Audio and video technology
Teachers can use modern audio and video technology at centrally managed course rooms of the University of Vienna. The ZID is responsible for installing and operating this technology.
Direct links
Place request for Audio- und Videotechnik (audio and video technology, in German)
Form Störung der Audio- und Videotechnik melden (Reporting audio and video technology interruption, in German)
Equipment and usage
Using the equipment
The audio and video facilities at centrally managed course rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art control modules to switch the projector on and off, select sources and set the volume of source devices, such as stationary PCs, laptops or microphones at course rooms.
Depending on the available equipment at the course room, one of the following systems is used:
- Push-button panels at smaller course rooms
- Touch panels at larger course rooms
For further information, please read the user guides (in German) for using the audio and video technology at centrally managed course rooms.
Projectors
All centrally managed course rooms are equipped with projectors, allowing you to project the screen of the presenter’s PC and – if required – of a laptop onto the wall. You can switch back and forth between the stationary computer and your laptop. Instructions for use are available at the class room.
Note
It takes a few minutes for the projector to warm up. Please avoid turning the projector on and off again too often, as this reduces the lifespan of the lamp.
Turn the projector off when you leave the room, unless the device is needed for a class right after yours.
Interface for laptops
Every centrally managed course room is equipped with a HDMI port and a VGA port to connect personal laptops to the system. Please bring along the specific adapter required for your device. An HDMI cable and a VGA cable are available at every course room. If you cannot find them, please contact the lecture hall support. You can find the relevant contact details in the instructions for use at the course room, or in the list of locations further below on this web page.
Using stationary presenter's PCs
There is a stationary PC at every centrally managed course room. The ZID always strives to provide the most recent hardware. The most recent generation of PCs does not have a built-in DVD drive. If you would like to play a DVD or CD in class, the lecture hall support can provide an external USB drive. You can find the relevant contact details in the instructions for use at the course room, or in the list of locations further below on this web page.
If you do not want to use your own laptop, the ZID recommends using a flash drive to present your slides from the presenter’s PC.
The presenter’s PCs feature the operating system Windows 10 and a uniform application software.
Some locations feature computers with subject-specific software. It is not possible to install software yourself.
Microphone and speech intelligibility
Larger centrally managed course rooms (for 50 people and more), rooms equipped with facilities for persons with a hearing impairment and rooms in which lectures can be recorded (u:stream) are equipped with microphones to improve speech intelligibility. By default, these rooms are equipped with a handheld microphone and a headset microphone. The available microphones are tuned to the specific room and system.
The system does not support microphones you bring along, as you cannot connect them to the system. Please do not replace the existing headset microphone with a microphone you brought along. In most cases, the resulting sound quality is inferior.
If you have the impression that the speech intelligibility is not ideal, please contact the lecture hall support or the service e-mail address avm.zid@univie.ac.at.
Note
We recommend using the headset microphone, in particular when your course is recorded for u:stream. The headset microphone is attached to your head. In contrast to handheld microphones, this ensures consistent speech intelligibility.
Recording courses – u:stream
For information about the lecture halls equipped with streaming equipment, please go to the website Recording courses – u:stream.
Locations
Service hotline for all university locations: +43-1-4277-14100
Accessibility
The majority of centrally managed course rooms is wheelchair accessible. In the list of locations you can see which rooms are equipped with induction technology. You can find more information on the topic of accessible studies on the website of the Accessible Studying team of the University of Vienna (in German).
Technical standards
It is the primary goal of the audio and video facilities to enable efficient operations during lecture periods the following measures are implemented:
- Uniform and high usability of the equipment for all users
- Minimising failures
- Troubleshooting
For further information about the technical standards for audio and video facilities at centrally managed course rooms, please send an e-mail to avm.zid@univie.ac.at.
If you want to install new audio and video facilities, we can provide you with contacts to maintenance groups, an existing framework agreement for accessing media technology and our white paper on AV media technology.
Support
Please contact the lecture hall support at the relevant university location if you require information about the facilities at specific centrally managed course rooms or if you need assistance at a course room to use the audio and video facilities. You can find the contact details of the lecture hall support in the instructions for use at the course room, or in the list of locations further up this web page.