Why Interactive Whiteboards and Document Cameras Should Work Together
When shown a document camera, some teachers say “I don’t need that – I have a SMARTBoard” while some other teachers might say after seeing a HoverCam demonstration, “If I get that, then I won’t need to get a SMARTBoard.” My response to both these groups is – you can use both pieces of equipment together to enhance your lessons and classroom learning.
Some teachers believe interactive whiteboards (IWB) and document cameras exist as separate devices to be used for unique and different functions. While we believe that IWBs and document cameras do provide distinct functions, we do not believe IWBs and document cameras should exist separately. A document camera is useful in the classroom for bringing a snapshot, a live video stream or a recorded video clip into the IWB software.
Your document camera should be able to connect with an interactive whiteboard and work with its software. This is done with a USB cable from the document camera. All HoverCam document cameras naturally connect to a PC or a Mac, the same way IWBs do, and HoverCam camera images are easily integrated with IWB software. HoverCam’s software is compatible with IWB software.
Traditional document cameras are designed to output directly to a projector through a VGA or HDMI output, and many do not have a USB output so cannot be connected to a computer nor an IWB. Those traditional document cameras that do have USB connectors use slow transfer rates, making the live video too slow – or very low resolution – to be useful when connected to a computer except for showing captured, still images. Over USB, the HoverCam Solo 8 gives you the best performance, the highest resolution, and the highest video frame rate of any other document camera to a computer and is therefore ideal to use with IWBs. Please visit our YouTube page to see a side-by-side comparison of HoverCam Solo 8 vs. other document cameras over USB.
Most traditional document cameras require an external power adapter. A single USB cable powers the HoverCam Solo 8. It’s easier to set up. A nice thing about a HoverCam Solo 8 is that you do not have to search for additional power outlets. When Solo 8 is connected to the computer, it’s always ready to use at a moment’s notice to take a snap shot, scan a document, record a video or stream live video, and can do all of those functions inside IWB software. The HoverCam and IWB work in harmony together. And using Splashtop software, the HoverCam can also stream live images wirelessly to a teacher’s tablet.
To learn more about the flagship document camera from the HoverCam, the Solo 8, please visit our website at www.thehovercam.com