your contacts join authorSTREAM or not.

What can I do with authorSTREAM credits?

You can use authorSTREAM credits in many ways:

Convert your PowerPoint presentations into videos

Redeem authorSTREAM credits to get discounts on Premium membership

More coming soon!

What will I get by referring authorSTREAM to my contacts?

You can get authorSTREAM credits for referring authorSTREAM to your contacts. For each referred contact, you get authorSTREAM credits worth ¢10. Your authorSTREAM account gets credited with authorSTREAM credits as soon as you refer authorSTREAM to your contacts.

What will the referred contacts get if they join authorSTREAM?

Referred contacts also get some incentives on joining authorSTREAM. They get 40 authorSTREAM credits worth $4, when they join authorSTREAM.

What if none of the referred contacts join authorSTREAM?

Even if none of the contacts join authorSTREAM, it won’t have any effect on your incentives. authorSTREAM credits earned through the referral program still show in your account.

I had referred some of my friends to join authorSTREAM earlier. Can I refer them again?

Yes, you can refer authorSTREAM to same contacts after 30 days of last invitation. However, you will be entitled to authorSTREAM credits only once for these contacts. Re-referring same contacts will not get you more authorSTREAM credits.

In spite of referring authorSTREAM to hundreds of contacts, I did not get enough authorSTREAM credits. What’s wrong?

This can happen when you re-refer authorSTREAM to the same contacts, which were invited by you earlier. Please note that authorSTREAM credits are only given for unique invites. Re-referring the same contacts will not get you authorSTREAM credits again.

How much time will it take for authorSTREAM credits to reflect in my authorSTREAM account?

authorSTREAM credits earned through the referral program reflect in your account in not more than 2 hours. In case, you buy authorSTREAM credits, they will reflect instantly in your account.

authorSTREAM Credits

What are authorSTREAM credits and why do we need them?

authorSTREAM Credits are a virtual currency you can use to convert PowerPoint presentation to video or get a discount on premium membership. In future we’ll allow couple of other things that you will be able to do using authorSTREAM credits. You can purchase authorSTREAM Credits from available payment options on buy authorSTREAM Credits page.

Will I gain anything by converting PowerPoint to video using authorSTREAM credits?

Videos converted using authorSTREAM credits are free of authorSTREAM watermark and advertisements.

What is the cost of one authorSTREAM credit?

One authorSTREAM credit costs ¢10 and the minimum purchase quantity is 30 authorSTREAM Credits.

How many authorSTREAM credits are required to convert a presentation into a video?

You need 30 authorSTREAM credits worth $3 in your account to convert one PowerPoint presentation of less than 100 minutes duration into a video format other than MP4.

Get high quality video by converting your presentation to HD video format. You need 50 authorSTREAM credits of worth $5 for HD video format.

Remember, authorSTREAM supports video conversion in MP4, FLV, AVI and WMV formats.

How can I remove watermark and ads from my video?

Simply purchase authorSTREAM credits and click on the ‘Convert to video’ link on ‘My Presentations’ page. There will be no ads and watermark on your video.

I want to convert my PowerPoint files to video. Can you tell me how many video formats are available for this?

The available video formats are AVI, FLV, MP4 and WMV. You can convert your PowerPoint presentation to video only when it is set to play automatically. You need to create a PowerPoint which advances on its own as per the timings set. This can be achieved by using ‘add rehearse timing’ or ‘narration feature’ of PowerPoint.

To convert, click ‘Convert to video’ from ‘My Presentation page’ or from Actions on dashboard. You can convert your presentation to video after it appears on authorSTREAM.

What is Zoom in Create Video Option used for?

Zoom in Create Video Option allows your video to be bigger in size which is needed to enjoy it on a DVD. This feature sets zoom at 2x, which is double the actual size of your PowerPoint slide. For example, if the slide is at 720 by 540, the video created at 2x will be 1440 by 1080 in size. This will increase the download size, but you’ll get better quality of the video for larger screens. We are soon coming up with higher zoom factors for your large LCD monitors.

If I replace my PowerPoint file, what will happen to my video?

Your videos remain intact. ‘Video conversion history’ link on ‘My Stuff’ page contains all your converted videos for view or download. In addition to this, every PowerPoint replacement will also be mentioned as a separate entry in video conversion history.

There is a default option provided on video conversion history. What is it used for?

The default option makes a video available for download (if download is allowed by its owner). It then sends the video to YouTube. You can set any video format as default.

Where can I see transaction history related to authorSTREAM credits?

You can see the transactions history related to authorSTREAM credits under ‘Credit info’ on ‘Manage Account’ page.

