SMART
FAQs form SMART Board Training
1. Does the camera face the class or does it face you?
It faces the class. The camera and the microphone are intended for video calling or video conferencing. If you have an application like Skype or other video calling software you can connect the USB cable labeled web cam and microphone to your laptop and use the touch panel to choose what you want to see on the projector screen (4 choices).
2. Can you play DVDs?
Yes, provided your computer or laptop has a DVD player.
3. Is there a focus on the document viewer?
Yes there is a manual and automatic setting. You can also put a SD memory into the document viewer if you’d like to capture an image of what’s being viewed.
4. You cannot play two things at the same time?
No. You only have one source up at a time. But it is easy to toggle back and forth between the other displays.
5. How do you turn everything on?
From Sleep mode: The screen on the small control touch panel with display at the podium and/or SMART Board screen will be black. It means it is asleep or that no source is currently selected. Press the icon on the small control touch panel that says “presentation.” It wakes up/turns on the touch screen, the projector, and everything at the podium. It does not turn on the document viewer, which has its own power switch. From sleep mode or if no source is selected, the only way to tell if the projector is on is to stand to the right of it where the bulb can be seen or to note the green light on the front of the projector. When off, the light on the projector is a steady amber/orange color.
6. Should the SMART Board be left on?
Should not be left on for long periods of time (e.g. more than 2 hours) if not in use. Definitely turn it off over night.
7. Will the projector go to sleep in the middle of inactivity?
Yes. It can be awakened by the touch of the control touch panel or movement of the mouse.
8. Is there a delay in response time when pushing the power button?
It does take a cool down period of a few minutes before it can be powered back on.
9. Do you have to log on in order to power it on?
No. Only the desktop has a password.
10. How do you operate your computer with the screen?
Your computer will still have its normal functionality when connected to the projector. Your mouse and keyboard still operate normally. The small control touch panel with display at the podium is used to control the source being projected on the screen. Simply tap the source icon at the top with your finger, hold and drag it to the middle.
11. Can you “extend” your screen so that you can operate your computer while something different displays on the SMART Board so that it acts as a second monitor?
Yes, but after choosing your computer as the input source on the small control touch panel with display at the podium, that “extend” setting must be controlled by your computer display settings. Instead of “duplicate” or “mirror,” select “extend.”
12. How do you use the functionalities of the SMART Board?
Your computer should be loaded with the software to utilize the SMART Board’s functions. You’ll have an icon on your desktop for the smart software that you double click to launch the software. If you have a laptop, there is a USB cable labeled SMART Board that you plug into your laptop to interact with the screen. If your laptop is already loaded with the software, the SMART Board should connect automatically and ask you if you’d like to launch the software. You’ll click yes and it will take the software a couple of moments to load. When it is completely loaded, you will have a complete white screen. The very first installation may take a few minutes.
13. Does it work with Macintosh/Apple products and computers?
No. Not at this moment. Not all of the capabilities (i.e. whiteboard application) will be fully functional or interactive with a MacBook, but you CAN mirror a display or PowerPoint presentation from your MacBook with a special adapter chord (thunderbolt to VGA) that can be ordered.
14. Does the SMART Board have its own power button that must be turned on and off?
Yes and no. There is no need to push it. Everything can be controlled through the small control touch panel with display on the podium. There shouldn’t be a need to control the power button on the screen itself.
15. Can you write on the SMART Board without the software?
No. You must use a PC computer loaded with the software and launch the software to get the full functionality, whiteboard application, and interactivity of the SMART Board.
16. I launched the software correctly, but my laptop/the desktop isn’t communicating with the SMART Board. What’s wrong?
The tray at the bottom of the SMART Board should be lit up with a green LED light. When not connected via USB, the light will remain red. If it is not, a cable may not be plugged in correctly or you may need to call tech support.
17. Can I show a PowerPoint presentation and write on the SMART Board at the same time, bringing the two aspects side by side?
No. Not while in whiteboard mode. But you can easily toggle back and forth between the two screens using buttons at the top left of the SMART Board. You CAN annotate directly onto your PowerPoint presentation, word document, or excel spreadsheet however and save those files with your annotations.
18. Can I write on the SMART Board? How do I write on the SMART Board?
Pick up any color pen and using the whiteboard application, write directly as you would on a normal board. You can change the pen color and other settings (as well as toggle between selection tools) by using the left panel. Be sure to switch back to the cursor before attempting to point and click on drawn objects. Should any of the pens happen to go missing, you may use another marker-shaped object or any blunt utensil to write on the board. Make sure to replace that object on the pen tray to tell the SMART Board that you are finished writing.
19. Can you create a PowerPoint presentation from home and put it into the whiteboard application?
Not without the software on your computer. You can however save the PowerPoint on a thumb drive and plug it in to show the presentation on the SMART Board and annotate on the PowerPoint. You can also work on pages in the whiteboard application and save them on the hard drive of the computer connected to the SMART Board or on a thumb drive and re-open that document on the SMART Board later. You can also save as other file types to work on your personal computer (like PDF, PowerPoint, etc.).
20. Can I bring PowerPoint presentations, images, and music up on the SMART Board?
Yes you can! When SMART Board mirrors the desktop that has the software, open your PowerPoint as you regularly would (either as a previously saved document from the computer or from your thumb drive plugged into the computer) and you can annotate directly onto the PowerPoint. You can bring images into the whiteboard application and write on those as well. You can play music through any application or software that supports it from your connected computer. There are speakers on both sides of the SMART Board which when connected properly to the computer will project your audio.
