|| Access to Podium || Projector Startup || Audio || VCR/DVD Player || Overhead Projector || Whiteboards || Shutdown || Troubleshooting ||

1. Access to Podium:

A. Waking up the machine...

• The podium Mac is always kept on. If it was not used for an extended period of time, the machine goes to sleep and the screen goes black.
• To wake up the podium Mac, simply move the mouse and wait a few seconds for the screen to appear.
• If the machine is already awake and you can see the screen, proceed to signing into the Login Window.
  

B. Signing In

• Most users have been given their own name and password. In the login window enter your user name and Password. When using your own name and password, you will be logging onto your own personal workspace/desktop. Anything you save to the desktop or in your user directory will be available only to you. This space is your personal workspace on the server so you will have that same workspace no matter which machine you log into in 200B or 200C. If you do not have an account, a TA can log you in as a guest. Be aware that the guest login is not a safe place to store files. On a nightly schedule the guest workspace is reset thereby deleting any data users may store there. In addition, the guest login is a shared workspace and anything you save to the desktop will be accessible to anyone logged in as a guest.
  
  Note: As mentioned, your files will be accessible from any of the 200B/200C computers when using your own name and password. You may also access your personal directory from outside the lab. Go here for instructions

C. Obtaining the podium key

• If the podium is locked, a TA will fetch the key for you.
• Opening the podium door provides access to the VCR, DVD player, and Receiver should you need to attach additional devices. (Note: The front door of the cabinet will usually remain open and the podium computer will always remain on).
  

2. Projector Startup

A. Turning on the Hitachi Projector for use with the MAC...

• Turn off nearby lights and point the Hitachi remote at the Hitachi projector or screen.
• Push the power button until a green light comes on.
• Wait about 30 seconds for the projector to start up.
• The Projector should at this point display exactly what you see on the computer monitor. If the display does not show what is on the computer monitor after the projector has finished starting, press the RGB button on the remote repeatedly until RGB01 appears. Also, make sure the Switch Box to the right of the Computer is flipped to "A" (for more about the Switch box, see below).
• If the Projector displays only the desktop background image and nothing else, you may want to change the System Preferences to Mirror Displays mode. (see below)

B. Setting the Display to Mirror Displays mode...

• Click the apple icon on the top left of the screen.
• Scroll down to System Preferences.
• Click on Displays in the second row.
• Click on the Arrangement tab and check the box next to Mirror Displays.
• You should now be able to see the same display on the projector screen as you do on the computer screen.

C. Changing the monitor resolution on the Mac...

• Click the apple icon on the top left of your screen.
• Scroll down to System Preferences.
• Click on Displays in the second row.
• Click on the Displays tab and then click the desired resolution.
• For most applications, 1680 x 1050 will produce the best (largest, most visible) projected image from the podium Mac. (see below under Troubleshooting for more info.)

D. Connecting Laptops to the Podium...

• To connect a laptop, first make sure that the podium Mac is displayed through the Hitachi projector.
• Select the Podium Computer cable running from back of the Podium/Laptop Computer switch box and attach it to the corresponding port on your laptop. The Podium/Computer switch box is usually located to the right of the podium computer and displays a red light when it is switched on.You will find the Laptop Computer cable un-attached to anything and so there will be no need to unplug any cables.
• Please do not disconnect any cables, particularly the Podium Computer cable, that runs out of the back of the Podium/Laptop Computer switch box to the Podium Computer monitor or other hardware.
• Next, on the front of the Podium/Laptop Computer switch box, press the Laptop Computer button and wake-up or restart your laptop. The green light will appear above the button, indicating that you have selected the Laptop Computer option.With Macintosh laptops, often one will need to "check for displays" in the laptop's system preferences. To check for displays, click on the apple icon in the top left of your screen. Scroll down to System Preferences. Click on displays in the second row. Click on check-for-displays.
• Your laptop should now display through the projector.
• When finished, make sure to push the Podium Computer button on the front of the Podium/Laptop Computer switch box so the next user will find the Podium Computer displaying through the projector. Again, the green light will appear above the Computer Laptop button.

