2.+Components

=2.Components= =toc= Smart rooms can be designed in various ways depending on your educational needs. However, the main purpose of this wiki is to describe a typical smart room that consists of 4 main components that most smart rooms must have.

Computer
A desktop computer or a laptop is necessary for processing the various information and media types most teachers and students will require in the classroom. With the capability of DVD/CD drives and digital media (such as MP3 and MPEG) you will no longer need a cd

player to listen to audio or a dvd player and TV to watch videos. The computer is able to play all these media types through the use of installed software.

Either a personal computer or a Apple computer will suffice as long as the computer has the processing power and the storage capacity required to enable the use of high graphics media (i.e. video) without the computer freezing or crashing. More discussion about minimum computer requirements will be discussed in the software section of this wiki.

Visual Equipment
The visual equipment most preferred when setting up a smart room to display video in classrooms around is a projector. There are cases of classrooms with television (Cathode Ray Tube, LCD, Plasma) sets, however, the major benefit of having a projector is that it can project large enough that students can see from the back of a regular-sized classroom. Most projectors are also light enough to be portable and easily moved and projected on to any light surface. It is important that you also consider the purchase of a projector screen (preferably one that can be mounted) as they increase the quality and clarity of the image projected.

The price of projectors have come down considerably in the last decade as they become more abundant in schools and businesses but it is always best to compare prices and the different features of projectors. A suggestion when buying projectors is also considering the cost of a replacement light bulb as they can be in excess of $200 to replace.

===Audio (Speakers)=== Proper audio speakers are a must in any smart classroom, yet, it has been my experience that technology leaders overlook this important feature or use inadequate speakers for the desired effect. Many schools employ simple desktop PC speakers and think that is adequate. I have yet to uncover unbiased research that suggests what speakers are best for a classroom, my experience in installing audio systems concludes that 200Watt or 5.1 sound systems are sufficient sound capability to cover an average sized classroom of 30 student capacity.

Software
There is so much software to choose from that can be used to incorporate technology in a smart-enabled classroom. There a couple of items that are required:
 * Media Player - a program used to play audio and/or video. It is important to find a player that will also play various formats such as (MP3, AAC, WMV, MPEG, FLV, SWF) Common players are: Windows Media Player, Real Player, WinDVD, PowerDVD. The editor's pick, however, is probably the most versatile and is free! Check out VLC.

When considering software you must also consider computer technical requirements necessary for these programs to function properly. Most store-bought products will have the minimum requirements on the back of the box but when researching different software programs you can find the requirements on their company website. Important! Companies write the minimum requirements that the software requires to function properly, however, it is highly recommended that schools purchase computers that have a considerable more amount of processing power, storage capacity and random-access memory (RAM) because most people will have more programs running at the same time and therefore may crash/freeze your computer. The following are links to minimum computer technical requirements in order for computers to be able to process various forms of media:


 * FMG On Demand is a company that provides streaming media to users.
 * Second Life is a virtual environment currently very popular in learning environments across the globe.
 * Open Office is an open source suite of productivity software very similar to the proprietary Microsoft Office.

While these components make up the basic smart room package, there are a variety of accessories and other equipment that people should consider that will enhance the experience.