AV refurbishment Summer 2022. Still awaiting comissioning
The following instructions are automatically generated, based on the list of equipment in the room
As such, we've kept them simple to account for any variations between rooms. For help on specifics, contact AV Support.
If you're in one of the learning spaces, contact AV Support by pressing the AVSupp button on the phone or x4221.
ECD Helpdesk button for ventilation and IT Helpdesk for login queries
Control Panel
Button or touch controls for the audio/visual and projection equipment in the room.
Control systems are designed to be left powered up, please leave them powered up so they can be used to turn the equipment on/off.
Save power
Please switch off projectors when when not in use or the repeater screens might not work. Find out more about Aston University’s energy awareness on the website.
Did you know that the lamps are not only expensive, but contain hazardous Mercury?
Crestron Teams Screen
Tap the circled button to get onto the Crestron touch panel
Crestron touch panel
Tap the touch screen to display/select buttons for the equipment.
To switch off, tap Off or Exit/Shutdown, and then confirm with Shutdown Now.
Newer lecture ‘Digital‘ theatres have audio ‘send’ and multiple projectors and lectern monitor selectable for each input source, and separate mic(red \ ) and speaker(white \ ) mutes.
Some also have sub-menu/s for additional facilities like Camera, Lighting and Blinds controls.
MB704 TSW752 touch panel
MB653 TSW750 panel
TSW panel Shutdown confirm
Computer
Tips
- We recommend that the projector is switched on after you login to the PC.
- Drag/copy presentation documents from your USB stick onto the desktop.
- Any change/s and added files are auto-deleted on Restart.
- Choose VLC Media Player for DVD playback with sound.
Aston Teaching PC
All standard ‘pool room image’ teaching PCs are Windows10 with Office365 Professional Plus including PowerPoint, Excel, Word & Teams.
After login the PC automatically launches AstonApps Cloudpaging portal for all the latest pool room managed software. Panopto recorder, web browsers & important teaching software and links like Blackboard have ALL moved to AstonApps. Shared/network drives are dependent on your Aston login.
If your login or the network fails username .\teach & password T34chT34ch will allow you to present locally (e.g. USB drive), but without any network or internet access. Most rooms with Lenovo PCs installed will allow change to ‘Extended desktop’ for Powerpoint notes view [Windows+P].
The PC will shut down after 30 minutes of inactivity
This will remove any changes you have made, any work you have open will be lost, and any files on the desktop will be deleted. Unfinished Panopto uploads will also be suspended until Panopto is re-connected in that room.
Bear this in mind if, for example, you are running an event and want to get the PC set up early or you are breaking for lunch.
The PC is set up to record to Aston Replay and upload to Blackboard. There is option in Panopto Settings: Basic: ‘Highlight mouse cursor…‘ to make the pointer more prominent for recordings, and please check the mic levels are OK before starting to RECORD.
There are usually 2-4 extra USB ports on the lectern PC monitor.
We recommend that the projector is switched ON after you login to the PC. If you don’t need the computer to be displayed on the screen, you can use it without the projector on in most rooms. However, computer audio requires the projector to be ON, and all three control panel, computer and application volumes should be up (and unmuted).
Laptop (HDMI)
A flying HDMI cable (including audio) is usually* connected to the lectern faceplate.
Note All post-2014 refurbished rooms support both HDMI(digital) inputs as well as VGA, namely:
G11(Byng Kendrick LT), Great Hall, MB220, MB253, MB304, MB411, 417, 419, MB486, MB504, MB518, MB603, MB651(Sumpner LT), MB653(Wright LT), MB708b, MB755-9, NW104b, NW109, NW805, NW807, NX02, Adrian Cadbury and Susan Cadbury LTs, SW309 and VSG03, VS110, VS112.
Note Post-2019 refurbs like MB108, MB550, MB554, MB517, MB502 are HDMI ONLY, no VGA support!
Some laptops and tablets may require a special AV adapter and or cable/s. Newer rooms also have wireless presentation if you don’t have the correct cable/s.
*except some ‘non-pool’ meeting rooms.
Wireless Presentation
Wireless presentation uses our Aston WiFi network to present or mirror photos, PDF, and Microsoft Office files etc. on the room display/s from your wireless devices, instead of by HDMI or similar cable.
- iOS and Android mobile devices, and/or your Windows/macOS wifi laptops.
When AirMEDIA, VIA or AirServer is selected, it displays the Room address and a unique or QR [code] to present the content on the screen/s. You can have multiple WiFi devices concurrently displayed in each corner of the picture.
Windows10 shortcut = Windows+K keys.
Note Functionality varies between rooms and devices – iOS Panopto app cannot record ‘Presentations’ as well as ‘present’ like the Mac/Windows versions can, the Android app does even less.
- AirMedia (Crestron AM-100) G11, Gt.Hall, MB518(n/c!), MB603, MB653, MB708b, AdrianCadbury, SusanCadbury, NW805, NW807.
- VIA Connect/VIA ConnectPro(Kramer) ABS6.4/5, ABS2.10(L4), G45(Council Rm), MB304, MB504, SLT(MB651)
- VIA Campus: 2018/19 refurbs(MB41x, MB470, SW309, VSG03)
- AirServer: 2020/21 refurbs(MB108,550, MMS, MB7agile)
You can book a mobile AirMedia for most rooms with wifi (and a demonstration) from AV-Support provided there is enough notice to setup and to configure it.
Microphones
Perform a variety of tasks in the rooms, depending on the type of room and microphone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMWNDJAlrG0
They can be used to feed audio to the induction loop, make sure people at the back of the room can hear the speaker clearly (voice enhancement), or be recorded in Aston Replay. Always check the RECORD levels.
NB. some new rooms have a mic [Mute] button on the touch panel, otherwise the voice enhancement volume is fixed.
Samson UB1
These mics are primarily used for Aston Replay recordings (but is alternatively available to other applications, such as videoconferencing). The UB1 is an omni-directional boundary microphone, that uses a flat surface to enhance the sound pickup.
Aston Replay will default to recording from this mic over any other in the room. Make sure that the green light is on the mic, and always check the recording level in Panopto before you start recording.
Equipment