Classrooms

Equipment & Troubleshooting

Information Technology Services maintains computers and audio visual equipment in 70+ classrooms on campus. It is the mission of ITS to encourage, empower, and educate AU faculty, staff, and students in their use of computer technology.

Students in the classroom

ITS aims to partner with academic divisions to provide technology to facilitate student learning.  In order to keep our classrooms functioning smoothly, we recommend the following best practices:

  • Before you teach in a classroom for the semester, please stop by to become acquainted with the equipment in that space.
  • Report any computer or equipment (projector, TV, speakers, etc.) concerns to the ITS Helpdesk as soon as possible.  The ITS Helpdesk can be reached at 607-871-2222 or via email.
    • Troubleshooting assistance is available over the phone.
    • Concerns not solved over the phone will be entered into the ITS ticket system and will be assigned to the first available technician.
  • If you unplug classroom equipment in order to plug in your personal equipment, please return each cable to its original location before you leave the room.  This will facilitate ease of use for the next instructor.
  • Please log out of the classroom computer and turn off the projector when you are finished.

In the sections below, please see troubleshooting instructions for common classroom problems.  Most classrooms will require the toubleshooting steps for General Classrooms.  The troubleshooting instructions for Specialized Classrooms are grouped by building, and specific room numbers are referenced.



Common Problems & Steps to Follow

The projector doesn’t show an image (the computer is on, the projector is on, but the screen projected is black).

Cause(s):  Auto updates cause the display to default to "PC screen only" (Microsoft default).

Steps:

  1. Hold down the Windows button (button on keyboard with four squares, between FN and ALT) and press the P key.
  2. Choose “Duplicate” (unless there are multiple monitors; if there are, choose “Extend”).

There is an audio problem with a Zoom call in a classroom.  The person on the other end is not being heard in the classroom.

Cause:  The computer has defaulted to the incorrect speaker (sometimes it recognizes the microphone as a speaker).

Steps:

  1. Click on the speaker icon on the desktop (bottom right-hand side of the screen).
  2. Right-click on the speaker icon and select "Go to Settings."
  3. See the audio output options under "Choose where to play sound."
  4. Choose HDMI Epson output (if the projector is Epson).

The projector/ TV and computer are on; the desktop is showing on the display (TV or projected from the projector) without showing the open program on the computer monitor.

Cause:  The display is in "Extended Screen Mode," when it needs to be "Duplicated."

Steps:

  1. Go into "Settings."  Click "System," then select "Display."
  2. Choose "Duplicate."
  3. Click "Apply Change" when prompted to do so.

There is no image coming from the projector, and the screen is blue.

 Cause:  The HDMI cord is unplugged from the projector, OR the correct source needs to be chosen.

Steps:

  1. Check to make sure the HDMI cord is plugged into the projector.
  2. Check the source with the remote using "source search" on the remote (HDMI 1).

Prevention: 

  1. Turn the computer on first, and wait until you are logged in and have your needed files/ pages open.
  2. Turn on the projector.

The classrooms listed below contain specialized equipment to enable HyFlex education and/or lecture capture.  Some rooms contain additional features, such as motorized screens which drop down from the ceilings.  While these components provide additional capability, they also introduce complexity.  Common challenges are listed below.

Olin 301

The screen won't come down.

Cause:  The screen toggle switch on the wall was turned off (labeled "power for screen"). The switch much remain up; flipping it down does not make the screen go down.  It is a power switch.

Steps:

  1. Turn it back on (flip the switch up).
  2. Wait a few seconds.
  3. Use the touch screen controller on the teaching station to move the screen up and down.

Projected images appear in the wrong place (the image intended for the screen is on the TV and/or the image intended for the TV is projected on the screen.

Cause:  The correct displays need to be selected.

