Hardware

• Student Laptop Requirements
• Using Classroom Technology
• Presenting in the Auditorium

Student Laptop Requirements

All enrolled students are required to have a laptop. This page has information about what to look for when purchasing a laptop or bringing your current one to campus.

Purchasing

Our campus Helpdesk supports connection to the internet for Windows and Mac laptops.

We strongly recommend that all incoming students purchasing new laptops select a leading brand name computer, such as Dell, Apple, HP, Lenovo, Sony, etc. This will ensure that your laptop can connect to our campus network, and that our Helpdesk can provide you with technical support.

BAC Students can purchase Dell devices at a solid discount here: Dell Laptop Student Discounts

If you choose to purchase an off-brand laptop, the Helpdesk cannot guarantee network access or technical support. Laptops matching the suggested specifications below are likely to operate well on our network.

Tablets, Chromebooks, and other similar devices are not substitutes for a laptop unless they run a full Windows operating system (not Windows RT). Without this, they do not have the necessary features required by Bryn Athyn College.

Requirements

Minimum Device Specifications

Windows

• Windows 11
• At least one browser updated to latest version such as Edge, Chrome, or Firefox
• At least 8GB RAM

Mac

• MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air
• One of the three most recent versions of macOS
  • See the Apple support page to find the latest version of macOS
• At least one browser updated to latest version such as Edge, Chrome, or Firefox
• At least 8GB RAM

Software

Microsoft 365

Students are required to have the Microsoft 365 apps on their laptops. All students are supplied with a license for Microsoft 365 via their Bryn Athyn College Microsoft Account.

See Installing Microsoft 365 for instructions.

Antivirus

Students are required to have antivirus protection installed on their laptops. All students are encouraged to utilize Windows Defender that is available by default on all Windows machines.

See Setting up Antivirus for more information.

Using Classroom Technology

This page contains instructions for using the projectors, audio systems, and podium monitors in most classrooms. Some classrooms, such as Pendleton 11, might have setups that don't match the instructions here. Contact the Helpdesk if you are confused and/or unable to connect to the technology in any classroom.

General Instructions

This section is about the general process of connecting to the projectors in all classrooms in the Doering Center and College Center, as well as the main classrooms in Pendleton.

For information about the input panels on the walls of College Center classrooms, see the section titled College Center Display Panels at the bottom of this page.

Connecting

1. Turn on the projector(s) with the Epson remote at the podium or by pressing the power button on the bottom of the projector(s). 
2. Plug the podium USB cable into your laptop. 
   • This should connect you to the projector(s), a touchscreen monitor, ethernet, and an audio system via the docking station in the podium. 
   • For Windows users, this process should not require any extra setup. 
   • If you are on a Mac, you will need to install DisplayLink drivers to connect to the displays. 
3. To use the speakers, set the audio device for your computer to the Dell docking station. 
   • If there is an aux (3.5mm) audio cable on the podium, you may also need to plug this into your laptop to get sound. 

Notes

• It is normal to hear a pop when connecting the cables. 
• You can arrange the displays and choose which displays are mirrored in your system display settings. 
• The projectors will turn themselves off after 15 minutes with no connection, but they can be turned off manually by pressing the power button twice on the remote or on the projector itself. 

Do not move the podiums.  Even minor movements can damage the tightly managed cables and could result in anything from minor bugs to complete loss of projector functionality.

College Center Display Panels

Most of the process of connecting to the projectors in the college center remains the same, since it is the same technology used in other classrooms. However, there is an extra panel for controlling the projectors on the wall that could cause issues if it is not configured correctly. 

Connect your computer to the cable at the desk (as above), then on the panel:

• Press ON in the DISPLAY section to turn on the center projector.
  • If you’d like to use both projectors, use the remote instead. 
• Adjust the volume of the in-ceiling speakers via the volume knob. 
• Ensure the input selector on the right side is set to LAPTOP. 

When you are done using the room:

• To turn the projector off, press OFF in the DISPLAY section twice.
  • This only applies if you used the wall panel to turn it on. 
  • You also have to do this on the remote or projector power buttons you're not using the panel.
• If there is another class using the space immediately after you that plans to use the projectors, leave the projector on. The projectors require 5 minutes of cooldown after being turned off before turning on again.

Presenting in the Auditorium

The presentation equipment in the Pendleton Hall Auditorium is available for faculty, staff, and guest (with permission) use, either for classroom presentations or special events. If you would like to schedule anything, hereafter referred to generally as an event, follow the instructions below.

Prior to the Event

• Contact IT at least a week in advance.

  If you wish to have your event recorded, you must specifically request this via email.

  • If it seems necessary, the Helpdesk will send a technician to be present before and/or during the event to ensure everything proceeds smoothly.
  • This ensures that we're able to help you and lets us know when the room will be in use.
• Schedule an initial check with the Helpdesk at least one day before the event begins.
  • This can be scheduled days or even weeks in advance.
  • Connect to equipment—see below.
  • Launch teams if event will have remote participants. If this is your first time using the PC, you will need to sign in.
• Meet with a technician at least 30 minutes before the start of the event.
  • Leave enough time to get all the required tech set up before any audience members arrive. This might vary depending on your needs and can be scheduled at your initial check.

Connecting to the Presentation Setup

There is a computer built into the main podium in the auditorium. This will be used to present any slides, videos, or other content you wish to display, rather than connecting a personal laptop.

Ensure that your presentation material is either saved in OneDrive or on a thumb drive (or other portable storage device) so that it can be accessed on this computer.

Once the Helpdesk has assisted in bringing out the triple-monitor stand and touchscreen TV (if applicable), run through the following steps:

1. Turn on all the TVs using the remotes on the podium.
2. Move the mouse or type on the keyboard to wake up the computer.
3. Sign in to the computer on one of the three screens.
   • If you don't know what to enter, see What is my Username and Password?
   • If you don’t see the sign in screen, open the bottom door of the podium and check if the computer is on. There should be a white light on top if it is. If it isn’t glowing, press the power button.
   • If it is still glowing and you don’t see the sign-in screen, check to make sure all the monitors are on. (On the back of the monitors there should be a power button)
   • If you still don’t see sign-in screen after that, contact the Helpdesk.
4. Check that all monitors are on after signing in.
   • The top monitor is for personal notes and only the user can see this.
   • One of the bottom monitors will mirror to the 4-screen TV wall.
   • The other bottom monitor mirrors to the touchscreen TV and the two side TVs.
5. Plug in the meeting owl (if applicable).
   • A meeting owl is available for use if the event will have remote participants (either presenters or audience members). It is mounted on a tripod and kept off to the side of the room.
   • If you want specific control of the camera’s focus, you can download the meeting Owl app to control it.
   • The camera automatically detects and focuses on speakers.
   • Once plugged in, the owl may take a few minutes to set up.

Do not move the podium.  Moving the podium without the proper care can damage cables underneath resulting in degradation of projector services.