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News Flash

news flash

20/2/2024

Lecturer tracking camera

Watch the video to see the result of the Digital Space Team testing a lecturer tracking camera

13/12/2023

Zoom minimum versions apply from 3/2/2024

Zoom client (Win, macOS, IOS ,Android): 5.14.5

ZoomRooms and ZR Controller (Win, macOS, IOS): 5.14.5
ZoomRooms and ZR Controller (Android): 5.13.5

8/12/2023

Request for AV upgrades/new room installs requires, please start the process by  filling out this form.

25/10/2023 - New projectors

Ceiling mounted projectors in Townsville lecture theatres 025-001, 025-002, 026-002 and 045-002 replaced with brand eight brand new projectors.

29/9/2023 - TSD restructure & AV in room support

The VAVS AV support team in Townsville and Cairns has been reassigned with four staff in Townsville and one staff member in Cairns appointed to the Digital Spaces team (room upgrades and fresh installs) and  the remaining staff in Cairns appointed to the Digital Service Delivery team providing AV room support. The contact number for support is 4232 1700.

1/8/2023 - ZoomRoom iPads

The older fleet of iPad hardware for Zoom Room control and scheduling reached end of life, prompting a replacement.  Logitech Tap IPs on order.

6/2/2023 - Mater Hospital

The Cisco hard codec has been retired and a Zoom Room established in training room 2.

10/1/2023 - Zoom Room

Outlook calendar resources have been issued for all Zoom Rooms except the JCU GP training facilities.
When scheduling Zoom with Zoom Room participation, please forward the Zoom invitation to the calendar resource to enable automatic connection to the Zoom Room.

9/1/2023 - MedTech

This technical support team for CMD&Pharmacy has been disbanded and resources allocated elsewhere. As a consequence the onus for technical support in this area was transferred to VAVS.

8/6/2022 - TSV-014 001 006 and 201

No longer centrally bookable teaching space.

7/6/2022 - TSV-034-020

No longer centrally bookable teaching space.

22/4/2022 - Panopto version

Updated Panopto to v.11 without incidents to all recorders.

7/3/2022 - Panopto control/light

Issues with the Panopto feedback light not turning on in the following rooms:

  • Cairns: A003-003
  • Townsville: 018-02B, 134-010, 134-102, 142-111
  • Townsville City Campus: TCBD-306, TCBD-406

Replacement equipment is on order but delivery is not expected until June 2022

22/2/2022 - Learning Glass

Learning Glass teaching rooms are ready in Cairns B001-108 and Townsville 302-002

4/2/2022 - Zoom Webinar licenses

Due to the finite and relatively small number of available Zoom Webinar licenses, most have been returned to a pool. To obtain a temporary webinar license, please enter a ServiceNow with the event date and anticipated maximum number of participants.

13/1/2022 - Windows 11

Testing is under way to check functionality of Windows 11 which will be rolled out to all AV Room PCs - more information about AV Room PCs

19/10/2021 - Zoom Bridge Connection

The video conference equipment infrastructure is undergoing some changes which are projected to be completed by mid November 2021. Dialling 111 to connect will no longer work. Connect to the Zoom Meeting Bridge located in the directory/contact list of the room system and  then proceed as before by entering the Zoom Meeting ID followed by the #-key and passcode followed by #-key.

28/8/2021 - Panopto rollout

Panopto rollout complete with new status light/control installed - more information about the Panopto recording system

23/7/2021 - Cairns Science labs

Science labs in Cairns opened - rooms

23/7/2021 - Panopto lecture capture

The Mediasite recorders have been retired and replaced with Panopto

21/6/2021 - PC Labs Townsville Building 2

The PC Computer Rooms in building 2 are closing

14/6/2021 - Panopto

Panopto replaces Mediasite as the JCU enterprise video capture platform from 26/7/2021.

18/5/2021 - Cairns video conference rooms repurposed

Cairns small video conference rooms B1-102 and B1-103 are no longer available due to JCU rationalisation.

29/3/2021 - Cairns Pharmacy Labs

E1-022 and E2-003 both ready for teaching after refurbishment

30/3/2020 - TSD staff working from home

All TSD staff have been directed to work from home until further notice. Videoconferencing staff can still be contacted on extension 21700 (Cairns technicians) 21077 (Cairns booking office)14643 (Townsville technicians).

