Using the Podium for a Presentation

Owned by Matthew Konstantinos Athanasopoulos
Last updated: Sept 27, 2022 by Joan Gabrielle Basa
8 min read

Using the podium control panel 

The control panel controls the equipment in the room. Buttons on the left side are for the source functions (Podium PC, USB-C, BYOD Wireless). Buttons in the middle allow you to mute the microphones and turn on/off the displays. Buttons on the right side allow you to turn off the system, control the volume level and mute the speakers. 

  1. Podium PC: turns on the AV system to use the Podium PC

  2. USB-C: turns on the system to allow you to connect a external device using USB-C (MacBook, Notebook/Laptop, Mobile device/Tablet) 

  3. BYOD(Bring Your Own Device) Wireless: allows you to connect to the AV system wirelessly. 

  4. Blank: No function, can be for future use 

  5. All Mic Mute: will mute all the microphones (Ceiling and Podium) 

  6. Podium Mic Mute: will toggle the Podium microphone mute on/off. When muted the button is lit blue. When unmuted, the button is not lit

  7. Ceiling Mic Mute: will toggle the ceiling microphone mute on/off. When muted the button is lit blue and the microphone in the ceiling is lit red. When unmuted, the button is not lit, and the ceiling microphone will be lit green

  8. Main Display: will toggle turning the Big display on/off

  9. Second Display: will toggle turning the small display on/off

  10. Power Button: turns the system off

  11. Volume control: adjusts the output volume of the ceiling speakers 

  12. Speaker Mute: mutes the speakers in the room

Using the podium computer 

Some things to note: 

  • The small display can be accessed by dragging items off the top of the podium monitor 

  • The big display can be accessed by dragging items off the right of the podium monitor 

  • The built-in microphones (podium and ceiling) are muted by default. 

  • Built-in cameras and microphones are connected to and only accessible from Podium PC. 

Instructions: 

  1. Using the control panel on the podium, press the Podium PC button. This will turn on all needed equipment for the podium PC including the two wall mounted displays. 

  2. Log onto the podium computer using your nexus/WatIAM credentials. 

  3. Once the desktop has loaded up, you should see it on all three displays (podium monitor, small display and big display).

  4. Use whatever application you wish to use.  

  5. If you only need to use the big screen, press the Second Display button on podium control panel to turn it off. 

  6. If you wish to do a video conference, see the Video Conference section below. 

  7. When you’re done, press the power off button on the control panel to shut the system down. 

Using HDMI/USB-C wired connection 

Some things to note

  • The small display will be turned off. 

  • The built-in microphones (podium and ceiling) are muted by default. 

  • Built-in cameras and microphones are connected to and only accessible from Podium PC. 

Instructions

  1. Using the control panel on the podium, press USB-C. This will turn on all the needed equipment. 

  2. Using the USB-C cable on the podium, plug it into your device. 

  3. Your device should now be displayed on the bottom screen. 

  4. When you’re done, press the power off button on the control panel to shut the system down. 

Using BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Wireless Presentation 

Some things to note

  • The small display will be turned off. 

  • The built-in microphones (podium and ceiling) are muted by default. 

  • Built-in cameras and microphones are connected to and only accessible from Podium PC. 

Instructions

  1. Using the control panel on the podium, press BYOD Wireless. This will turn on all the needed equipment for the BYOD Wireless Presentation. 

  2. On the big screen the Crestron Air Media will display the landing page, where you can find connection information. 

  3. On your device (phone, tablet, notebook computer) make sure you are connected to the Eduroam wireless network. 

  4. Open an Internet browser on your device and navigate to http://129.97.42.230. 

  5. When the site loads up, click on Start Presenting. You will be asked to download and run or install a small application suited to your device. 

    1. If on iPhone/iPad, you will be taken to the Apple store to download an application called Crestron AirMedia. 

    2. If on Android, you will be taken to the Google Play store to download an application called Crestron AirMedia.

    3. If on PC, an application called AirMedia_129.97.42.230 will download that you will need to allow through your firewall and run. You may need to provide admin credentials for this. 

    4. If on a Mac, an application called AirMedia_129.97.42.230 will be downloaded that you will need to allow to run. 

  6. Once you have downloaded and/or installed the application: 

    1. On a Windows PC: 

      1. On a Windows PC, an application called AirMedia_129.97.42.230.exe should download. When you run it, you may be asked to allow it access through the firewall (you may need to provide admin credentials for this). Click on “Allow”.  

      2. You will automatically connect to the Air Media device and be asked to enter a code. You can find this code on the big display in the bottom left corner. The code is random and will be different each time you use the system.  

