Visualisers: pros and cons of connecting USB/separate power, etc.

[Andie]

Can anyone give me an idea of the pros and cons of the various ways you can connect visualisers? I see some connect and take power over USB, and some seem to have separate power and connect through the VGA port. We would be using them with SMARTboards. Power sockets are always an issue here, and I am tempted by the idea of USB connection. But does that take a lot of power from the laptop, meaning that it grinds to a halt..?? Also, how do you connect via VGA when the SMARTboard is attached to that on the laptop? Sorry if I am being very dense, but I have no experience of these and need help from all you experts out there...flatter, flatter... I need to avoid making an expensive mistake!

[RTFM]

Don't know if it helps but @Millgate have supplied us with some wireless visualisers.

The base sits near your PC as normal but you can carry around the other part of the unit to view work, saves a lot of hassle with long wires, moving work to the front etc.......?

This doesnt necessarily answer all your questions but its something to think about perhaps?

[Little-Miss]

In my experience you use either the laptop or the Visuliser. I dont think splitters work. It's the only downside for me as i was trying to move staff away from disconnecting cables.

[3s-gtech]

As for connection, our visualisers have pass through VGA connectors. If the visualiser is off or set the the PC channel, the PC shows on the projector. This is with Avermedia models, probably the same on most.

[Steve21]

This is with Avermedia models, probably the same on most.

Aye same here, we have a few avermedia's and we have two types of setups, some with pass-through, for single sockets/ease of recording to pc. Others are setup on a seperate input if the rooms have spare ports, and then just switched over by panel. All of these are main powered though, USB is only for recording to PC (at least on these models)

Steve

[sted]

As for connection, our visualisers have pass through VGA connectors. If the visualiser is off or set the the PC channel, the PC shows on the projector. This is with Avermedia models, probably the same on most.

problem with those i found was if it was ever turned off the pc/laptop diddnt display and teachers couldnt grasp that same as changing input/output mode on them i just use the pc software via usb to get the pic to the board seems to be less hassle for me

[Andie]

problem with those i found was if it was ever turned off the pc/laptop diddnt display and teachers couldnt grasp that same as changing input/output mode on them i just use the pc software via usb to get the pic to the board seems to be less hassle for me

Ah yes! I imagine that is going to be the same for me. The staff have just got the hang of switching the projector display from the Video recorder to the Laptop and back again.

But at least I am beginning to get my head round this. The VGA connection for us currently is taken up for connecting to the projector. So we would have to disconnect the projector and connect the camera instead. So how does that image then come up on the SMARTboard? I know I'm being slow here, but have pity....please!

[sted]

laptop/pc/vid splitter to visualizer to projector cable just daisychain em

[ste1988]

Hi,

We have elmo l12 visualisers, and they simply plug in, and connect to pc via usb, and show what you need to on the pc, and because your pcs are connected to the smartboard on there as well.

We had them for the same reason, with these, it only takes up one plus and one usb, no vga. So no messing around for staff.

[Sce_Sloper]

We bought TTS visualisers.
Very simple (teachers use them) - USB, displaying onto IWB via PC (sorry no laptop info)

Only issue, they overbalance quite easily when extended away from the base