Previous: Understanding Spoken Japanese (USJ)
Up: Running the Demonstrations
Next: Basic Demo Machine Arrangement
Previous Page: Understanding Spoken Japanese (USJ)
Next Page: Basic Demo Machine Arrangement

Problems?

it won't accept Y or N as ``yes'' or ``no''?
``Y'' and ``N'' are not English responses to a question. ``Yes'', ``No'', and often several equivalent phrases, are accepted.

pressing < CTRL-C> does not interrupt the program?
To avoid breaking out of the program by accident, the Center's dialogues do not accept < CTRL-C>. You can always stop them by pressing < ESC> (or the SERVICES button, where it appears) and choosing a ``quit'' selection from the menu that will appear. Scientific Reasoning, USJ-I, and USJ-II each offers its own form of the menu, but quitting the selected lesson, and quitting the whole system, is available on each.

no visible image?
Make sure the IBM monitor is switched on - it switches on separately from the system unit. Its switch is a rocker on the upper right side. A small green light on the lower right front will shine when the monitor is on.

screen showing shades of grey instead of colour?
This is a small installation problem with IBM's M-Control program, which integrates the videodisc display into the PS/2's standard VGA display. The program C: MMEDIA MMEDINIT needs to be run (it will do nothing visible to the user except correct the colours displayed). Since the standard setup file AUTOEXEC.BAT has been updated to run it, this problem suggests that AUTOEXEC.BAT has been altered or not run, which needs correcting by qualified personnel.

Note that since the M-Motion/M-Control system is a permanent installation, even non-multimedia programs like Scientific Reasoning rely on it, when it is installed, for their screen displays.

lots of small cables at the back of the machine aren't attached?
The arrangement is probably correct. The machine supplies enough video/audio attachments for up to 3 players at once, but we are using only 1 player per machine. Furthermore, because the PS/2's speaker is low-quality, the left- and right-sound channel cables are connectec to the external speaker directly, rather than to the PS/2. So the video cable for the 1 player is the only cable connected.

directory names don't look like what's described here?
Make sure the machine is booted from its hard drive, not from a floppy disc. If there is a floppy in the drive, or if the prompt shows ``A:>'', you may want to take the floppy out and re-boot.

Scientific Reasoning?
The requirements for Scientific Reasoning are very simple. Make sure you have changed to the correct directory, as described above. Further difficulties in running it suggest either loose cabling, inadequate power supply, or alterations to its setup on the machine.

Not responding to the mouse? Scientific Reasoning uses only the ``arrow'' keys on the keyboard, not the mouse. Please see the note in its section.

Understanding Spoken Japanese, both

seems to be waiting forever for the videodisc?
Make sure the player is turned on (most show lights, though for the Pioneer 2400 you may just have to listen for it spinning) and that all the cables are fully seated.

pictures and sounds don't match the lesson?
You have the wrong videodisc in the player. Follow the guidance under the ``Services'' button to change the disc.
can't open the videodisc player?
The Pioneer videodisc players (but not the Sony's) are locked shut by IBM's multimedia software. To make it unlock the player so you can open it, you need to use USJ-I's facility for changing the videodisc. Or you can follow its guidance to exit USJ-I altogether. When you do, you should hear the player slow down to a stop; and depending on the model, a small light indicating ``LOCK'' may switch off.

USJ-I?

can't get it running?
Make sure you run it by the exact instructions given above. USJ-I tends to rely on being executed from exactly the directories it expects.
it keeps beeping while it's still showing DOS commands?
USJ-I attempts to make sure the IBM M-Motion system is fully running every time it starts. If M-Motion has already been started, each attempt results in a beep. No problem should result, though it may be somewhat annoying.

USJ-II?

complains it has too little memory, or only starts partly?
USJ-II needs as much memory as possible. Another program, such as USJ-I, may have taken and kept too much. Try rebooting the system, then executing USJ-II again.
Stops short or ceases to react?
This is a known problem with USJ-II. The program needs to be stopped and restarted. In decreasing order of quickness, the following are possible:
  • Press the < ESC> key or click on the SERVICES button. If the system responds by clearing the screen then showing a menu, you can choose the item for quitting the module or quitting the USJ program.
  • If there is no response (or if the mouse pointer on the screen won't even move), hold down the 3 keys < CTRL>, < ALT>, and < DEL> so they are all down together for a moment. This should cause the machine to reboot almost immediately.
  • If there is no reaction to this, the only remaining course is to switch the system unit off (you can leave the screen and the videodisc player on), count slowly to 10, and switch it back on. Do not restore power too quickly.
mouse clicks tend to be ignored?
This again is a known problem. It is usually only necessary to repeat the click that was ignored.



Previous: Understanding Spoken Japanese (USJ)
Up: Running the Demonstrations
Next: Basic Demo Machine Arrangement
Previous Page: Understanding Spoken Japanese (USJ)
Next Page: Basic Demo Machine Arrangement

Educational Technology Center
Dept. of Info. and Comp.Sci.
Univ. of California, Irvine
92717, CA, USA