How to Videoconference (without being a technical geek) [Revised September 2012)
Index Glossary of Commonly Used Terms page 3 10 Step Overview page 5 Overview of How to Connect a Session page 6 The Remote page 7 Turn it On! Leave it on! page 9 Turning the Polycom On page 10 The Microphone page 11 Making a Call Using Manual Dial page 12 Receiving a Call / Ending a Call page 13 Troubleshooting page 14
Glossary of Commonly Used Videoconference Terms Videoconference (or VC) - technology that allows people to communicate as if they were in the same room, even though they are in different communities or cities; it is like a phone call with a live movie where you can both see and hear each other. Polycom - the manufacturer of the videoconference equipment you use. Connection Details - the specifics on how your site will be connected to the other site or to the multi-site videoconference - i.e. who is calling whom, if a bridge is dialling you, connection time, a help phone number to phone if you experience connection difficulties. IP Address - a site s unique videoconference connection address - the series of numbers that people dial to connect to a site. Bridge - a service used to connect several videoconference sites to the same session at the same time; it is also occasionally used to connect one site to another depending on circumstances. The Telehealth Portal - located at firstnationsth.ca, this is the public-access internet site that hosts all things FNIH Telehealth related including education sessions, meetings, clinical sessions, your connection details for everything, and how-to documents. -3-
The 10 Step Overview 1. Turn the TV on. The screen should be on. NOTE: If your TV says No Signal you will need to: a. Double check the input is correct b. Check to ensure the Polycom is on (see step 2) 2. Turn the Polycom on with the button or switch that is located either at the back of the Polycom unit on the left hand side as you face the TV and Polycom or centered in the front of the Polycom unit. Listen for the music-that-sounds-like-you re-in-a-movie-theatre as the system starts up 3. Open the shutter by sliding the button on top of the Polycom camera. 4. Press near on the Polycom remote and use the directional arrows to adjust your camera so that all participants are on screen.. 5. If you aren t already, be sure to mute your microphone until you are connected and ready to speak 6. Know how you are being connected: a. If the bridge is connecting you, do not push any buttons and wait to be connected b. If you are dialling the site, press the call button on the Polycom remote and enter the IP address in the Place a Call field and push the call button again 7. Watch the circular icon on the lower left of the screen and listen to the dialling tone. When the circular icon turns green, you are connected to your call. 8. If you are on a multi-point bridged call, unmute your microphone only when speaking, and mute again when you are finished. 9. When the session is finished, press the hang up button to disconnect. 10. Turn the TV off. The Polycom should be left on as our policy is to leave the Polycom cameras on at all the times. You can close the shutter on the camera though. Please also refer to the Troubleshooting Sheet and this how to manual. Please don t hesitate to email or call if you have any questions! -5-
Overview of How to Connect a Session -6-
The Remote The remote is your friend! It is used to control the videoconference equipment. Become familiar with it it will not bite you. You cannot wreck, ruin, or otherwise destroy the equipment with the remote. Anything you do with the remote can be undone by the remote! You will probably only ever need to use a few of the main buttons on the remote: and of course the numbered keypad. Just remember when in doubt go home [ ]. The home button is your safety blanket. If you find you are looking at an unfamiliar screen on the videoconference, just keep pressing the home button until you return to the main screen. -7-
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TURN IT ON! LEAVE IT ON! Turn it on! Leave it on! Yes, this is a policy for the Telehealth / Videoconference equipment. No, we haven't gone berserk. The TV / display screen can still be powered down as before. But please leave the VC equipment - the Polycom camera - powered ON at all times. Rather than turning the power off, just close the camera shutter. (The Polycom unit will go into sleep mode when not in use to conserve energy.) We are instituting a number of new technologies to make videoconferencing easier for you and free up some of your time. this is less hassle for you - the bridge can just connect to your site for sessions you are registered for - you don't have to worry about making sure the VC is on ahead of time it will already be on! this is less hassle for you - this will enable our bridge to update your VC software and perform regular checks remotely without bothering you at all! this is less hassle for you - we will be able to reboot your system remotely if you are having connection problems - one less thing for you to deal with! Thank you for your efforts and support! -9-
Turning the Polycom On (if it s been turned off) 1. Turn your TV on either with your TV remote or directly on the TV itself. Use your TV remote option button or input button to change the option / input displayed, until you see the Place a Call screen or the room you re in on the TV. 2a. If this is your VC Unit, there is a rocker / toggle switch at the back of Polycom. Pressing the half of the switch marked turns the Polycom ON, pressing the half of the switch marked O turns the Polycom OFF. The light on the Polycom will alternate glowing yellow and green, then be clear. 2b. If this is your VC Unit, simply push-and-release the square button in the centre. The light will turn blue or green and remain solid. The camera will remain rotate around, regardless of which VC Unit you re using, and then remain stationery during this powering up stage, but can take some time to do so. Be patient and then make sure the shutter on the camera is open, exposing the lens. 3. Listen for music as the Polycom powers up. This is your next indication that the equipment is on and working properly. A spinning Polycom logo will appear on the screen. The light on the Polycom will now glow steadily green. 4. The main dialling screen will now appear, as shown here to the right. 5. Press the near button on your remote. You will now appear full screen. 6. Use the directional keys (and the zoom keys if required) on the remote to position the camera so that everyone in the meeting is visible on screen. Please refer to the Troubleshooting section if you are having difficulties. It may be a simple problem you can fix just by pushing one or two buttons on the remote!
