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UBC Mathematics: MathNet FAQ [Audio/Visual Equipment Use]



UBC Mathematics: MathNet FAQ [AudioVisual Equipment Use]




Question: How do I do video presentations in room MATH100/MATX1100?
Author: Joseph Tam
Date: Sept. 28, 2009

The two large auditorium classrooms (MATH100, MATX1100) have large projectors that can project video signals from various media, including VGA output from a laptop or the computer enclosed in the lectern.

It is preferable to use your own laptop when doing presentations from a computer. It sidesteps many problems associated with the use of the lectern computer:

  1. Creation and management of a computer account: A computer account is created for the user by the IT staff. A username and password can be selected by the user, or alternatively, can be chosen by the IT staff and communicated via secure channels to the user. This must be done prior to use. The user is responsible for the use of this account and should exercise all safeguards to secure their account against the improper use.
  2. Installed software: The lectern PC has Windows installed with a smattering of the usual software to present digital formats (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, PDF, etc.). It is up to the user to check that the proper software has been installed and that the software does not adversely affect other users (such as consuming too much disk space or network bandwidth). The MathNet IT staff is not responsible for installing software.
  3. Accessibility to input devices: The user is responsible to check that any external media (CDs, USB drives, etc.) they bring is compatible for use by the lectern PC. The keyboard and mouse is usually locked in a tray that requires a key to unlock it. This key can be signed out from the front-desk receptionist in the Mathematics Office (MATH121).
  4. Familiarity: The user should familiarize themselves with the proper operation of the lectern PC (how to turn on/off, how to insert external media, software use, logging in and out of their account, etc.). This should be done prior to use.
  5. Trouble: The AV equipment and lectern PC are the property of, and ultimately the responsibility of, UBC Classroom Services. Hardware problems should be reported to them, not to the UBC Mathematics IT staff. That being said, the IT staff can render assistance as time and staffing availability allows.

For these reasons, it's better to beg, borrow or steal a laptop if you must do a computer presentations. A laptop user does not require any external assistance to do a presentation. All that is required is to divert the laptop's video signal out of the laptop's graphic port and into the VGA connector located on the side of the lectern. All issues of software, data accessibility, account management, and input/output are under the user's control.

If a portable computer cannot be obtained, a user can pre-arrange an account to be created on the lectern PC for their use. This should be arranged well ahead of time since IT staff may not be available during the presentation time. Also, access to the keyboard tray (which is normally locked) can be arranged with the Mathematics Department front-desk receptionist (MATH121).

It is recommended a trial run be done prior to presentation to familiarize with the AV controls. All paraphernalia (graphics cables, remote controls, etc.) required for presentation should be brought along. The lectern PC is network attached so data can be downloaded web-based content displayed on browser.

The user is responsible for their use of IT resources, including all applicable UBC and Department use policies.