MET-Teach Systems Manual
Introduction
This document is work in progress. Comments in RED will be addressed in future
versions.
MET-Teach appliance is a tablet PC, equipped with a webcam and high-quality
microphone to support streamlined authoring, processing and publishing of multimedia
course materials. Unlike lab-based Echo 360 room system, faculty can use MET-Teach
appliance in the convenience of their offices.
Typical use scenario involves a 2-step process:
1. “Author” obtains the pre-configured MET-Teach appliance and MET-Teach Faculty
Guide at MET Technology Integration Desk (TID) and records content according to
instructions.
2. After appliance is returned to TID, TID Technician processes recorded materials to
produce and publish them in requested formats.
“Author” and “Technician” roles are defined to separate the process of authoring the
content from technical post-processing that includes encoding and publishing online
content and often takes significant time. However, in some situations both roles can be
performed by the same individual.
This document is intended for MET IT staff to assist with installation and configuration of
MET-Teach appliance. MET-Teach Faculty Guide includes detailed procedures related
to the “authoring” phase. MET-Teach Operations Guide includes detailed procedures
at time of post-processing.
Installing and Configuring a New MET-Teach Appliance
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Start with an updated and patched installation of Windows XP.
Upgrade to Windows Media Player 11.
Install and activate Microsoft Office 2007.
Install webcam driver and test webcam
Install microphone driver (if appropriate) and test audio subsystem
Create a non-admin local user account Faculty for faculty to use.
Install and activate Camtasia Studio 6.0.2 (or higher).
8. Install the latest version of Xvid codec from http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec/ .(For
more info: http://www.techsmith.com/learn/camtasia/6/faq/recording-performance.asp)
9. Install Teleprompter. Important: grant local users full access to c:\teleprompter
forlder.
10. Install Conference XP and point reflector to met-reflector.bu.edu (see CXP
documentation for details).
11. Create desktop MET-Teach folder to include shortcuts to Camtasia, ConferenceXP,
PowerPoint, Word, MET-Meet, TelePrompter (read only access for users)
12. Create desktop Tech Support folder to include shortcuts to a/v system software, etc.
(Read only access for users)
13. Create C:\Recorded Video and C:\Temp folders (R/W access for users).
14. Copy the current versions of custom presets (.xml files) from
http://met-research.bu.edu/metert/Internal%20Documentation/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2fmet%2dert%2fInternal%20Documentation%2fMET%
2dTeach%2fMET%2dTeach%20Production%20Presets
to C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Camtasia Stidio 6\Media\Studio\Profiles. See METTeach Operations Manual for more infoemation about MET-Teach custom presets.
Note: If any of the presets are modified in the process of producing video files, new copies of preset files will
be created in user’s profile under My Documents/Camtasia Studio. These presets will take precedence for a
particular user. To return to “standard” MET-Teach profiles, user-specific profiles can be deleted.
Customize Settings
(verify these settings before checking out the appliance)
1. Hardware and OS:
 Disable wireless.
 Test a/v subsystem (details to be added)
 Attach labels: (a) faculty username/password; (b) “F10 - stop recording”
 Set display to 1024x768, color quality to Medium (16 bit).
 In the screen recording mode, display hardware acceleration can cause
problems (black/empty screen in recorded video). We are still researching this
issue. To record CXP, hardware acceleration should be disabled. On Win XP:
right-click on the desktop and select Properties > Settings > Advanced >
Troubleshoot; set the Hardware Acceleration slider to none.
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PERSIST SETTINGS, SO EVEN IF USERS
CHANGE DEFAULTS, WE RESTORE PREDEFINED CONFIGURATION BEFORE
NEXT USER GETS THE APPLIANCE. One of the options – run a batch file that will
set all defaults (we will need to find registry settings or API), restore templates, etc.

Disable everything that can unexpectedly display a popup window: automatic
updates for OS, other layered apps (need a list here)
2. Camtasia
 Under Tools -> Options:
a. in Program tab:
- uncheck Show welcome dialog on startup and Show Select PIP
Preview dialog.
- set Temporary storage folder to C:\Temp.
b. in PowerPoint tab - uncheck Prompt for next action after recording is
saved.
c. in Upgrade Options tab, disable automatic upgrade checks.
d. in Zoom tab, uncheck Apply Zoom-n-Pan hints

Click Record the screen under Task List; Under Tools -> Options in the
Recorder:
a. in Program tab:
- set Temporary storage folder to C:\Temp.

Getting rid of the “Created with Camtasia Studio” branding: in
C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio6\Media\Studio\HTML\ExpressShow\basic\Template.html
change the text between the <title> tags to say “Boston University Metropolitan
College”.
Make the same change in another “Template.html” file located in
C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Camtasia Studio 6\Media\Studio\HTML\ExpressShow\flv\basic
3. ConferenceXP
Point reflector service to met-reflector.bu.edu
Testing MET-Teach Appliance
< TBD>
1. Test …
2. Test …
3. If user plans to use CXP - test CXP recording:
 Join CXP venue that includes large video frames (can be your own webcam).
 Start Camtasia Recorder; Tools -> Options -> Video tab -> Video Compression ->
choose Xvid codec -> Configure -> Other Options -> uncheck “Display encoding
status”.
 Record full screen for a few seconds. Stop recorder. Video preview should be
smooth and good quality.
 Switch codec back to TechSmith by following steps above.
Infrastructure to Stream Multimedia Content
Test Environment
ftp://csmet.bu.edu:8021/ert2
FTP
FTP Gateway
csmet.bu.edu
METteach
Encoder
UNC
http://csmet.bu.edu/etr2/<folder>/<file>/.html
HTTP
…
Storage Server
Web Access
\\met-fs.bu.edu
csmet.bu.edu
UNC
\\met-fs\storage$\metresearch\video
End Users
To upload encoded content to MET Storage server, TID Technician will map a network
drive to \\met-fs.bu.edu\storage$\metresearch\video or FTP to csmet.bu.edu:8021/ert2 .
To watch the video, users will point a browser to
http://csmet.bu.edu/etr2/<folder>/<file>/.html .
TBD
To support Camatasia video upload, we will use an FTP gateway to remote UNC
share. FTP gateway runs on csmet.bu.edu, home directory points to \\metfs.bu.edu\storage$\metresearch\video; port 8021; no anonymous connections;
read/write/log visits, Connect As authenticated users; directory securitry limits
access to BU subnet 128.197.0.0/255.255.0.0.
Access control in FTP is governed by NTFS directory permissions on mapped
directories.
Camtasia FTP profile requires a hardcoded username/password; this is difficult
to support in a secure way due to FTP limitations. Therefore, uploads of
Camtasia files will have to be performed manually, using user's Kerberos
credentials. Access to video directory on \\met-fs\storage$ is currently restricted
to metresearch group.
Production Environment will reside on BU streaming infrastructure after Flash servers
are upgraded to support MP4.
……