button to refresh your screen.
When sending a comment to the discussion WebChat, you are likely to be interrupted if your
browser has a place to set a refresh rate. If you have set a refresh rate, be sure to hit the
PAUSE button at the top of your text entry window before you begin typing your comment. When you
are ready to send your message, hit the CHAT button. Your message will be sent, and the
automatic refreshing will continue.
Hints for Navigating the Conference
PART IV: RealAudio
Suggested Uses:
This application can be used with the Web site and WebChat discussion to listen to the conference
via the ongoing audio signal from NASA TV. RealAudio produces and AM radio quality audio signal.
You may be able to simultaneously join the WebChat discussion and view the presentation graphics.
To use RealAudio, the Web site graphics, and WebChat all at once, under the FILE menu at the top
of your screen, select the NEW BROWSER option. Point one of the windows to the Virtual Conference
Pre-conference Chats and Test page at, and click on "K12-server LIVE"
to begin RealAudio transmission. Once you have RealAudio up, direct that same browser window to
the Virtual Conference Home Page and click through until that window is on the graphics area.
Then click through the other browser window until it is in the WebChat area.
Note to host sites: In order to preserve the availability of audio streams for other remote
participants, please try to amplify the audio signal from one or two machines to all of your
participants (rather than using one stream for each participant at a host site).
Basic Trouble-shooting:
Should you loose the RealAudio signal click on the player and try hitting the play button at the
top left-hand corner of the player.
To adjust the volume, use the bar on the right of the RealAudio Player window. To stop receiving
audio and disconnect from the audio server, use the STOP button at the top left of the window; to
stop listening and remain connected to the server, use the PAUSE button; and to play again after
either of those actions, use the PLAY button.
If you are not getting a good connection, try closing down and opening RealAudio again. If it is
still not good, try the backup RealAudio server from the Virtual Workshop Activities page. If you
receive an error message you don't understand, go to the Mars_Discussion Room in the WebChat area
and ask for ONLINE HELP.
Hints for Navigating the Conference
PART V: Web Site Graphics
To view the presentation graphics, point your web browser to the activity page.
Suggested Uses:
The Web site gives you periodic pictorial updates from the auditorium and the graphics that the
presenters are using in their talks. As you read the WebChat transcription or listen to the
RealAudio signal you will be able to view the graphics under discussion and see pictures of the
auditorium.
You might begin by opening a window for the graphics and loading the first presentation. Now is a
good time to open another window in your Web browser for the *second* presentation, and load in
those graphics. Then, when the second presentation begins, you won't be scrambling to catch up
because your browser took a long time to load. In order to keep ahead of yourself in this way
through the whole day, try loading the graphics for the next presentation in a new window some
time before the current one ends, or while Q & A is happening. If you try this twice and your
machine freezes each time, abandon the idea!
There is a picture at the top of each set of presentation graphics that will be updated every
minute or so. This is a shot of whatever is happening in the NASA Headquarters auditorium at the
time, and will be still shots fed from NASA TV. You may need to scroll a little to begin the
presentation graphics.
In some cases, you may find the thumbnail pictures there enough for you to enjoy the presentation.
In others, you may want to click to the larger image. To accommodate different browsers, the
images are in jpeg and gif formats. If you're not sure which is best for you, try jpeg first.
REMINDER: You'll need to be paying attention in order know which graphic the presenter is
speaking about. The only cue you'll have is the presenter him- or herself asking for the next
slide. (You'll be receiving the speaker's words via RealAudio, CU-SeeMe, or the Web site
transcription.)
You can go to the next set of graphics from a link at the top of each presenter's page that says
"Graphics for next presentation." The "Continue" link at the bottom of each presenter's page will
lead you to more slides by the same presenter, the next presenter's slides, or back to the agenda,
as appropriate. You can also join the conference graphics presentations at any time by locating
the AGENDA section on the Web site and selecting the appropriate time slot.
Photos Taken by Teachers
There will also be pictures taken by teachers at the conference with hand-held digital cameras.
To look at these, you'll launch again from the LIVE CONFERENCE AREA Virtual Workshop Activities
page.
Basic Trouble-shooting:
Remember that the cue to go to the next graphic will be verbally spoken by the presenter at the auditorium podium.
If you are not getting updated pictures from the auditorium, remember to hit the REFRESH or
RELOAD button at the top of your browser screen.
If you are having difficulty that you cannot seem to resolve yourself, go to the the
Mars_Discussion Room in the WebChat area and ask for ONLINE HELP.
Hints for Navigating the Conference
PART VI: CU-SEEME, MBONE, AND NASA TV
The following technologies will be used to further propagate the NASA TV signal being generated
in the NASA Headquarters Auditorium, which is the physical location of the conference. This signal
will consist of the speaker(s) on stage, associated graphics, and an occasional view of the
auditorium audience.
CU-SEEME
Open your CU-SeeMe software, and connect to one of the following reflector sites, then click on
the conference in your Participant List window.
