FAQ: Using and Creating Digital Media in the Student Academic Center

About the GDOC Windows Domain, the Z drive and Gallaudet Standard Software

About printing

About using your own computer in the SAC building

About working with digital images

About viewing and working with digital video

About saving a record of your work

What is the GDOC Windows Domain and why should I login in to it?

The GDOC Windows Domain allows you to have a roaming profile, meaning that users can login to the GDOC Windows Domain and see his/her own settings on the computer no matter where they are. You can save also files on the Z drive. Instead of carrying a  zip disk, you can use a your personal directory on a shared drive that allows you to save 50 MBs worth of files and access those files saved to your directory on the Z drive from any computer in the SAC.

For example: At the beginning of class, you logged onto the the GDOC Domain in SAC 2214, using your GDOC user name and password. Class is ending, so you save your files on the Z drive and log off the computer. You now goes the Harking Digital Learning lab at SAC 1100 and log onto the GDOC domain from another computer. You'll be able to access the files you just saved to your directory on the Z drive in SAC 2214 and continue what you were working on.

How do I login into the GDOC Windows domain?

For now, only computers in the SAC classrooms and the Harkin Digital learning lab can access the GDOC Windows Domain.

  1. Press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete at the SAME time
  2. Enter your legal name with a period between the first and last name
  3. Enter your GDOC password
  4. Select the GDOC as the Domain

To save files to your Z drive (available through the GDOC WinDomain only)

  1. Double click on the My Computer icon.
  2. Under the Network Drives, select the icon reading firstname.lastname on 'FileServer1\Home(Z)'
  3. Save your ongoing work here.

Can I load software onto the computers in SAC 1100?

No, you will not be able to load software on the computers, although you can store documents on the Z drive if you log into the WinDomain.

How can I suggest new software to be added to the Gallaudet Standard Software applications on the SAC 1100 computers? 

You can submit software suggestions via the Help Desk Web Site at http://helpdesk.gallaudet.edu/.

At the Help Desk website,

  1. Login with your firstname.lastname (no password is needed),
  2. Click 'NEW ISSUE' in the column navigator,
  3. In the 'Call Description' box, type in your suggestion,
  4. Go to the bottom of the page and click 'SUBMIT'

How do I print my work in the SAC? Can I print in color?

Currently only black and white printing is supported by the Harkin Digital Learning lab and you are asked to limit printing to 20 pages .

If  I accidentally request printing that I don't need, how do I request that my print job be stopped?

PC: From the start menu, go to Settings> Printers and Faxes. The icon for the 9100 printer will appear. Double click on it. Now click Cancel All Documents.  You can also ask someone at the Help Desk counter to help with this.

Mac: Click the Print Center icon in the Dock and click the queue window from this list of printers. From the list of documents in the print queue, select the document you wish to stop printing and choose Delete Job from the Jobs menu.

Where can I plug in my own computer?

There are many locations around the SAC building where you may plug in your laptop. In each classroom, the instructor desk has a port where you may plug in your laptop and project its screen for class presentations. The foyers near the SAC entrances and the coffee bar have ethernet plugs embedded in the walls, and the pillars in the Rathskeller and the Food Court where you can plug in and surf with any laptop with an ethernet card.

Also, if your laptop has wireless access capability, you will be able to access the internet wirelessly from any point in the SAC building.

How can I print from my own computer?

For now, is suggested that you transfer your documents to a floppy or zip disk and print from one of the Harkin Digital Learning lab computers.

My laptop has a wireless network card. Will I be able to connect to the internet and the GDOC WinDomain in SAC?

PC: The Windows XP operating system allows the network card installed in your computer detect and connect to the wireless network in SAC. If your computer has Windows XP as its operating system and a network card installed, then the wireless network card will work in SAC.  If not, you will need to upgrade to Windows XP, and/or install a wireless network card on your computer before you can connect to the internet and the GDOC WinDomain in SAC.

Mac: Mac laptops with the Airport card running OSX can also access the wireless network. Simply open the Internet Connect application and select configuration: Airport and Network: My Wireless Network B.

Where and how can I scan images or text into a computer?

The computers on the ends of the rows in the lab have scanners, as do the computers in the video suites.

