Style 2024-2 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 24-2 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 the following buildings: Alex and Ani Hall, Alger Hall, Building 3, Gaige Hall, Craig-Lee Hall, Guardo Hall, and Horace Mann Hall.  Please see the Room List for exact room numbers.  Classrooms that have this podium technology installed are considered "Zoom Capable" or "Hybrid" and can accommodate video conferencing with built-in microphone and camera capabilities.

Quick Start Instructions

Podium Style

The following are pictures of the podium in its default state and with its drawer pulled out.

To begin class

1. If the touch panel is dark, tap the screen to wake it up
2. Tap the screen where it says Press HERE to begin
3. Wait for the system to start up

During class

1. Select a source using one of the four options at the top of the touch panel 
   • For Blu-Ray, control the device with its remote inside the podium's drawer
   • For Doc Cam, control the device with its built-in controls or its remote
   • For Laptop, choose between a wired connection (HDMI) or wireless (ShareLink)
   • For PC, control the camera’s position and zoom with the touch panel buttons. In the meeting, set the speaker to ExtronScalerD and microphone to MediaPort 300
2. Turn the projector on or off with the buttons under "Display"
3. Control the room or microphone’s volume levels by clicking Mic Controls

To end class

1. Tap the System Off button
2. Tap the Power Down button to confirm 

In-Depth Instructions

Quick Links within In-Depth Instructions

• Electronic Podium Overview
• Extron Touch Panel Overview
• Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment On
• Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment Off
• Connecting a Laptop (HDMI)
• Connecting a Laptop (ShareLink)
• Using the Camera and Microphone
• Adjusting Program and Microphone Volume Levels
• Projection Mute
• Blu-Ray Player Control
• Document Camera Control
• Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse
• Projector
• Camera
• Microphone
• Speakers
• Phone

Electronic Podium Overview

The podium is located at the front of each classroom, between class seating and the white board. The majority of classroom's electronic equipment is installed in the rack built-into the podium.  Please note the following technology in the rack that's intended to be controlled by users of the classroom:

• (1) Dell OptiPlex desktop computer
• (2) Blu-Ray Player 

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

Extron Touch Panel Overview

Each classroom is equipped with an Extron touch panel built-into the top of the classroom podium. This touch 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 
  • Laptop - selects laptop or another computing device plugged into the HDMI at the podium or connected wirelessly via ShareLink to be displayed on the projector.
  • PC - selects the Dell OptiPlex Windows PC installed in the podium to be displayed on the projector.
  • Blu-Ray - selects the Blu-Ray player installed in the podium to be displayed on the projector.
  • Doc Cam - selects the document camera installed at the podium to be displayed on the projector.
• (2) Control buttons
  • Display - turns the projector on or off while the room is on.
  • Program - shows the audio level of the room and provides controls to raise, lower, or mute the audio.
  • Mic Controls - shows the audio level of the room and of the ceiling microphone, and provides controls to raise, lower, or mute the audio.
  • System Off - turns off the room.
  • Help - provides contact information to reach the ITS Help Desk.

Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment On

Turning on the projector in the classroom is completed by tapping the touch panel where it says Press HERE to begin.

Turning Classroom Projector and Electronic Classroom Equipment Off 

Tap the System Off button to turn begin the shutdown process. Select Power Down to confirm the change.

Connecting a Laptop (HDMI)

Each podium is equipped with an HDMI cable and laptop charging power outlet, as illustrated in the photo below.

• (1) HDMI

• (2) Laptop charging power outlet

Connect the laptop using the HDMI cable. After connecting the laptop, tap the Laptop button on the Extron touch panel. Tap the LAPTOP (HDMI) button to confirm the input selection. 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 cable at the podium to see if that resolves the issue.

Connecting a Laptop (ShareLink)

Tap the Laptop button on the Extron touch panel. Tap the SHARELINK button to confirm the input selection. While this input is labeled Laptop, it can be used for any device that does not have a physical HDMI port, such as a tablet. 

1. On the touch panel, an IP address will be shown in the bottom left corner. Type this address into your web browser to get to the ShareLink website.
2. On the website, you will have the option to (1) download the Windows app, (2) share your screen through the web, or (3) download the app for other platforms. Choose one of the options to continue, but option (2) is recommended for most use cases. The following steps go over options (1) and (2).