18/3/2020 - Temporary AV Room capacity reduction

Due to COVID-19 and government directive regarding social space, the maximum room capacities have been reduced to comply. Please ask Timetabling Team and VAVS staff for assistance.

13/3/2020 - Townsville room 028-212A

This room replaces Townsville Room 027-209 which was decommissioned. Please note 028-212A is a ZoomRoom, hence cannot be supported remotely, nor scheduled to connect automatically to video calls.

24/2/2020 - AV Upgrades

Most of the scheduled AV upgrades have been completed except for the systems in Townsville Building 28. The construction phase of the refit was delayed due to inclement weather and the AV system installation is proceeding as time permits.

10/2/2020 - Zoom from China

AARNET the Australian internet provider for Australian Universities, has announced they have implemented changes to Zoom which are addressing connection issues from the Chinese mainland. Please email support@aarnet.edu.au if you have problems connecting.

9/2/2020 - AV Upgrades

The AV upgrades are continuing as planned in Cairns and Townsville and we are working hard to get all systems ready in time for the semester start 24/2/2020. It is important to note rooms which have been upgraded are not fully operational until they have been officially commissioned. A news item to this effect will be placed here when this has been completed.

4/12/2019 - AV Upgrades

Trucks leaving Brisbane with equipment for the pending AV upgrades in Cairns and Townsville. At the completion of this run of upgrades by mid February 2020, all common teaching room systems will be migrated from analog to digital.

29/7/2019 - PowerPoint extended mode

Some presenters use the option to add notes to their PP presentations. In VAVS AV rooms, the PC must be set in the extended mode (hold down the Windows key and press the P-key to access the options) in order to show the notes. If accidentally the notes are shown to the students and not the presenter, there is an option to change it on the fly: Click on the 'Display Settings' and swap the displays around. Alternatively in the PP software click on 'Set Up Slide Show' and change the slide show monitor to Automatic or Monitor 2.

25/7/2019 - Cairns Mediasite recorder relocation

The mediasite hardware recorder previously located in A4-105 has been relocated to B1-020.

17/7/2019 - 2019/2020 AV upgrades

Upgrades to AV equipment has been scheduled at the conclusion of SP2/2019 in the following rooms:

Cairns: A1-014, A1-127, A3-001. A3-002, A3-003, A4-004, A4-016, A4-026, B1-106, B1-124, D1-001A, D1-001B, D3-054, D3-059, D3-063, D3-144. D3-149, E1-012, E1-013E, E1-014, E1-113 and E2-003

Townsville: 5-001, 14-006, 14-201. 15-014, 15-143, 17-101, 17-131, 18-002A, 18-002B, 18-002C,  25-001, 25-002, 26-002, 34-011C, 40-103, 40-105, 40-109, 45-002, 110-002, 134-002, 134-010, 134-102, 134-105, 134-130, 134-132, 142-111 and 145-030

7/5/2019 - Townsville VAVS Office move

The AV Office in Townsville has been relocated from building 9 to 034-117. Phone number for support is unchanged: 14643

8/4/2019 - Room Upgrades

  • SAAS Meeting room 29-103 upgraded to Cisco  Webex Codec Plus with two 55inch monitors
  • Student Services Meeting room 29-106E upgraded to SX10 and one 55inch monitor

25/2/2019 - PC Computer Rooms

The new Dell 7460 computer room PCs are not fitted with a drive bay for DVDs. As a short term workaround, VAVS in Cairns and Townsville can provide a portable drive which plugs into the computer room PC by USB. Longer term, academics are advised to contact their College Desktop Support to get files converted and stored on line.

24/2/2019 - Mediasite hardware recorders

Mediasite hardware recorders on TT request have been relocated as follows:

  • Cairns B1-108 to Townsville 15-133
  • Townsville 034-011C to Townsville 14-001

24/2/2019 - Room upgrades

Townsville AV room upgrades commenced 14/2/2019 in 14-001 and 15-133. The analog AV systems were converted to digital with lamp-less projectors and mediasite hardware recorders. Completed in time for the semester start 25/2/2019

31/8/2018 - Cisco C20

The last date to receive applicable service and support for the product as entitled by active service contracts or by warranty terms and conditions. After this date, all support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.

