Sony Virtuoso Distinct Advantages

VIRTUOSO TEACHER CONTROL CONSOLE

1. Sony Virtuoso is a total Digital software language laboratory system using only the Ethernet data network for audio communications, video distribution and PC control. The Sony LPEC VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) compression enables students with only a network connection and the Virtuoso software to become a student in the language laboratory. All other systems are "Hybrid" analog/digital systems. These Hybrid systems use three separate hardwire cabling systems and several software packages to operate their language labs. First is a large analog hardware console unit that switches the analog audio (i.e. All Call, Monitor, Intercom, Audio pairing etc). The hardware console is installed in the teacher desk and controlled by the console computer. Then a separate proprietary analog audio cable runs from the analog console unit to each individual student station to a student analog audio box. The student head set plugs into this analog student box. This box then connects to the PC sound card so a student can record their voice onto the PC and hear a program playing on the student PC in the student headset. The second cabling system is an analog video system switcher located in the teacher console. The VCR, DVD and presentation camera analog sources are connected to this box. The teacher PC also connects to this box. An analog coax video cable then runs from this box to each student PC and plugs into a TV video card. Each student PC needs to have this special TV card installed to use video. Third is the Data network for accessing digital files from the server. Again none of this proprietary hardware and cabling is needed in the Sony Virtuoso system- all system functions are accomplished over the Ethernet Network allowing students to even utilize a wireless data connection to connect to the lab.

2. Multi Teacher Option: Sony Virtuoso has a Multi Teacher Option available for purchase that allows the multiple teacher consoles to be running virtually anywhere on the network simultaneously. Other systems offer only Dual console which is hardwired and must be in close proximity to the first console

3. Automatic Display of student names and Automatic naming of Student Audio Recordings: Students names are automatically displayed in their student icon on the teacher console screen. The student is prompted when they start the Sony Soloist student recorder software for a User ID name- the student types their name and clicks ok. The name they typed appears at the console in the icon where the student is seated. This name helps the teacher during monitoring and random pairing to distinguish who they are monitoring or who they are pairing with. This name also becomes the default file name of the student recording file if the teacher records and collects the students recordings- so no action by the students is required at the end of a test to name their recording which they might delete rather than save. More on this later. All competitors systems require each teacher to type the names of all of the students of each class into a program creating class rosters. The teacher then must load the roster at the beginning of each class to see the students names. If a student needs to use a different seat than they are listed on the roster (because that station is down) the teacher must edit the roster. Again during testing these names mean nothing to the naming of the file- students need to do this at the end of the test and independently (hopefully) save it in the correct folder on the correct server for the correct teacher- if they save it at all.

4. Screen sharing during random oral pairing: This function (if enabled by the Teacher) allows a student to send their "Pair" their screen so they can discuss a website, a PowerPoint, or even edit a document. They each can share their keyboards and mice for typing, editing papers, correcting words, working on research, creating a power point etc while they are orally paired in the headsets. Then the paired students can swap their screens and work on the other students computer. This is a huge tool for collaboration on any computer programs.

5. Teacher Patterns : The console can be configured for an unlimited number of teacher patterns. This allows each teacher to set up the console and save their own pattern to display the functions they will use with the class. The number of patterns is unlimited allowing each teacher to customize a pattern for every individual class.

6. PC Control : As a standard function the teacher can open a video or audio file, enable the Windows environment, disable the Windows environment, copy a file to the student's desktop and launch any file on the students PCs. This functionality is integrated in Virtuoso and the Instructor is not required to run a separate program to perform these functions.

7. Collect Student Audio Recordings : The teacher can collect the student's audio recordings to the media server. One student, a group of students or the entire lab can be automatically collected by the instructor. Each recording is a separate MP3 file. The teacher can collect the program lesson track and the student drill-recording track as one file per student or just collect the student drill track as one file per student. The students cannot stop or override or delete the recordings collected. This is optimized for AP testing when students cannot, by the rules of ETS, save their own AP test recording. We do not require the teacher to go to each student PC and save the recording one at a time during the AP exam. We also do not risk students accidentally or intentionally deleting their files during testing or Final exams. The name of each student recording file is the name the student types in when they log onto Soloist at the beginning of the class- again the student is not required to name or rename the file during the saving which could risk the loss or improper naming of files during exams if students are saving on their own.

8. Collect Text Files: Sony Virtuoso can collect student text documents they have written in the lab. This text collection could be a test, quiz, or any writing activity.

9. Saving of Student Text Chat: Sony Virtuoso can save the Student Text Chat as a file that can printed.

10. Student File Lock : The Console has a "file lock" function, which prohibits the student from closing an audio/video lesson that was opened by the teacher. The student also cannot open another audio/video file unless the teacher allows it.

11. Show File List : This function allows the teacher to see the name of the audio/video file each student has opened. The file list shows the students name, the name of the audio/video file the student has opened and the time of each students recorder counter. This enables the teacher to see if all students are working on the same material or different material and where the students all are individually within the program. This then allows the teacher to see if some students are having problems with a specific part of the program without having to individually monitor every individual student in the room.