3. If downloading for Windows, clicking DOWNLOAD will bring you to the Extron Download Center where the file is automatically downloaded. Click Open file

4. Follow the installation window's prompts to install ShareLink

5. Open the ShareLink application

6. If the ShareLink doesn't appear automatically, click the plus (+) button

7. Enter the IP address shown on the touch panel's bottom left corner. Click NEXT

8. Enter the universal RIC ShareLink password and then click NEXT. The password is ric

9. Enter the 4-digit code shown on the touch panel's bottom right corner. Click CONNECT

10. Click the plus (+) button to bring up the "Share Content" menu. More than one piece of content can be displayed at a time. The following content sources are available for use:
    1. Mirror Screen - mirrors everything on your device
    2. Mirror Application - mirrors only one specific application that you choose
    3. Share Image or Video - lets you browse through your device's files to choose an image or video

11. To stop displaying all content, click the Remove All button, and click REMOVE on the popup window
    1. Alternatively, click on the content you want to stop displaying, and then click the Remove button

12. To disconnect from the ShareLink, click Leave, and click LEAVE SESSION to confirm

1. If sharing over the web, click WebShare. 
2. Enter the 4-digit code shown on the touch panel's bottom right corner. Enter the universal RIC ShareLink password. The password is ric. Enter a name for your connection. Click CONNECT

3. The following content sources are available for use:
   1. Browser tab - mirrors a specific tab in one of your web browsers
   2. Window - mirrors only one specific application that you choose
   3. Entire Screen - mirrors everything on your device
4. Click Share once a content source is chosen

3. Close the browser tab connected to the ShareLink to end the session

Using the Camera and Microphone

To use the camera and microphone, the PC source must be selected on the touch panel. Only the PC is connected to the camera and microphone, and the equipment cannot be used by other devices connected via the HDMI cable or ShareLink.

In your video conferencing application, ensure that the speakers are set to use the ExtronScalerD (Intel(R) Display Audio) and that the microphone is set as the Speakerphone (Extron MediaPort 300). In Zoom, pictured below, check the audio settings by clicking the (1) Up arrow (^) where it says "Audio." You can also click the (2) Audio settings... button to open the full Zoom audio settings.

The camera can be tilted up or down, or panned left or right using the (1) arrow buttons. To quickly reset the camera to its default position and zoom press the (2) home button. To zoom in or out, use the (3) plus (+) or minus (-) buttons. To quickly change to a predefined position and zoom, press one of the (4) numbered presets. One preset is a close-up of the podium, one is a close-up of the center whiteboard under the projector, and one is a wide, centered shot of the whole room.

Adjusting Program and Microphone Volume Levels

Adjusting the program and microphone volume levels in the electronic classroom can be accomplished through the Extron touch panel.
 

The program volume level - what is heard through the room's speakers - can be adjusted using the (1) arrow buttons.  The up arrow increases volume, while the down arrow decreases volume. The (2) Mute button will mute the audio. When using the Dell OptiPlex PC installed in the classroom or a laptop, verify that the audio output on the computer is not set to mute or off as well.

The microphone volume level - how sensitive the microphone is to noise - can be adjusted by clicking Mic Controls. The Mic Controls page has separate arrow and mute buttons for the program volume level and microphone volume level. Click the Close button to return to the main screen on the touch panel.

Projection Mute

The video signal to the projector can be temporarily turned off by selecting Off under "Display" on the Extron touch panel. Select On to restore the video signal to the projector.  
 

Blu-Ray Player Control

Select Blu-Ray on the touch panel to switch to the input.  Control the device by using its remote or with the device's built-in controls.  Also, verify the Blu-Ray player in the rack is powered on.

Document Camera Control

Select Doc Cam on the touch panel to switch the video signal to the document camera installed at the podium. The power button on the document camera is located on the top of the device in the top left corner.  The other buttons control the viewing of documents.
 

Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse

Note the highlighted location of the power button of the ViewSonic monitor in the photograph below, in the event the monitor at the podium is powered off. These monitors are on movable mounts, so they can be positioned as needed. Also, the monitor is a touch-screen and can be used instead of a mouse or as a way to annotate files.
 

Projector

A projector is installed in the ceiling of each electronic classroom, located towards the front of the room.  The projectors video output is displayed on the white board.
 

Camera

A BirdDog PTZ camera is installed in every room. It is available for use and can be controlled while using the PC input on the touch panel.

Microphone

An Extron ceiling microphone is installed in the center of the room. It will pick up audio from every part of the room, but will focus on the main speaker when there is one. It is available for use while using the PC input of the touch panel. Its sensitivity can be adjusted by clicking Mic Controls on the touch panel and using the arrow or mute buttons under "Microphone".

Speakers

Speakers are mounted in the ceiling at 4 points around the room.  The speaker shown in the photo is the right speaker.

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 touch panel only. If the issue keeps occurring and the touch 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 white power button of the Dell OptiPlex computer is lit up
2. If it is not, press the button until it lights up and see if the image appears on the monitor.
3. If the PC is on but there is no image on the monitor, click PC on the touch panel.
4. If the PC is projected, select the Windows key and the P key at the same time (Win+P) to bring up the display options and choose "Duplicate"

If the issue keeps occurring and the "Duplicate" 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.

Zoom Audio/Microphone Not Working

In your video conferencing application, ensure that the speakers are set to use the ExtronScalerD (Intel(R) Display Audio) and that the microphone is set as the Speakerphone (Extron MediaPort 300). In Zoom, pictured below, check the audio settings by clicking the (1) Up arrow (^) where it says "Audio." You can also click the (2) Audio settings... button to open the full Zoom audio settings.

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