Bookings are made in a number of ways, depending on the locations involved (eg: UOW, Hunter Centre, DSM, CCDHB, etc) and the system used to connect (Standards-based Video Conferencing, Vivid Solutions VC Network, Zoom, Skype, etc). Please see the procedures below and the files to the right for booking the different systems. If you are unsure about any of the processes, please contact us at:
- Vivid Solutions VC Network (ex Telepaeds)
- Desktop Video Conferencing (Zoom)
- Group Videoconferencing
- Video Conferencing - Things to consider
Vivid Solutions Ltd Network (ex Telepaeds) - UOW System
This system (the UOW Vivid VC Trolley) is for teaching of our students at our remote campuses, primarily Hawkes Bay, Palmerston North and Lower Hutt, Hastings Health Centre, and Tairawhiti (Gisborne). You can also connect to any other Vivid VC Network unit in New Zealand. This includes most public hospitals, but please check with the person you are connecting to, and see http://www.vividsolutions.co.nz/Locations for a list of sites which have Vivid VC Network-connected equipment.
The UOW portable Vivid VC system can be used in the following spaces at UOW:
Nordmeyer, SLT, C05, C06, C13 Training Room, C31 Conference Room, D07, D08, D27 Video Conference Room, D31, and some departmental seminar rooms.
To make a booking:
1. A UOW staff member who wants to use the Wellington Campus' Vivid VC system can book it in the same way as they'd book a Teaching Room, at http://uowintranet.otago.ac.nz/Tabs/Resource_Bookings.
Bookings must be requested at least 48 hours before the intended session to ensure adequate setup and processing time.
The booking request needs to include the following information:
- Date of booking
- Start and Finish times of the VC link (please request to book the UOW Vivid VC Trolley for half-an-hour before and after the meeting, for set-up and pack-down)
- Connecting Locations - UOW, Hutt, Hawkes Bay (HB), Hastings Health Centre (HHC), Palmerston North (PN), Tairawhiti <- the 6 UOW-owned Vivid VC units - and possibly other sites (only sites on the Vivid Solutions Ltd VC Network)
- For Wgtn, what room will the unit be set up in? (see list above)
- Note: you will need to refer to the Resource Booking System to check availability of the Teaching Rooms on levels C & D. This is located at: http://resourcebookings.wnmeds.ac.nz/day.php
- Contact person for booking, and, if different, the name of the Contact person for the presentation
- Topic of booking (e.g. Tutorial Name)
- Number of people attending at UOW, and any room layout options desired (i.e. Where will be best to position the VC Trolley? Who needs to see the TV screen? What do the other sites need to see from the camera here?)
- Requirement for PC content (e.g. PowerPoint) sharing over VC, and which site(s) will be sending this
The more information we have about the meeting, the better we can help you make it happen!
2. Once the booking is processed and confirmed, it will be entered into the UOW Vivid VC Trolley calendar, with the relevant locations and UOW room information, which can be viewed at the following publicably accessible calendar :
When the booking is confirmed by the UOW Reception, the main contacts we have at the remote locations which have UOW equipment will be advised of the booking by email. We have been advised that these remote location rooms and systems do not have a separate booking system.
For other sites you wish to connect to on the Vivid VC Network, you will need to coordinate with your own contacts at those sites.
It is then advisable for the staff member requesting the booking to ensure that the students and lecturer(s) are advised of the confirmed booking details.
3. Technology Services staff will ensure the Wellington system is delivered to the booked location, and ensure the presenter is happy with the connection and setup.
Note that Vivid Solutions Ltd runs the network and provide a helpdesk service to facilitate the connections. Contact number for Vivid Solutions Helpdesk is included on the systems' Home Screen and in the documentation.
Desktop Video Conferencing (Zoom)
Otago has access to the Zoom cloud-based system. This is suitable for person-to-person connections, or multiple site connections with only one person at each site. You can use the Zoom Desktop software to connect via your web browser. You will need a computer with a camera and microphone and speakers or headset.
To install Zoom, please visit http://otago.zoom.us/ and sign in with your university username.
Suggested Equipment
You will need a video camera, a microphone and some speakers/headphones in order to participate in a video conference.
For a single user at their desktop, a mid-range webcam and a headset with a boom mic is recommended. We suggest the Logitech and Microsoft brands. These are about $50 each retail and provide adequate performance.
If you have a laptop with a built-in webcam, this should be adequate, so just the headset will be needed.
If you have 2 or 3 people around a single computer, you will need some desktop speakers and a desktop microphone. You will need careful configuration with this setup to avoid echo/feedback, and a small webcam may struggle to capture all participants.
More expensive possibilities are a noise-cancelling desktop microphone and speaker unit. Equipment suitable for Zoom will generally also be suitable for Skype, Otago Connect, etc.
For groups of 2 or more, we do recommend that you use our facility in D27 which has good quality cameras, screens, microphones and speakers. (You can book D27 via UOW Resource Bookings - please ensure that you include information about your particular requirements, and/or contact videoconf.uow@otago.ac.nz regarding the booking, to ensure that we can set the room and equipment up to meet your needs.)
Group Video Conferencing
The Video Conferencing Service at UOW has two fixed room facilities. D27 is available for small numbers (up to 7) and the Nordmeyer Lecture Theatre is available for large groups.
- D27 - Video Conferencing for groups up to 7, with 2 large screens, cameras and the possibility of using the projector if required for linking multiple sites or one-to-one.
- Nordmeyer - Video Conferencing with 2 projectors, 2 cameras (one for the presenter and one for the audience) linking multiple sites using high quality pictures and audio.
Both systems allow simultaneous transmission of a camera and a digital presentation or scanned pictures from books or paper images, as well as receiving images of the audience from up to 6 different sites.
The technical service is currently free for UOW staff use if the sites required are utilising the the Zoom service, although some venues do charge for hiring (see note below). Bridging to other video conferencing networks is possible, but there is likely to be a cost associated with this.
Things to consider
Planning in advance is the key to a successful Video Conference. Ensuring that all participants know what is required of them on the day (often just turning up in the right place at the right time, but sometimes some technical know-how - use of the VC software and/or equipment - is also important. It's a good idea to have contact phone numbers for participants, in case of any technical or user problems on the day.
Ensure that all participants have access to suitable and compatible Video Conferencing equipment - Skype cannot connect to Zoom, nor the Vivid Solutions VC Network. Determine your VC platform for the meeting/class.
Ensure that the room is set up to suit the nature of the meeting - (How many people will be attending at each site? Seated at tables, or discussion semi-circle? Where will be best to position the VC camera and mic? Who needs to see the TV screen? What do the other sites need to see from the camera here?). Remember also, that while most people don't like to see themselves on camera, the reason that we're Video Conferencing is so that we can see each other - so it's important that everyone at each site can be seen by their local camera.
Will Computer Video Content (e.g. PowerPoint) be shared via VC link? From which site(s)? How will it be shown in the local room, and at remote sites?
If you have any questions or want advice, please contact the UOW CAV Support Team at videoconf.uow@otago.ac.nz
Videoconferencing Documents
Presentation giving an overview of the available video conferencing solutions and how to make a booking (.pptx)
UOW VC Presentation
Two-page help sheet on how to operate the UOW Vivid VC (ex Telepaeds) units (.pdf)
UOW Vivid VC Instructions