Using the Digital Classroom Podium

• On the podium, if the screen is black or displaying the screen saver, press the spacebar. The keyboard is located in the pull-out tray. Wait for the login screen to appear. It may take approximately five seconds.
• When the login screen appears, enter your Rutgers NetID and password. Press ENTER. If you do not have a NetID, you may login as a guest using the username “guest” and passwork “guest”. Please not, guest can not use the computer to go online.
• After you have logged in, the Rutgers Room Controller window will automatically open. This is the dashboard from which you control the system. It can be opened at any time by selecting the DCS logo on the desktop or application dock at the bottom of the screen.
• The first column allows you to select the source you would like to display.
• The center section is divided in to two parts. The top portion contains more detailed controls. These controls will change depending on what source you have selected in the first column. The bottom portion contains projector controls that will always be available.
• The third column contains volume controls and a log off button.

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• Once you have logged in and are ready to project, select Podium Computer in the first column.
• If you are in a room with multiple projectors, a pop-up window will appear. In this window, select where you would like to display your source. Select Left for the stage left projector. Select Right for the stage right projector. Select Preview Screen for the podium preview monitor. You may select multiple options and may unselect an option by clicking it again. When you have finished making your selections, press Enter. Please note, the number and names of screens may vary by room.
• Once the projector has warmed up, the computer image will appear on the screen. Now, everything you do on the computer will be projected. There are multiple ways to access your presentation.
• USB Drive: To access a presentation which you have brought to class on a USB drive, insert your USB drive into the USB port on the podium backsplash. Select the Open USB Drive button on the Podium Controller. A pop-up window will appear containing the contents of your USB drive. Find your presentation and double-click on it. Your presentation will now open.
• To eject your USB drive, drag the USB drive icon on the desktop to the trash icon on the dock.
• Internet: select the Web Browser button. A web browser will open allowing you to access web sites.
• Other Programs: to view all programs available, select the blue “A” folder in the dock located along the bottom of the screen. Select the program you would like to open.
• To control the volume level, adjust the Program slider by dragging the circle or tapping on the slider.

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T he Document Camera is a camera used to project images of documents, transparencies, and other presentation material.

• In the Podium Controller, select Document Camera in the first column.
• If you are in a room with multiple projectors, a pop-up window will appear. In this window, select where you would like to display your source. Select Left for the stage left projector. Select Right for the stage right projector. Select Preview Screen for the podium preview monitor. You may select multiple options and may unselect an option by clicking it again. When you have finished making you selections, press Enter. Please note, the number and names of screens may vary by room.
• Pull out the document camera drawer located on the side of the system. In some rooms, you can raise the camera by releasing the latches on the underside of the camera.
• Raise the camera arm and lights. Please note, you may feel resistance when you open the camera arm. This is normal. Place your document, transparency, or object on the document camera staging area and point the camera at your source.
• If you are using a transparency, select the Back Light button located on the center column of the Podium Controller. For all other sources, select the Arm Light button.
• To adjust the projected image, press the buttons on the Rutgers Room Controller or on the camera.

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It is possible to present from a laptop, tablet, phone, or other portable device. The podium includes an HDMI cable. Portable devices use a variety of display ports, many of which are unique to that device. Therefore, if your device does not have a HDMI port, you will need to provide a HDMI adapter to use your device. Connect this adapter to your device’s display port.

• The HDMI cable is kept in either the podium side drawer or –in larger rooms – in a drawer located below the keyboard. Please remove the appropriate cable.
• Connect one end of the cable to the HDMI port on the podium backsplash.
• Connect the other end of the cable to your device or adapter. If using the VGA cable, plug the audio portion in to your headphone jack.
• On the Podium Controller, select HDMI.
• If you are in a room with multiple projectors, a pop-up window will appear. In this window, select where you would like to display your source. Select Left for the stage left projector. Select Right for the stage right projector. Select Preview Screen for the podium preview monitor. You may select multiple options and may unselect an option by clicking it again. When you have finished making you selections, press Enter. Please note, the number and names of screens may vary by room.
• Turn on your device.
• To control the volume level, adjust the Program slider by dragging the circle, tapping on the slider, or pressing the mute button. You will also need to raise the volume on your device.

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In some rooms, there Blu-Ray/DVD player is located below the keyboard tray. It is capable of playing Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and audio CDs.

• To begin, select Blu-Ray or DVD on the first column of the Podium Controller.
• If you are in a room with multiple projectors, a pop-up window will appear. In this window, select where you would like to display your source. Select Left for the stage left projector. Select Right for the stage right projector. Select Preview Screen for the podium preview monitor. You may select multiple options and may unselect an option by clicking it again. When you have finished making you selections on the touchscreen, press Enter. Please note, the number and names of screens may vary by room.

If you are using a podium with a stand-alone player:

• Press the Open/Close button. The disc tray on the player will open after a few seconds. Place your disc on the tray.
• Press Open/Close button again. The tray will close, please do not press it in.
• After loading, your disc will begin to play.
• Use the buttons in the center of the Podium Controller to control playback.
• To control the volume level, adjust the Program slider by dragging the circle, tapping on the slider, or pressing the mute button.

If you are using a podium with a Blu-ray drive:

• Press the Open/Close button. The disc tray on the Blu-ray drive will open after a few seconds. Place your disc on the tray.
• Press the Open/Close button again. The tray will close, please do not press it in.
• Select the button which corresponds to the type of disc you are playing: Blu-ray, DVD, International Blu-ray, or International DVD.
• A media player will open:
  • To play a Blu-ray, press the Open Disc button and double click on your disc. Please wait if it does not immediately appear.
  • To play a DVD, press the play button.
  • To play an international Blu-ray or international DVD, in the menu bar, choose File, then Open Disc, and – after your disc has loaded – Open.
• Use the buttons in the media player to control playback, choose menu options, and adjust the volume. If you have not already, make sure to raise the Podium Volume in the Podium Controller as well.
• To fill the entire screen with the video, press the full screen icon in the media player. In full screen mode, you can access playback controls by moving the cursor to the bottom of the screen. To exist full screen mode, press Esc.
• When you are finished playing the disc, close the media player by pressing the red dot in the top left corner of the window. Press Open/Close in the Podium Controller. Retrieve the disc and press Open/Close again.

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Certain Digital Classroom Podium rooms are equipped with a hand-held, podium, and/or wireless microphone. To see if your room has a microphone visit your classroom’s page on the DCS web site and check the Technology tab. In rooms with larger podiums, the microphones, cables, and batteries are kept in the drawer below the keyboard. In smaller podiums, they are kept in the document camera drawer.

Wireless Microphones

• Hold down the button on top of the body pack to turn it on. The status light will turn green.
• Clip the microphone to your clothing, near your neck.
• On the Podium Controller, raise the Wireless Mic slider by pressing a point on the slider.
• To mute the mic, press the button on top of the body pack once. The status light will turn orange. Press it again to unmute.
• If the status light is red, please replace the batteries. Press in the two clips on the sides of the mic pack and pull open the battery cover to access the batteries.

Hand-held Microphones

• Plug one end of the provided XLR cable into the bottom of the hand-held microphone. Plug the other end into the XLR jack that is located next to the touchscreen.
• Move the power switch on the mic into the on position.
• On the Podium Controller, raise the Handheld Mic volume slider by pressing a point on the slider.

Podium Microphones

• Plug the microphone into the XLR jack located next to the touchscreen.
• On the Podium Controller, raise the podium mic slider by pressing a point on the slider.

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