FAQs for Speakers

Q: What major applications are installed on the desktop computer in Room 1A1, the Ewart Angus Centre?

A: The applications listed below are updated more or less annually to the current or near-current version.

Category	Installed Applications
Operating system	MS Windows 10 or higher
Web browsers	Google Chrome, MS Edge, Mozilla Firefox
Presentation	MS PowerPoint, MS Photos
PDF reader	Adobe Reader DC
AV player	MS Media Player, VLC Media Player
Word processing	MS Word
Spreadsheet	MS Excel
MS = Microsoft

Q: Can I run my presentation from the desktop computer on the podium?

A: Yes — provided you can satisfy the following technical requirements:

One of the applications installed on the podium pc — see the previous question — can be used to run/show your audio-visual materials. If you want to show a video that's on YouTube, you can do so with one of the web browsers.
If you want to show a file that is not available for viewing or downloading from a website, you will need to bring your file on a USB stick, which you will plug in to one of the usb ports on the side of the desktop monitor. You can then drag a copy of your file on to the pc's desktop, from where it can be opened.
Another option is to upload a copy of your presentation file to your DropBox, Google Drive or equivalent account, to serve as a backup in the unlikely event that the copy on your usb stick becomes corrupted or otherwise unavailable. The online file(s) can easily be downloaded to and run from the podium pc.

Q: Can I run my presentation from my own laptop computer?

A: Yes — provided you can satisfy the following technical requirement: You (or we) can connect your laptop to the female HDMI port on the podium at the front of the room, using either a standard 19-pin, Type A HDMI cable (male:male) cable, or an "adaptor" cable (small male:larger female) plus a Type A HDMI cable (male:male). (Those who use an Apple pc or Apple laptop often refer to such adaptors as a "dongle".)

The Type A HDMI cable and adaptor-plus-cable combination, sends your laptop's outgoing audio and visual content to the pc located under the podium. The pc sends the video signal to a digital projector at the rear of the room. The projector displays your content to the audience via a large screen on the front wall of the room. The pc sends the audio content to the room`s speakers.

If you need to connect to the internet in order to download or display something, you can establish a wi-fi connection to the internet for your laptop if you have the necessary login credentials for McMaster University's "Mac-WiFi" network or the multi-university "eduroam" network. If you don't have those credentials we can log you in to the "Mac WiFi" network.

Alternatively, you could download and display the desired resource(s) via the podium pc, which has a permanent internet connection. Past experience suggests that it is often quicker and easier for the presenter to use the podium pc for downloading files. If necessary you can always move the file via usb stick to your laptop if it is not practical to work with or otherwise display the resource via the podium pc.

Q: I'm going to be using my own laptop. Tell me more about that HDMI cable and the HDMI input port on the podium

Image not found. Image of a standard male connector on a Type A HDMI cable.

If you have a Type A HDMI cable (male:male) that can connect your laptop to a female Type A HDMI port, then you should certainly bring that cable with you. If you don't have such a cable or if your laptop doesn't have a standard Type A female port for outgoing video content, some of the information provided below be helpful.

The standard Type A HDMI connectors have these dimensions:

Connector	Measurement	Size
male end	outer	13.9 x 4.45 mm
female end	inner	1.4 x 4.55 mm

HAALSA can provide a standard Type A HDMI cable, one with a male terminal at each end.

If your computer`s video-out port is a smaller female HDMI port, such as a "mini DisplayPort" (eg, on Apple devices), you will need to bring a suitable smaller-female-to-larger-male "adaptor", which is a short cable that can plug in to your laptop's "video-out" port and enable the male end on a standard Type A HDMI cable to plug in to the female port at the other end of that adaptor.

HAALSA can provide only one type of HDMI adaptor; specifically one with a male end for an Apple laptop's female mini DisplayPort terminal. We can not provide adaptors for Apple or other brands` laptops with other types or sizes of 'video-out' terminals.

Q: Should I bring my presentation on one or two USB sticks?

A: You should certainly bring a copy of your presentation file or image files on a USB stick. If you are bringing multiple image files be sure they are all in the same folder on the stick.

In addition, consider bringing a copy of your required file(s) on two usb sticks—unless you have uploaded a second copy to your DropBox, Google Drive, or equivalent online storage account. Regard the second stick as a backup in the unlikely event that the copy on the first stick (or the stick itself) proves to be unusable. (Yes, just like hard drives in a pc, usb sticks do fail eventually.)

Q: What microphones are available for me to use?

A: The room is equipped with a podium mike, a lapel mike, and a hand-held mike. Our experience with the lapel mic is that, by itself, it does not consistently provide a satisfactory audio experience for our audiences.

Consequently, we ask that you present via the podium mike and wear the lapel mike, just in case you move too far from the podium at any point during your presentation.

Alternatively, you may choose to hold the hand-held mike throughout your presentation. This will enable you to roam well beyond the range of the podium mike. Please note, however, that the hand-held mike is not a guaranteed option. The mike's built-in rechargable battery may be empty or inadequately charged on the evening of your presentation because the previous user did not return the mike to its charging station.

Q: Can HAALSA provide a hand-held laser pointer?

A: Yes. Our pointer displays a red dot.

Q: Can HAALSA provide technical assistance before and during my presentation?

A: Yes. A qualified HAALSA member, usually the Webmaster, will be delegated to assist you in getting set up, either on the podium pc or your laptop.

Q: I'm driving to the McMaster campus: Where should I park my vehicle?

A: We strongly recommend that you park on the McMaster University campus, either on a gated lot or at a metered, on-street location.

For lot locations near the hospital building and vehicle access details see our Campus Parking Details page.

HAALSA will reimburse your cost for parking to a maximum of $8.00. The latter is McMaster's current evening maximum for parking on the main campus, either on-street (where permitted) or on one of the university`s gated lots. (College Street, which runs west, north of the Psychology building, has some metered on-street parking and a gated lot at its western end.) McMaster's parking meters/kiosks accept payment by credit card.

Free off-campus parking may also be found on streets to the east side of the campus but it may be difficult to locate areas where 2-hour (or longer) parking is permitted after 7 pm.

We strongly recommend that you not park in any of the McMaster University Childrens Hospital`s surface or underground lots. Post-presentation you will have to pay (when we last checked) a $23.00 fee when exiting the lot. As stated above, HAALSA will reimburse only $8.00 of that cost.