Frozen Mouse on Laptop

        If you have a mouse frozen where it won't move, it means a student turned off the mouse control on the laptop.  Press the red FN key (bottom left) at the same time as you hit F5 key.  This will turn the mouse pad back on.  Thank you to Robin for sharing this information!

Hooking Up to Epson Projector (Serial Cable)

      In our district there are two ways to hook a computer up to an Epson Projector - using HDMI or Serial cable.  All desktops are hooked up via Serial cable, USB, and Audio.  In this post, we'll learn how to connect using serial cable (with USB for touch/pen and Audio cable for sound).  This post is if you need to unplug the serial cable from the desktop in a room and connect it to your laptop (Mac users require a Thunderbolt adapter to serial connector to accomplish this).  

• I recommend using the HDMI connection if you're hooking your laptop up for a quick presentation - it only requires two wires.  Click here to see how to use HDMI instead of serial cable connection.  
• **If you have an extra serial cable in the room, connect it to your laptop.  Disconnect the desktop serial cable connection at the wall outlet and connect your laptop's connection.  See below how to switch the input if you're seeing a blue screen.**
• The picture below shows the different options at the wall outlet.

Here's how to connect your laptop to the projector if you have to disconnect the projector from a desktop computer...

1. Disconnect the serial cable at the back of your desktop.  **Make sure that it's unscrewed before pulling it out!**

2. Connect the serial cable to your computer.  **Make sure the prongs are aligned before pushing in AND you should screw it in to ensure that the connection doesn't get jostled and bend the prongs.** (This will take care of the picture).

3. Disconnect the audio cable from your desktop.  Plug it into your laptop.  (This will take care of sound).

4. Disconnect the USB cable from your desktop.  Plug it into your laptop. (This will allow touch and pens to work).

5. Turn the projector on using the power button on the projector or use the remote.

6. If you have a blue screen, you must change the input to COMPUTER 1.  You can use SOURCE SEARCH on the remote or the projector (see above picture) or use the menu on the board following these steps...

• Click on the bottom right of the board.  Click on the up arrow.

       

• Select the INPUT icon.

Select COMPUTER 1.

• If your computer has never been connected to an Epson Projector, it may take 30 seconds to 1 minute for it to set up the drivers.  A message will pop-up in the bottom right corner when the drivers are installed.  It'll say something like "your USB device is now installed."  
• Now you are set to go!
• Mac Users - Pens will work, but on my computer I couldn't get touch to work (as of 12/16/2015).  

• If you want to interact with the computer from the board, make sure you are in PC Interactive Mode (computer and mouse icon).  If you don't need to interact or only want to annotate over what's there, you can be in PC Free mode (projector and pen icon).  Click here to learn the differences between the two.

• In another post, I will share tips and tricks for using ActivInspire with the Epson Projector - dual mode, touch input, and multi-users.

Epson Projector Tools Menu

      The Epson Projector's toolbar is built into the Projector.  Keeping that in mind, you can not save any annotations you make with the Epson Toolbar (except with a camera - phone/digital/or tablet).

• If you select Whiteboard mode, you can choose from different grids or lines that will be projected onto the board for you.

Epson Projector Menu

       The Epson projector has a menu allowing you to control actions of the projector - Power, Input, Zoom, No Show, Freeze, and volume controls.  So if you remote dies, you still can use your projector.  Here's how to access the menu...

1. Click on the bottom right corner of the board.  Click on the up arrow.  The Menu bar will appear.

 

2. Select what tool you would like to use.  (If you need to change between PC Mode and Projector mode, select the PC Interaction icon or Projector Interaction icon (upper right).

Hooking Up to Epson Projectors (HDMI Connection)

        In our district there are two ways to hook a computer up to an Epson Projector - using HDMI or Serial cable.  This picture shows the different types of connections that can be used with the projector.  In this post, we'll learn how to connect using HDMI.  This is the easiest method as you only need to connect the HDMI cable and the USB cable to your laptop....

1. Plug the HDMI cable into the top box (see picture above).  Connect the other end to your computer.

          

2. Plug the USB cable into the bottom right connection on the wall.  Connect the other end to your computer.

3. Turn the projector on using the power button on the projector or use the remote.

4. If you have a blue screen, you must change the input to HDMI 1.  You can use SOURCE SEARCH on the remote or the projector (see above picture) or use the menu on the board following these steps...

• Click on the bottom right of the board.  Click on the up arrow.

• Select the INPUT icon.

• Select HDMI 1.

• If your computer has never been connected to an Epson Projector, it may take 30 seconds to 1 minute for it to set up the drivers.  A message will pop-up in the bottom right corner when the drivers are installed.  It'll say something like "your USB device is now installed."  
• Now you are set to go!
• Mac Users - Pens will work, but on my computer I couldn't get touch to work (as of 12/16/2015).  

• If you want to interact with the computer from the board, make sure you are in PC Interactive Mode (computer and mouse icon).  If you don't need to interact or only want to annotate over what's there, you can be in PC Free mode (projector and pen icon).  Click here to learn the differences between the two.

• In another post, I will share tips and tricks for using ActivInspire with the Epson Projector - dual mode, touch input, and multi-users.

Directions on How to Access TCRWP CD Resources

Here are the directions:

1. Click on lower left icon of file folder on computer.
2. Click on Public drive.
3. Click on Software folder.
4. Click on Ebooks.
5. Click on grade level desired.
6. Click on Start HTML.

You have access to all materials from K-8 that are on each grade levels’ CD.  This can only be accessed when at school on a school computer.

District Online Resources Page

Click this link to be taken to the District's Online Resources page.

Click this link to be taken directly to the document so that you may add your own suggestions.


After the page loads, look at the bottom to see the different tabs...

Groton
Art
Assessments
Common Core
Cross-Curr
ELL
Google
LA
Math
Misq.
Media
Music
PE
Science
SPED
Technology
World Languages