8/8/2018 - OWL 360 video conference camera

Trials are being conducted using the OWL 360 degree video conference camera suitable for Zoom Rooms. OWL has an inbuilt camera, microphone and speaker. More information

28/6/2018 - Room Upgrades

  • Townsville room 15-119 upgraded to a centrally bookable videoconference space with a capacity of 10 and now ready for use.

28/2/2018 - Zoom replacing Pexip VMR

On March the 17th 2018, the current Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) service was replaced by Zoom videoconferencing across all JCU campus locations

21/2/2018 - Room Upgrades

Estate Directorate upgrades of Townsville rooms are getting closer to completion.

  • Room 25-001 - redecorated including acoustic treatment - 21/2/2018 awaiting delivery of new seating
  • 26-001 - acoustic treatment completed 16/2/2018
  • 25-005 and 25-006 - upgraded to HD with new control and switching systems - completed and awaiting commissioning
  • 300 Design Garage and rooms 301-001, 301-002 and 301-007 awaiting completion and commissioning

28/1/2019 - ZoomRooms Cairns B1-115C & Townsville 18-208A

VAVS installed ZoomRooms for LTSE

Dec 2017/Jan 2018 - Planned AV upgrades

Room upgrades during the next break are scheduled for

  • The Dental School in Cairns (major upgrade) completed February 2018
  • Computer labs in Cairns and Townsville (HD projectors, new control/switching system) completed February 2018
  • Cairns room A4-202 (HD upgrade) completed February 2018
  • Cairns relocation of VC room B1-031 to E2-113 - completed February 2018
  • Cairns refit of room B1-031 to a peer to peer collaborative space - completed February 2018
  • Townsville room 134-021 (larger work group flat panel displays) completed January 2018
  • Townsville room 4-132 (HD upgrade) - completed February 2018
  • Council Chamber (HD and microphone upgrade) completed January 2018

12/6/2017 - The Science Place Update

The videoconference room 142-233 is now operational and has been released to Timetable

15/5/2017 - The Science Place Update

The combined JCU/CSIRO videoconference room 142-033 is now operational. The construction phase of the 2nd floor is complete adding a few rooms to the VAVS domain. However AV is yet to be finalised in the following rooms: 142-202, 142-233, 142-234 before they become available. Another two rooms on the 3rd floor are also nearing completion - 142-302 and 142-338, however some AV installation work is still outstanding before they become available.

20/2/2017 - The Science Place Opened for business

The Science Place (TSP) was opened just in time for day one SP1-2017. Ground floor teaching spaces and 1st floor labs and the Central Lecture Theatre were operational as scheduled. The 2nd and 3rd and 4th floor are still under construction. New VAVS spaces are 142-020, 142-021, 142-022, 142-023, 142-101ABC and 142-111.

20/2/2017 - Cairns City Campus open

The Cairns City Campus opened for business in time for semester start SP1/2017

20/2/2017 - Mediasite Lecture Capture - production

Mediasite hardware installation complete and entered into production from the first day of SP1/2017

2/12/2016 - Mediasite Lecture Capture - install

The hardware installation of Mediasite equipment in Cairns and Townsville, is nearing completion. A testing phase will be commencing on Monday the 5th of December  and to be completed by Christmas 2016.

25/7/2016 - AV Upgrade Townsville room 134-102

The Education Central Seminar room 102 has been upgraded by replacing the single projector screen with two flat panel displays and adding a presenter camera.

11/7/2016 - Arrival of Mediasite Lecture Capture Systems

The first batch of the new lecture capture system equipment has arrived. Time and space permitting, this will be rolled out to selected rooms in Cairns and Townsville over SP2/2016. The following rooms are scheduled to receive Mediasite recording devices:

Cairns: A1-016 A1-017 A1-018 A1-129 A3-001 A3-002 A3-003 A4-105 A4-130 A21-001 A21-002 B1-031 B1-107 B1-108 D3-054 D3-063 E2-111

Townsville: 004-006 005-001 009-001 009-002 015-144 017-064 017-101 017-201 018-002B 025-001 025-002 026-002 027-001 034-011C 034-020 040-103 040-105 40-109 045-002 134-010 134-102

Townsville CBD: TCBD-306 TCBD-406

6/5/2016 - Launch of Pexip Infinity

The long awaited JCU Pexip Service is now up and running after the official launch today.