3. Using Audio:

A. Using Audio from the Podium Mac:

• If you are using a computer program that has an accompanying audio component, or if you want to play a CD from the Mac:
  • Locate the Amplifier/Tuner entitled "SONY Audio/ Video Control Center" on the second shelf of the podium.
  • Press the Audio Function button until the word "AAXAPE" appears
  • Now that the Amplifier/Tuner is set to AAXAPE mode, adjust the volume accordingly (10 o'clock is an ideal setting)
  • *** Please note that although there is a "CD" mode in the Audio/Visual Control Center, the only way to play a CD through the classroom speakers is via the "AAXAPE" mode setting. In addition, make sure that the speakers are set to the "A + B" mode on the bottom left of the front face in order for both speakers to project sound.
  • Play CD or other audio from the computer.

B. Using Audio from a Laptop:

• Remove the black audio chord from the back of the Mac monitor that is currently plugged into far right port, which is the Headphones jack.
• Plug the chord into your laptop’s Headphones jack.
• Follow directions above for achieving proper sound quality.
• Do not forget to return the chord to the Mac when you are finished.
  

4. Using the VCR or DVD Player:

• Turn on the projector and press "Video" on the projector remote
• Turn on VCR (using either the VCR remote control or power switch on VCR)
• For VCR Sound, select Video 1 on the receiver, adjust volume as needed (9 o'clock on Receiver is good for most tapes). Be sure the speaker selection switch is set at "A + B" on the receiver.

5. Using the Overhead Projector:

• The overhead projector is located in A/V cabinet in 200b. The projector can be positioned on the seminar table for good-size images on the wall, using either whiteboards or wall-mounted screens.
• Remember that projector bulbs are very expensive and must be fan-cooled before projectors are put away. Do not unplug the overhead projector until the fan motor has stopped. Don't turn off the slide projector fan until air is cool.

6. Whiteboards

• Whiteboards need to be wiped off at the end of each class. Use erasers or paper towels. Once each week a custodian will wash whiteboards with mild detergent and water to prevent permanent staining.

7. Shut Down

• If your class is immediately followed by another that will be using the equipment, you need not complete the shutdown. Otherwise:
• Turn off Hitachi projector: Press "OFF" on remote.
• Turn off Receiver and/or VCR-DVD player, if applicable.
• Quit all applications on the Podium MAC and remove any disks or CD-ROMs.
• Log out.
• Do not turn off or shutdown the MAC.
• Place the remote controls on top of the podium.

8. Troubleshooting

A. Unresolved Problems:

• Please send an email to both Kevin Flora (flora@paradox.psych.columbia.edu) and Peter Tripp (pht2110@columbia.edu) reporting any unresolved problems you encounter: If the problem is likely to affect other classes using the room, please leave a note alerting other users.
  

B. Problems with hooking up laptops to the podium:

• Try restarting your laptop after it is plugged into the A/B switch.
• Try changing the resolution and screen setup of your system display.
  

C. No sound:

• Check that the speaker switch on the receiver is set to "A + B."
• Check that the volume on the receiver is turned up. Check Muting button on the receiver remote. Good volumes are 9 o'clock for the VCR and 10-11 o'clock for Mac.
• If using CD-ROM, go to System Preferences under the Apple Menu and choose Sound to make sure that the internal Volume Control is turned up.
• If using the Mac sound, make sure that the "Tape" mode is selected on the A/V Control Center.
• If using the VCR, make sure that the Projector is set to Video Mode, the A/V Control Center is set to Video 1, and that the volume is at least in the 10 o'clock position.
  

D. Projected display is too small:

• Choose a lower monitor resolution: Select System Preferences and choose Displays. Under the Displays tab, set resolution to 1680 x 1050 or smaller.
  

E. No video, distorted video, or wrong resolution on screen:

• If you do not see your projected video, toggle picture mute by pushing Picture Mute on the Hitachi remote.
  

F. To adjust Hitachi Projector Source and computer monitor resolution consistency:

• To change the MAC resolution: Select System Preferences from the Apple Menu and choose Displays. Under the displays tab, set the resolution to your choice.
• To change Hitachi convergence: Press Operate on Hitachi remote, choose Input, Select, press Enter, choose MAC the same resolution you chose for the Mac.
  

G. Projected image does not mirror the computer image:

• Click the apple icon on the top left of your screen.
• Scroll down to System Preferences.
• Click on Displays in the second row.
• Click on the Arrangement tab and check the box next to Mirror Displays.
• You should now be able to see the same display on the projector screen as you do on the computer screen.

 

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