Marratech

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Contents

What is Marratech

Marratech is a video conferencing software which allows high quality conferencing and whiteboard sharing. It works on Linux, OS X and Windows and supports H.264 and dial out to SIP and H.323 systems. Most USB and Firewire cameras will work with Marratech. Get a recommended webcam and headset for a better experience.

Client Download

Marratech can be run as a Java Web Start application, or as client software. We've had better luck with the client software, download it directly:

win.png Windows 2000/XP/Vista

Version 6.1, 31.4 MB

 osx-uni.png OS X

Version 6.1.2, 8.8 MB

 tux.png Linux

Version 6.1, 39.5 MB

Installing Marratech

Installing Marratech is the normal 'click Next' process. When you start it up the first time it will ask a few questions:

  • Your Name: This will identify you to the other participants.
  • Network Connection: You can probably choose 'unlimited' if you are at your academic institution. At home you probably want to choose "Premium or Quality DSL/cable'. Please note, dial-up is not fast enough for this service.
  • Capture Device: It should automatically detect your camera.
  • Audio Input/Output: Preferably choose a headset unless you have a conferencing speaker/microphone. You want to make sure it has good echo canceling.
  • The default setting under 'miscellaneous' is fine.

Using Marratech

  • Type meet.nceas.ucsb.edu into the address bar. (It will say http://sessiondirectory/ which you need to overwrite.)
  • Choose the Public room in which your group is meeting, either Auditorium (unlimited seats), Bronze, Gold, or Silver.
  • Note the 3 buttons on the bottom right:
  1. You will need to click on the camera icon to transmit your video.
  2. The speaker button should already be pressed down.
  3. Hold down the microphone button to speak. You can also ctrl-click it to have it be set permanently. However, to minimize echo we recommend that only the presenter is doing so.
  • The main video in the upper right corner will show the person who is speaking.

The Whiteboard

The Whiteboard is ideal for sharing and commenting documents and drawings, taking meeting minutes, scribbling and sketching, etc. It supports multiple pages which in turn can be used simultaneously by several users. To view the Whiteboard, click on the Whiteboard selector button in the lower left corner.

Presentations from within Marratech

You can share Powerpoint Presentations by opening the document within the Whiteboard. If you are using a Mac you will have to convert the Powerpoint document to a PDF file first:
File → Open → Powerpoint or PDF document
The Presenter should enable Document → Lead Page Changes, everybody else should leave the setting as Document → Follow Page Changes. 

Further information is available under 'Help' within the Marratech client or here.

Marratech Schedule

Watching Marratech Recordings

Watch a short screencast (1m40s) on playing back recorded Marratech sessions.

Retrieved from "http://help.nceas.ucsb.edu/Marratech"
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