About the Listserve

A listserv can be very useful in the classroom setting. You will want to learn how to set one up and surf a little to find out about the resources available to classroom teachers. There is another great resource on the web that provides a wide range of information http://www.udel.edu/interlit/contents.html

The original listserv is a copyrighted term and the original homepage is http://listserv.tamu.edu/manuals/sitemgr/sitemgr.html This site provides information about using the different tools that support listserv and videoconferencing.

This is copied from the learningspace site.

Using Peripherals What is a peripheral? Peripherals are devices other then the main camera that enhance your video conference system and the learning opportunities for your students. A second camera, a document viewer, a Smartboard, a VCR, and a scan converter are all different types of peripheral devices. How do you connect the different peripherals? First make sure all the devices are connected to the correct spots. For the VTEL systems there is a black box below the Codec Unit. It is called an expansion unit. Basically it just allows more things to be hooked into the main computer that makes the system run. Your user set up manual that comes with your system provides pictures and directions for hooking things into the right spot. The second thing is to make sure the ones that need power are plugged in. Some of the devices need power and some don't. Once the power is plugged in you will need to find the one switch to some to the devices. Other ones come on automatically. It takes a little getting used to and some practice. Labeling all the wires helps with their plug in ports helps you keep track of which wire goes where. We put a cardboard box to hold the wires when the peripheral devices are not in use.

How do you control the peripheral devices? There are many ways to control the devices. The easiest way for most of us is to use the tablet. The tablet contains ways to switch between the cameras and the peripheral devices. The Camera 1 button controls the main camera on top of your system. Camera 2 button controls the second camera. Camera 3 button controls your document camera. The VCR area has a place to start record, and playing of a tape. The Pen Pal button selects the Smart board.

How do I use the Document Camera? The document camera is usually located near your work area in the conference room. It is 2 wires. One connects the camera to the conference unit by a cable and the second wire must be plugged into a separate electrical outlet. The document camera is used to show graphics, posters, graphs and even transparencies. 1. Turn it on. The button is on the left side toward the back. 2. There are a series of buttons across the front that used to help control the camera. You have to actually press the buttons on the document camera. You can't control them from the tablet. 3. To activate the document camera on while a videoconference is in session you need to select the camera 3 button on your tablet. This will switch the picture to whatever is place under the document camera. 4. To help control the picture quality of the documents a series of buttons are located on the front of the document camera. Lamp Buttons: "Upper" button when pushed lights documents from above. This helps change colors, avoid and add shadows. You can also adjust the light from above by moving the side light bars. These twist and turn to adjust the direction of light. The "Base" button lights the document from under it. This is the light you would use to show transparencies.

Input Buttons: These 3 buttons allow you to decide the way in which you would hook up the document camera to the system. The "internal" button is the camera 3 button you find on your tablet. The "AV1 and AV2" buttons allow you to hook the document camera into the scan converter. POS/NEV Buttons: These are the positive and negative view buttons. They change black to white and white to black. The Negative button is a favorite among students as it gives a x-ray version of items place on the document platform. Zoom Buttons: Allow you to zoom in and out on the documents. If your document fonts are too small use the "TELE" Button to zoom in on it. This will show you less of the picture. Use the "WIDE" button to move out from the picture. This will help if you have a large picture. Focus Buttons: These buttons are used if the camera doesn't focus correctly. The document camera should be left on auto focus. The "N" button is part of the manual focus. It narrows the view of the camera lens, pulling closer. The "F" button moves the focus out. Both of these manual buttons have very little focus range. The "Auto Focus" button when pressed will automatically adjust. When things are out of focus just reach over and press that button. Sometimes if you move from Tele mode to zoom mode you will need to press the auto focus button. The last focus tool is the actual head of the camera. There is a knob on the arm that you can turn to adjust the focus also.

How do I use the SMART board (White Board)? The SMART board or white board as most people call it can be written on to take notes, create pictures record names. It works like a wipe erase board. There are 2 wires that need to be connected to this board. The first is the video point wire that is connected into the system and the second wire is the power wire that needs to be connected to an electrical plug. To make the white board show up on the system you need to start the whiteboard.

Here are the steps: 1. You will need to start the APS view program on the desktop. 2. Then you need to enable smart view. The smart view is on your tool bar. You have to click on the big red "V", then click on the button that looks like a document camera. This should make the ready light come on, on the board. 3. You will then need to click the pen pal button on your tablet. This switches from your camera to the white board. Now all that others will see is your white board. Here are the steps to use the white board. These steps are also located right on the white board itself. 1. Press the start/clear all button. 2. Pick up a pen. This triggers a sensor that lets the system know what color you selected. 3. Press firmly when you write, and write larger then you think you need to. You actually don't even have to use the pens. You can use the soft part of your finger to do the drawing. 4. To erase the actual board, use the felt eraser. Erase small areas at a time. Using the corner of the eraser helps. 5. To erase the picture that is on the system you will need to press the "clear all" button. Which colors work best? You will need to experiment with the colors. Some colors show up better then others. Also only one person can write on the board at a time.

How do I use the VCR? The VCR can be set up to record a videoconference session or to play videotape during a session. The rules on recording a session are still not decided. You should let everyone who is attending the session know you are recording and ask if there are any objections. To Record a tape: 1. Turn on the VCR. 2. Press the button on the table that corresponds with to the source of the video you want to record to videotape. To record remote, the site you view over the system, select the remote camera. To record your local picture select the local camera button. You can switch between cameras while recording. 3. Press the VCR's record button. You have to actual get up to do this. To Play a tape: When playing a tape the quality looks way different when broadcast over the system. Things that move fast slow down. Sound can break up and writing on videotape will look blurry. If you want to use videotape it needs to be a good quality recording. You should have someone preview the tape over the conference system prior to presenting it. 1. Turn on the VCR. 2. Select the Local Camera source button on the tablet. Then select the VCR Camera as the local camera source. 3. Press the VCR's play button.

What is the SCAN Converter for? The SCAN converter is a little box that converts images from your PC screen to a video image that can be transmitted over the system. You can use the SCAN converter to plug in a laptop or another computer into the system. This allows the user to present a PowerPoint presentation, a web page, or demonstrate a piece of software during a videoconference. The VGA out cable of a PC is plugged into the VCA in of the SCAN converter. A second cable takes a signal to the monitor. The video out connector sends the image to the CODEC unit so that others can it over the conference system. To set up the VGA signal on the computer the following monitor settings seem to work: Size 640 x 480 Colors: 256 Refresh Rater: 60Hz. Transmitting images from computer into system can be a little tricky. Small print is hard to read over the system. So when creating presentations keep in mind what colors work well and use large font sizes. This is just a start to what you can do with all the peripherals. A good teacher will begin with one or two, use trial and error to see what works, and learn as they go.

Go back to Frequently Asked Questions

E-mail J'Anne Affeld at Janne.Affeld@nau.edu

Course developed by J'Anne & Martha Affeld

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