Digital Congress Network Microphone Management

Software User Manual LBB 3570

GENERAL CONTENTS

Chapter 1 - Microphone Management

• 1.1 About Microphone Management
• 1.2 Controlling microphones

Chapter 2 - Getting Started

• 2.1 Starting Microphone Management
• 2.2 Using Help

Chapter 3 - Preparing for a Conference

• 3.1 The main window
• 3.2 Entering delegate data
• 3.3 Specifying conference procedures
• 3.4 Working with microphone management files

Chapter 4 - Controlling a Conference

• 4.1 Microphone operation modes
• 4.2 Viewing delegate data
• 4.3 Microphone testing
• 4.4 Printing
• 4.5 Exiting Microphone Management

Appendix A - Reference Guide

• A.1 Control menus
• A.2 Accelerator keys
• A.3 Index

EXPLANATORY NOTES

About this manual

This user manual is divided into four chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 provide background information and chapters 3 and 4 provide detailed user information. The contents are as follows:

• Chapter 1 - Microphone Management: Contains a brief overview of the Digital Congress Network (DCN), the functionality of the Microphone Management application, and information about microphone operating modes.
• Chapter 2 - Getting started: Contains details of how to start the Microphone Management application from the DCN Startup screen and a description of the Help facility.
• Chapter 3 - Preparing for a conference: Contains details about pre-conference use of Microphone Management, including editing the speakers list, request list and notebook, specifying microphone operating modes, additional microphone parameters, and working with Microphone Management files.
• Chapter 4 - Controlling a conference: Contains details relating to use of Microphone Management during a conference, such as altering microphone status, viewing and displaying delegate data, printing a record of microphone activity, and exiting Microphone Management.

An appendix provides additional reference information that will be helpful to experienced users, consisting of:

• A.1 - Overview of Microphone Management menus
• A.2 - Short-cut (accelerator) keys
• A.3 - Alphabetic index

Manual conventions

For clarity, this user manual uses consistent styles, symbols and typographical conventions. They are:

• NOTE: General notes are contained within rules and indicated with a symbol in the left margin. Notes draw attention to special actions or information.
• CAUTION: Cautions are contained within rules and indicated with a symbol in the left margin. Cautions draw attention to actions or commands that could lead to loss of information or damage to equipment.
• TIP: Tips are contained within a box and indicated with a symbol in the left margin. Tips provide supplementary information that may make an action quicker or easier to carry out.
• An action (to be carried out by a user) is shown on a grey background and preceded by a round bullet.

Typographical conventions

The following typographical conventions (text styles) are used in this manual:

• Typed input: Information to be typed in using the keyboard is shown as: Filename
• Single key: Input via a single key (or keys) on the keyboard is shown as: <Enter>, <Shift>, etc.
• Multiple keys: Input via a combination of keys pressed together is shown as: <CTRL>+<P>, <ALT>+<F4>
• Screen text: Information that appears on screen is shown as: 'Choose Startup Modules:'

1.1 ABOUT MICROPHONE MANAGEMENT

The Microphone Management module is one of the DCN software modules designed for controlling and monitoring conferences and discussions using DCN contribution equipment.

The software offers the possibility of managing and overseeing microphone activities during a conference, based on participant names or seat numbers. There are several categories in which delegates can be classed:

• Speakers list: If a delegate is on the speakers list then his/her microphone is active (except when switched off in 'Operator with request list' or 'Operator with request and response list').
• Request list: If a delegate has made a request to speak but is not automatically granted speaker status.
• Response list: If a delegate has made a response request (only applicable to Operator with request and response list) and his/her microphone has been activated by the operator. Only one delegate can be in the response list.
• Notebook: A delegate in the notebook does not have to join the request list and enjoys certain other privileges.

The Microphone Management module contains a list of all microphones connected to the system that have been assigned seat numbers. A search facility is available to locate specific delegates.

Microphone Management can also be used to specify the microphone operation mode. For further details of microphone modes, please refer to section 1.2, 'Controlling Microphones'.

1.2 CONTROLLING MICROPHONES

Conference procedures

To successfully set-up, conduct and organise a conference, it is necessary to provide microphone management procedures that facilitate many different types of conference or discussion.

The system operator (or conference chairman) requires a choice of operation modes for controlling delegates waiting to speak, and the number of delegates who can speak at the same time. An automatic mode of operation, not needing operator involvement, is essential.

Microphone operation modes

To manage and control the way delegates and/or the system operator activate microphones, five microphone operation modes are possible:

• Microphone control by operator with request list
• Microphone control by operator with request and response list
• Microphone control by delegate with request list
• Microphone control by delegate with override (first-in-first-out or FIFO mode)
• Microphone control by delegate with voice activation

NOTE: All modes are selected using the 'System Mic. Mode...' command in the 'Settings' menu. For more information refer to chapter 3, 'Preparing for a Conference'.

2.1 STARTING MICROPHONE MANAGEMENT

The DCN Startup screen

The Microphone Management program is started from the DCN Startup screen.

