Decisions decisions! (IWB & Projectors, interactive projectors)

[Little-Miss]

Right, i have to get 2 rooms sorted with new AV setups over easter. The company i use are ok with this but i need to make a decision about what exactly we were having installed. As we are a promethean school i was just going to go for the Activboard +2's and a short throw. Basically i have had every possible quote under that sun but need to make a decision.

 

From my guys industry point of view, IWB isnt the way to go away more and that they are keen on the Epson interactive projectors.

 

Now without going into licensing issues....has anyone had any of these projectors installed and give me some feedback. I wasnt keen at first but looking at them now, its doesnt seem too bad an idea...

 

Any opinions?

[Domino]

Licensing issues be gone! Sankoré

[Little-Miss]

lol! Thanks..

[Little-Miss]

ah coooommmee ooonnnnn..........

[Chris_]

Out of interest, what will you be projecting them onto? Apparently projecting them onto ordinary whiteboards has issues with glare due to the shiny surface of them.

[Little-Miss]

this is something i was wondering myself. Was going to talk to my supplier about this issue.

[mounters]

We've got 4 of the Epson interactives and I think they are great, teachers like them too. I'd have more if I had the budget to replace standard projectors with them.

 

As for boards you've got 2 options really:

1. Get proper dry wipes that are designed to be projected onto and have a matt surface, like these Projection Whiteboard VES - Dry-wipe Boards - Chalkboards & Magnetic Boards | Pin Display Boards - Products

2. Don't bother with a board and just project straight onto the wall.

[dhicks]

Licensing issues be gone! Sankoré

 

Seconded. Skip the IWB / interactive projector completly and give the teachers iPads to control the projected screens instead - even at £400 each, they're still the cheapest option.

[Little-Miss]

Morning people! Anyone else?

[SYNACK]

Skip the iPads, go with the epsons and that open source software along with the annotation and tablet features avalible in Office (Powerpoint, OneNote pref 2010 versions) and Windows 7.

 

iPads would require special docks for video output meaning that you would loose the ability to walk about with it and would limit you so much you may as well just hang a poster on the wall.

[dhicks]

iPads would require special docks for video output

 

No, just use the iPad to control the desktop PC connected to the projector via VNC (this assumes a useable wireless connection in the classroom, of course). You'll just need a VNC app on the iPad - there's several available, plus several "remote touchpad" apps that use VNC but don't show any screen updates, making them less bandwidth-hungry. A new iPad 2 is £400, an Acer Veriton PC small enough to mount to the wall next to the projection area is around £200. I understand the interactive projectors are around £1,500, compared to maybe £800 for a standard projector - those prices could be a bit out, but I think the iPad option makes for a good, price-competative alternative.

[SYNACK]

No, just use the iPad to control the desktop PC connected to the projector via VNC (this assumes a useable wireless connection in the classroom, of course). You'll just need a VNC app on the iPad - there's several available, plus several "remote touchpad" apps that use VNC but don't show any screen updates, making them less bandwidth-hungry. A new iPad 2 is £400, an Acer Veriton PC small enough to mount to the wall next to the projection area is around £200. I understand the interactive projectors are around £1,500, compared to maybe £800 for a standard projector - those prices could be a bit out, but I think the iPad option makes for a good, price-competative alternative.

 

Way to buy your gear twice, just use the PC if you have one in there anyway, the accuracy for handwriting with the iPad finger smudge along with its pathetic resolution would make all but basic control tasks pointless.

 

If you are going to do that buy the PC and a wireless tablet to control it with or even better get one of the Epsons that take an encoded video stream over the network and use a tablet PC to carry around and use whatever software you want to.

 

Both of these options mean you don't need the IWB components although I would like to hear about the disadvantage of decoupling the input from the image after all of the stock that seems to be put into kids accessing stuff directly at the source on stuff like smart boards. You instantly limit it to one kid at a time hidden away with the input device instead of the more emersive front of class experience.

Edited April 8, 2011 by SYNACK

[Little-Miss]

There was a bit of software i saw demonstrated at BETT from the makers of the pixel panels, or whatever they are called,...pixie or pixel....especially for use on whiteboards etc...

[dhicks]

Way to buy your gear twice, just use the PC if you have one in there anyway, the accuracy for handwriting with the iPad finger smudge along with its pathetic resolution would make all but basic control tasks pointless.

 

The teacher gets an iPad to use, too, of course, which is bound to come in handy. The iPad's 1024 X 768 resolution handily matches lots of projectors, although that is getting a bit low these days. The iPad does work with a stylus for greater accuracy, although I found something like the Intel Classmate worked rather better for handwriting - I guess when I say iPad above I mean iPad-or-similar-device.

 

If you are going to do that buy the PC and a wireless tablet to control it with

 

I prefer the wireless keyboard and mouse - Gyration "3D" wireless mice are good, but any half-decent wireless mouse and keyboard works quite well.

 

or even better get one of the Epsons that take an encoded video stream over the network and use a tablet PC to carry around and use whatever software you want to.

 

Does that run over 802.11 wireless, or use the same part of the radio spectrum?

[SYNACK]

The teacher gets an iPad to use, too, of course, which is bound to come in handy. The iPad's 1024 X 768 resolution handily matches lots of projectors, although that is getting a bit low these days. The iPad does work with a stylus for greater accuracy, although I found something like the Intel Classmate worked rather better for handwriting - I guess when I say iPad above I mean iPad-or-similar-device.

 

I prefer the wireless keyboard and mouse - Gyration "3D" wireless mice are good, but any half-decent wireless mouse and keyboard works quite well.

 

Does that run over 802.11 wireless, or use the same part of the radio spectrum?

 

Yea, we have been getting higher res projectors for some time to make sure stuff is readable and so the iPads res would not cover it for us. iPad stylys????? I agree on the or simmilar point and would preffer something that runs a non totalitarian OS.

 

I was just using the wireless tablet as a direct replacement for IWB functionality including handwriting.

 

That runs over standard IP and thats why I'd be looking more at a whole OS solution which could run the required client side software.

[Busybub]

Any opinions?

 

Wot do your teachers want?

[dhicks]

Wot do your teachers want?

 

Asking end users often doesn't work out nearly as well as you'd think it might. I remember seeing a survey go around a school a few years ago asking which particular IWB / wireless mouse and keyboard / tablet / etc people might prefer. Most teachers simply ticked everything, including two different types of IWB - either in the hope that they'd get at least one of the items on the list (the grab-as-many-resources-as-you-can-and-figure-out-what-to-do-with-them-later approach) or because they simply didn't understand the question being asked.

[SYNACK]

Wot do your teachers want?

 

Chalk

[drk84]

Has it been decided which works better interactive whiteboards or interactive projectors.

 

I have been looking into the projectors however my only concern is having a normal board to project on is good but seems like it is going back to old school chalk style as the teachers will use the board for this. Where as with IWBs they can't and would need to use the pens for it.

 

Any suggestions please