Each group has their own local ‘mini’ PC and 42″ LCD screen which may also be displayed to the whole room with ‘InSight’ software, or mirror the main projection image. There is no provision for group laptop connections, but they can ‘save’ to shared folder/s. The Whiteboard is at the opposite(North) end & also on east side pillars.
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?
AMX/Crestron buttons
Press the ON, OFF (or ON/OFF) button to switch the projector ON or OFF. The button will flash to indicate it is warming up/cooling down. The projector will beep(on=once, off=twice) and prevent you from selecting other buttons until it is ready.
PC 1 and PC 2 (or Laptop, or Doc Cam) buttons select the Main PC and Visualiser/Laptop connection if they don’t have separate control buttons.
Crestron mpc-m10 buttons
MB246a/b AMX buttons
651buttons aka Sumpner LT
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).
Collaborative PCs
These PCs are similar to the standard Aston pool-room image PCs but are dedicated to, or built-in to, group-work facilities.
They are used independently, or may be selected for display on the main, or all screens. The selection is via either the main control panel or Faronics Insight software (except MB657).
Faronics Insight gives the lecturer(Staff accounts only) full control over the collaborative PCs in the room. Common uses include the lecturer showing their screen on the students’ PCs, or sharing one group’s screen with one, more, or all of the other groups.
Insight loads when the computer powers up. Click the Insight Owl, located near the bottom right of the screen
In the toolbar, click Class List, then Load Class List.
You may need to make the window bigger to see the icon, or you can click the two arrows at the right hand side of the toolbar to show the items that couldn’t fit.
Class lists are located on the X:\ drive, in the Common\Insight Class Lists folder. Browse to there and select the appropriate list for your room.
Rather than press the power button on each PC, you can use Insight to shut them all down at once.
Select the screens you want to shut down. Click the Administer menu, then Shutdown Student
MB512 and SW309 also have hardware mirroring of main screen without needing special software, accessed via the Control Panel. These PCs and the main PC in MB603 all have shutdown set to three hours instead.
Laptop (VGA)
A flying VGA cable (with integrated audio jack connection) is usually connected to the lectern faceplate.
The laptop audio jack can also be used for iPod playback when laptop is selected.
Note Post-2019 refurbs like MB554 will be HDMI ONLY (ie. no VGA)
Some laptops and tablets may require a special AV adapter and or cable/s.
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.
Revolabs
Rechargeable microphone/s which automatically unmute/mute when removed from/replaced correctly in the charger.
There are a maximum of two mics/channels per room, ~20m range, and freedom to interact with the audience while recording to Replay. Always check record levels.
Please replace the microphones on the charger when they are not in use, and check the LED.
The LED on the microphone will turn RED to show they are charging, and GREEN when fully charged.
Voice Enhancement
Generic Voice Enhancement
Uses a clip on or handheld microphone to ensure equal distribution of the presenter’s voice across the whole space, and freedom to interact with the audience while recording to Replay.
The presenter should not be aware of any amplification at the front of the room, unlike a traditional PA system.
Note Microphone audio is separate from Computer audio, and usually fixed level.
Visualiser
Elmo P10 visualiser/ document camera
A document camera that can display and zoom in on papers, books, and other 3D objects. There is usually a separate source selection button to display on the room screen/s.
A desktop application called ImageMate[IM] allows Elmo images to be recorded in Panopto.
The newer Wolfvision visualisers can be selected as separate video recording device in Panopto.
Wolfvision VZ-3
Basic operations
Lift the Arm to turn ON.
Zoom control is on top of the Arm.
Warning
The method of recording the contents of this visualiser in Aston Replay is different to the other rooms. Expand the instructions, below, for more information.
Unlike the other visualisers in use in Aston University learning spaces, the Wolfvision acts in the same way as a webcam or another camera. This means we can record it directly in Panopto, or use it as a white board in CollaborateUltra.
When you’re presenting, you’ll need to switch to the Panopto recorder to add the visualiser as a secondary source. To get back to the Panopto recorder, either
come out of your full screen presentation and click the Panopto icon on the taskbar
or
Press Alt & Tab until the Panopto recorder is selected
Then, in the Panopto recorder, you’ll need to add the visualiser as a secondary capture source:
On the left hand side of the Panopto recorder, under Secondary Capture Sources, click Add Another Video Source
Click the dropdown that appears, and select WolfVision Video Capture II
This starts recording the camera in the visualiser.
When you want to stop using the visualiser, remove it as a secondary source by going back to the Panopto recorder and clicking on the X next to it.
If you do not remove the visualiser as a secondary capture source
When you stop using the visualiser, any viewers of the recorded session will continue seeing the content of the visualiser.
If you begin presenting using Powerpoint again, your viewers will have to manually switch back to the Powerpoint source themselves.
When your students view this recording back, it will show the visualiser at this point, like so
At the point in the recording when you clicked the X to remove the secondary source, it will switch back eg to PowerPoint or the screen capture.
You can repeat the above steps as many times as you need during a lecture.
Panopto Camera
Use the camera to include video in an Aston Replay recording.
The Panopto recorder will default to including video where a camera is present. If you don’t want this to be included in your session, you will need to switch the camera off. You may also borrow a mobile alternative.
A fixed, high angle shot from a Logitech webcam – fixed either to the projector, or directly to the ceiling.
This webcam is alternatively available to other applications on the main PC, eg videoconferencing.
Interactive Screens
Promethean LCD Panel
An electronic equivalent of a mouse (or flip chart*), letting you annotate PowerPoint presentations. Please check with AV-Supporton x4221 for the latest advice.
We advise users contact AV Support for one-to-one tuition prior to first using this.
*With special software any Office applications, and your desktop may also be annotated and also saved, printed and/or distributed at the end of the teaching session and in a separate Panopto tab.
Induction Loop
Generic Induction Loop
An Induction loop or Infrared (IR) based hearing system.
Hearing aid users should set their hearing aid to “T” to use the loop. more…
Whiteboard/Wall
WhiteWall
These are designed to be used with ‘Dry Markers’ and cleaning pad/cloth – Please wipe clean for the next user.
There is usually a ‘raised lip’ between glossy marker wall and non-writable or screen area (G11 and MB603).
Most pool rooms have a white board/s, or writable surfaces on the room divider/s, and the porters(x4000) can usually provide a mobile board or flip-chart on request(pads/pens not provided).
Content cannot be recorded to Aston Replay or used in CollaborateUltra, but you could use the Visualiser or interactive display instead.
This starts recording the camera in the visualiser.
An Induction loop or Infrared (IR) based hearing system.
