Setting up the 3Pi Classroom Kit - Part 3

Now that all the components are in place it is time to complete the last installation step.

All 3Pi kits contain a licenced copy of SmoothBoard as it is simply the best available software.

SmoothBoard connects to your computer through standard MicroSoft Bluetooth. As many computers come with another type of Bluetooth (or none at all ) we supply a small USB Bluetooth dongle in our kits. We give instructions on how to disable any preinstalled Bluetooth. After following them, you plug the dongle into any spare USB port and it installs itself using the MS Bluetooth.

Now install SmoothBoard (full instructions given), and start it up. The programme will show a screen like this as it searches for the wiimote.

When you see this screen, push our remote synch button in for a couple of seconds and release it. You will see the four blue lights on the end of the wiimote start to flash which shows it is in 'discovery mode'. They will keep flashing for 20 seconds. If your computer is slow, they may stop flashing before the connection is made. If this happens, simply press the button again. SmoothBoard will find the wiimote and connect to it. The first time you do this it may take a little while for the wiimote to be found, but after that it gets much quicker. When it is properly connected you will see this.

Now click on "Quick Calibration". A circle with a cross in it will appear in the top left hand corner of the screen. Take your pen and touch it to the middle of the cross. It will disappear and another one should appear in the next corner. You then repeat the action - there are four in total. If you are unable to make any of the crosses disappear, the wiimote is not pointing in the middle of the screen. Slightly adjust it and try again. When calibrated, you can start interacting!

Setting Up the 3Pi Classroom Kit - Part 2

Now that your mount with wiimote attached is securely attached to your data projector, it is time to connect the rest of the hardware.

Take the remote synch switch and put its red end plug into the matching red wiring socket.

You can then position the remote switch in a convenient location - you have 10m of cable so this should be easy.

Now plug the power adapter into its matching black socket. (Note: unless a customer species otherwise, the power adapter supplied will have the standard New Zealand/Australian pins. It will work on almost any international power system but you would need to source an adapter plug to fit your wall outlet. Let us know if you would like a different configuration.)

It is worth mentioning that our red power insert, that clips in where the wiimote batteries used to, has been designed and built specifically for the wiimote. It is not a rebranded rechargeable battery pack in disguise. It can handle a wide range of voltages and then puts out a steady wiimote friendly voltage and current.

Setting up the 3Pi Classroom Kit - Part 1

If you have purchased one of our kits you have everything you need to create a reliable wiimote based interactive whiteboard. We include setup instructions on both a CD and in written form. Firstly, we will discuss attaching the 3Pi bracket to your ceiling mounted data projector.

In the kit you will find two plastic clips that look like this.
There is a single screw that attaches each clip to the data projector mount. All you have to do is find two convenient holes somewhere near the two front corners of the mount and do the screws up. We usally manage to fit these with no tools as we supply them with easy to use wingnuts (as shown in the picture above).

When the two clips are attached, press the 3Pi mount tube into them so that it is parallel with the front of the projector mount. The tube will now be held securely in place.

You then simply screw the wiimote to the swivel at the end of the mount (our 3Pi power insert has a moulded in thread for this purpose) and plug the power cable into the wiimote.

This should all take you less than 5 minutes.

SmoothBoard Software

As you will be aware, 3Pi fully endorses the excellent SmoothBoard software created by Boon Jin. He has created a product that is light years ahead of the early demonstration software that Johnny Lee Chung started this whole system off with two years ago.

The latest version (SmoothBoard 1.6) is as easy to use as any of the other, much more expensive, commercial offerings. The user simply clicks on a desktop icon, and if they have a 3Pi kit, pushes the synch button. That is all.

Our next few posts will give a simple 'walk through' on how to set up one of the 3Pi kits.

New Tip Switch Pen!

3Pi are proud to announce that we are now supplying a "tip switch" infrared pen - The Groove - in all our kits. The pen can be activated either by pushing the red button on the case or simply by touching it to surface of the whiteboard. This feature makes the use of the pen in general, and handwriting in particular, very natural. We will be updating our website soon to reflect this exciting improvement to our range of products, but all orders from today onwards will be supplied with one of these pens.

Interesting Site

Check out this link. There are some great looking resources for those wanting to help their students to get comfortable using the wiimote whiteboard system.

Fun and games

One fun way to help your students learn how to use an interactive board is to encourage them to play games. There are literally hundreds of possible examples, but one that is always popular is "Fridge Magnets". Essentially it is the same as putting a whole lot of different magnetic letters on your whiteboard then getting your students to move them around to make words. It's a great programme to have up on the board as students come into a classroom at the start of the day and we're sure that they will enjoy creating words and phrases.

http://www.sandfields.co.uk/games/fridge/fridge.html