Style 2024-1b Classroom Podium User Guide

Quick Links

• Summary
• Quick Start Instructions
• In-Depth Instructions
• Troubleshooting Tips
• Room List

Summary

This article aims to explain how to use rooms with a Style 2024-1b classroom podium through quick operating instructions, in-depth operating instructions, and troubleshooting tips. It provides steps for beginning, conducting, and ending class with the podium; information about equipment in the podium; steps to resolve common issues; and a list of rooms that use this style of podium. Use the quick links to quickly jump to the desired section.  This podium type is commonly found in Alex and Ani Hall. Please see the Room List for exact room numbers.

Classrooms that have this podium technology installed use a wall-mounted podium instead of a rolling one, and a wall-mounted control panel instead of a podium-mounted touch panel.

Quick Start Instructions

Podium Style

The following are pictures of the podium when it is closed and when it is open.

To begin class

1. Press the ON button under "DISPLAY" on the control panel
2. Wait for the system to start up

During class

1. Select a source using one of the two options on the side of the control panel 
   • PC refers to the Mac Mini inside the podium
   • For LAPTOP, an HDMI port is provided on the wall for users to plug their HDMI cord and device into
2. Turn the projector and audio on or off with the MUTE button
3. Control the room’s volume level with the dial under "VOLUME"

To end class

1. Press the OFF button under "DISPLAY" on the control panel

In-Depth Instructions

Quick Links within In-Depth Instructions

• Electronic Podium Overview
• Extron Control Panel Overview
• Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment On
• Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment Off
• Opening the Electronic Podium
• Closing the Electronic Podium
• Connecting a Laptop (HDMI)
• Connecting an Auxiliary Audio Device
• Advanced: Using Only Classroom Audio Equipment
• Adjusting Program Volume Level
• Projection and Audio Mute
• Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse
• Projector
• Speakers
• Phone

Electronic Podium Overview

The podium is located at the front of each classroom, between class seating and the projector screen. The majority of classroom's electronic equipment is installed inside the podium, but there are also wall-mounted HDMI and auxiliary audio ports available for use beneath the podium. Please note the following technology in the podium that's intended to be controlled by users of the classroom:

• (1) Mac Mini desktop computer
• (2) Wall-mounted HDMI and auxiliary audio ports

Other equipment located/installed in this podium should only be configured by ITS staff as needed for troubleshooting.

Extron Control Panel Overview

Each classroom is equipped with an Extron control panel mounted onto the wall. This control panel allows you to switch between different sources, adjust the classroom audio volume, and turn the projector on/off.  In the photo below:

• (1) Source buttons 
  • PC - selects the Mac Mini installed in the podium to be displayed on the projector and sends its audio to the speakers.
  • LAPTOP - selects the laptop or another computing device plugged into the HDMI port beneath the podium to be displayed on the projector and sends its audio to the speakers.
• (2) Control buttons
  • DISPLAY - turns the projector on or off and lowers or raises the screen.
  • VOLUME - shows the audio level of the room and provides a dial to raise or lower the audio level.
  • MUTE - turns off the projector and mutes the audio.
  • SCREEN UP - raises the projector screen.
  • SCREEN DOWN - lowers the projector screen.

Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment On

Turning on the projector in the classroom is completed by pressing the ON button under "DISPLAY" on the control panel.

Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment Off 

Turning off the projector in the classroom is completed by pressing the OFF button under "DISPLAY" on the control panel.

Opening the Electronic Podium

To open the podium door, use the (1) number padlock and (2) latch on the podium door, as illustrated in the photo below.

1. Enter the code to unlock the number padlock. The code is 2244
2. Immediately after the unlocking buzz noise finishes, slide the latch down to the left so it is horizontal
3. Push the door forward until you hear a click
4. Pull the door down into the open position

Closing the Electronic Podium

To close the podium door, use the (1) latch on the podium door, as illustrated in the photo below.

1. Push the door up and all the way into the podium until you hear a click
2. Pull the door forward until your hear another click
3. Slide the latch up to the right so it is vertical

Connecting a Laptop (HDMI)

Each podium is equipped with a wall-mounted (1) HDMI and (2) auxiliary audio port, as illustrated in the photo below. Users can plug their device into the HDMI IN port with their own (3) HDMI cord. HDMI cords for laptops are not provided with the podium. 

Connect the laptop using an HDMI cable. After connecting the laptop, press the LAPTOP button on the Extron control panel. While this input is labeled LAPTOP, it can be used for any device that can connect over HDMI, such as a tablet. 

