Native scanner support please

[guesst]

The short version, I want to scan documents directly into flipcharts.

Long version, I am a teacher in an underfunded urban school who got 2 smartbaords on a grant and two Promethean boards on a sales plant. The smart boards are mounted in the library, the Promethean boards are portable. A host of problems prevented me from using the ActiveStudio software until recently, so I used the smartbaord software which was free to download and worked.

Now I've got the ActivStudio loaded and am trying to learn to use it, but there's one feature that I miss. Smartboard allowed you to scan documents directly into their software. I used this feature literally every day. It allowed me to use blacklines and handouts at a moment without any in-between steps.

I've searched and found the counter arguments; scanned documents are big, scanned documents are bulky, scale is never right, etc. Well let me stir the pot and say: Smartboard can do it. I got used to it. I think it can be done and I want it as easy and seemless as I'm used to.

Wha d'ya say?

[Vicky-d]

See here (http://www.prometheanplanet.com/common/html/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=3653) for a workaround!

[cappie]

Hi Vicky -

I can not get "camera_viewer" to work with my USB scanner on either my school tablet PC running Windows XP or my Mac PB G4 running OS 10.4. :confused: I am trying this from home so am not connected to the board. Do you know whether the computer needs to be connected to the board for "camera_viewer" to work?

(I likewise can not get "camera_viewer" to work with an i-Sight videocam connected by firewire to my Mac; I don't know whether that is a related problem or a different one due to the type of connection.)

Thanks for your help. :)

[markrobinson]

Thanks for the feature request.

Direct Scanner Support - is noted for possible inclusion in a future release of the Activ software.

As an alternative - Many user make use of a document camera or 'visualiser' and Promethean's desktop annotation mode, which is a useful and powerful alternative and only saves the annotated images directly as a flipchart. You can also image other things that would not normally fit in a scanner or carry out (or a student) delicate practical tasks while using the board to let the class see what is going on.

You can see (and order) Promethean's excellent range of visualisers here:

http://www.prometheanworld.com/uk/server/show/nav.1715

[LisaD]

I use a Mac mostly and when I want to import a worksheet, typically I have it in pdf format which I can then import into Activstudio (all pages) in a flash. [clap]

HOWEVER, I must state that I am usually not happy with importing any type of worksheet "as is".

Don't you find that since it was developed to be "printed" in "portrait" paper, that there' just too much information on one page and that the text is too small for everyone to see???:eek:

If the worksheet is available as a pdf, I would rather use the camera tool to capture sections of the page and turn that one page into several page with one readible activity per page.

Or...rework it altogether using some of the more advance features of the software to make it more accomodating to the group. But it's a question of time vs. usability, I guess.

Anyone else's thoughts on this?

Lisa

[tomerf]

Hi Lisa,

I have the very same experience, which, when wanting to use the votes, led to wanting to use the spotlight as mentioned in a different thread. Your suggestion to take pictures of sections which have been zoomed in on is one I hadn't considered. It could be a bit time consuming but (as my teen-aged daughter tells me when it's time to go clothes shopping) "It's always nice to have options." Thanks!

Tom

[guesst]

Don't you find that since it was developed to be "printed" in "portrait" paper, that there' just too much information on one page and that the text is too small for everyone to see???:eek:
...
Lisa
No, no not really. Then again, with Smartboard, when you scanned in a document it automaticly extended the size of the page so that the document is at full width that is then scrolled up or down. (Usually the students don't need but the top half of the sheet anyways, the bottom is just more of the same.)

[markrobinson]

To clarify. Scanners do not require any 'special' facility to make use of within Activstudio. The original request simply relates to an additional button/option to invoke/automate the scanner function.

Click your scanner button, select the scan area (this step/feature is important since it lets you select which bit you want to display and address aspect ratio/size issues) and cut and paste the result to any flipchart page.

Promethean pens have a right click function that works exactly like a mouse and instantly for universal functions such as this.

[MrB]

Hi Guesst,

I'd also like to see this feature. I work at a school that has 16 Activboards and 2 Smartboards. The Promethean people are always asking me what the best way to get a scanned image into a flipchart is.

I haven't tried the other things mentioned on this page, but here is something I have done. (See my post from a different thread: http://www.prometheanplanet.com/common/html/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=5438&highlight=scanner)

As I mention, it takes a little effort to set up, but once it's done, it's very quick and easy. Still, I do think it would be even easier to have a "capture from scanner" button built in to Activstudio.

As a second grade teacher, I love being to quickly scan and insert pages from student workbooks up on the Activboard. It makes it so much easier to give instruction to the little ones.

[Nigel Pearce]

Take a look at v3.7. It now offers:

- Insert Image from Scanner/Camera.

This uses the TWAIN interface to capture images directly onto the flipchart page.
Should work with scanners, web cams, document cameras, etc.

[markrobinson]

This feature Nigel describes is such a cool new feature...

My kids have loved being able to use the web cams built into a Samsung Q1 UMPC to capture images directly into the flipchart. You simply choose the camera and click capture... Instantly there. Another click in the Activsoftware activates a the Activ sound recorder, combine easy picture and sound capture with the ability to draw with virtual pens it really shapes up as possibly the best student computing option around!

If anyone is going to Handheld Learning 2008 in London in October- they will see this in action with Activsoftware working on UMPCs.

[kjhanafin]

Is there any way to make this into a button action or a button in the toolstore?

Thanks,
Karl

[BenPosner]

REALLY good idea, Karl! Thanks for sharing!

~Ben

[MrB]

Wow! I'm excited about the new scanner and camera feature. I can't wait to get back to my classroom and try them out on Monday!

[MrB]

I tried to make an action button, but I didn't see any way to link the image to this particular insert feature. If someone knows how to create an action button for this, please let us know. Thanks!

Tony