20/4/2016 - Final touches to meeting room upgrades in Townsville

Not long now until you can start using four new meeting rooms in Townsville - check them out:

4-255, 27-209, 28-204 and 34-201

2/3/2016 - HEVC aka H265

High Efficiency Video Coding is used for outgoing and incoming video in the Cisco SX80 Codecs resulting in even better , frame rate and channel rate. Hooraaahhhh :)

22/2/2016 - VAVS Room upgrades

The older analog AV systems in Cairns A3-002 and B1-031 as well as Townsville rooms 17-101 , 40-103, 40-105, 45-002 and 145-030 were upgraded to digital systems with high resolution and wide screen projections systems.

Minor works to Townsville room 4-006 were also completed (change of presenter camera).

The ILearn area (18-01A/B/C) underwent a major refit replacing analog system with a digital. Videoconferencing is fitted to 18-02B only but joining of rooms still allow for videoconferencing into all three areas if necessary bearing in  mind there are only cameras in 18-02B (presenter and audience).

4/2/2016 - Pexip (Virtual Meeting Room, VMR)

Server hardware for this service has been ordered as we are working towards introducing Pexip later this year

5/1/2016 - AV Upgrades Cairns and Townsville

AV upgrades have commencing in Cairns for rooms A3-002 and B1-031. Once they have been completed AV upgrades will
commence in Townsville rooms 4-006, 17-101, 18-002B, 40-103, 40-105, 45-002, 134-010 and 145-030. Scheduled to be
completed by mid February 2016.

30/5/2015 - Microphone stands

VAVS Townsville has 2x microphone stands and clips for events which require this type of speaker/audio set up.

18/5/2015 - Free Jabber Video

Free Jabber Video end of life extended to 20/11/2015.

23/4/2015 - Townsville CBD

Check out the virtual rooms in the CBD:

16/2/2015 - Free Jabber Video

Cisco announces the free version of Jabber Video will be permanently unavailable from 16/05/2015.

13/2/2015 - Techsmith Relay

Formerly known as Camtasia Relay, has changed name and is still supported by TLD staff (not VAVS).

21/1/2015 - AV Upgrades Cairns and Townsville

The most recent AV upgrade has brought rooms A3-001, 5-001, 25-001, 25-002 and 26-001 into the this century introducing
high definition (HD)/wide screen projectors, wireless collaborator (ENZO), new lecterns, new touch panels and digital switching
systems. We look forward to your feedback!!!

21/1/2015 - VAVS Rooms Cairns and Townsville

The new Dell Optiplex all-in-one 9030 PCs are being rolled out – with Windows 8.1.

28/7/2014 - Townsville: 34-011C

Peer to peer space officially opened.

4/7/2014 - Townsville: Rooms decommissioned

Rooms 23-001, 23-004 and 23-038 closed permanently as building due for demolition in preparation for the new Science
Block to be completed in 2017.

2/4/2014 - Townsville: Camtasia Relay  Microphones

The fixed lectern, roaming and lapel microphones can now be used for Camtasia Relay recordings in rooms 3-002, 5-001,
17-101, 25-001, 25-002, 26-001, 40-103, 40-105 and 40-109.

16/3/2014 - Townsville: 45-002 Medical Lecture Theatre

A cinema quality projector has been added to the arsenal of AV equipment in this room. Its intended use is for public access
cinema style movie screenings. Please contact VAVS for further information.

14/3/2014 - Townsville: 110-002 MARFU Teaching Facility

This 40 seat common teaching room is now up and running after a refit during the week.

10/3/2014 - Townsville: CLT (5-001)

Lectern microphone, lapel and handheld microphones can be used for Camtasia Relay recordings

24/2/2014 - Cairns: Dentistry

Introducing specialty labs.

15/2/2014 - Major equipment upgrades carried out over the break have been completed:

Cairns: A1-129, A21-001, A21-002, B1-107

Townsville: 4-027, 9-001, 9-002

Townsville: 27-001 (projectors, touch panel control, document camera and wireless microphone for Camtasia relay recordings)

Townsville: 27-002, 27-003, 27-004, 27-005 and 27-006 (projectors, document camera and wireless microphone for Camtasia
relay recordings)

15/12/2013 - Townsville:  34-017

Decommissioned to allow construction work.