      3. When done presenting, click on Stop in the Crestron AirMedia application. 

    2. On an Apple Mac: 

      1. On an Apple Mac, an application called AirMedia_129.97.32.230.dmg should download. When you run it, Mac OS may give you an error stating that it “cannot be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software”. To get around this, you must create an exception to allow the application to run. 

      2. Go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy.

      3. On the General tab under Allow apps downloaded from, it should state that app name was blocked from use because it’s not from an identified developer. Click on Open Anyway. 

      4. Follow the instructions presented for connecting over AirPlay in the Crestron AirMedia window. 

      5. You will automatically connect to the Air Media device and be asked to enter a code. You can find this code on the big display in the bottom left corner. The code is random and will be different each time you use the system.  

      6. When done presenting, click the AirPlay Menu in the system bar and click on Stop AirPlay. 

      7. Close out of the Crestron AirMedia application and unmount. 

    3. On an Apple iPhone/iPad: 

      1. Find the AirMedia2 application on your device and open it 

      2. Once loaded, in the URL field type 129.97.42.230 and press Go. You will be given instructions noted below. Follow the instructions  

      3. Open Control Center by swiping down from the upper right corner of the screen. 

      4. Tap Screen Mirroring. 

      5. Select the following receiver from the list: 129.97.42.230. 

      6. If successful, you will be asked to enter a code. You can find this code on the big display in the bottom left corner. The code is random and will be different each time you use the system. If you wait too long, the connection window will timeout and you will need to start the connection process over again starting at step ii. Once entered, you will now be presenting your screen. 

      7. When you are done presenting, swipe down from the upper right corner of the screen, select Screen Mirroring and press Stop Mirroring.  

      8. Close out of the AirMedia app. 

    4. On Android: 

      1. Find the AirMeda2 application on your device and open it. 

      2. Once loaded, in the URL field type 129.97.42.230 and then press the Present with AirMedia button. 

      3. If successful, you will be asked to enter a code. You can find this code on the big display in the bottom left corner. The code is random and will be different each time you use the system.  

      4. When you are done presenting, press the Stop Presentation with AirMedia button. 

      5. Close out of the AirMedia app.

  7. When you’re done, press the power off button on the control panel to shut the system down

Using Video Conferencing

Some things to note: 

  • Below are instructions for Skype and Skype for Business. Other video conference software can be installed upon request or used by simply going to the conferencing provider website (I.e. GoToMeeting, BlueJeans, Zoom.us, Cisco WebEx, Adobe Connect). 

  • There are two built in microphones, one at the podium and one mounted to the ceiling. The microphones are muted by default. 

  • Video conferencing is only available using the Podium PC. 

  • In the podium drawer, there is a black remote-control labelled Camera. Use the arrow keys to move the camera left/right and up/down as well as the zoom button. You can also use the numbered keys to use preset positions. Currently only 1 preset is configured using the 1 button. 

Instructions: 

  1. Skype for Desktop (Consumer): 

    1. Open Skype for Desktop (Start > Skype > Skype). 

    2. Sign in using your Microsoft account (Hotmail.com, Outlook.com, Live.com). 

    3.  If you don’t have a Microsoft account go to http://signup.live.com to sign up for a free account. 

    4. Using either your contact list or by searching using the person's name, Skype ID or email address, find the person you want to video conference. 

    5. Once you find the user, click on their name to open a conversation window. To initiate a video call, click on the video call icon in the top right of the window. 

    6. To switch between the cameras: 

    7. Hold your mouse over the video icon at the bottom of the screen. 

    8. Next to where it says Camera, click on the camera listed (Ceiling Camera or Front Display Camera) to switch between the two. 

    9. When your done your video conference, click on the Red hang up button to disconnect. 

    10. Close out of Skype and if needed log off the computer 

    11. Press the power off button on the podium control panel to shut the system off. 

  2. Skype for Business (S4B) 

    1. Open Skype for Business (Start > Skype for Business 2016). 

    2. Sign in using your WatIAM email address (userid@uwaterloo.ca) and password. You may need to also enter your username nexus\userid. 

    3. Using either your contact list or by searching using the person's name, username or email address, find the person you want to video conference. 

      1. Double click on their name to open a conversation window. To initiate a video conference, click on the blue camera icon at the bottom of the window. You will get a preview of the camera view. If you need to switch to the other camera see step d below. To switch between the cameras: 

        1. Go to the main Skype for Business window.  

        2. Click on the Gear icon on the top right corner. 

        3. Select Video Device. 

        4. Select either Ceiling Camera or Front Display Camera from the dropdown list. 

        5. Click ok. 

    4. When ready, click on Start my Video to start the video conference. 

    5. When your done your video conference, click on the Red hang up button to disconnect. 

    6. Close out of Skype and if needed log off the computer. 

    7. Press the power off button on the podium control panel to shut the system off.