FAQs: VicTouch
VicTouch
Can we have more than one VicTouch workstation?
Do I need a touch screen monitor to use VicTouch?
Where do I get a touch screen monitor?
How
much are touch screen monitors?
Should I get a resistive
or capacitive touch screen?
Should I get a flat panel or
a regular monitor?
What size monitor should I
get?
Do I need a kiosk?
If we used
VIC with VolunteerWorks, can we use the same touch screen with
VicTouch?
|
| Can we have more than one VicTouch
workstation? |
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|
| Yes. You can run VicTouch
at as many locations as you'd like. If you have more than one VicTouch station,
Volunteers can sign-in at one station, and sign-out at another. Remember that
each station requires a PC with an Internet connection. |
| Do I need a touch screen monitor to use
VicTouch? |
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|
If you choose to use the
optional VicTouch module with Volgistics, we suggest that you use VicTouch at a
touch screen equipped PC. A touch-screen monitor is not required at the
computers where you use Volgistics.
For testing or trial purposes, you
can run the VicTouch module at any PC that has an Internet connection. Simply
use the mouse to simulate 'touches' on the screen.
It is possible to
use VicTouch at a PC does not have a touch screen monitor (volunteers would use
a computer mouse to select buttons), however touch screen monitors generally
provide an interface that is easier to use than a mouse. Some volunteers may
not be familiar with the use of a mouse, others may be accustomed to a
left-handed mouse rather than one that is setup for right-handed users. If your
VicTouch station(s) are located in public areas, touch screen monitors are more
secure than a computer mouse. |
| Where do I get a touch screen monitor? |
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|
Volgistics does not sell
touch screen monitors. However there are many touch screen monitor vendors
around.
If your organization has an information services department,
they may already have established sources for hardware from which they can
purchase a touch screen monitor. For example,
Dell
Computer sells touch screen monitors
You can also find touch screen
monitor vendors online. If you perform a simple web search for 'touch screen
monitors' you'll find a variety of different vendors. |
| How much are touch screen monitors? |
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|
| Touch screen monitor
prices are available online at many of the touch screen monitor vendor's web
sites. Prices vary depending on the type and size of monitor you choose, and
whether or not the monitor has a PC built into it (your touch screen monitor
must either be attached to a PC, or have a PC built-in to it). |
| Should I get a resistive or capacitive touch
screen? |
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|
Touch screen monitors
come in two varieties, resistive and capacitive. You can use VicTouch with
either variety, although capacitive monitors are generally
recommended.
Resistive monitors respond to pressure from anything on the
screen, but their surfaces are a bit less durable. Capacitive monitors respond
only to the touch of an ungloved finger, but are more durable.
With a
resistive monitor, you can touch the screen with just about anything: gloved or
ungloved fingers, the end of a pen or pencil, the edge of a credit card, and so
forth. Choose a resistive monitor only if your VIC workstation will be in a
location where arriving and departing volunteers would be wearing
gloves.
While capacitive monitors respond only to the touch of an
ungloved finger, their surfaces are harder and better suited to the kind of
un-attended, high-volume access your VicTouch station may receive. |
| Should I get a flat panel or a regular
monitor? |
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|
| This is up to you, either
will work. Flat panel monitors are good if the space for your VicTouch station
is limited, and a conventional computer monitor will not fit. Flat panel
monitors typically cost more than conventional CRT displays but may last longer
and have a sharper image. |
| What size monitor should I get? |
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|
| Touch screen monitors
come in a variety of screen sizes, from 14 inches to 21 inches, or more. Since
VicTouch will work with any size monitor, monitor dimensions are a matter of
preference and budget. |
|
|
A kiosk is a specially
built cabinet or pedestal used to hold the touch screen monitor and the PC it
is attached to. Kiosks are not required for the VicTouch station, but they do
offer good degree security when the station is located in an unattended public
area.
When a kiosk is not used, VicTouch workstations are often located
at information desks, on a counter in the volunteer office, or on tables or
shelves near the location(s) where volunteers arrive and depart.
In some
installations where security is a concern, the VicTouch computer and monitor
are secured to a counter or desktop with security cables or small, vented PC
cabinets instead of inside a kiosk. |
| If we used VIC with VolunteerWorks, can I use
the same touch screen with VicTouch? |
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|
| Yes. If you used the
VolunteerWorks VIC module previously, you can use the same touch screen monitor
and PC for VicTouch. Simply
configure
your old Vic workstation for VicTouch |