13/5/2013 - Townsville:  4-027

Tracking camera system for presenter in is now functional.

15/4/2013 - Townsville: 4-225

The videoconference meeting room is officially open. The room seats 12-14 persons and is equipped with 2x 70 inch flat panel
displays, desktop PC, document camera and provisions to connect laptops (analogue and digital).

1/3/2013 - Townsville: 34-017

Room permanently closed due to refurbishment in building 34.

27/2/2013 - Townsville: 15-133

Supported by VAVS.

25/2/2013 - Townsville Education Central building 134:

The new spaces are getting closer to being functional as intended and we invite you to provide feedback

134-010: Collaborative Theatre
134-021: Teal Room
134-102: Seminar Room
134-105: Meeting Room
134-130: Collaborative Teaching Lab
134-132: Collaborative Wet Teaching Lab

20/2/2013 - Townsville:  4-027

The room has been commissioned but is not yet fully functional. The room will have a tracking camera for the presenter when
complete.

10/12/2012 - Cairns: A3-3

The theatre is now fully operational and videoconference enabled.

7/9/2012 - Cairns and Townsville AV upgrade:

The upgrade has been completed in the following board and meeting rooms.

Cairns: A2-201, A4-105, B1-102, B1-103 , B1-108, E1-112 and E2-111
Townsville: 1-021, 17-064, 17-150, and 145-032

Do take advantage of the High Definition videoconferencing experience and have your next session in one of these rooms.

15/8/2012 - Meeting room upgrades

VAVS are currently upgrading videoconferencing systems, flat panel displays and switching equipment in the smaller meeting
and boardrooms in Cairns and Townsville. Introducing HD ( High-Definition) video will have a dramatic effect on the picture
quality hence drastically improving the videoconference experience. The new switching equipment in addition to a Dell PC
and a document camera, allows for the input of:

  • analogue laptop (VGA)

  • digital laptop (Apple MiniDisplay port)

  • any device with an HDMI output

13/04/2012 - Townsville: 23-038

This room is now fully operational and videoconference enabled.

26/03/2012 - Queensland Health:

A state wide policy has been implemented announcing auto answer has been disabled on their video conference endpoints.

9/03/2012 - Jabber Video:  Free public version

A free version of Jabber Video (formerly known as Movi) has been released by Cisco and is now available to the public.

8/03/2012 - Townsville: 1-203

Added to available videoconferencing venues at the Douglas Campus.

23/02/2012 - Jabber Video (Movi):

  • Win7 and Mac log in no longer required the ad\ prefix to the user name.

  • Off campus Mac users no longer need to establish a VPN connection prior to log on.

10/02/2012 - Townsville:  34-017

A videoconference enabled meeting room seating 12 persons is open for business.

03/02/2012 - Townsville: DG253-003

Western campus D-block tiered lecture theatre has been de-commissioned.

30/01/2012 - VAVS Dell PCs

OP system changed from XP to Windows 7.

20/01/2012 - JCUS

JCU Singapore has acquired a roll-about C40 videoconferencing system. The system has been added to the JCUS phone
book, however beware the system may be unavailable from time to time.

16/01/2012 - ATSIP Videoconference Rooms:

VAVS supports for seminar room 145-030 and board room 145-032 on the Douglas Campus.

05/01/2012 - Townsville Room 18-063 decommissioned

The videoconferencing system has been relocated to Townsville Room 34-017

25/12/2011 - Movi

Movi has been renamed Jabber Video

31/10/2011 - Movi

Movi, the high-end enterprise-wide desktop videoconferencing application, is being made available to JCU staff.

27/01/2011 - Townsville: 26-001

The lighting issue has been resolved. The controls are on the red wall near the exit doors.

15/01/2011 - Townsville: 1-021

The videoconferencing system was upgraded to a Cisco C40 system.

5/10/2010 - Queensland Health:

The department is implementing a change in their permissions regarding external videoconferencing connections. IP calls
to Qld Health need to be prefixed.

01/09/2010 - JCUS:

The JCU Singapore videoconferencing endpoints are now on the JCU network enabling connection over IP, hence the Singapore
virtual meeting room on the Bridge (47535170) has been demolished.