After connecting the laptop, the viewing settings may need to be adjusted. On Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers, select the Windows key and the P key at the same time (Win+P) to bring up options to duplicate the display, extend the display, or select only the laptop screen or the projector screen for viewing while the laptop is connected.  The pop-up in Windows displayed will look similar to this:

On Macintosh computers running recent versions of macOS, select Control Center from the top right of the Menu Bar, and then select Screen Mirroring, which can be used to configure the display settings to the projector.

Additional settings can be done by going to System Settings (or previously System Preferences) and selecting the Display settings.

If unusual issues are encountered connecting a laptop to the projector, for example - where it's not being displayed as expected, please try performing a restart on the laptop while it's plugged into the HDMI port in the wall to see if that resolves the issue.

Connecting an Auxiliary Audio Device

Each podium is equipped with a wall-mounted (1) HDMI and (2) auxiliary audio port, as illustrated in the photo below. Users can plug their device into the AUDIO IN port with their own (3) auxiliary cord. Auxiliary cords for devices are not provided with the podium. 

Refer to Advanced: Using Only Classroom Audio Equipment for how to use auxiliary audio devices for class.

Advanced: Using Only Classroom Audio Equipment

This podium can support audio-only class sessions. In these sessions, music or sound can be played over the room's speakers while the projector stays off and the screen stays up. To have class with only audio, choose one of the sources while "DISPLAY" is set to OFF. If "DISPLAY" is OFF, selecting a source will send its audio to the speakers but not its video to the projector.

Refer to the list below for source button functionality when "DISPLAY" is set to OFF:

• PC - selects the Mac Mini installed in the podium and sends its audio to the speakers.
• LAPTOP - If an HDMI cable is plugged in, selects the laptop or another computing device plugged into the HDMI port beneath the podium and sends its audio to the speakers.
• LAPTOP - If an auxiliary cord is plugged in, selects the auxiliary audio device plugged into the auxiliary port beneath the podium and sends its audio to the speakers.

Adjusting Program Volume Level

Adjusting the program volume level in the electronic classroom can be accomplished through the Extron control panel.
 

The program volume level - what is heard through the room's speakers - can be adjusted using the (1) dial.  The (2) MUTE button will mute the audio and turn off the projector. When using the Mac Mini installed in the classroom or a laptop, verify that the audio output on the computer is not set to mute or off as well.

Projection and Audio Mute

The video signal to the projector and audio can be temporarily turned off by pressing the MUTE button on the Extron control panel. Press MUTE again to restore the video signal to the projector and audio to the speakers.  
 

Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse

Note the highlighted location of the power button of the monitor in the photograph below, in the event the monitor at the podium is powered off. 

Projector

A projector is installed in the ceiling of each electronic classroom, located towards the front of the room.  The projector's video output is displayed on the projector screen.
 

Speakers

Speakers are mounted at 4 points around the room.  There are two types of speakers that can be seen in these rooms: wall-mounted or hanging. Rooms will use one or both types of speakers.

Phone

An Avaya phone is installed in each classroom adjacent to the podium.

Troubleshooting Tips

Projector Keeps Turning Off

To resolve this, please make sure you are not using the projector's white remote. The projector needs to be turned on using the control panel only. If the issue keeps occurring and the control panel was used to turn on the projector, please call the ITS Help Desk at 456-8803 for immediate assistance. Alternatively, you can email helpdesk@ric.edu to put in a ticket for a technician to take a look at the issue at a later date.

Monitor is Blank or Goes into "Power Saving Mode"

To resolve this, please go through the steps below:

1. Ensure the Mac Mini computer is on
2. If it is not, press its power button button until it plays the start-up noise and see if the image appears on the monitor.
3. If the Mac Mini is on but there is no image on the monitor, press PC on the control panel.
4. If the Mac Mini is projected, select Control Center from the top right of the Menu Bar, and then select Screen Mirroring, which can be used to configure the display settings to the projector.

If the issue keeps occurring and the Screen Mirroring option was selected, please call the ITS Help Desk at 456-8803 for immediate assistance. Alternatively, you can email helpdesk@ric.edu to put in a ticket for a technician to take a look at the issue at a later date.

Projector Keeps Flickering

For this issue, please call the ITS Help Desk at 456-8803 for immediate assistance. Alternatively, you can email helpdesk@ric.edu to put in a ticket for a technician to take a look at the issue at a later date.

Used in the following classrooms