Multimedia Classroom (FAQ)
Computer Support
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Multimedia |
The Multimedia Classroom in the Duke Mathematics Department is a state of the art facility designed to provide an advanced multimedia setting for teaching and to facilitate the recording, archiving, and internet broadcast of seminars, lectures, and classes.
Assistance
For assistance in using the Multimedia Classroom, please check out the Frequently Asked Questions page first. Then send an email to our Administrators <Request Line> req@math.duke.edu.Goals
The Multimedia Classroom was designed to facilitate the broadcast and archival of mathematics seminars and conferences. Given the worldwide demand among mathematicians to share research and knowledge, seminars and conferences at Duke have traditionally drawn audiances from other Universities, both from North Carolina and from other states. In addition, Duke Mathematics faculty have been engaging in a distance learning mathematics class in order to "share" highly regarded faculty among a larger quantity of graduate students. Our hope is that this classroom will become the centerpiece of these activities, allowing guests from anywhere in the world to share in the distribution of knowledge from reknowned speakers visiting (or affilitated with) Duke University. We also seek to provide a large library of recorded sessions which will both promote Duke and North Carolina as a leader in technology and mathematics and become an invaulable source of knowledge and reference to the mathematical community at large.Hardware
- Console Computer : This machine is a 2.4Ghz Pentium IV system currently running Fedora Core 2 Linux and can capture video via its Hauppauge Win/TV capture board. It is capable of emulating Windows 98 with the Win4Lin Software Package. Users are able to switch between the two operating systems seemlessly on a single machine. This is the primary machine used by instructors for introducing multimedia applications to classes.
- Video Capture Computer : This machine is an Athlon 1800+ system currenting running Windows XP and is located in the back of the classroom. It has a Hauppauge Win/TV video capture board and is used with the RealProducer software to capture and broadcast lectures from the classroom.
- Eiki LCD Projector : The Eiki LCD projector is a powerful large screen projection system capable of displaying an image 1024x768 pixels in size. Producing 500 lumens projections, this system is usable in most lighting conditions and it is possible to reproduce its images clearly on video tape or broadcast during a taping of a session.
- Camera : There is a camera mounted in the rear left corner of the classroom that can be controlled by remote. Featuring several zoom levels and fine scale manuverability, this camera covers most of the classroom.
- JVC VCR : A high quality VCR is available for recording, while simultaneously broadcasting, sessions and for playback through the Eiki projector.
- Touch Screen : Currently attached the NT Computer, the touch screen LCD monitor allows you to write directly on the screen and display your drawings or writings on the overhead projector. Simultaneously, it can archive your images for storage on webpages and soon, live broadcast with our video lectures. Currently it is not used due to technical difficulties but we plan to replace it with a more advanced model soon.
- Whiteboard : The digital whiteboard allows for realtime digital recording of pen strokes made on the board. Currently supported only under the Windows Operating System, this allows you to create high quality reproductions of handwriting during a lecture. These images can be printed out for instant class notes or placed on a web page for an archival of class materials.
Multicast Software
General Information
- X Windows : The X windowing system on the Linux machine in the classroom provides a flexible environment for faculty to run and display their programs and documents. Approximately 95% of the computing facilities in the Mathematics department are Unix based. Using X windows allow users to remotely display programs running on other machines on the console computer, and thus the overhead projector.
- Win4Lin : Given the popularity of the Microsoft operating systems, we have provided a mechanism by which to run programs designed for these systems in the classroom. Popular applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and other programs specific to this OS are available for use, as is an MSDOS prompt (via the Command Prompt) for running older software.
- Console : The classroom has an advanced touch screen console that controls most of its fuctions. The console doubles as a television monitor allowing preview of video sources and camera alignment on screen before recording or switching to the overhead projector. It also controls the overhead projection system and the switching between the two computers linked to the classroom.