Document Camera?

[Lucy Gray]

I saw that SMART is coming out with a document camera. Has it been released yet? Has anyone worked with any brand of document camera before? Is it something worthwhile to invest in?

[Danny Nicholson]

I've played with something called a Visualiser in the past, which I think is the same kind of thing.

Didn't do too much on it - I gave a demonstration on how to use it on a course once. We did a heart dissection on it, and captured a sequence of images on the whiteboard, then added labels using the pen tools.

I'm hoping to get my hands on one again soon for a much longer period. When I do I'll write some stuff about it. :)

[Ginny Washburne]

Hi Lucy,

The document camera will be integrated with the SMART Board and Notebook software so you can manipulate the camera from the board. So if you want to capture something you are looking at it can be saved in Notebook. Of course you don't need the SMART Board to use the camera. We should have one in the office soon- you are more than welcome to come check it out when we get it. I'm not sure when they will start shipping-hopefully soon!!

[Matt Granger]

So, I have one of the new Elmos that looks strangely like the icon on Notebook. I've also seen pictures of the Smart camera. The resemblance to the Elmo is uncanny. Will there be support for other cameras which are almost the same thing, or exactly the same thing with a different name, to be recognized in Notebook?

I did notice that when I use the software that came with the camera and notebook 10 it does put a new looking transparency layer with new capture tools in the top right corner.

[Shahina Burnett]

Yes the document camera is out. Haven't had a play with it yet but hoping to get my hands on one soon. I've used the Avermedia visualiser as part of a Science lesson demo. The fact that my audience could watch the science experiment on the SMART board rather than crowding around me was great but the real bonus was that I could capture any part of the investigation as a series of screen shots. These obviously can then be given to students to use as part of a write up or merely as a resource for the purpose of recaping.

[Alice Terner]

I use an ELMO document camera. I wonder if there is a way to have it be the camera in the link at the bottom of the SMART notebook. I usually use the remote control to change from the computer and SMART program to the S-Video cable, with the ELMO document camera.

[Nick Shuman]

I purchased two AVerVision document cameras for two teachers this year who also have the new 600i series SMART Board. They have proved to be invaluable tools for both math and language arts in quickly displaying student work on the SMART Board for editing. The feedback from these teachers was so good that we are planning to purchase several more for next year.

[Obe Hostetter]

Our schools use the Avervision 300p for under $600 that works well with the Smartboard. If you load up the software you can project a book or worksheet on the Smartboard. This way you can write over the book on the Smartboard. The Avervision has features that allow you to take a jpeg image to your computer via the usb cable and then you can drag that image into Notebook. It is faster and easier than a scanner, similar to a digital camera. It also takes video without sound.

I hear that Smartboard is going to be buying the Elmo TT-02S and calling it the 280. This is the camera that will work with the Notebook 10.

[Todd Williamson]

Dragging this one up from the depths...would the purchase of the TT-02S mean that folks who bought it prior to Smart purchasing it could use their TT-02S with the Notebook 10 software? We have 2 in the building, so I'm curious....I may try that out this afternoon.

[Matt Granger]

I'm using a PC with XP. I have the TT-02s as well. It doesn't work with the SMART camera button on the toolbar, even though they are the same camera. Someone at SMART told me that they upgraded firmware in the SMART cameras. But, it's still pretty easy to use.
1. Click insert picture from scanner. The ELMO twain will be a choice.
2. Click Scan.
3. In the window that appears, click the green "Play" triangle. The image now appears.
4. Use the onscreen zoom and focus controls, or those on the camera, to frame the image you want.
5. Click the black "stop" square to freeze the picture.
6. Click the "transfer" button and then the "close" button and the image appears in the notebook file.

Even though the window is mid sized, the image that it imports is full screen on the Notebook file. It is quite large and easy to read. Just make sure it is focused first. It's really only one or two steps more than using the actual SMART camera and the button.

I love it. It works great, and like Obe said, it's faster than scanning. However, I've found times that I've wanted a scan instead.

Also, The camera has to be plugged in with the usb cable. I've found that i it has been left on for a while I have to turn the camera off then back on to get the computer and software to recognize the camera before this works. Also, make sure that the "PC" button is pushed on the camera.

[Lucie]

Oh my gosh! I love my document camera! I have a smart board, doc camera, airliner.... the CPU system is on order and I should get it soon... the document camera is great for just about everything. When I do whole group math, I can show how I am using manipulatives, At the end of last year, we watched the butterflies hatch using the document camera. The kids, and well me too, were like WOW! You can read a story with it under the document camera and all the kids can see it BIG! I also have a microscope lens to use with the Doc Camera but haven't yet.... Those are a few of the things I use it for!

[Ron Ussery]

I've closely compared the Elmo TT02s with the Smart Doc Cam 280, and the differences are more than just the grey plastic finish on the Smart 280. There is apparently a programming port on the back of each unit, covered by a piece of tape. I have concluded that it is not possible to use the TT02s with the Smart Notebook camera icon unless you had the specialty equipment to change the chip's programming. I was looking to see if there might be a dip switch setting or a simple jumper that makes the difference and that is apparently not the case.

I can buy the TT about $250 cheaper than the price-controlled Smart doc cam (the former from k-12connected.com), and I wish the Smart fixed pricing did not force their product out of the price range. But, alas, guess we'll jut have to forego the integrated icon in Notebook V. 10.

[Visualedtech]

The Smart document camera is structurally identical to the TT02S, however every document camera has a "code" or signature in the firmware. You will see this even in hand held digital camera software.
Smart's software identifies the document camera being used. The icon is only active with the Smart Document Camera.
Any "digital" document camera that has a USB connection and image capturing software can be easily incorporated into any electronic white board. Imaging software data is "Twain" compliant. (Twain is a data stream translation program) Each electronic whiteboard software has an "import" function. Check your manual if you have never used it before.
The TT02S and the Smart model have a weak structural componet, the zoom and focus knob can be over torqued and will break if turned with too much force.
Document cameras, vizualizers, and visual presenters are all common names of the same product group.
Visualedtech