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Krout's Corner

SET YOUR PRESENTATION SLIDES TO FILL THE ZOOM VIDEO FRAME 7/26/25 PDF
Zoom transmits a Full High Definition (FHD) screen resolution of 1920 by 1080, and the aspect ratio is 16:9. Using that aspect ratio for your slide deck provides maximum readability for any Zoom audience. This article explains how to configure PowerPoint and LibreOffice Presenter, to set your slide page size to maximize readability for your Zoom audience. It also explains how to set Zoom to eliminate black bars and video thumbnails that reduce readability of your slides.

Cool Charging for a Smart Watch 7/25/25 PDF
This article explores the cause and a fix for smart watch battery overheating during inductive charging. John's smart watch reported it had stopped charging because the battery in it had overheated. That occurred on days in June 2025 when the outside temperature reached the upper 90s or 10o+ degrees F. He found a simple low-tech way to avoid overheating the smart watch battery during charging.

Why the US Imports and Exports Crude Oil 7/20/25 PDF
Learn how supply, demand, and oil refinery tech interact so that the US exports 13 million barrels of crude oil per day and also imports 4 million barrels of crude oil per day. The imports come from outside the US and are now subject to tariffs.

Testing IR Remote Controls 7/20/25 PDF
Your infrared (IR) remote control for a TV, disc player, Roku, or even a VCR can fail in various ways. The batteries can die, but those can be replaced. A button might wear out. Learn a simple way using a digital camera to see the infrared light produced by tapping each remote control button.

Smart Plug Power Draw While Off 7/20/25 PDF
After a question from an audience member during my presentation on smart plugs, I found a good accurate way to determine the power drawn by a smart plug while it is switched off. Learn the results.

Tiny and Mighty Computers, Ver2 7/26/25 PDF
Learn about these tiny computers that take up almost no desk space. Some can even be mounted on the back of a computer screen. John uses one example.

[Rainbow Rule]