The Microphone This microphone is very sensitive. You can place it in the middle of your table, and speak in a normal tone of voice. It picks up voices within 25 feet! The microphone will transmit not only the speaker s voice, but also any side conversations of others in the room even if they are whispered! The microphone also picks up ambient noise such as paper rustling and finger tapping on the table. Sometimes this noise can drown out the speaker. For example, punctuating your sentence with a finger tap on the table transmits as a very loud boom to the far-site participants you are connecting with. Muting the Microphone The microphone can be muted in two ways: either by pressing the mute button on the remote or by pressing the button in the middle of the microphone itself. The microphone is muted when a red light shines in the middle of the microphone and the no microphone symbol with the word near appears in the lower left-hand corner of your screen. It is very important that your microphone remain muted during videoconferences unless you are speaking and wish to be heard! Most multi-site videoconferences are set-up in audio-switching mode. This means that which ever site makes any type of sound last, is the site that everyone else in the call sees on their screen. Something as innocent as turning a page, shifting a chair, or dropping a pen may cause the unwanted action of causing your site to be onscreen instead of the presenter! When you wish to be heard (and thus, seen), unmute your microphone. When you are finished speaking, remember to mute again! -11-
Making a Call Using Manual Dial Once your camera is positioned and your microphone muted, you are ready to make or receive a call. 1. The main screen will be displayed and the cursor will be in the correct spot that is labelled Place a Call 2. Using the numbered keypad on the remote, type in the IP address of the site you wish to connect to, or the IP address the bridge has provided you with to connect to your call. 3. The main screen appears and a small circular connection icon appears in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. This will change in colour from grey to blue to yellow to green as your call connects. This is you. 4. When the call connects, the far site will be displayed large in the main window, and your site will appear small in the picture in the lower right-hand corner of your screen a picture-in-a-picture or PIP. 5. It is helpful to leave your picture-in-picture up on the screen to remind you that you are in a videoconference and your actions are visible to others. 6. On some models, if you push the PIP or Display button, it will move the small picture-in-picture to the various four corners of the screen so you can decide which layout you like best! This This the is you. far site. -12-
Receiving a Call Once your equipment is on, any site (or bridge) can connect to you. Please ensure that your camera is positioned correctly and your microphone is muted! NOTE: Your system should be set-up to automatically mute all incoming calls so you probably won t have to manually mute your microphone. HOWEVER, please double check this as an unmuted microphone at a site is very disruptive on a multi-site call. For a Bridged Call: If you are expecting a bridge to connect to your site, you need to double check your connection details and bridge trouble phone line on the Telehealth Portal (firstnationsth.ca). Your equipment MUST be turned on at least 10 minutes BEFORE the connection time. For a Site-to-Site Call: Ensure that you and your connecting site have determined who is calling whom. This will prevent any confusion. Remember to open the shutter on the camera! Otherwise, it s like taking a photo with the lens cap on all you see is the black inside of the lens cap. Ending a Call It is very important to disconnect when you have finished your call! 1. Press the red hang up button twice on the remote. 2. When you are disconnected from the call, the main home screen is displayed again. And you are back where you started from! 3. Remember to turn your TV / monitor / screen OFF but to leave your Polycom unit ON. Our new technology policy calls for all Polycom units to be left ON at all times now. Do, however, CLOSE THE CAMERA SHUTTER.
Troubleshooting They Can t Hear You 1 Unmute your Microphone 2 Their volumes may be low You Can t Hear Them 1 Your volumes may be low 2 They need to unmute their microphone They Can t See You 1 Open Your Shutter 2 Are you in the camera view? You Can t See Them 1 They need to open their shutter 2 Are they in the camera view? They Can t See or Hear You 1 Are you sure you re connected? 2 Are they on the proper TV input? You Can t See or Hear Them 1 Are you sure you re connected? 2 Are you on the proper TV input? -14-