- Only a few years ago, document cameras and consumer stereo equipment represented the extent of technology available to manage audio and video presentations at Lafayette College in Easton, Penn. Some of the first classroom installations, which included as many as five different remotes for each in-room device, created a difficult-to-use setup for college professors and other facilitators. A user-friendly, more reliable solution became paramount. Lafayette College embarked on an aggressive project to replace the preexisting audio/video (A/V) with AMX® NetLinx® Control Systems and MeetingManager™ software application.
"MeetingManager allows us to plan new technology enhanced classrooms, phase out older technology and receive early warnings for equipment failures, while increasing equipment reliability and up-time. It has helped us address core support and budgeting issues with classroom technology, and has quickly become the most valuable tool in our department."
- Lafayette contracted the services of Vistacom Inc., an AMX Dealer located in Allentown, Penn., to assist the college's Instructional Technology Department achieve the latest technology-enhanced classroom standard. "This is one of the most impressive uses (of NetLinx and MeetingManager) that we have seen," said Destiny Heimbecker, Sales/Marketing at Vistacom Inc.
- With the NetLinx system in place, Lafayette College has the ability to leverage the power of the Local Area Network (LAN), connecting and controlling non-networked devices to the network. NetLinx is programmed to deliver email alerts and notifications to the appropriate campus technicians when any networked equipment requires preventative maintenance or immediate repair, from identifying critical projector lamp life indicating the moment a device has been unplugged without authorization. The level of technical support has greatly improved. Electronic equipment downtime is practically non-existent. Every connected device remains protected from possible theft.
- "During our product search, we became interested in a few solutions from AMX," said John O'Keefe, Manager of Instructional Technology at Lafayette College. "AMX's NetLinx Controllers allow us to control classroom equipment, monitor equipment maintenance and send data to system administrators. In addition, it allows us to create Web-based versions of classroom Touch Panels programmed to control classroom devices with a Web browser on the LAN."
Choosing MeetingManager
- Once the network infrastructure was in place, the Instructional Technology Department viewed an enterprise management system as the next critical part of the installation. Lafayette College needed a way to centrally monitor and gather system information, interpret data and create equipment usage reports. Their answer? AMX's MeetingManager software.
- "With MeetingManager, we are now able to get real-time status of all systems on campus, as well as track device/system usage in a back-end database," O'Keefe added. "This allows us to generate year-end reporting, which helps provide a better understanding of what equipment gets used and how often."
- The system usage statistics provide valuable feedback as to the trends and needs of the current technology being used by staff, faculty and students. The Instructional Technology Department now has the ability to determine when to install new, cutting edge technology in order to phase out older, less frequently used electronics. This promises a greater return on the school's financial investment in ever-evolving technology hardware and software, one of the many benefits apparent at Lafayette College.
Thresholds-Based Monitoring
- When a projector lamp reaches the final hours of lamp life, MeetingManager is programmed to notify the appropriate technician: The lamp needs to be replaced. This is called "thesholds-based monitoring" and Lafayette College uses it to configure connected devices. This proactive response to maintaining equipment has virtually eliminated classroom interruptions.
Custom Configured Parameters
- Campus technicians know when a classroom system remains powered on for an extended length of time and needs to be powered off. By creating a "System Left On" parameter, the Instructional Technology Department is notified by email of the system's status. In correlation with using MeetingManager's scheduling feature, the technicians can cross-reference when the system was activated and who was facilitating the specified classroom.
Better Support & Instruction
- MeetingManager's scheduling feature helps to determine if faculty members have the necessary experience to operate the available electronic equipment. It also targets those faculty members who can assist colleagues with new and innovative ways to incorporate technology in the classroom. MeetingManager provides Lafayette College the resources to better support and instruct faculty on the advantages of technology and education.
Event Macros
- Lafayette College educators have the ability to activate a sequence of classroom events to happen at a designated time. MeetingManager can be programmed to schedule, through NetLinx, what are referred to as "macros." These macros tell different connected devices to operate in unison. During a presentation for example, a speaker may desire to start a short movie clip at 15 minutes past the hour. Without any prior setup of physical equipment, MeetingManager signals the room at precisely the right time. Instantly the lights dim, the drop-down projection screen lowers, the ceiling-mounted projector powers on and the DVD/VCR player begins to play.
Emergency Response
- Help buttons located on the Touch Panels in each classroom provide a superior level of support and service never before achieved at Lafayette College. Without telephones in any of the rooms, the help button communicates directly with campus technicians by generating an alert email for assistance, as well as a pager text message. Problems are quickly resolved either on-site, or from a remote control station manned by the technicians.
- "MeetingManager allows us to plan new technology enhanced classrooms, phase out older technology and receive early warnings for equipment failures, while increasing equipment reliability and up-time," O'Keefe said. "It has helped us address core support and budgeting issues with classroom technology, and has quickly become the most valuable tool in our department."
