Skip to Main Content

MIT Libraries logo

MIT logo Search Account

The Nexus Technology: Guide for Hybrid Events

Documentation on how to use the technology in the The Nexus for hybrid events.

Beginning Set-Up

  1. Remove Handheld Creston from rack in closet by hitting the Eject Panel button in the bottom left
    Screenshot of bottom left of Creston controller with a red arrow pointing to the 'Eject Panel' button.
     
  2. Insert Handheld Creston into the charging station on the left side of the lectern and enter Zoom Room Mode. This will automatically turn on both projectors at the front of the room and also turn both cameras on.
    Image of the Handheld Creston inserted in dock located on left side of the lectern.
     
  3. Join Zoom Meeting via the Zoom Room Controller at the middle of the lectern - then click the Join button, enter your Zoom Meeting ID, and click Join again.
    Image of Zoom Room Controller with red arrow pointing to it in the middle of the lectern.
    Screenshot of Zoom Room controller with Join button at the top middle.
    Screenshot of Zoom Room controller with Meeting ID entered on left hand side and a finger that's about to push the join button on the right.
     

  4. It’s suggested to restart your laptop before connecting the HDMI cable.

    Plugin laptop directly into the system via the HDMI cable at the lectern. This will allow you to directly share content (screen, audio, etc.) from your laptop to the room or Zoom.
    Image of lectern monitor and HDMI cable which is coiled on bottom middle with red arrow pointing towards it.

Zoom

Starting Zoom

  1. Press Zoom Room Mode on the Creston Controller if you haven’t done so already
    Screenshot of Creston Controller with 'Zoom Room Mode' button on bottom middle highlighted with red arrow pointing to it.
     
  2. This will bring you to the main Zoom PC page. You don’t have to adjust anything here, but you do have the ability to route any of the two Zoom Screens to any of the three projectors in The Nexus.
    Screenshot of the Zoom PC page showing all the buttons that are available to touch via the Creston Controller.
     
  3. Zoom Main & Zoom Extended Explained
    Image of man standing at lectern with lectern and man at bottom left of image. On left behind man there's a red box titled Zoom Main showing MIT dome. On right there's a red box labeled Zoom Extended showing gallery Zoom view.
    1. By default Zoom Main is on the left and Zoom Extended in on the right. These can be changed, however, this is how they will default.
      1. Zoom Main: The main screen located on the left side of the room. This will show the MIT dome when nothing is being shared via Zoom, when something is being shared, usually a presentation, this will take over Zoom Main.
      2. Zoom Extended: By default this will be on the right side of the room. This is where the Zoom gallery will show. You can change the views with how this looks via the Neatpad Zoom controller at the middle of the lectern.

Sharing Content via Zoom Controller (Neatpad)

  1. Click the Share Content button on the Zoom Controller (Neatpad)
    Image of Zoom Controller (Neatpad) with finger about to touch the Share Content button on the upper right.
     
  2. Next Click the Share to Meeting button and all content (screen, audio, video, etc) on the laptop will be share both to the room and Zoom Meeting
    Image of Zoom Controller Share Content page with blue Share to Meeting button in middle.
     

  3. When you no longer want to share content click the Share Content button again on Zoom Room Controller and then click the Stop Sharing button.

    You’ll no longer be sharing any content from your laptop, however, the Zoom meeting will still be going until you click the End button at the bottom of the Zoom Controller.
    Image of finger about to press the Sharing Content button on Zoom Controller in order to stop sharing content.

  4. Be sure to close out the share content screen when done, this will take this message off of the screen.
    Image of finger about to press the X at top right of Share Content screen.

Using the Zoom Controller (Neatpad)

You can control almost anything Zoom related from the Zoom Controller at the center of the lectern. Below are some of the features that may be helpful.

View

This will allow you to manipulate what the view looks like for the in person attendees on the Zoom Extended screen.

NOTE: Since presenters in the room will have either a handheld or lav mic they’ll never be an active Speaker since they’re not an individual Zoom participant. This is something to be aware of if choosing Speaker or Multi-speaker. These would be great choices for remote presenters, and remember, this view is only for those in The Nexus room, the hybrid attendee can adjust on their end.

Image of the View screen via Zoom with Gallery highlighted blue.

