Group Display
Controller
The Group Display Controller
The back of a GDC
| The construction and distribution of transparency sheets (XPs) for teaching various batches at NIIT educational centres was not only costly but took up considerable amount of time and effort. Even a minor change required recreation and redistribution. The NIIT centres thus stated a requirement for a system that could eliminate the use of XPs and also ease their viewing by all students. In order to fulfil this requirement, CRCS created Group Display Controller to replicate the display on the monitor of faculty machine onto the machines of the students. By using the GDC, NIIT is able to considerably reduce the costs associated with the construction and distribution of standard XPs. If a video grabbing card is added o the faculty machine, it can also broadcast digital video, thus eliminating the need to have a 25" TV and a VCR. |
| The Group Display Controller
or GDC, is a system for broadcasting the VGA signal from one
computer monitor to multiple monitors thereby allowing the connection
of multiple monitors to a CPU. At one time 20 monitors can be connected
to this system. The VGA signal output from a CPU is strong enough to run only one monitor. The GDC amplifies the VGA signals to such a level so that more than one monitor can be connected to the same CPU. The GDC can also allow switching between the VGA of two CPUs. For this the devices are wired up in a classroom for the benefit of both the students as well as the faculty. The VGA signals from the faculty CPU are taken in as the input to the VGA Splitter and the output is given to the VGA Selector which is put up next to the student's node. The VGA Selector toggles between the VGA signals from the faculty CPU and those from the students CPUs. The control, however, is with the faculty who can use the 'Blank All' and 'Broadcast' switches given on the front panel of the GDC. The 'Broadcast' switch enables faculty to show his/her screen on the students' monitors. If the faculty needs full attention of the class, s/he can press the 'Blank All' switch to make the monitors of the students totally blank. This product takes the advantage of the leading-edge technology to improve the learning-teaching experience for both the students and the instructor. The Group Display Controller (or VGA Splitter) is one of those technologies, which is rapidly securing its place in classrooms of the future. It has been installed in around 30 NIIT centres. Group Display Controller used in a classroom  |
| For more details contact: Vivek Rana |