Main Web>Computing>Videoconference (2022-10-01, WilliamSeligman)

Videoconferencing tools and tips

On this page:

Speakerphone
Electronic whiteboard / Interactive display
Network
Manuals

The library in the Nevis research building (room 115) has various pieces of equipment to use in local and remote videoconferencing. If you're going to use the room, please make a reservation.

Speakerphone

This is a large three-panel microphone, with a telephone keyboard on it. This is part of the standard Nevis phone system; the number is 914-591-2875. To use it, dial the phone number (e.g., a Zoom meeting) then hit the green button (or hit the green button and dial the number).

If you want to host a phone conference outside of Zoom using the speakerphone (or any other phone in our phone system, there are detailed instructions here. There's a conference room already set up to save you some effort; the instructions of how to use it are on a laminated card kept next the phone.

Electronic whiteboard / Interactive display

The whiteboard has several functions. Here's the complete manual (PDF file). What follows is a summary of the most common tasks you'll probably want to do with it.

To turn the whiteboard on,there's a power button on the lower right-hand corner. You can also use the remote control.

Freehand drawing

Typical drawing functions shown in the menu at the bottom of the screen.

If you want to email the drawing, click on the envelope icon in that bottom menu. Enter the email addresses you want to receive the drawing as a PDF file. Click on the Send button (even if it appears to be blocked by the on-screen keyboard) to send the message.

If you want to save the drawing within the whiteboard's memory, click on the document icon in that bottom menu.

Connecting a laptop

On the lower right-hand corner of the front of the whiteboard, there's an HDMI cable labeled "laptop". If your laptop doesn't have a standard HDMI port, there's a USB-C adapter/hub to connect to most current laptops.

To select the laptop as the screen's input device, click on the Open button near the lower left-hand corner of the screen. Select HDMI 3.

There's also a USB-A cable next to the HDMI laptop cable. If you plug that into your laptop, you'll be able to control your laptop's mouse by touching and tapping the whiteboard screen.

To switch back to the whiteboard, press the Quick Menu button near the lower right of the whiteboard, or use the Menu button on the remote control.

Web browser

The whiteboard has a built-in web browser. Click on the Open button near the lower left-hand corner of the screen. Select Web Browser.

To type in a URL, tap near the top of the whiteboard screen.

Mac Mini

If you need a separate computer to display something (for example, you're given a .pptx file and you don't have Microsoft Powerpoint installed on your laptop), there's a Mac Mini attached to the whiteboard. (It's named after Anita Borg, a computer scientist who advocated for greater representation of technical women.)

It has most of the software packages that might be used during a meeting, including Microsoft Office and Zoom. This is an older computer and somewhat slow; please be patient.

To select the Mac Mini as the screen's input device, click on the Open button near the lower left-hand corner of the screen. Select HDMI 1. You can login to the Nevis account using the same access code as the Nevis wireless network. (This is posted on a bookshelf near the library entrance.)

The Mac Mini has already been set up to use the whiteboard touch screen for mouse input. There's also a separate mouse and keyboard attached to the mini.

To switch back to the whiteboard, press the Quick Menu button near the lower right of the whiteboard, or use the Menu button on the remote control.