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Create a speaker timer for presentations

Written by

Bernardo Palos

in

Creating a speaker timer for presentations involves designing a simple tool that helps speakers manage their allotted time effectively. Here’s a detailed guide to building a practical speaker timer with features useful for presentations:

Key Features of a Speaker Timer

  1. Customizable Time Slots
    Allows the user to set the total presentation time and define warning intervals (e.g., green at start, yellow at halfway, red near the end).

  2. Visual Indicators
    Uses color-coded signals or progress bars to indicate how much time is left.

  3. Audio Alerts
    Optional sounds to notify the speaker when they reach important time milestones.

  4. Pause and Reset Options
    Ability to pause the timer if there’s an interruption and reset it for the next speaker.

  5. Easy Interface
    Simple to use with minimal distractions, visible from a distance.

How to Build a Basic Speaker Timer Using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Here’s a straightforward implementation that can run in any modern browser:

html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title>Speaker Timer</title>
<style>
  body {
    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
    text-align: center;
    background: #f0f0f0;
    margin-top: 50px;
  }
  #timer {
    font-size: 6rem;
    margin: 20px 0;
  }
  .status {
    height: 30px;
    width: 300px;
    margin: 0 auto;
    border-radius: 15px;
    background-color: green;
    transition: background-color 0.5s ease;
  }
  button {
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    padding: 10px 25px;
    margin: 10px 5px;
    cursor: pointer;
    border: none;
    border-radius: 5px;
  }
  #start {
    background-color: #28a745;
    color: white;
  }
  #pause {
    background-color: #ffc107;
    color: black;
  }
  #reset {
    background-color: #dc3545;
    color: white;
  }
  input[type="number"] {
    width: 80px;
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    padding: 5px;
    margin: 10px 5px;
    border-radius: 5px;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    text-align: center;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<h2>Presentation Speaker Timer</h2>

<label for="minutes">Set Time (minutes): </label>
<input type="number" id="minutes" min="1" max="120" value="10" />

<div id="timer">10:00</div>
<div class="status" id="statusBar"></div>

<button id="start">Start</button>
<button id="pause" disabled>Pause</button>
<button id="reset" disabled>Reset</button>

<script>
  let totalSeconds = 600;
  let remainingSeconds = totalSeconds;
  let timerInterval = null;
  let isRunning = false;

  const timerDisplay = document.getElementById('timer');
  const statusBar = document.getElementById('statusBar');
  const startBtn = document.getElementById('start');
  const pauseBtn = document.getElementById('pause');
  const resetBtn = document.getElementById('reset');
  const minutesInput = document.getElementById('minutes');

  function updateDisplay(seconds) {
    let mins = Math.floor(seconds / 60);
    let secs = seconds % 60;
    timerDisplay.textContent = `${String(mins).padStart(2, '0')}:${String(secs).padStart(2, '0')}`;
  }

  function updateStatusBar(secondsLeft, total) {
    let percent = (secondsLeft / total) * 100;
    statusBar.style.width = `${percent * 3}px`; // max width 300px
    if (percent > 50) {
      statusBar.style.backgroundColor = 'green';
    } else if (percent > 20) {
      statusBar.style.backgroundColor = 'yellow';
    } else {
      statusBar.style.backgroundColor = 'red';
    }
  }

  function tick() {
    if (remainingSeconds > 0) {
      remainingSeconds--;
      updateDisplay(remainingSeconds);
      updateStatusBar(remainingSeconds, totalSeconds);

      // Play audio alert at 1 minute remaining
      if (remainingSeconds === 60) {
        playBeep();
      }

      if (remainingSeconds === 0) {
        clearInterval(timerInterval);
        isRunning = false;
        pauseBtn.disabled = true;
        startBtn.disabled = false;
        alert("Time's up!");
      }
    }
  }

  function playBeep() {
    const beep = new Audio('data:audio/wav;base64,UklGRiQAAABXQVZFZm10IBAAAAABAAEAQB8AAIA+AAACABAAZGF0YQAAAAA=');
    beep.play();
  }

  startBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    if (!isRunning) {
      totalSeconds = parseInt(minutesInput.value, 10) * 60;
      remainingSeconds = totalSeconds;
      updateDisplay(remainingSeconds);
      updateStatusBar(remainingSeconds, totalSeconds);

      timerInterval = setInterval(tick, 1000);
      isRunning = true;
      startBtn.disabled = true;
      pauseBtn.disabled = false;
      resetBtn.disabled = false;
      minutesInput.disabled = true;
    }
  });

  pauseBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    if (isRunning) {
      clearInterval(timerInterval);
      isRunning = false;
      pauseBtn.textContent = 'Resume';
    } else {
      timerInterval = setInterval(tick, 1000);
      isRunning = true;
      pauseBtn.textContent = 'Pause';
    }
  });

  resetBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    clearInterval(timerInterval);
    isRunning = false;
    totalSeconds = parseInt(minutesInput.value, 10) * 60;
    remainingSeconds = totalSeconds;
    updateDisplay(remainingSeconds);
    updateStatusBar(remainingSeconds, totalSeconds);
    startBtn.disabled = false;
    pauseBtn.disabled = true;
    pauseBtn.textContent = 'Pause';
    resetBtn.disabled = true;
    minutesInput.disabled = false;
  });

  // Initialize display
  updateDisplay(totalSeconds);
  updateStatusBar(totalSeconds, totalSeconds);
</script>

</body>
</html>

Explanation

  • Input Field: The user sets the total presentation time in minutes.

  • Timer Display: Shows remaining time in mm:ss format.

  • Status Bar: A horizontal bar changes color from green to yellow to red as time runs out.

  • Start/Pause/Reset Buttons: Control timer operation.

  • Audio Alert: A simple beep plays at 1 minute remaining.

  • Responsive Design: Large fonts and clear colors make it easy to see from a distance.

Enhancements You Could Add

  • Multiple warning alerts at customizable intervals.

  • Different sound alerts for warnings and end time.

  • Support for preset time slots for conferences.

  • Fullscreen mode to make the timer more visible on large screens.

  • Mobile-friendly layout for use on phones or tablets.

This speaker timer can be easily deployed as a standalone webpage or integrated into a larger presentation tool to keep presentations on track efficiently.

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