Cameras

Close-up image of one of the two cameras located in The Nexus.

Upon entering Zoom Room Mode via the Creston Controller both cameras will automatically turn on, as will the projectors. There’s one audience camera and one presenter camera. The audience camera is a static camera and stays stationary throughout the event and allows hybrid attendees to see the in person audience.

Auto Tracking with the Presenter Camera

The presenter camera defaults with ‘Auto Tracking’ enabled. This means that the camera will pick up and automatically track and move with the presenter. This is best to use when having a single presenter as it could potentially get confused with two or more people walking around.

  1. To turn on or off auto tracking click Cameras on the left hand side of the Crestron controller
    Image of Creston Controller with finger about to press the Cameras button on the right hand side of controller.
     
  2. Then you can press the Auto Tracking Enabled / Disabled button located in the top middle of the screen to turn on or off this feature
    Closeup image of Creston controller with finger about to press the Auto Tracking Enabled / Disabled button at the top middle of controller.

Using Camera Presets

If you turn auto tracking off you can have up to six different camera angle presets. You can adjust the angle and shot for any of these presets. You can use presets for both the audience camera and the presenter camera.

  1. Click Cameras on the left hand side of the Crestron controller
  2. Turn off auto tracking by clicking the Auto Tracking Enabled / Disabled button located in the top middle of the screen
  3. Click the number preset (1-6) you’d like to adjust
    Image of Creston Control Camera controls with auto tracking disabled and Presets 1-6 available.
  4. Using the Tilt and Zoom buttons fine tune the shot to your liking, once you like, press and hold the number for three seconds or so to save that preset. In red it will say Saved once your preset is saved.

Microphones

Image of the rack closet with the drawer at bottom pulled out and a red arrow pointing to the available microphones.

There are eight total mics that can be used (four at a time). They are located in the charging tray at the bottom of the rack in the closet. All that needs to be done to use the mics is to turn them on and assure they’re all on separate channels

If you’d like, you can place one handheld and one lavalier mic in a charging station at the lectern, this is located immediately to the left of the Creston tray.

Using Microphones Channels

Four mics at a time can be used. There are four handheld microphones and four lavalier microphones. These can be used in any combination, however, each individual microphone needs to be on its own audio channel (1, 2, 3, or 4). Two mics cannot be on the same channel at the same time.

NOTE: Specifically, a lavalier and handheld mic CANNOT both be on the same channel

Illustration showing that a lav and handhelp mic can be on different channels, but not on the same one. Lav = Ch. 1 + Handheld = Ch. 3 is OK, but not if both were Ch.1

Adjusting Mic Levels

It’s a good idea to check mic levels before an event and this can be done via the Creston controller.

  1. Click Microphones on the left side of the Creston screen
    Closeup mage of Creston controller with finger about to click the Microphones button on the left hand side.
     
  2. From there you can easily adjust the volume up or down depending on the channel (1-4). You would always choose Wireless Mics (upper left) when adjusting mic volumes.
    Screenshot of the Wireless Microphone section of the Creston controller showing all four channels and the associated buttons.

Using Ceiling Mics (Audience Questions)

Image of The Nexus ceiling with red arrows pointing to the two ceiling microphones.

There are two ceiling mics that are muted by default. You can tell if a mic is on or not by looking at the light on the mic. Red (off), Green (on). 

These are great to use when there is a Q&A portion of an event or presentation, and eliminates the need to pass a mic around.

To turn on the ceiling mics:

  1. Click Microphones on the left side of the Creston screen.
  2. At top of the page click Ceiling Mics Muted to turn on / off.
    Close up screenshot of the upper middle portion of Creston with red arrow pointing toward Ceiling Mics Muted button.

Lectern Microphone

Important Note on the Lectern Mic:

The microphone built into the lectern is meant only for adding extra presence to a speaker and should never be used as the primary microphone. 

Presenters should have either a handheld or lav microphone to be properly heard both in the room and on the Zoom Meeting.

Sharing Sound (Mac)

  1. Restarting your Mac before any presentation is highly suggested.
  2. Go to System Settings > Sound and make sure your output is set to Creston - HDMI
    Screenshot of the Sound section on Mac with Creston HDMI highlighted.