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Bluetooth remote freezing with PowerPoint on MacBook Pro while idling

I am experiencing problems with bluetooth remote controls (3 different brands) freezing up when used with MS PowerPoint on a MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard (all updated). It is intermittent in nature and appears to be related to idling when giving presentations. It can freeze as quickly as within one minute to not freezing until 30-40 minutes later. This may not be a remote control issue as the arrow keys on the keyboard will not advance or backup the PowerPoint slides as well. However, when using my iMac computer without the remote, I have not observed the freezing (although, I may not have waited long enough since the nature is intermittent and variable in time).

When frozen, the mouse centered on the slide with a touchpad click awakes the computer to work properly (quick, but not ideal solution). However, when two screens are utilized (LCD projector or another monitor) via VGA connecion in "Presenter View," the touchpad click does NOT awake the computer, regardless of where the arrow is placed on screen. During this situation, the "presented slide" can be advanced by clicking the forward and backward arrows below this "subwindow" of "Presenter View," and even clicking on the image itself will advance it forward (but not backward). When this happens, the keyboard arrows do not work in advancing or backing up the slide sequence.

When in this frozen mode with a LCD or 2nd monitor, the only way I have found to get it working again, is to "Exit Show" and pulling down the "Slide Show" tab and selecting "Play from Current Slide." This takes me back to the slide where the computer froze and allows the bluetooth remote to start working again (obviously not an optimal solution, as the software should not disengage). Again, it appears if I keep changing to another slide within a few seconds to a few minutes, the PowerPoint does not freeze up. However, it is intermittent and variable as to the length of time before it freezes up.

NOTE: I have run these same PowerPoints, with the same remote controls, without any problem for hundreds of hours over the past 3 years. I have updated MS Office 2011, from 2008, last fall and have also run these same items without problems for about 40 hours. I have run Mac "Disk Utility" and just installed a MS Office "Update" released yesterday, which has not corrected the issue as well. Is this issue a MicroSoft problem?

Bless whoever who has an answer to this complex situation. Thank you!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 13, 2013 11:05 AM

81 replies

wheezemd

Level 1

12 points

Apr 19, 2013 6:37 PM in response to guitarzanmartin

I'm having the same problem. Wish Microsoft would fix the problem. Unfortunately most of my PowerPoint decks don't transfer well into Keynote. I guess I have to remove Office and reinstall without updates. Doesn't make sense but I'm tired of being embarrassed when doing a presentation.

Apr 20, 2013 4:25 PM in response to guitarzanmartin

I switched to Mac from PC's about six months ago. Everything was working fine until late February when powerpoint started exibiting the same symptoms everyone else is talking about. Bought a new remote, thinking the remote was faulty. Very distressing as I make my living doing presentations and now I'm going back to my PC until either Apple or Microsoft fix the problem. Has anyone heard of any progress on the fix?

DarwinNT

Level 1

0 points

Apr 21, 2013 6:13 PM in response to guitarzanmartin

As some posts to this problem suggested I have uninstalled office with all the latest updates from my macbook pro and reinstalled Office 2011 from disk and turned off auto update. That has fixed the problem for me. I do a lot of powerpoint presentations and could not afford not to have it working. I will not be updating my Office 2011 until I can see that the problem has been resolved by apple or microsoft. This problem has been a major annoyance, but at least with the original Office 2011 reinstalled the problem is gone.

DarwinNT

Level 1

0 points

Apr 21, 2013 6:15 PM in response to wheezemd

Do it - remove Office and reinstall without updates it will remove the problem even if apple or micorsoft won't.

Apr 25, 2013 10:11 AM in response to guitarzanmartin

Hi all, been following all the various threads looking for a solution to the problem. All was runnuing perfectly until updating to OS 10.8.3 and Office 14.3.2. Many of the threads suggessted uninstalling and reinstalling Office 2011. Just got finished doing that. The Office 2011 download is now 14.2. Installed it and am having the same issues (bottom third "tearing" on slide transitions). Where to go next????

Apr 27, 2013 1:15 PM in response to DarwinNT

I have been suffering with the same issue. When you are runnig a powerpoint presentation using a bluetooth device and the presentation freezes and you have to do a song and dance to restart the show (as you bash Microsoft) it does not add to the continuity of the lecture.

I have followed the lead and uninstalled office 2011 and have reinstalled office with good results.

The question is are we permanently not going to download any updates?

How does this play out?

Short term fixes are good but there may be important updates that we will in fact need.

kesslink

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 2:31 PM in response to redroczmac

The "tearing" issue was resolved in one of the recent Office or OSX updates, I just can't remember where it was fixed. I think it had to do with the graphics contoller in your computer. If you do a search on that issue you'll find a thread about it with all the information.

This is a different issue about the keyboard and/or remotes freezing up when using PP in presentation modes. And that issue seems to be still unresolved if you've updated past Office version 4.2.3.

kesslink

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 2:36 PM in response to howard2349

I don't like not being able to install updates to the software either. But I'm not sure how many of us professional presenters it takes to get Microsoft's attention. I've been running with version 4.2.3 for a few months now without any issue, so at least there's a workaround for now. But if there's not a real resolution soon, I may take the drastic and time-consuming step of doing a clean re-install of Mountain Lion, as it seems others have had success with that.

But It would be great if MS or Apple came out with a solution first.

Apr 28, 2013 11:31 AM in response to kesslink

Pretty astonishing, but regrettably not the first time this kind problem has occured. Apple is not motivated to do anything as this is "not their product". Mr. Softy is all too happy to let people be unhappy with the Mac interface.

In short we are doomed.

wheezemd

Level 1

12 points

May 8, 2013 11:14 AM in response to guitarzanmartin

Yesterday Office update 14.3.4 released. The notes stated it fixed the freezing. Can anyone verify it? Thanks.

May 8, 2013 11:27 AM in response to wheezemd

This would be good news. I have not heard about the update or its content

May 13, 2013 4:46 PM in response to guitarzanmartin

14.3.4 appears to have fixed this problem. I'm testing now, after 25 minutes, ppt is still responding to keyboard commands to advance slides. YIPPIE!

kesslink

Level 1

4 points

May 13, 2013 7:00 PM in response to Russell Talbot

Thank you for posting, Russell. That gives me some more confidence to go ahead and try the updates again. It will be a relief to have the issue resolved AND be up to date.

Myskyvan

Level 1

0 points

May 21, 2013 2:56 AM in response to kesslink

i have updated to 14.3.4 - unfortunately still experiencing the same problem in my Macbook Air 11"

May 21, 2013 3:50 AM in response to Myskyvan

I have updated to 14.3.4 on an iMac running OS X 10.8.3 and I ran through two presentations (one of 32 mins and the other of 42 mins) in Presenter View mode without any problems.

Has anyone else tried with 14.3.4?

Bluetooth remote freezing with PowerPoint on MacBook Pro while idling