BigBlueButton Brain dump -- Features, ideas and comparison with Adobe Connect

Features Record and playback Whiteboard Desktop sharing (presenter needs the latest version of Java(!) Web real-time communication (WebRTC) audio (Chrome and Firefox) / Flash audio (other browsers) Presentations, including PDFs and MS office documents (apparently, PDFs work best) BBB keeps track of zooms, pans, and mouse actions. Single or multiple webcam functionality

Random thoughts and ideas It looks like BigBlueButton can be launched from Moodle. Could we use this feature somehow? Dean mentioned launching BBB from WordPress as well. I think that’s a great idea. BigBlueButton automatically mutes new users, so they don’t disturb others as they settle in. I like this idea. The presenter can open a private chat tab with any participant. Audio: A microphone icon appears next Mute/unmute functions include:

Random thoughts and ideas It looks like BigBlueButton can be launched from Moodle. Could we use this feature somehow? BigBlueButton automatically mutes new users, so they don’t disturb others as they settle in. This a great idea. The presenter can open a private chat tab with any participant. Users can “ask” for permission to speak by clicking the “hands up” icon next to their name.

The User dock Muting and unmuting functions: A microphone icon appears next to any participate who is not muted. When a participant talks, BBB highlights the microphone icon next to their name. Mute/unmute functions include: muting yourself by clicking the microphone icon to the right of your name. muting a user by clicking the microphone icon to the right of their name Even if they’re muted, a user can unmute themselves by clicking the microphone icon in their view. From the Users pod, in the lower left corner, you can can click the gear icon to open a menu that controls global mute and unmute settings. Choices include: Mute all Mute all except presenter

Using a webcam during presentations To share your webcam, from the top menu, click the webcam button. The Webcam Settings window displays. Typically, BBB will choose and display the correct webcam, but if it doesn’t (for example, it chooses your onboard webcam, and you would like to use a USB- connected webcam), you can click the Change camera button. From the Camera drop-down menu, choose your webcam. To adjust the webcam resolution, select a resolution from the resolution drop-down menu to the right of the Camera drop-down menu. When you’re finished, to close the Webcam Settings window, click the Start Sharing button. After clicking this button, you are sharing your screen with participants. Your webcam video will display in the Webcam dock on your screen and on all other users' screens. To stop sharing your webcam, click the webcam button a second time.

Uploading files to your presentation To upload a file, click the upload presentation button underneath the Default pod. The Add files to your presentation window displays. To choose a file, click the Select File button, and, from the dialogue box that displays, select the file you wish to upload. Click the Upload button.

Presentation details When you present, you control exactly what users see. Users will see the presenter’s mouse movements in the Default window. As you move to new slides, those new slides will display on the users’ screens as well. You can: use Whiteboard tools to add “live annotations to the presentation. For example, you could use the pencil tool to draw on the slide. jump to a specific slide, pan right or left using the Hand tool, zoom in or out using the mouse wheel, and Click the Fit to page button in the lower-right corner. Users will see each of these actions on their screens.

Presentation details For portrait-oriented documents, click the fit to width button for text-heavy documents that are hard to read. This view will maximize the size of the text for readability. Then, use the hand tool to “pan” up and down through the presentation. To create a “live whiteboard” effect, upload a blank document, and use the pen tool to draw and write. Tip: While it’s possible to draw with your mouse, it’s much easier to do so with a tablet. Alternatively, you could use the text tool to type on the “whiteboard”. You can choose the colour and font size of the text You can undo any whiteboard entry by clicking the Undo button in the tool panel.

Presentation details You can give control of the screen to other users. To do so, from the Users dock, in the Status column, click to the left of their name. The Presenter icon will move to the left of their name. To regain control of the screen, click to the left of your name. The Presenter icon will once again display by your name. Then, use the hand tool to “pan” up and down through the presentation. To create a “live whiteboard” effect, upload a blank document, and use the pen tool to draw and write. Tip: While it’s possible to draw with your mouse, it’s much easier to do so with a tablet. Alternatively, you could use the text tool to type on the “whiteboard”. You can choose the colour and font size of the text You can undo any whiteboard entry by clicking the Undo button in the tool panel.

Screen layouts In the lower-right corner, from the Custom layout drop-down menu, you can select various preset layouts. For example, you could choose a “webcam-prominent” or “presentation- prominent” layout. To regain control of the screen, click to the left of your name. The Presenter icon will once again display by your name.

Other configuration menus In the upper-right corner, you can: choose the default language for the session, open the Shortcut glossary to see a list of shortcut commands, click the Help button, or log out.