Panopto (lecture capture)

Panopto (lecture capture) - Record audio, video, PowerPoint, (or any software application) from your computer screen for integrated playback later by only the students within your class. It is integrated very tightly with the Blackboard course management system at the University of Rochester.

For the most up-to-date information on how to use Panopto with your courses in Blackboard, click here: Panopto Support site

There are three different ways one can use Panopto for recording a lecture and making it available to students outside of class time. Each one has advantages and disadvantages up front but they may be adaptable to your need.

Using Panopto to record lectures

1. Traditional do-it-yourself Panopto (formerly known as Focus Recorder) lecture capture using a webcam and a PowerPoint slide lecture from your laptop or desktop computer. This can be done in your office, at home or wherever you have the necessary items to do the recording. First be sure you have commissioned your Blackboard class to use Panopto recordings. This is absolutely the first step so that you have a folder in which to record your lecture sessions. Download the Panopto Focus recorder from the link at the top of the Panopto website (https://rochester.hosted.panopto.com) and install it on your laptop or desktop. This style of screencasting is by far the most popular way to do lecture recordings as you can synchronize your slides and video together while giving the lecture itself. Pause or stop when you need, then when finished, and using the Panopto linking tool in Blackboard to create the link to your lecture.
2. Panopto Mobile is another possibility if you just want to use the recording of the video camera on your mobile device. It will not do screen captures of the slides the way the Focus Recorder does. But you may not be using PowerPoint slides or it may be more of an impromptu kind of lecture you are giving. There are also tripod adapters for most mobile devices which would allow you the freedom of using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad as an ad-hoc video camera that can post the finished video direct to the Panopto site. You would then link to the Panopto recording from inside your course within Blackboard.
3. Panopto Remote Recorder is the last option and is not available on demand or on request. This kind of service is available only in classrooms where Panopto has been setup to be managed remotely for scheduled recordings. Classroom Technology Services within Arts, Sciences and Engineering has put two lecture halls onto Remote Recorder and can schedule timed recordings through the semester on a formal request basis. Contact Classtech for more details.