Primary Reflectors:
- Washington DC Reflector: 56Kbps (text enhanced) reflector.lfm.hq.nasa.gov
- California (Ames) Reflector: T1 (No text) cu-ames.arc.nasa.gov
- Houston Reflector: Below 56Kbps (text enhanced) -
198.64.198.250
or 128.42.249.172
Back-up Reflectors:
Ohio (Lewis) Reflector: T1 (No text) - 139.88.27.43
Alabama (MSFC) Reflector: (No text) - 128.158.1.154
Houston (Johnson) Reflector: (No text) - 139.169.165.25
Suggested Uses:
Cu-SeeMe will send the NASA TV signal to participants. This technology can be used in
combination with WebChat Discussions and Email to interact with the auditorium. Text-enhanced
sites are most appropriate for individuals with low bandwidth.
Note to Host Sites: You may want to project the Cu-SeeMe signal to your participants, rather
than having each participant receive it at a separate computer, to preserve reflector space for
other remote participants.
Note to High Speed Users: As your connection will provide both video and audio, we encourage you
to use a non-text enhanced reflector. This will preserve the text reflector space for remote
particictions.
No to Low Speed Users: Since you will probably choose to receive only video through CU-SeeMe,
choose a reflector site that is text-enhanced.
Basic Trouble-shooting:
You will not be able to open a CU-SeeMe session from your Web browser; you'll have to open it
separately directly from the CU-SeeMe client software.
If you are having trouble getting the audio connection, you of the 'text-enhanced' reflectors or
receive the audio by opening up a RealAudio connection from the Web Site. (See instructions above.)
MBONE
Run SDR and look for:
NASA Teacher Development Conference
Suggested Uses:
MBONE will send the NASA TV signal to participants. This technology can be used in combination
with WebChat Discussions and Email to interact with the auditorium.
Basic Trouble-shooting:
Make sure you have all of the appropriate protocol drivers properly installed.
NASA TV
To get the signal, tune your satellite dish to: Spacenet 2, transponder 5 (channel 9) at 69
degrees west longitude. (Frequency 3880 MHz. Polarization is horizontal and audio is monaural at 6.8 MHz.)
Suggested Uses:
technology can be used in combination with WebChat Discussions and Email to interact with the auditorium.
Basic Trouble-shooting:
Make sure satellite dish is tuned to the proper location.
Accessing the Technologies
NASA TV Signal:
Description: The entire day will be broadcast via NASA TV. Downlink dishes can be
pointed to the transponder space listed below or you may contact your local cable company to
determine if NASA TV is part of any regular programming in your area.
- Connectivity Required: TV Channel
- Tune to: Spacenet II, transponder 5 (Channel 9) at 69 degrees west longitude. (Frequency 3880.0 MHz, audio 6.8 MHz.)
- Client: You guessed it, a TV!
MBONE:
Description: The NASA TV signal will be broadcast via MBONE. Users with T1 access and a
Unix platform can configure their site to receive this near TV-quality signal.
- Connectivity Required: T1 or higher
- At SDR: NASA Teacher Development Conference
- Client: MBONE Software
available for Unix machines
Cu-SeeMe:
Description: The NASA TV signal will also be made available via Cu-SeeMe. Users with
the appropriate client software can receive this live audio and video signal. The quality of
this signal is dependent on the amount of bandwidth available to the end user site.
- Connectivity Required: T1 desirable, 14.4Kbps required
- Tune to: IP Addresses ->
- NASA HQ: reflector.lfm.hq.nasa.gov (text enhanced)
- Houston: 198.64.198.250 or 128.42.249.172 (text enhanced)
- Ames Research Center: cu-ames.arc.nasa.gov
- Client: Cu-SeeMe software available on most platforms
Web Site:
Description: WebChat and RealAudio will be accessible from this location. (We have
listed Netscape as a potential client, any WWW browser will do.)
WebChat:
Description: Two WebChat windows will be available. One for discussion among the remote
participants. The other to provide a live, text-based version of the DC proceedings. During
the allotted question and answer period, remote participants will be encouraged to ask questions
to be verbally presented to the presenters.
- Connectivity Required: 9.6Kbps modem or higher
- Tune to: Mars Conference
- Client: No Additional Client Software Needed - Accessed from Web Site
RealAudio:
Description: A live audio feed will be made available to remote participants. After
downloading the appropriate free client software participants will be able to hear the conference
proceedings.
Email (to Receive Updates):
Description:Every fifteen minutes one of the onsite teacher participants will send a
synopsis of the proceedings to a mail list established for the conference.
- Connectivity Required: Any modem speed
- Subscribe to:
- (To subscribe send an email to:
in message body type: subscribe mars-update)
- Client: Your favorite email account
Email (to Send Questions):
Description: During the allotted Q&A some questions received via email will be verbally
presented to the on stage speakers.
- Connectivity Required: Any modem speed
- Send to: mars-question@mail.arc.nasa.gov
- Client: Your favorite email account