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Multimedia Classrooms

Most classrooms across Foothill, De Anza and the Sunnyvale Center have a built-in multimedia system: one or more projectors or displays, speakers, and a control panel at the instructor station that switches between the instructor computer, your laptop, the document camera and a Blu-Ray player.

Which kind of room do you have?

Rooms differ in details, but nearly every classroom uses one of two kinds of control panel. Identify yours and follow the matching guide:

  • Touch panel classrooms — a color touch screen at the instructor station. Touch the screen to wake it, pick a source on the left, pick a display, and you're projecting.
  • Button panel classrooms — a black push-button panel (usually mounted on the wall or equipment rack) with lit buttons such as ON, OFF, PIC MUTE, LAPTOP and DOC CAM, plus a volume knob.

A few specialty spaces — performance venues, lab classrooms and other unique rooms — have their own printed instructions posted at the console. If your room's controls don't match either guide above, follow the printed card in the room or call us.

Something not working?

Start with Classroom quick fixes — the most common problems (no image, no sound, laptop not showing) usually take under a minute to resolve, and very often we can walk you through a fix over the phone.

Classroom emergencies during class

If classroom equipment fails while you are teaching, call the ETS Call Center at (408) 864-8324 (on-campus extension x8324):

  • Normal working hours (7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday):
    Press 2
  • After hours (Monday–Thursday, 5:00–6:30 p.m.):
    Press 3 to page ETS staff

Always leave a contact number — either the phone extension in the room you are in or a cell phone number. Very often your issue can be resolved quickly over the phone, but only if we can reach you.

Non-urgent problems and requests

For anything that can wait, submit a request at helpdesk.fhda.edu or call (408) 864-8324. Include the building and room number and a short description of the problem.

Borrowing equipment

Need a projector, speakers or other audio-visual equipment outside your classroom? See Borrowing multimedia equipment for how to reserve, pick up and return equipment.