12. Internet Control : This function allows a teacher to open a Web Browser on a single student's PC, a group or the whole lab and send the student to the Teacher Selected Web Site. The teacher can then block the URL address box and Browser buttons so the students cannot type in the name of another site. Each student can search the site the teacher has opened for them at their own pace. The teacher can then select a second site and the students automatically switch to the new site again with no URL address box or Browser buttons. The teacher can open one site for one group and another site for another group and so on. When the Web activity is finished the teacher closes the browser and the students are off the Web. This is all done while "Windows" is disabled on the students PCs. This is the only true way to productively use the Web otherwise students will be accessing their email or music sites, etc. The URL Address box and Browser buttons can be given to the students if the teacher chooses for a Web quest research project, but at the click of a button the teacher can close the site.


SOLOIST STUDENT DIGITAL RECORDER


1. Variable Speed Playback of Audio and Video Files : Native audio and video programs are commonly used in language labs and are at a fast pace so even advanced level students have difficulty understanding the content. Sony Soloist enables each individual student to slow down or speed up the playback speed of audio and video files for a clearer comprehension. The parameters of the slow down and/or speed up playback are set by the installation team with the school teachers based on 1% increment settings. For example the slow down speed can be set to 10% maximum slower and 5% maximum faster. The student can then slow down or speed up the playback in 1% increments. The settings parameters can be adjusted only by the instructor to maximize the full benefit for the students.

2. Automatically Disable Windows : When Sony Soloist is launched by the student the Windows environment is disabled - the start button is now disabled and all of the desktop icons disappear including the Internet. The students can only be "Enabled" back into Windows by the Instructor at the console. This keeps the student from opening other files or launching the Internet when they should be working on language programs. Other systems require the Teacher to remember to continually hit a Disable Windows button as students connect to the console. If the teacher forgets to click this Disable Windows button as students are connecting to the console- the students can open the Internet or any program on the PC. Even after the button is hit it does not close the Windows program- I.E. email, Internet Explorer, etc- the student has opened so if the students are on the Internet- they are still on the Internet. This is absolutely blocked automatically only in the Sony system.

3. Programming the location students can open audio files, video files and save their audio recordings : Teachers requested that they are able to assign only specific network server folder locations that the students can access to open audio lessons, video lessons and also save their student voice recordings. This is to prevent the students from using the "Look in" box to open files and saving their voice recordings anywhere they choose on the PC hard drive or Network servers. The Sony Solution has three programmed buttons "Audio Lessons", "Video Lessons", "Student Recordings" that are set up during the installation. This makes the Individual Student access of Opening lessons and Saving their voice recordings simple and intuitive. This also prohibits students from opening files or saving files (tests, etc) in other server locations they should not have access to. This is not available in any form on other systems.

4. Audio/Video Comments (Oral Book Marks) : The Sony Soloist recorder allows teachers and students to create bookmarks (points within the program) and label the bookmarks with text as do other systems. More importantly the teacher can create oral comment bookmarks. This enables the teacher to find specific points within the video/audio file and then record an oral comment. The oral comment can be any length. A comment might be a question or an instruction. So now when the students open the video/audio file and click on a specific bookmark first they hear the teacher inserted oral comment (question - instruction) and then the video/audio starts playing at that specific point within the video/audio file. The teacher can create up to 10 oral comment bookmarks within each audio/video file. This is a function that can be restricted to only allowing the teacher to create comments. This oral comment insertion is not available in any other system.

5. Single Audio File Saving : Sony Soloist records the audio lesson on the left track of the audio file and the students voice on the right track of the audio file. This results in the students being allowed to save the lesson and their voice in one file to open later at home or in another computer lab and review their progress. The format is a single internationally standard MP3 file. Other language systems play the program as one file and record the students voice in a separate file. This results in two separate files and only proprietary software can open the two files on a PC at home or on another PC in school to play them back together. This method used by all other companies only allows the language lab recorder software in the language lab to open the two separate files simultaneously. This is a proprietary audio format and has a proprietary file extension of- .dis or .dim. Sony systems save as a standard .wav or .mp3 file.

6. Sony does not Stream Audio Files : Sony Soloist automatically creates a copy of an audio file onto each student's PC from the Server when an audio file is opened. This results in no network traffic or demands on the server while a student is playing, rewinding, drill recording, rewinding again, drill recording a second time, fast-forwarding, etc. This rigorous access will cause a huge load on the network and server and affect the quality especially in Fast Forward or Rewind by 30 students at the same time if the file is streamed like other language lab companies operate.

7. Student ID Prompt : Sony Soloist when launched by a student in the lab prompts the student for a User ID. The student types their name and clicks OK. The student's first name is sent to the console and appears in the student icon. The entire name the student typed as their user ID ( John Doe, Mrs. Smith per 5 Spanish Final exam 6-10-2003) also becomes the default name of any audio file that is collected by the teacher. This is designed for testing and collecting where the teacher already knows the students file name so the student cannot delete or rename a recording accidentally or intentionally.