Hints for Using the Multimedia System at W.U.M.C.

The white box with buttons and touch screen will be referred to as the "control panel" in the following instructions.

To turn on the system press Audio On and then Video On on the control panel. It take about 20 seconds for the projectors to warm up. (Turn on the laptop computer.)

To turn the system off press the System Off button.

You should arrive at least 20 minutes before the service begins (30 minutes is better) to turn on the system and get things ready. Check with the Pastor to check signals and see if there are any last minute changes. Start the announcements 15 minutes before the service is to begin.

Between services, raise the screens by pressing both Off's on the touch screen (under PROJ PWR on the control panel). This saves the expensive bulbs in the projectors.

After second service (or after announcements if no other multimedia needs exist for second service), raise the screens again. If this is done during the second service, do so during a hymn so that it is less conspicuous. If this is done after the second service, raising the screens leaves the system on for the African-American service to use. If a note is left in the balcony that they won't be using the equipment, then turn it off by pressing the System Off button on the Control Panel.

The "Console" is the set of equipment up in the balcony where you many run the multimedia. Therefore, the "console VGA" the the console computer, which is the computer plugged into the system up in the balcony. It is possible to plug in the computer down on the stage and run things from there (even by the pastor!) - this then would be the "stage VGA."

Notes on the video (VHS) projector:

• Important: When you put in a VHS tape it begins to play right away, which is generally NOT what you want, when you are setting things up before the service. Therefore, before you put in the tape, get the remote control in hand, put in the tape, and immediately press STOP. The tape should already be cued to the correct spot when the Pastor gives you the tape.
• When the time comes in the service to play the tape, warn the sound person, press the video button (this will un-mute the projectors) and press PLAY. It often takes about two (long) seconds for the projectors to put up an image with sound. When the clip comes to an end PRESS PAUSE (it is better to pause it for a few seconds then mute the screens than to just hit stop and have the clip come to an abrupt end).
• The remote control runs both the VHS and DVD unit. Also note that the DVD MENU BUTTON is in the upper left portion of the remote control.
• Between services rewind the tape to the correct starting place. When cueing the tape, the system wants to put it up on the screens, but you can hit MUTE and view it only on the small console monitor.

Note regarding the small monitor on top of the rack (in the balcony): You may need to press the "reduce image" button (it's the first button you'll feel) in the middle of the top enclosed shelf of the system cabinet (to the right of the control panel) to force the monitor image to a size that can be easily read (it boots up too large).

There is a TV monitor in the front of the sanctuary near the lectern which can be seen by the pastors and choir. It will display the same things as what is shown as the small monitor in the balcony. Note that if the projectors are muted the small monitor (in the balcony) and the TV monitor (up front) may still have an image on them (if it is from the computer, you can press Fn & F5 on the computer to get the computer output to the laptop screen only). That is, you cannot "mute the monitors." You can only mute the projectors. You can however send nothing to the monitors and projectors.
Note regarding the TV monitor in the front of the sanctuary: the cable can come loose from the back if it is moved. If loose, just push it back in (I have it labeled).

It is possible to have different images on the two screens (e.g., PowerPoint words on one and a video on the other), but we don't do this very often. To do this Press PROJ PWR and press the appropriate touch buttons.

The biggest key to successfully using the multimedia system at W.U.M.C. is mastering the MUTE BUTTON(s). It is actually very useful and easy to use, once you have practiced with it for a while! The mute buttons are on the control panel touch screen under PROJ PWR (there are two mute buttons, one for each screen, left and right).

1. to "mute" means that there will be no image on the (big) screens. Use this between uses of multimedia (instead of a "blue screen") and if anything goes wrong.
2. pressing any of the output buttons on the control panel (Console VGA, Stage VGA, Video , DVD, or AUX) unmutes the screens automatically. (The assumption is that if you press the DVD button, then you want to show the DVD.)
3. you can unmute (turn the image back on) the projectors by pressing the mute button on the touch screen.
4. there is a slight problem regarding points #2 and #3: When you initially press mute (and mute the projectors) the button appears to be depressed. If you press an output button (such as Console VGA, as in #2 above) the projectors are unmuted, however when you return to PROJ PWR, the mute button still appears to be depressed (erroneously). Pressing the mute button (once) at this point does not mute the projector, but does make the button appear to not be depressed. Pressing the mute button again does mute the projector. To make a long story short, to mute the projectors you often have to press the mute buttons twice (of course, look at the screens to see if and when they mute!!).

To summarize:

To show a video

• Press play on the VHS remote then immediately press Video button on the control panel.

To stop the video

• Press Pause on the VHS remote, then PROJ PWR on the control panel, then press each mute button twice. Then stop on the VHS remote.

To show a computer PowerPoint slide show

• Run the slide show on computer; press Fn & F5 to see image on the laptop computer screen and external device (small monitor); then press Console VGA on the control panel.

To stop the PowerPoint slide show

• Press PROJ PWR on the control panel, then press each mute button twice. Then press Fn & F5 twice to put the image only on the laptop (not to any external device).

It is a basic assumption that the multimedia for second service will be a subset of the multimedia for first service. We usually use more multimedia at the first service. Announcements are always shown at both services.

It is a basic assumption that at Sunday morning worship we generally do not put Bible scriptures up on the screens, as we are encouraging people to use their own Bible or the pew Bibles. Conversely, at the Wednesday Faith Encounter we often do put Bible scriptures on the screens, because it is more of a seekers service and we do not expect people to have a Bible with them.

There are three anomalies* with the W.U.M.C. Multimedia system.

1. When the computer is plugged into the system and you turn it on, it defaults to "external monitor only" and the laptop screen is dark. Press Fn+F5.
2. When you first turn on the system, the small monitor on top of the rack (in the balcony) sometimes does not display correctly. You may need to press the "reduce image" (see above).
3. On the control panel, when you press one of the function buttons (e.g., Console VGA, DVD, etc.) it does unmute the projectors (you want that), however, when you return to the PROJ PWR the mute buttons will not be shown in their proper state. Therefore, you have to hit the mute buttons twice to get the projectors to be muted.

   *These anomalies do not present a major problem, but are disconcerting at first and you do have to get used to them.

See also Notes Regarding the Computers at W.U.M.C. (for how to turn on the computer and more).

For the Glory of God

Page URL: http://www.geocities.com/jr_314159/powerpoint/wumc-multimedia.htm
James R. Olsen, Wesley United Methodist Church, Macomb, IL
E-mail: [email protected]
updated January 31, 2004 3:59 PM