More About What's New
Mon, 06/30/2008 - 3:23pm — John Spotts
Adobe has changed a number of things in the new version of Adobe Connect. Here are just a few of the highlights.
System Requirements
To be a Host or Presenter, you will need to upgrade to Adobe Flash Player 9.0. However, to attend a meeting you only need to have, at minimum, Flash Player 8.
Click here to get the latest Adobe Flash Player or copy and paste this URL to your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/
Accessing the Adobe Connect 7.0 Web Interface
Different from Adobe Connect Version 6.2, you will now be greeted by "Adobe Connect Central" when you log on to the Penn State Adobe Connect (Breeze) server (http://breeze.psu.edu). By default the Resources tab is selected, presenting you with four different ways to get help with Adobe Connect. If you have existing meetings, you can access the list by selecting the "My Meetings" tab. Menu choices, buttons, and tabs vary based on permissions.
Adobe Connect Central Default Screen
The Meeting Menu
When you first enter a meeting room you will still have the traditional top menu layout as before. The menus will vary depending on the role you have been assigned when you enter the room. Many items in the Meeting menu have been moved to “flyouts," or submenus. For instance, the Audio Setup Wizard is now a “flyout” from the menu choice named “Manage my Meetings.”
New Meeting Menu Flyout Example
Recordings
Two new features have been added to the recording choices for meeting room owners.
- The first gives you the ability to download a recording in its entirety to the local drive so it can be edited with common editing software and then placed on another server, transferred to media such as CD or DVD, or uploaded back to the Adobe Connect server.
- The second gives you the ability to edit the recording online using the Adobe Connect editor. Although limited, it allows you to define areas that you may want to skip over when viewed. The original recording remains intact and only the edited version plays. The recording remains on the Adobe server and is viewed by accessing the unique URL.
Camera and Voice Pod
The camera and voice pod has undergone major operational changes. While the pod appears to be the same, close examination will reveal that the controls for the camera and voice have been separated. This means that while the Camera and Voice pod is still required for video, it is no longer required for voice. Voice (or the talk button) is now attached to the main window when it is enabled for the attendee.
Camera and Voice Pod and Talk Button
Granting Participants Talk Privileges and Screen Share Requests
A Host or Presenter may now grant participants talk and/or screen sharing privileges by simply rolling over their name in the attendee list and clicking on the appropriate emoticon that will appear in the flyout menu next to their name.
New Flyout Menu in the Attendee List Pod
Emoticons
New and more graphically representative emoticons are now available to each attendee as a permanent part of the main screen. They are located on the bottom left next to the Talk button.
New Emoticons and Meeting Room Stage Button
Breakout Rooms
New to Adobe Connect 7 are Breakout rooms. Breakout rooms are sub-rooms created by the meeting host while the meeting is in session. Breakout Rooms are useful for breaking a large group into smaller groups so participants can interact and collaborate. Breakout Rooms can be created either automatically by having Adobe Connect randomly assign attendees to a room or by the host assigning each attendee to a specific room. Whiteboard screens and other screens created in a Breakout Room may be taken back to the main room for further discussion by the whole group. The meeting host can visit and participate in each of the Breakout Rooms while they are in session. Hosts can also share a Breakout Room layout with everyone if they choose. Breakout rooms can be created by either selecting “Create Breakouts” from under "Meeting" on the top menu or by clicking the clover leaf-shaped button located at the lower right corner of the meeting room. Creating Breakout Rooms is limited to attendees with Host privileges. For more information about creating and using breakout rooms, view the tutorial at https://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/_a227210/breakoutroomintro/.
Chat Pod
There has been one significant change to the chat pod. There are now options to set the length of time the pop-up notification stays on the screen when the share pod is in full screen mode.
New Chat Pod Menu Choices
Question about recording feature
"Two new features have been added to the recording choices for meeting room owners.
- The first gives you the ability to download a recording in its entirety to the local drive so it can be edited with common editing software and then placed on another server, transferred to media such as CD or DVD, or uploaded back to the Adobe Connect server."
Does this mean that students with presenter access can download their own recording? Or, does the person need to be a host? This would be a HUGE help to us if students as presenters can download their own recordings.
Thanks!
Beth
Accessing Recordings is More Complicated in V.7
Unfortunately Adobe has made accessing recordings even more complicated in V.7. In the new version, only the person who actually created the meeting room can access the recording directly through the Web-based interface (now called Adobe Connect Pro Central). Meeting room Hosts and Presenters who are not also meeting room owners have to enter the meeting room and select "Manage Meeting Information" from the Meeting menu to access the screen with the link to recordings.
I haven't tested it yet, but, yes, Presenters should be able to access and download the recordings after accessing the Web-based interface screen.
Correction -- Only Hosts have access to Meeting Menu Item
Sorry. In checking into this further, I have found that only meeting room Hosts have access to the "Manage Meeting Information" option in the Meeting menu within a meeting room. Student Presenters WON'T be able to access their own recordings.
But if students were hosts...
Ok - so, if we made students "hosts" they can access the recordings...right?
(these are graduate students who will be doing presentations)
Host can access EVERYTHING
Yes, if you made students Hosts, they could access the recordings -- but they can also access everything else as well. They can delete content, change layouts, add and delete participants as well as change the permissions of participants. If that's not a problem, then yes, you could make them Hosts so they can access their own recordings.