  1. Double click on the My Computer icon.
  2. Under the Scanners and Cameras, select the Epson scanner icon
  3. See a link that says: "Take a new picture" ? Click on it!
  4. An icon will appear that says Picture 001.jpg

In the open lab, you can also scan and edit images by opening the application Photoshop Elements, and select Acquire to import and edit your scan.  In the video suites, open the application Photoshop 7.0, and select Acquire to import and edit your scan. 

For more details, see this illustrated mini-tutorial....

What software do I use for editing digital still images?

 In the general lab, look in your computer's Graphics & Publishing folder for

In the video suites, look in your computer's Graphics & Publishing folder for

How do I transfer digital still pictures from a camera to the computer?

  1. Turn your digital camera on.
  2. Connect the digital camera to the front of PC (Windows) using by USB.
  3. Then the "Found New Hardware Wizard" screen of Windows is displayed.
  4. Open "My Computer" icon.
  5. Find icon of your digital camera such as "Removable Disk (X:)".
  6. Click on the icon to view your image(s).

For more details, see this illustrated mini-tutorial....

How do I use the webcam on top of the computer to take a still picture?

  1. Double click on the My Computer icon.
  2. Under the Scanners and Cameras header, select the Orange Micro iBot icon
  3. See a link that says: "Take a new picture"? Click on it!
  4. An icon will appear that says Picture 001.jpg

For an animated demonstration of how to do this, see  http://helpdesk.gallaudet.edu/training/takepicture/

What software do I use for digital video?

 In the general lab, look in your computer's Digital Video folder for

In the video suites, look in your computer's Digital Video folder for

How do I transfer video from a digital camera to the computer?

  1. Turn your camcorder on.
  2. Connect the camcorder to the front of PC (Windows) using by USB or FireWire (i.Link) cable.
  3. Then the "Found New Hardware Wizard" screen of Windows is displayed.
  4. Open "Software for THIS computer" folder on desktop
  5. Select "Ulead VideoStudio 6" or "Windows Movie Maker"

For more details, see this illustrated mini-tutorial....

How do I use the webcam on top of the computer as a web video camera?

In the Gallaudet Standard Software, open the Internet Tools folder, then select Eyeball Chat. You will need to open the Eyeballchat website at http://eyeballchat.com and register before you can use Eyeball Chat.

For an animated demonstration of how to do this, see http://helpdesk.gallaudet.edu/training/eyeball/

What is the purple box and cable on the top of the computer?

That purple box on top of the computer is called the ATI input adapter.  You can use it to watch movies on PC or capture video from analog VCR, camcorder, or laserdisc player, or vice versa.

I need Adobe Photoshop or Premiere - where can I find it?

Adobe Photoshop & Premiere are available in the Video suites only. To reserve one of suites go to: http://helpdesk.gallaudet.edu/sac1100/

How do I reserve time in one of the video suites?

Each of the Video suites has its own webpage.  Go to its webpage to see what facilities each one has and fill out an online form to reserve it.

Where can I copy a videotape I have made? 

For now, ask the help desk to do this for you. Later new equipment will be set up in the Harkin Digital Learning lab to allow you to make VHS copies of VHS tapes.

Please respect copyright restrictions and Fair Use guidelines regarding the copying of videotapes. You may make copies of your own recordings freely, but  Fair Use guidelines allow you to incorporate no more than 3 minutes or 10% of copyrighted video from a single source for class presentation or multimedia project purposes.

How do I burn a CD?

PC: Open Roxio Easy CD Creator in the folder: Software for this computer. To learn how to burn a CD using Roxio Easy CD Creator, click on this link: http://helpdesk.gallaudet.edu/training/cdcreator/

Mac: You can also burn a CD on the G4 Tower Macs in the Video Suites or the iMacs.

  1. Put a blank CD into the CD drive.
  2. Double click the untitled CD icon, then drag files and folders you want to burn to CD on to it. 
  3. Arrange the files on the CD exactly as you want them before burning the disc. Remember that unlike  floppy disks, CD discs can't be changed after the CD is burned.
  4. Choose Burn Disc...  from the File menu.

Where can I buy diskettes, zip disks, or blank CDs?

The Gallaudet Bookstore sells diskettes, zip disks, and blank CDs. In the future, it will also sell mini-DV tapes. Diskettes, zip disks, and CDs are also sold at Best Buy, Radio Shack, Office Depot, Staples, Walmart, Kmart, and almost all bookstores (Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, etc) as well as online at http://buy.com and http://amazon.com