Multimedia/Presentation Room Q & A:

What is the distinction between a Multimedia Room and a Presentation Room?

The Multimedia classroom provides the Instructor with a projector, a workstation / lectern, a personal computer and/or an Apple Macintosh computer, a VCR, and a supporting audio system.

A Presentation classroom is designed to meet all of the basic multimedia needs. This facility provides the Instructor with a projector, a supporting audio system and a wall plate with appropriate connections for a Laptop, PC or a VCR. Instructor will be responsible for bringing the needed equipment to connect to the presentation system.

Which rooms are designated Multimedia Rooms?

Multimedia Rooms

Which rooms are designated Presentation Rooms?

Presentation Rooms

How do I reserve a Multimedia or Presentation Room?

Contact Space Management, 610-436-3348.

What equipment is installed in a Multimedia Room?

It depends on the room, but all rooms have a projector, a computer with a LAN connection, and a VCR installed.

Main 168 and Schmucker C-100 both have a Mac Cube (with DVD) and a PC (with DVD) installed, along with a wireless microphone and a VCR.
Anderson 103 has a PC (with DVD), wireless microphone, and a VCR installed.
Ruby Jones 104, Sturzebecker 116a, and Anderson 208 all have a PC (with DVD) and a VCR installed.
Swope 8 has a Mac G-3 installed, along with audio equipment (record player, cassette deck, and CD player).

What equipment is installed in a Presentation Room?

The Presentations rooms include a projector with 2 internal 5-watt speakers, a wall mounted control box that powers on/off the projector and switches input sources (PC, VCR etc.). The control box also provides access to the volume control for the speakers located inside the projector. There is also a wall mounted interface plate that provides all of the necessary cables to attach a Laptop, VCR, and DVD player, and a LAN connection to access the campus network and the World Wide Web (you must have a network card installed on your laptop and properly configured to access the campus network). Please note: Laptops, VCR's, and other input sources are not provided.

How do I obtain a key for the cabinet in the Multimedia Room?

Contact the building administrator.

How do I use the installed projector in a Presentation Room?

Using The Presentation Room Projector

I have connected my laptop to the provided cable in the Presentation room, but I cannot get the image to project.

When a projector is attached to a laptop via the external VGA port, it is usually detected by the laptop as an external monitor. Each manufacturer uses a different configuration, so it is extremely helpful if you read your user's guide to see how your laptop handles an external monitor or projector, and then try a test run with your laptop in the Presentation room before you rely on it for your presentation in class.

Most laptops have "hotkeys" that are pre-programmed to enable various functions of the laptop. One of these functions is a toggle between the laptop screen and an external monitor or projector. Please refer to your user's guide to find out which key(s) activate this feature on your laptop. For example, on the ACC's Toshiba laptop, you must first press and hold the "Fn" key, then toggle between screens by pressing the "F5" key until you reach the desired scenario. Usually, there are four or five output settings to be viewed. On the Toshiba the options are:

Laptop display only.

Laptop display and external display.

External display only.

Laptop display and TV or other external video device (when in dual controller mode only).

TV or other external video device only.

Please refer to your user's manual to find out the exact sequence for your laptop.

If you have toggled between output selections, and you still do not have an image, you may need to press the PC button on the wall mounted control box to resynchronize the projector with the laptop. If this does not work, call the help desk at x3350.

I've connected my laptop correctly, and followed the above directions but I still cannot see an image.

Make sure your PC or Mac's screen resolution is set below UXGA resolution (1280x1024). SVGA (800x600) is the recommended resolution, which is much easier to read at a distance.

I see an image, but I cannot hear any sound.

Check to see that the provided 1/8" audio cable is plugged into the headphone or speaker out jack on the laptop, and the volume control is not muted or turned down. If you still do not have audio, press the "Power" button on the wall mounted projector control box. When the light comes on, you will hear a click. Once you hear the click, press the volume up button, and look at the screen to see where the volume levels are set. The volume level bar will appear at the lower right hand side of the projected image. If you are still unable to hear the audio, please call the help desk at x3350.

I've read the instructions posted in the room and all of the above solutions, but I am still having trouble. Who can I call for help?

If you are still having problems, or have specific questions, you can set up an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with a technician by calling the help desk at x3350.