For how long authorSTREAM credits remain valid?

authorSTREAM credits will remain valid till the time you are a member of authorSTREAM.

How can I get authorSTREAM credits?

You can either buy authorSTREAM credits or earn them.
You can earn authorSTREAM credits by referring authorSTREAM to your contacts. One referred contact will get you one authorSTREAM credit. Refer now
You can buy authorSTREAM credits here.

Video Conversions

How can I convert my presentation to video?

Presentations set to play automatically (either rehearsed or narrated) can be converted into a video. However, if your presentation is set to play on click, it will not get converted into a video. As video plays within a certain time frame, you need to create a presentation which advances at its own. You can use add rehearse timing or narration feature of PowerPoint. After you have uploaded your presentation on authorSTREAM, convert it into a video. Its simple and easy:

Click ‘My Stuff’ at the top bar on your page

You can see all your presentations on this page

Scroll down to the presentation you want to convert to video

In the presentation block of the selected presentation, click on the ‘Video’ drop down and click on 'Convert to video'

If your presentation is video ready, it will convert to video. You can convert your presentation in MP4, WMV, AVI or FLV formats. A free member can convert only one PowerPoint presentation to video of duration up to 5 minutes. Premium members have more options to convert PowerPoint presentation into video. To enjoy more features, upgrade to Premium membership.

Can I convert a presentation to video for free?

Yes, you can convert only one PowerPoint presentation of duration up to 5 minutes to MP4 video format for free.

How many authorSTREAM credits are required to convert a presentation into a video?

You need 30 authorSTREAM credits worth $3 in your account to convert one PowerPoint presentation of less than 100 minutes duration into a video format other than MP4.

Can I have a video that is free of authorSTREAM watermark and advertisements?

PowerPoint presentations that are converted into video with authorSTREAM credits are free of authorSTREAM watermark and advertisements.

Can I get authorSTREAM credits if I upgrade to premium plan?

If you are a Pro member, you get 450 authorSTREAM credits every year that enables you to convert 15 PowerPoint presentations into videos. At the end of every year, these authorSTREAM credits will roll over into the next year. Business members do not need authorSTREAM credits to convert PowerPoint files to videos. They can convert unlimited number of presentations into videos without authorSTREAM credits.

I want to convert my PowerPoint file to video. What video format does authorSTREAM support?

authorSTREAM converts PowerPoint file to video formats like AVI, FLV, MP4 and WMV.

What is Zoom in Create Video Option used for?

Zoom in Create Video Option allows your video to be bigger in size, which is required to enjoy it on a DVD player. This feature sets zoom at 2x, which is double the actual size of your PowerPoint slide. For example, if the slide is at 720 by 540, the video created at 2x will be 1440 by 1080 in size. This will increase the download size, but you will get better quality of the video for larger screens. We are coming up with a higher zoom option for large LCD monitors.

I had converted my PowerPoint presentation into a video. But there’s no sound in the video. Why?

This is possible when your PowerPoint presentation has linked audio file (it refers to a local path on your computer). All media files greater than 50 MB are linked. Wav files less than 50 MB can be embedded in 2007 and previous versions.
When you share such presentations through email or upload them on authorSTREAM, the audio file never gets shipped with the presentation. As a result, when you convert your PowerPoint presentation to video, there is no sound in the video output.
To resolve this problem, authorSTREAM has come up with a unique tool – authorSTREAM desktop. It’s a free plug-in for PowerPoint presentations. authorSTREAM desktop supports embedded audio files, audio added in PowerPoint through record narration feature of PowerPoint, and transition sound played across the slides. It supports MP3 and WAV formats, so you can use this software for linked audio files. However, authorSTREAM desktop does not support WMA audio format and special characters in the audio file name.
We also recommend that you upload your PowerPoint presentations using in built upload functionality of aS desktop so that your audio files get shipped with your presentation. Please make sure that you verify audio in your presentation when it gets published on authorSTREAM before proceeding for video conversion.

If I replace my PowerPoint file, what will happen to my video?

If you replace your PowerPoint file, your video will still remain intact. ‘Video conversion history’ link on ‘My Stuff’ page contains all the records for your converted videos. In addition to this, every PowerPoint replacement will also be mentioned as a separate entry in video conversion history.

There is a default option provided on video conversion history. What is it used for?

The default option makes a video available for download (if download is allowed by its owner). This is the default video which gets transferred to YouTube when you click ‘Send to YouTube’ on ‘My Stuff’ or presentation page. You can set any video format as default. By default latest converted format is set as default.

Can I convert my presentation into HD video format? How?

