Screen Sharing in the Virtual Classroom

Sharing screens now possible on WiZiQ

You can now share desktop screens using our Virtual Classroom. This makes it possible to view the remote screen of the presenter or any other attendee by other session participants. Here are detailed instructions:

Software requirements

You need to install a desktop sharing software having drivers compatible for use in our Virtual Classroom. Alternatively, you may install a freeware VHScrCap to share your screen in a session on WiZiQ. The download of this software is available at http://hmelyoff.lgg.ru/VHSC_inst.exe version 2.1.4  The software must be installed on the computer, from which the screen needs to be shared live in the session. For instance, if it’s the presenter who wants to share the screen live then s/he needs to install it whereas the attendees can view the presenter’s screen without installing the VHSrcCap or any other desktop sharing software. Similarly, if the attendees also want to share their screens in the session they too need to install VHScrCap on their computers.

Setting VHScrCap before you use it in the Virtual Classroom:

1. Install VHScrCap on your system.
2. To open VH ScreenCapture Driver, go to Start Menu, and then Programs. You will find HmelyoffLabs. Select VHScrCap and then Config as shown below.





3. VH Screen Capture Driver instance selection screen appears. Select the current running (default selected) instance of the “VHScrCapService” or click on “Create new one”.



4. VH Screen Capture Driver window opens. Make a few settings recommended to have the best user experience in the Virtual Classroom. Select Track Screen Checkbox.



5. Now go to the “Settings” tab in the same window.
• Set “Frame rate” to 2.
• Select the options as shown below and uncheck all other options



6. Close the Window

Notes

1. These settings get saved and thus need to be done once so that you are ready to use VHScrCap in the Virtual Classroom without redoing these settings. 
2. If you want to share a video with settings other than set earlier then change the VHScrCap settings here and refresh the session browser window if opened to reflect the changes in the settings.

Using VHScrCap for screen-sharing in the Virtual Classroom

You can share your screen live in an audio session as well. So you don’t necessarily need an audio and video session. Attendees can share their screens if they have VHScrCap installed on their systems and have writing control (in a 3 control interface session where writing, audio and video controls exist separately) or audio control in an audio/audio-video session.

1. Enter into your live online session and click on the video-sharing icon .



2. “Select Video Source” window opens. Select “VHSrcCap” option from the Video device drop down  and click Go button.
3. Now you are ready to share your screen with other session participants. Open the program you want to share on your desktop. Whatever action you do gets captured and can be viewed live by other session participants.

Zoom in/Zoom out the video window in the Virtual Classroom

You can zoom in and zoom out the video screen using  and  tools.

You can also relay or see the live video or screen in full screen mode or 100% but this is only recommended if you and the attendees are using a high-speed Internet connection. An increase or decrease made in the size by any of the participants (if have controls to do so) makes respective changes in the size of the video at all participants’ end.

   Button brings screen video sharing window to default minimum and maximum size (full screen).
    Button closes screen sharing video window.

It is important to note that you can share only one video in one whiteboard tab. If you are already sharing a video in a tab, make sure that you open a new whiteboard tab first to share any other video in the Virtual Classroom.

Sharing screens when participants are working on different resolutions

Screen-sharing provides the best experience when session participants i.e. the presenter and the attendees are using the same resolution. However, if they are using different screen resolutions then any degradation in visual quality can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the size of the video.

Comments

[Vikrama Dhiman]

@Andres : I am afraid there is no other alternative for now. We are building an integrated screen sharing app for the virtual classroom and it should be out soon.

Thanks

Vikrama Dhiman
Product Manager
WiZiQ.com

[Andrés]

Hi. I tried the freeware recommended but there's a great difference in the quality of the image compared to other tools with desktop sharing (LogMeIn, Webex, etc.).
What other software can we try, besides VHScrCap?

[Vikrama Dhiman]

Andrew : The software does work with Vista. For best results try with Internet Explorer 7.0.

KHansen : No, at present this is not available for OSX.

TSmith : Please close the WiZiQ window :) Just open the window you want to share and make sure the WiZiQ window is minimized.

MRice : Thank you for your comments. Do let us know if you have any more questions.

Karen : Can you try again? Maybe copying and pasting would work better.

Thanks

[Andrew Lauman]

This software isn't working for me. I have tried to email their support...no response.

Does this software work with Vista?

[KHansen]

Is screen sharing available to OS X presenters?

[Tsmith]

I can't get my desktop sharing - it reproduces my wiziq window over and over inside each window.

[Mrice]

This is so cool! I just tried out Gotomeeting, which also has a screensharing feature, but definitely it is not as cool as WiZiQ since the interface is pretty dull and complicated. Good job WiZiQ!

[Karen Bonaker]

The link does not work to the add on for screen sharing.

Cheers,
Karen