Steps:

  1. Hold down the Windows key (between fn and alt keys) and press "P".  Each monitor on the teaching station is connected to a TV or projector.
  2. Click "identify" button and it will show the labels (1 or 2).
  3. Click "Extend Displays."  Monitor on the right matches projector (monitor 1); Monitor 2 (left) matches the TV.

There is no audio in the room.

Cause:  The correct speaker is not selected in computer settings.

Steps:

  1. Click the speaker icon (lower right-hand side of the screen) and click the settings icon.
  2. Select Sound Settings, and select the desired speaker (Desira Forte AVB).

There is no audio for participants on a Zoom call, which is hosted from the classroom.

Cause:  The correct microphone is not selected in the Zoom settings.

Steps:

  1. Go to Zoom audio settings (microphone icon in lower left-hand corner, click up arrow).
  2. Select a different microphone until you select one that works.  There will be 2 or 3 choices.

Olin 302

The screen won't come down.

Cause:  The screen toggle switch on the wall was turned off (labeled "power for screen").  The switch must remain up; flipping it down does not make the screen go down.  It is a power switch.

Steps:

  1. Turn the switch on (flip it up).
  2. Wait a few seconds.
  3. Use the touch screen controller on the teaching station to move the screen up and down.

Olin 307

Students are in the room, the instructor is on Zoom from an off-campus location.  The instructor cannot hear the students, but the students can hear the instructor.

Cause:  The USB cable to the audio matrix is disconnected from the computer.

Steps:

  1. Plug the USB back in.
  2. Go to Zoom audio settings.  "Clear One Converge" should be selected as the speaker.

Olin 310

Audience view will work, but presenter view will be black or static (in Zoom or on the screen).

Cause:  The presenter view camera loses signal (falls asleep).

Steps:

  1. Report this issue to the ITS Helpdesk.  A technician will need to intervene due to the height and need for a ladder.
  2. The technician will need to unplug the camera and plug it back in.

Students are in the room, and the Instructor is on Zoom from an off-campus location.  The Instructor cannot hear the students, but the students can hear the instructor.

Cause:  The incorrect speaker is selected in the Zoom audio settings.

Steps:

  1. Go to Zoom audio settings (microphone icon).
  2. Select "Clear One Converge" as the speaker.

McMahon 101

A faculty member plugs in a laptop (HDMI) to connect to the projector, but the image from the laptop is not projected.

Cause:  There are two HDMI cables; one for the projector and one for the Blu-ray player.  The incorrect cable is plugged in.

Steps:

  1. Unplug the HDMI cable from the computer.
  2. Plug in the second HDMI cable.

The lights on the microphones in the room are red (they should be green), and the microphones are not working during a Zoom call or when recording into Panopto.

Cause:  The microphones are muted (in the audio settings on the touch screen), or the correct microphone is not selected.

Steps:

  1. Make sure the sources match on the touch screen.
  2. In the audio settings in Zoom or Panopto, make sure the correct microphones are selected.

McMahon 357/358

The image projected on both screens flashes.

Cause:  The projected image from the PC is set to appear on the screen furthest from the teaching station.  If sharing the PC and a secondary line (document camera, etc.), the PC must be projected closest to the teaching station.

Steps:

  1. On the touch screen controller, select "display controls."
  2. Choose PC on the projector closest to the teaching station.

The projector farthest from the teaching station is not turning on (357).

Cause:  The correct display mode needs to be selected.

Steps:

  1. Hold down the Windows key (between the fn and alt keys) and press the P key.
  2. Choose to extend or duplicate the screen.  Do not select "PC Screen Only" or "Second Screen Only."

Nothing works.  The PC turns on, but the projector and microphones all remain off.

Cause:  The power strip is turned off in 357 (357 controls 358).

Steps:

  1. Turn the power strip on in 357.
  2. Wait for everything to wake up.

Roon Lecture Hall (Science Center)

The wireless microphone (used by the instructor) is not working.

Cause:  The batteries need to be replaced.

Steps:

  1. Replace the batteries with fresh ones.