Yes, you can. It's easy to convert your presentation to HD video on authorSTREAM. You need just 50 authorSTREAM credits (worth $5) to convert a presentation to HD video.
Then, follow these easy steps:

Go to MY Stuff, click My Presentations and then look for the presentation which you want to convert to HD video

Select Video dropdown, click Convert to video option

Convert presentation to video window appears onscreen

Select MP4 HD Quality from the dropdown Select video format, then click Next

Google Adsense

Is it mandatory for me to have my own Google AdSense account?

Yes, it will allow you to show advertisement on your presentation pages. We currently offer this feature to authorSTREAM Business users only.

What is Publisher ID? How can I get it?

Publisher ID is your unique AdSense publisher ID number. You can see details at https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en-au&answer=45465

Why I can't see Google AdSense advertisements on my presentation pages?

You cannot view Google Ads on your presentation page if you are logged into your business account. To view the Google ads, simply log in as a free user on authorSTREAM and paste the presentation URL into the Web browser.

How can I check the revenues generated from my AdSense code?

Your Google AdSense account will allow you to view the revenue generated from your AdSense code. For this, you just have to log into your AdSense account.

iPad

Can I view authorSTREAM presentation output on my iPad or iPhone?

Yes, you can view all the latest uploaded presentations on iPad or iPhone. We don’t support animations, timing or sound in iPad output. However, the same presentation when viewed on flash supported browsers will play animations and sound.

Why do my PowerPoint presentation with animation and sound play just like static slides on iPad?

We require flash to play animation effects. As the browsers on iPad or iPhone don’t support flash so for non flash browsers only static output is displayed.

Is iPad output different from standard authorSTREAM output?

Yes, animations and sound don’t work in iPad output. All the presentations with or without timings, play on click in iPad output.

Will my previously uploaded presentation be viewable on iPad?

No, presentations uploaded before this release will not play on iPad or non flash browsers. We do have a plan to make old featured and most viewed presentations iPad or iPhone compatible but not all.

authorSTREAM Desktop

How can authorSTREAM Desktop help me create impactful presentations?

authorSTREAM Desktop lets you insert images and videos from the web - without leaving PowerPoint. You can search images from Bing, Flickr and videos from YouTube and Vimeo from within the PowerPoint. Hence, you can insert attractive and appropriate pictures as well as videos to make your presentation more impactful with just a few clicks.

Which image and video websites can I search from within the PowerPoint using authorSTREAM Desktop?

You can search images from Bing, Flickr and videos from YouTube and Vimeo from within the PowerPoint. In case you know the permalink (direct URL) of any image or YouTube/Vimeo video, you can insert directly using Insert any URL/Embed functionality of authorSTREAM Desktop.

Can I insert images and videos from any website using Insert any URL/Embed functionality if I know the permalink (direct URL) of the image or video?

You can insert images from any website if you know the image path or image URL. For videos, authorSTREAM Desktop can only recognize and insert YouTube and Vimeo videos.

Can I use the presentations created using authorSTREAM Desktop for commercial purpose?

We suggest you to verify licensing of the images and video before using them in your PowerPoint for commercial purpose. authorSTREAM Desktop only helps you to find content and easily use the same. Though authorSTREAM Desktop helps you to insert the attribution, yet that doesn’t provide you the copyright on the content.

Can I share a presentation on other slide sharing sites rather than posting only on authorSTREAM account?

Yes, you can share the PowerPoint on other slide sharing sites. However, we cannot ensure that other sites will support as many features as authorSTREAM does.

How accurate are the search results in authorSTREAM Desktop?

The authorSTREAM Desktop uses Bing, Flickr, Vimeo and YouTube data APIs, so the search results are as accurate as the results of all these search engines.

Can I search images or videos filtered by various parameters like image size, color, aspect ratio, most liked, newest, licensing etc.?

Yes, you can do an advance search and filter your results by various parameters such as image size, color, aspect ratio, most liked, newest, licensing, etc.

Does authorSTREAM Desktop support sharing of PowerPoint presentations on social networking sites?

authorSTREAM Desktop currently supports sharing of presentations only on Twitter. However, presentations once uploaded on authorSTREAM website can be shared on any social networking website.

Can I handpick a few images and videos to create a repository from where I can insert them while creating the presentation, instead of repeating the search process again?

Yes, the images and videos can be saved in the ‘collection tab’ for the single session of the PowerPoint presentation. Your collection stays intact until you close PowerPoint. You can anytime insert videos and images on different slides from the ‘collection tab’. This tab is the part of Advance search interface of authorSTREAM Desktop.