21. How do you capture a recording of your annotations on the board and save the file?
In the whiteboard application, in the bottom left hand corner, click on programs>recorder. A menu will pop up with video recording buttons. Press the red record button, choose a pen tool and begin writing. When finished place the pen back on the tray and press the stop recording button. A window will pop up with a Save As command box. Choose how you would like to save the file, default file type is a windows media file (.wmv). Choose the save location and then hit save. A window will appear asking if you want immediate playback of the recording. To replay the recording, hit ok. You can also send that file out (to your students as an e-mail attachment, etc.).
22. Can I record myself and the classroom using the camera above the SMART Board?
Yes, if you have an application that supports recording (typically a function in video conferencing like go-to-meeting, collaborate, or Skype). But your capabilities are limited by the functionality of that particular application.
23. Is there a way to hide part of the screen?
Yes! If you want to reveal one part of the screen at a time (for example, to hide the answer to a math problem), there is a screen shade. Click the shade function on the panel on the left side. A dark screen will cover the viewing area and small handles will appear in the center of side of the screen. Click and drag the shade handle and release when you have positioned it where you want it.
24. Can you save the notes that you’ve written and send them to students?
Yes! You may want to save them as a PDF and you can send that as an e-mail attachment to your students. Go to File>Save As. In the save as window, give the file a name, choose where you want to save it, and change the Save As type from the default choice (PowerPoint) to an Adobe PDF file. A dialogue box will appear, informing you that saving in this format will not allow you to make changes to the document in this application later. Click yes. It will save all of the open pages in your whiteboard application as PDF document. (If you want the option to make changes in the document later, you can do another ‘Save As’ function and change the Save As type to an editable file type.)
25. Can more than one person write on the board at the same time?
Yes. You can also erase at the same time. To erase with both hands, make a fist and wipe the screen with the soft side of your hand, opposite your thumb. The SMART Board recognizes the shape of your hand versus the end of the pen. If you choose the pen function on the left panel, you can also write with your finger and the physical pen from the tray in different colors. Similarly, you can erase with your hand and the physical eraser simultaneously.
26. How do you surf the Internet and pull up YouTube videos on the SMART Board?
The same way that you do on your PC. The screens can be mirrored. Just choose the desktop function from the menu in the upper left corner and return to the podium to control the projected screen from the desktop.
27. How do I close out the Whiteboard Application?
In the upper left hand corner, click close. The screen will return to the desktop. If you have already saved the file in any format, the application will automatically close. If not, before closing, a dialogue box will pop up asking if you want to save the work.
28. Will the SMART Board work with a tablet such as an iPad or a kindle?
No it will not have full functionality. If you have the proper connector cable from your tablet to VGA, you may still connect it up to the SMART Board and show your presentations and display material. You just won’t be able to use all of the Smart functions. The limited functionality has to do with operating system differences.
29. How do I connect my laptop to the SMART Board?
If the VGA or HDMI cable is still plugged into the desktop, unplug it and plug it into the VGA or HDMI port on your laptop, whichever fits. If you use the VGA cable, in order to enable audio to be played through the speakers, you must also connect the audio chord, which is separate. If you use the HDMI, the audio runs through that cable. There is no need to connect the audio chord. After connecting the cable, use the small control touch panel to click and drag the laptop icon down to the bottom of the small screen at the podium. Your laptop’s screen should appear on the SMART Board. If not, make sure the SMART Board is turned on and the steady green LED light near the tray is lit. If you have a windows computer (PC), a small dialogue box will appear that bottom right side of the screen, indicating that the Smart software and USB drivers are being installed on your laptop. Once installed a window will pop up to let you know the installation is complete. Click Ok. Automatically, the whiteboard application comes up.
30. How do I annotate on a word document?
From the desktop, open a Microsoft Word document. The very first time this is done on a laptop, be aware that the software may take a moment to install the smart ink panel. Click on the review tab. From the review toolbar, choose the option to ink, in the upper left corner. The pen function is automatically selected. Begin using the tools in the document from either the SMART Board screen OR the laptop. You can type in the document from the SMART Board by using the keyboard function from the left panel and placing your cursor where you want to being typing. When finished you can also save the document as you normally would.
31. What happens if I am too short to reach the buttons on the top of the screen of the SMART Board?
You can select those tools from your computer at the podium. The screens are mirror images of one another.
32. Are the SMART Board functions capable while the document viewer is enabled?
No. If you have a newspaper article to show your students, you may use the document viewer to show your annotations on the article or other physical image. But you cannot use the smart functions simultaneously when the document viewer is up.
33. Can I capture a screen shot of the page that I’m on?
Yes. On the left panel, choose the camera icon. Click capture. When you return to the whiteboard application, the captured screen image will appear at the bottom as a page.
34. Can I draw on the webpage without capturing it?
Yes you can, using the same tools from the left panel. The only reason to save a captured image would be to save your annotations.
35. Does Pole Everywhere work with the SMART Board?
Yes! And there is a free version that is web-based that you can you use with your class so that they are interacting with their clickers.
36. Can you go into PowerPoint and e-mail as well?
Yes. Use them the same way. Tap on the screen to bring up functional options within that software.
Quick Start Guide
Patrick Granberry x7061
Links to Help Materials
Get to know your smartboard - SMART tutorials for teachers - the virtual school
SMART Board Full Manual
SMART Board Basics
webpage contact:
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