Connecting in Technology Enhanced Classrooms

Before You Begin

  1. Make sure you have a key to both the classroom and the equipment cabinet in the room. If not, call 237-8192.
  2. Go to the room before the day of class to get oriented with the setup and to make sure all components are present. If you need training, contact the Center for Instruction, Research, and Technology at 237-2676.
  3. ThinkPads have wireless internet capability and the PC in the cabinet has internet. If you need access to the internet on a laptop that does not have wireless internet, you will need to authorize your laptop for internet use in the building you will be teaching in. Call 237-2910 to request network authorization to be set up, this will take advance planning.

Connecting to Sympodiums (see Diagram 1)

  1. Unlock the cabinet door and turn on the master power.
  2. Locate the 15-pin VGA cable extending from the top of the station.
  3. Locate the small sound cable extending from the top of the station.
  4. Plug the 15-pin VGA cable into the port on the right side of your ThinkPad.
  5. If you will be using audio, plug the sound cable into the green headphone jack located on the left side of the ThinkPad.
  6. Turn on the projector by clicking ON on the control panel.
  7. Push the LAPTOP button so it will display the laptop instead of the PC, VCR, or DVD player.
  8. Turn on you ThinkPad
  9. Toggle between your screen, the projection, or both by pressing the Fn and F7 keys on your ThinkPad keyboard. Give it time to refresh after each push. Other laptops may require that you push a key other than F7.
  10. To access the internet on a laptop that does not have wireless capabilties:
    1. Locate the ethernet cable on top of the Sympodium.
    2. Connect the ethernet cable to the network port on the laptop.
  11. To shutdown:
    1. Shutdown your ThinkPad.
    2. Unhook all cables.
    3. Turn off the projector and master power.
    4. Lock the cabinet.

Connecting to Black Cabinets (see Diagram 2)

  1. Unlock the cabinet door and turn on the master power.
  2. Locate the 15-pin VGA/sound cable combo from the cabinet drawer. To temporarily borrow a cable or for info on how to purchase one, call 237-2910.
  3. Locate the Altinex box on the lower panel inside the cabinet.
  4. Plug the 15-pin VGA cable into the Altinex box.
  5. Plug the other end of the 15-pin VGA cable into the port on the right side of your ThinkPad.
  6. If you will be using audio, plug the sound cable into the green headphone jack located on the left side of the ThinkPad.
  7. Turn on the projector using the remote.
  8. Turn on your ThinkPad.
  9. Toggle between your screen, the projection, or both by pressing the Fn and F7 keys on your ThinkPad keyboard. Give it time to refresh after each push. Other laptops may require that you push a key other than F7.
  10. If your ThinkPad’s contents do not display:
    1. With projector’s remote, change the input by pushing either INPUT, RGB, DATA, or SOURCE. Give it time to refresh after each push.
    2. Some Altinex boxes are also accompanied by a switch. It is usually located near the monitor. Use this switch to change the input from PC to your ThinkPad.
  11. To shutdown:
    1. Shutdown your ThinkPad.
    2. Unhook all cables.
    3. Turn off the projector and master power.
    4. Place cable back in cabinet drawer or nook so that the door will properly close.
    5. Lock the cabinet.

Connecting to Teaching Stations (see Diagram 3)

  1. See Black Cabinet instructions. Note: Some teaching stations have a switch on the wall that looks like a light switch. This is the power switch for the projector.

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