Gongalong

Thanks. I've set it up, and will see what happens!

@TechMonkey So just to double check, essentially if they're a member of that group (and in our case they will then be sending to a member of the same group), you just block with the message?

Hi Folks, We’ve got a small group of students that are timewasting over their school email accounts and I’ve been asked to look specifically at blocking them from sending to each other. All I can think to do is setup rules in Mail Flow (we use Microsoft 365) that moderate any emails they send. Not ideal though, because then someone has to moderate the emails, although I expect the students will get the message quickly. Is there a better way to do it? Thanks

Hi folks, Not quite sure what forum to put this in, but I've been asked to investigate a touch based registration system. It's to be used in our Pastoral block, so when students attend there they sign in, then sign out. Pretty simple really. Does such a thing exist? I'm struggling with Google because it's a bit of a vague spec. Thanks

The lead I've tested with is a 1.8m Pro Signal cable. I'm not sure what leads the touchscreen came with as they were installed by a 3rd party contractor. When I use the installed wallbox on one of the boards it works but with flickering, but all laptops are getting this. On the other two boards I don't get flickering with other laptops, but the boards don't work at all, whether by wallbox or direct cable. It looks like Intel offer a newer and beta driver for this chipset, so I'm going to test that today. I've tried using 1920x1080, but I've spotted that the board is 4k and is displaying that also when in extend. Something odd is definitely going on as when I plug in, remove, and then plug in the HDMI cable it isn't always picking up the right resolution for the board.

Yep, I'm guessing that could compound issues. It looks like Mosyle issues commands to update apps every 3-6 days onc they need an update, although I don't know why the app store would allow me to click "Update All" then just sit there for hours with nothing happening. Frustrating.

Managed to login with my Apple ID. The VPP apps, which are Office apps and Logic Pro, won't update. I get the error as follows, which of course varies by app "Cannot Update App. Microsoft Excel cannot be updated because it was refunded or purchased with a different Apple ID."

These apps are from VPP, so I wonder if it's something related to that. Oddly I don't get a prompt to login to the app store.

Date and time are spot on. I've tried removing the Mosyle profile, but it looks like the same problem. Did Apple change anything about how updates work with Big Sur, or something else in the last few weeks?

Hi folks, I have 16 iMacs in a classroom. I've noticed in the last few days/weeks that apps are not updating. I've gone to the App Store > Updates, clicked Update All, and the apps just sit there with spinning wheels. I've tried this on several of the iMacs, same deal. They're all on Big Sur. They're managed with Mosyle, although I don't think that's the issue. The apps are all pushed onto the iMacs via Mosyle as they're from VPP (some are free, but there's also Logic Pro). Just to eliminate any issues with our web filter I've changed the IP config on one of them to point at a second unfiltered connection, but I get the same behaviour. Any ideas? Thanks

Hi folks, I've got what seems to be a compatiblity issue between several Promethean Nickel 75" ActivPanel touchscreens and Lenovo V15 (specifically the V15-IIL 82C5 model) laptops. Other laptops are working fine with this touchscreen, but these new laptops won't duplicate or extend output. I've tested via the original configuration where the HDMI cables to go to a wallbox then fly HDMI lead. I've also tried connecting directly. I've tried all three HDMI inputs on the screen. I'm seeing odd behaviour on the laptops in that sometimes the touchscreen doesn't have a resolution shown in Windows, other times it has an "x" in the top left hand corner of the screen within the Intel driver, but other times it does show correctly with the right resolution. Even when it does show as if all is fine on the laptop, the touchscreen says there is no input (it shows an animated "connect cable" screen). I've updated firmware on the screens, and as above tried connecting directly with a short 2m Pro Signal cable. Drivers are fully up-to-date on the laptop at least via Lenovo's System Update and Windows Update, although a friend has suggested going direct to Intel's site (it uses an Intel UHD graphics chipset). Any suggestions on what else I can try? We've got 10 of these laptops, and need them to work. They don't have a VGA output, and I've already been stung by cheap HDMI and USB to VGA converters which are giving mixed results. I'm going to try a more expensive Roline USB to VGA adapter, which also had HDMI output. Thanks for any suggestions, this is driving me batty!

Hi folks, We've just bought 10 Lenovo V15 laptops. We have 3 x 75" Promethean Nickel ActivPanel touchscreens. We're getting relaly odd behaviour when connecting up these laptops. On one board through a wallbox the screen is working, but it flickers. On the other two screens the laptop doesn't work at all in duplicate or extend. I have tried connecting up directly to all 3 screens using all 3 HDMI ports and a Pro Signal HDMI cable, and it doesn't work at all. I've updated the firmware on the boards, same issue. I've tested the laptop with an HDMI monitor and it behaves as expected. Any ideas what's wrong here? (I have some older 65" Promethean screens, but not tested these with the Lenovos yet) Thanks

Not sure, but we have a real hodge podge of setups that have been installed over the years. We could probably get them all recabled with HDMI, but I'd rather put the money towards a touchscreen install and use adapters in the meantime.

It will, given time, but as above we've only got budget to replace maybe 6 classrooms a year with HDMI and touchscreens. DVD drives aside.

Yep, we've got around 40 classrooms with VGA and projectors. Some we could rewire with HDMI, but I'd rather put the money towards touchscreens. It looks like we can budget to replace 12 a year, but that's still several years of a half and half solution. @DJ-1701 We're a secondary, and have an English department at least that regularly show bits of films from DVD. I'm going to poll staff to find out exactly how many need DVD drives, and can cope with a VGA adapter. @Jamman960 Because we mostly use copyright films I'm guessing we'll fall foul of the law if we rip those.

Yep, ICT Direct were really helpful when we had some graphics card woes. A shame that Dell and Lenovo don't realise there is this niche market still for DVD drives and VGA, but I guess they're all about the big market share.

Ahh, refurbs is an interesting idea! Thanks.

Particularly at the moment it's the faff factor of having to carry an external drive around, but it's looking like no choice.

After being unable to get laptops (Lenovo and Dell that is) with VGA, I now can't get any laptops with a DVD drive. We can cope without VGA (will have to use an HDMI to VGA adapter) but we've still got lots of teachers that use DVDs. Anyone else struggling with this? Not sure what we can do other than buy laptops from sub-par manufacturers (although I'm struggling to find any from those as well).

Thanks for the explanation. The only lead I've got on classroom management software for MacOS is Senso Cloud. They might have a beta out at the end of the year for MacOS which does both screen and audio sharing.

Does Classroom only work for students if they're logged into an Apple ID? Apple's documentation is a bit vague about how it works from the student end, but from what I can glean there should be a Classroom listing in System Preferences and I don't see that. I've found a couple of threads that say the Macs must be logged in with a "school managed Apple ID", but because we authenticate the students via AD we aren't using Apple IDs. Unless we can sign them all on using our Mosyle MDM with our general school account?

Interesting. Although I wonder if it will conflict with our Mosyle MDM?

Does it work like Windows Remote Desktop, and lock it for the person using the machine? I'm trying to find something like VNC (or NetSupport School) which doesn't lock the machine.

We don't use G Suite, but thanks for the suggestion.

Hi folks, I'm already aware that NetSupport have a version of School for MacOS, but I'm after something that has the same functionality e.g. can view and lock student Macs, but also has the facility to listen to a specific Mac. Pretty much as per the Windows version of School. Does classroom management software of this type exist for the Mac? Thanks