Current System Status and Updates
SERVICE STATUS: No known issues at this time.You can check this page anytime for system status and updates. As a backup to this page, we also use an off-site system (Twitter) to keep our families notified of system maintenance, downtimes, and issues. If you want to be notified of TPS system updates in advance and as they happen, you may follow @TPSTweets. And if you can't reach this this page, you can check the
TPS Twitter page itself for system status updates.
Getting Started (before you enroll)
Registered Families and Enrolled Students
- Keep your GP5 software updated. Normally the software alerts you, and you can update from within the software, when it alerts you. If the auto-update fails, or if you are directed by TPS Tech to manually update, please follow this link to manually update your GP5 software. Please note that updates are not required immediately, so please do not update right before class -- wait until you have time to test an update after installing it. The Student Center is a good place to test.
- Summer 2013 Students: Please follow these steps to go to your live class meetings.
- Knowledge Base articles. They are thorough and searchable. For items not covered in the TPS Student Handbook, please check here next.
- Contact TPS Tech Support. If you have gone through the Student Handbook and checked the Knowledge Base, and still have an unresolved tech issue, your next step is to contact our support staff. You can inititate this contact by live chat or email.
- Live Chat. During support hours, our staff may be available on Live Chat to answer basic administrative and technical questions. If they cannot answer, they will collect information needed by other staff to open a support ticket and get back to you to answer your question.
- Email. If we are not available by Live Chat, please open a support ticket by email. Most technical questions can be resolved by email. For those issues that cannot be resolved by email, we will arrange further levels of support contact. For technical questions regarding operation of GP5, StudyPlace or our community rooms or forums, please contact our tech support team at tech@pottersschool.org. Screen shots are helpful. There is also a link below that allows you to make a narrated video of what you are seeing on your computer screen. Helping us see what you see is the fastest way for us to understand and help with your tech issue.
It is our intent to respond promptly to you, so if you do not hear from us after one full weekday, please don't hesitate to prompt us again. Please do not send us several emails on the same issue in the same day, as this will slow us down, and may also give you confusing uncoordinated responses.
- Submit a screen video or snapshot. To save you time in troubleshooting, we may ask you to provide us a screenshot or screen video so our tech support staff can see what you are seeing and efficiently provide you a solution. Rather than trying to send us a large image or video by email, we will ask you for a link instead. Here are the easy steps for taking a screen shot or screen video, and sending us the link.
- Note that this process is entirely free, and works for both Windows and Mac.
- Download and install Jing.
- Run Jing and sign up for the free ScreenCast account (this is where you will upload your screen shots and videos, and receive links for sharing them).
- Capture the screen images or video, per our tech staff's request. Please make the recorded screen area large enough to show us your whole GP5 or browser window.
- Send the links (web address URL's) in your email reply to our tech staff. Please do not send the image files or video files, as they are often large and we may not receive them.
- Trouble viewing a class recording. If you have trouble with a class recording, first please review this background information. Then please contact TPS Technical Support and provide: (1) course name; (2) section number; (3) recording date; (4) recording ID (8-digit number); (5) description of the problem, including the time during the recording where we can see the problem.
- 2 GHz Intel dual-core processor (note that this is a requirement for the operating system to run conferencing software, not specifically for GP5)
- 4 GB RAM (note that this is a requirement for the operating system to run conferencing software, not specifically for GP5)
- Windows: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows XP Service Pack 3.
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.7 Lion or Mac OSX 10.8 Mountain Lion (*)
- Headset (USB preferred).
- High speed internet (FiOS, cable or DSL) with 256 kbps upload or higher. Note that satellite and mobile internet are generally not suitable for internet conferencing (the issue with them is instability and delay, more than speed). You may use them, but we will not be able to support them. GP5 has special settings for low-speed networks, so let Tech Support know if you need those.
*
PowerPC processors are not supported.
Before You Test
- Make sure your computer meets the System Requirements.
- Get all the recommended Windows Updates or Apple Software Updates.
- Download the newest version of the GatherPlace software.
- If you initially have trouble passing the all the tests, try going the File menu on GP5 and selecting Exit, and starting over. Also try rebooting once, as sometimes computers just need to be reset after a problem or after long use.
Audio Test
- Plug in your headset into the proper jacks.
- Double-click the GP5 icon or open GP5.
- In GP5, click the Audio Tuning Wizard button.
- In the Audio Tuning Wizard, click Start Test.
- Internal Audio Test (to help you select thr right audio device): When you hear the voice recording, click Yes.
Otherwise, click No until you can hear the recording.
- Internal Audio Test (to help you adjust speaker volume): When you hear the second recording, click Yes.
Otherwise, click No and increase your speaker volume.
- Server Audio and Microphone Test (to test the connection with the server, and help you set your microphone level):
- Speak into your headset or microphone.
- If you hear your voice played back, click Yes.
Otherwise, click No until you can hear your voice played back.
- Note that GP5 audio is higher qualiity and more sensitive than skype and other similar applications, to allow for it to be used in a variety of academic settings (e.g., music courses, foreign language courses). This means you will usually need to turn down your mic level from other times you use it, or the GP5 audio may sound "scratchy" (overdriven). Please repeat this test as necessary to adjust your mic level until your voice sounds clear and crisp using a normal indoor speaking voice.
- Once you have passed all the tests, close the Audio Tuning Wizard.
Viewer Test
- Plug in your headset into the proper jacks.
- To view the presentation test, click here (if using Chrome browser, click here). You should see the presentation and hear the accompanying audio.
- Once the presentation is over, click Disconnect Everyone to end the test.
- If you see the presentation, but do not hear the audio, please perform the Audio Test (above) again and make sure your audio devices are configured properly.