The DCN software uses two user-created files that contain important information about the installed hardware configuration and about delegates' names:

• Installation file: Contains information about channel assignment and the numbers assigned to all microphones connected to the DCN, created using the System Installation software (LBB 3585).
• Names file: Contains information about the name, seat number and other conference and personal details of participating delegates, created using the Delegate Database software (LBB 3580).

Microphone Management requires both an installation file and a names file for full functionality, but will work with only an installation file.

Selecting an installation- (and a names) file

For details on selecting these files, refer to section 3.2 of the Startup user manual.

The Microphone Management icon

For details on how to start Microphone Management from Startup, refer to section 3.2 of the Startup user manual.

2.2 USING HELP

The Help menu

The 'Help' menu in the title bar contains commands for an on-screen help facility, providing information on commands, keyboard keys, software usage, help facility usage, index, and glossary.

The 'Help' facility contains the following options:

• Index
• Keyboard
• Commands
• Procedures
• Glossary
• Using Help
• About Microphone Management

3.1 THE MAIN WINDOW

The Microphone Management main window is used to monitor the notebook, speakers list and request list, to promote delegates, and to edit the notebook and speakers list.

The main window contains the following elements:

• Notebook window (if enabled)
• Speakers list window
• Request list window

3.2 ENTERING DELEGATE DATA

Microphone Management allows you to edit the contents of the notebook, speakers list and request list, typically from specific dialogue boxes or the main window.

Preparing the notebook

The notebook is a list of delegates granted special microphone status. Delegates on the notebook have immediate access to the speakers list and do not need to join the request list. Chairmen are automatically included.

Specifying Microphone Type

This option allows you to specify the type of microphone for a selected delegate and to enable or disable the Access Check function. Options include 'Key Activated', 'Voice Activated', 'Operator Activated'.

3.3 SPECIFYING CONFERENCE PROCEDURES

Specifying the microphone operation mode

This section details how to select microphone operation modes using the 'System Mic. Mode...' command in the 'Settings' menu.

Microphone Settings

Allows delegates to cancel a request-to-speak ('Allow Cancel Request') and to switch their own microphones off ('Allow Microphone Off').

Active Mics

You can specify the number of active delegate microphones permitted (1 to 4). When 'Delegate with Voice Activation' is selected, the minimum is two.

Specifying additional microphone parameters

• Microphone Activity: Enables monitoring microphone activity to a file, printer, or auxiliary output.
• Attention Tone: Enables or disables a tone when the chairman priority key is pressed.
• Ambient Microphone: Enables or disables a microphone for ambient noise in the conference venue.
• Microphones Off After Shift: Determines if other microphones deactivate when a delegate is promoted.

Specifying speech time options

A timer facility allows specifying time-related functions for delegate speech time, which do not apply to chairmen.

Speech Time Limit

Allows setting an allocated speech time limit (1 to 100 minutes) for delegates, with options like 'Timer On', 'Auto Microphone Off', and 'Hold Timer When Chairman Speaks'.

3.4 WORKING WITH MICROPHONE MANAGEMENT FILES

The 'File' menu contains commands for managing microphone management files:

• Creating a new file
• Opening an existing file
• Saving a file (under current or new name)
• Deleting a file
• Printing a record of microphone activity
• Exiting the program

4.1 MICROPHONE OPERATION MODES

Microphone Management influences conference events by altering delegate microphone status. The operator can specify intervention levels by selecting one of five operation modes:

• Control by: Operator with Request List mode
• Control by: Operator with Request and Response List mode
• Control by: Delegate with Request List mode
• Control by: Delegate with Override mode
• Control by: Delegate with Voice Activation mode

The first four modes allow varying degrees of operator control, while the last offers no operator control.

Action Box

The action box (Insert, Replace, Delete, Clear Requests) facilitates working within Microphone Management.

Switching microphones on and off

It is possible to alter the microphone states of delegates on the notebook or speakers list from the main window.

4.2 VIEWING DELEGATE DATA

The program offers various options for displaying microphone-related information on-screen, configurable via the 'View' menu. Options include:

• Seat Numbers
• Names
• Speech time
• Notebook
• Action box
• Settings

4.3 MICROPHONE TESTING

Microphone Management includes a facility to test the operational status of connected microphones (hand-held, chairman, delegate units) via the 'Microphone Test' dialogue box.

4.4 PRINTING

A hard copy (log file) of microphone activity, recording switching on/off, can be printed. This is accessed via 'File' menu and 'Print Activity'.

4.5 EXITING MICROPHONE MANAGEMENT

The program can be exited temporarily (minimized) or permanently, with options to save changes to layout files.

APPENDIX A - REFERENCE GUIDE

A.1 CONTROL MENUS

Details on options in the 'File', 'Edit', 'View', 'Settings', 'Speech Time', 'Clear Requests!', and 'Help' menus.

A.2 ACCELERATOR KEYS

A table lists short-cut keys for various Microphone Management menu items.

A.3 INDEX

An alphabetical index of terms used in the manual.