How to use the Adobe Connect service

Adobe Connect is a video conferencing and collaboration tool. It runs as a Flash application in any web browser and so if completely platform-independent. It will run on any OS in any web browser, as long as you have a Flash plugin-in installed, and can use common video and audio peripherals for your computer. You don't need additional fancy hardware. Any USB webcam and microphone will do. It should be noted, however, that since it is Flash-based, depending on the content of your meeting, you may need to run it on a computer that has sufficient capability to run high-bandwidth applications.

The software is very flexible and relatively easy to use. Features include:

... and many more.

There is also an optional desktop application that allows you to connect to a meeting outside of a web browser. It requires the Adobe AIR platform to be installed first. If you don't have AIR, you can get it here: http://get.adobe.com/air/. You can download the desktop application here: http://www.connectusers.com/downloads/ConnectDesktop.air.

The following sections outline common tasks for system users.

Logging in

Host server URL: https://connect.cis.ksu.edu

NOTE: this site uses self-signed SSL certificate for security, go ahead and allow it in your web browser

Login using credentials provided in email if one was sent to you.

Upon first login, you will be prompted to change your password.

If you are a member of the Meeting Hosts group, you can:

If you are a member of Administrators, you can:

If you are a Participant (not a Host or Presenter), you can

Connecting to a meeting

If you receive an email invitation, click on the link provided in the email.

Alternatively, you can login to the server first and look at meetings you are allow to participate in.

  1. look at the My Meetings tab on the Home page
  2. click on Meetings in the menu bar at the top and look in My Meetings or Shared meetings
  3. click on the meeting you wold like to join

  4. click on the Enter Meeting Room button to join the meeting

A meeting won't start until the host connects, you will sit at a waiting screen until they do.

If you will want to use your webcam or microphone in the meeting, you need to configure Flash to be able to use it.

  1. right-click anywhere on the meeting window and select Settings
  2. click on the Privacy tab (2nd, monitor with eye)
  3. select Allow
  4. check Remember
  5. click Microphone tab (4th, microphone icon)
  6. select mic you want to use and adjust volume if desired
  7. click Camera tab (5th, webcam icon)
  8. select camera you want to use
  9. click Close button

You will need to do this each time you connect to a meeting from a new computer. The settings are stored with Flash on the local machine, not on the Connect server.

Creating a meeting

This is a fairly simple wizard-based process. There are two ways to start the wizard:

The only only required field when setting up the meeting is the Name, which can be any text you choose.

The custom URL is optional. If you don't fill it in, it will be a random string. You can set to specific text to help attendees find it more easily.

Set access limits as desired.

Add invitees if you like. These are users who already have accounts on the Connect server. This is completely optional as all you need to do is publish the URL for the meeting.

If you want to send an invitation from Connect, you can edit the message message text and limit its scope if desired.

All meetings and related content, including uploaded content and records, will remain available on the server until they are removed by the host or an administrator. There is no automated process for removing meetings.

Hosting a meeting

Windows on the meeting desktop are called "Pods".

If you will be using a webcam for video meeting, it won't start until you click on the Start My Webcam button in the Video pod.

Hosts have an extensive set of controls on their menu bar at the top of the screen which are used to control the look and features of the meeting. The following are explanations for each of these controls.

Meeting menu

Layouts

Use this to create, manage (delete, rename), and select the layout you want to use for this meeting. layouts you create and save can be used in later meetings.

Pods

Use this menu to show, hide, and configure pods as desired. These are the standard pods available.

The following menu items control how the host can interact with pods.

Audio

Controls for all users

There are some buttons/menus with icons at the top which control actions you can take during the meeting. Availability of these icons is dependent on your status in the meeting. If the icon is green, this means that the device is active. If it is white, then the device is inactive. Select the drop-down menu

Speakers

Used to adjust your speaker volume or mute. This is available to everyone in the meeting.

Microphone

To enable your microphone, click Connect My Audio. The default action for this button is to enable/disable your microphone. Once enabled, you can mute or adjust the volume. This in only available to Hosts, Presenters, or Participants who have been granted access by the host.

Webcam

Used to start your own webcam or enable for Participants. This in only available to Hosts, Presenters, or Participants who have been granted access by the host.

Status

Raise Hand to ask host for your video/audio to be added

Other selections give feedback to presenter

Participating in a meeting

If a Presenter you

If a Participant you

Sharing

Documents

Screen

Whiteboard

Audio/Video Tips

In general, the more audio and video streams that are active at once, the slower the client will run. If you don't need live video streams for all participants, you can get a headshot and keep that as a still image. Participants who are not talking should mute their audio at all times. It's very simple to mute/un-mute as necessary, so this is pretty easy to do.

Other resources