Audio-Visual Provision and Support

Campus Information Technology Services (CITS) is charged with replacing and subsequently managing vendor maintenance of the Audio-visual equipment in a specified number of Lecture Theatres on Campus. A minimum standard specification of audio-visual equipment has been agreed which will provide for a consistent method of use and operation across these Lecture Theatres, thus considerably enhancing ease of use.

 

Departments can upgrade the equipment above the minimum standard by agreement with CITS subject to agreeing to pay any additional equipment, installation, annual maintenance and operational costs. Installation of such equipment is also subject to no change in overall operational control. Such equipment must be covered by a current maintenance agreement and CITS support for any agreed enhanced equipment will be on a reasonable efforts basis.

 

The Support Process

CITS is neither staffed for nor charged with providing 1st line Audio Visual support. This must be provided by local Departments or Faculties. CITS will provide 2nd and 3rd line support for this equipment. Departments are asked to ensure that the Audio Visual Development Support person is informed of the names and telephone numbers of the local Departmental support staff and changes to these.

Telephone numbers of local Departmental support staff should be displayed in the Lecture Theatres.

CITS has set up a help desk support call number to allow reporting of faults. Departmental support staff is asked to call this number in the event of an issue they cannot resolve directly. The Service Desk staff accepting the calls will pass them on to appropriate CITS teams.

Standard CITS SLA business hours (08:30am to 4:30pm) and response times apply. Some faults will need to be referred to a 3rd party supplier for resolution therefore, resolution times for these calls may be extended beyond the standard resolution times in CITS SLA.

 

Departmental Support Covers

  • Dealing with support of academics and visitors etc. in day to day use of the Audio Visual equipment and control system
  • Providing help with use of portable media e.g. CDs, USB sticks, to hold and make presentations.
  • Connecting user laptops to the Audio Visual system
  • Helping with any walk through of a presentation prior to live presentation to ensure no issues
  • Ensuring issues which arise are actually with the supplied equipment, e.g. by testing faults against the standard PC provided
  • Checking the physical security of the equipment and reporting to the CITS service desk via the Help Desk call line if this is not the case
  • Responding to security if the alarm should be triggered and if necessary informing the CITS Service Desk
  • Reporting of faults via the Help Desk call line to the CITS Service Desk should they be unable to resolve them
  • Issuing and recovering microphones, laser pointers etc. and ensuring batteries are replaced when required
  • Ensuring that Departmental contact numbers are prominently displayed
  • Ensuring end user instructions are available

 

CITS Faculty Support Covers

  • Dealing with IT issues with the computer and network in lecture theatres and their use with the provided equipment.
  • Accepting calls about equipment failures and faults from Departmental support staff and resolving these where possible
  • Escalating faults via the CITS Service Desk to 3rd line Audio Visual support should they be unable to resolve the issue
  • Adjusting brightness and sound levels on request from Departmental support staff

 

CITS Audio/Visual Support Covers

  • Ensuring there is adequate documentation and training for end users
  • Ensuring there is adequate documentation and training provided for Departmental and CITS support staff
  • Ensuring there are standard wiring diagrams for each installation and adequate instructions for CITS internal use
  • Handling of calls from CITS support staff and resolving these where possible
  • Escalating unresolved faults to the 3rd party maintenance supplier and managing these to completion
  • Setting up of weekly, and/or daily reports from the monitoring software
  • Reviewing of such reports on a regular basis and taking action on items as appropriate
  • Proactive monitoring of the performance of the Audio Visual equipment
  • Management of replacement stocks for projector lamps, cables etc
  • Organizing replacement projector lamps and filters
  • Organizing equipment maintenance contract and its renewal
  • Organizing equipment renewal programme and liaison with Departments and Estates
  • Organizing maintenance inspections of the equipment

 

Standard Preventative Maintenance

  • There will be 3 inspections of audio visual equipment each year as part of the maintenance contract.
  • Dates and times of these will be arranged with Departments.
  • Spares will be held on site to assist rapid swap out of equipment.
  • Should a piece of equipment fail more than 3 times in a year then it will be replaced.
  • CITS will hold meetings with the contractor on a quarterly basis to review the performance of the equipment and the maintenance supplier.

 

Operational Issues

  • Projector lamps have an expected lifespan of over 1000 hours. Replacement lamps must be purchased by Departments.
  • The monitoring software provides warnings on when lamps need to be replaced; replacement of lamps and filters will usually happen during planned maintenance inspections.
  • Where a Department has agreed an enhanced projector it must cover any additional costs for replacement lamps or filters above the costs of standard replacements.
  • Projectors will automatically power off after 2 hours. Departments may request an alternative power off period.
  • Equipment housed in rooms where chalk is often used may need to be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure continued good performance. Departments will be required to cover any additional costs incurred.

 

Software

PCs in the lecture theatres will have the CITS common base build (including Microsoft Office with PowerPoint) plus the appropriate Departmental teaching software overlay used by the primary Departmental user of the lecture theatre. This Department must cover the costs of any software licenses required.

Users from other than the primary Department or visitors requiring specialist software should bring it pre-installed on a laptop and plug it into the provided connection point. Presentations can also be brought on portable media such as USB sticks or CD/DVDs.

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