Presentation Equipment & Room Guide and FAQs

All presenters should have received an email message notifying them of the audiovisual equipment they will have available for their JALT2007 presentation. Please take a moment to read the notes below to help make your presentation go as smoothly as possible.

Does my room have a whiteboard?

All rooms have whiteboards. And they should have plenty of pens.

Will my computer work with the digital (PC) projectors?

Windows will always work, but older models may have some setup issues. It's always best to try everything out before coming to JALT.

Macs will need a VGA adapter to connect the Mac to the projector. You should have received one of these with your computer when you bought it. Again, try the setup out before coming.

Notes

1. JALT cannot supply computers.
You'll need to bring your own computer to the conference to use with the projector. We are unable to supply computers, and the presentation rooms are not equipped with them.

2. Presenters MUST test the computer they are bringing to the conference on a projector before they come to the conference.
Sounds obvious, but it's surprising how many people turn up at their presentation without having tested things, and then discover they don't know how to set the computer up to work with the projector. We cannot help you if you don't know how to use your machine with a projector.

3. Bring any adapters necessary for connecting your computer to the projector cable.
All the projectors have standard 15-pin VGA ports. Make sure you bring any special adapters you require. Most Windows laptops have a VGA port built in, so you shouldn't require anything special. But be sure to check for your computer. Note for Mac users - you should have a little adapter that came with your laptop, an Apple VGA Display Adapter. You'll need to bring that.

4. If you require sound, bring speakers
Some cheaper projectors give very poor quality sound, so you would be well advised to bring a small set of desk speakers with you if you need good sound.

5. Technical staff will be available to help if you do find yourself having problems with your equipment during your presentation.
In the unlikely event everything does go wrong, there will be staff available to help you. They can't be everywhere at once, though, so try to get into the presentation room as soon as you can before your presentation (there's a ten-minute break between sessions) to give yourself time to set up and get help if required.

6. Have a back-up plan in the event that things just won't work.
As we all know, things do go wrong with computers at the worst possible times. Be prepared just in case something happens you're not expecting. Again, obvious, but it's worth having an alternative option, just in case.

Can I test things before the presentation?

We usually have a test session Friday AM around 9. Check in the lobby.

I need a screen to use with the projector - will one be available?

Yes.

Will the DVD player be multi-region/region-free?

Safest is to bring your own player setup if you are coming from a region outside Japan. This could be a DVD player or your laptop. Try it out before coming. The ones onsite may not be multi-region machines.

Will people be able to hear the sound of my PowerPoint presentation?

Best is to bring a set of small portable speakers that you know work with your machine. These are light, inexpensive, and the sound is adequate to excellent, depending on price.

A second option is to bring a cable that allows you to plug into the room audio, provided you have ordered audio. This cable will have the appropriate plug for you machine's audio output jack on one end, and the usual red and white RCA audio plugs--like on your home stereo cables--on the other.

I need a microphone for my presentation - will one be available?

Yes, but you will need to order it. However, unless you know you will be using a very large room with a big audience, you likely won't need one.

What kind of OHPs are they - can we use transparencies?

An OHP is the older type of projector that can show only transparencies. An OHC (camera) can show both transparencies, and opaque material such as prints or books. We will be contacting people who requested OHPs to see if they require an OHP or OHC.

Can I play cassettes/Mini discs?

It is, by far, best to transfer sound materials onto some current medium. Most likely, only MD, CD, and DVD players, and possibly cassette players, will be available, and this will become increasingly so in future years.

Will the room have an internet connection?

Not yet typical, even in universities. Connection is often tedious and there is the chance the system or Website will be down during the presentation. Best is to make a Web archive of the site and do the presentation offline, or simply copy the needed pages into a PowerPoint presentation. It's troublesome in the beginning, but, in the end, smoother and more reliable.