Easter’19 AV and room refurb. No VGA source support!
Front row DDA desk.
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 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.
Lectern mic
To switch on/off, push the button at the base of the flexible gooseneck.
The LED will be lit when the microphone is on, and the level is preset.
There is no switch or LED on the white Beyer flat models(right)
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
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.
- In the Panopto recorder, click the dropdown next to video
- Click None
See the Replay TLC site for more information on how to make a recording.
PTZ camera
This room features a remote ceiling camera connected to the PC for lecture capture. It is controlled from the touch panel or a remote control.
The camera will shut down after a couple of hours.
To ensure this doesn’t happen when you make a recording, you need to perform the following steps at the start of your lecture:
If you see colour bars in the Panopto recorder
This means the camera is switched off. Turn the camera ON by pressing the POWER button [a]
If you don’t want to record the camera, you will need to deselect it in the Panopto recorder, otherwise your recorded session will contain the colour bars.
If you see the image from the camera
Press CAMERA SELECT 1 [b] – this will prevent the camera from powering off during your lecture.
Equipment