Activslate wackiness

[lizhoppe]

Hi,
My Activslate is popping up all kinds of help windows when I move the pen around. I am at home for the weekend, so I don't know what "type" of slate it is, but it was just purchased this summer. I registered it and sometimes it is fine, but other times, whenever I move the pen, help boxes and "object edit" type boxes open. I know I am not pushing the button on the pen.

Any thoughts on what might be causing this or what I might be doing wrong? I really want to live in harmony with my slate...:)

[saha]

If you go to the toolbars you can disable the right click.
That should help you not getting those help and object edit buttons popping up.
also you may want to check you pen with another fresh one.

[tai_ann2003]

Maybe you need a firmware update if it is a 2.4 GH Slate (purchased after June 1, 2008)? Not sure - but I would call Technical Support if G. Saha's suggestion doesn't help. It could be just that pen, but if changing pens doesn't help, then it's probably the firmware. Tech Support is very good at replacing a pen if it goes bad within the first year.

[Alan Walker]

It could be that the slate is quite close to within a few feet of the Activhub. Try moving the slate so its not as close to the Activhub and see if that helps.

[lizhoppe]

Hmmm... I will try a different pen and then disable the rt click, and I think I am probably about 4 feet from the hub. I will let you know if anything works. Thanks for the ideas!

[scaulfield]

Were you able to get rid of the problem?

While the you can use the same pen on either the board or slate, if you have a pen that works well with the slate, I would keep it separate from your "board" pens.

[kathleen]

Another colleague shared this fix for the slate: Try it out!

The problems are mainly the Slate not working, freezing, and the right click option pops up when you do not want it to and haunts you the entire time you try to use the Slate.

1. The Slate hub must be attached to your computer.

2. In the System Icon tray at the bottom right side of your desktop, right click on the Activboard.

3. Choose calibrate.

4. The Slate will tell you touch the pen to the Slate “X times”

5. This calibrates the Slate and fixes any issues.

[scaulfield]

Kathleen,

Thanks for posting this, but I think this only works on the PC. :(

[lizhoppe]

Well, that's okay with me, because I have a PC! Finally, I am glad! Thanks for the idea, I"ll try it. I haven't used my slate at all because of this problem, so I hope I can get it resolved!

[bjstuckey]

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. I have the same problems with my slates. We have 4 and they all work for a while and then start with the edit boxes. I found that they work fine for about 20 to 30 minutes of continous use then they start to go crazy. I will try the calibrate fix and see if that works. I really would hate to disable the right click.

BJ Stuckey
WR GA

[lizhoppe]

Okay, I just tried calibrating the Slate... it was kind of a "blind calibration" because there is no arrow. So, I just clicked on the corners of the slate.

Then I went back and calibrated on the board so my pen would match my arrow. It was about a quarter inch off. I'll use it in a lesson tomorrow and see how it works.

Has anyone else tried this?

[davidlloyd]

The slate isn't calibrateable (is that a real word?). Just calibrate the pen to the board and as long as your hand/eye co-ordination is good, you should be fine.

[skwj]

What should somebody do if they have a whacky slate that freezes the flipcharts on a Mac?

[mburke]

Another colleague shared this fix for the slate: Try it out!

The problems are mainly the Slate not working, freezing, and the right click option pops up when you do not want it to and haunts you the entire time you try to use the Slate.

1. The Slate hub must be attached to your computer.

2. In the System Icon tray at the bottom right side of your desktop, right click on the Activboard.

3. Choose calibrate.

4. The Slate will tell you touch the pen to the Slate “X times”

5. This calibrates the Slate and fixes any issues.
I don't quite follow you. When I do this I calibrate the board and not the slate. What am I doing wrong?

[davidlloyd]

I think Kathleen has misled you. Substitute 'board' for 'slate' and it will make sense. As I said in an eralier post the slate isn't calibrateable.

Slates shouldn't be 'whacky'. check with your local Promethean Teach Support for help.

[CPope]

Actually, the slate can be calibrated. Follow Kathleen's steps.

Char

[jwitte]

You are correct, I just did calibrate the slate, although it is not like calibrating the board (hitting each corner). And it took away all the right clicking it kept doing! Now my slate works perfectly.

I had called tech support before and was told it was a firmware issue and the only way to update the firmware in these slates is by sending them in. I have 3 slates (now only 2!) that were having this same issue, but now I am going to try to calibrate the others also before I waste anymore down time mailing them off.