The Leading K-12 Curriculum Learning Object Repository

MENU

SAFARI Montage® Version 5.1.x



Product Release Information


Product:
Version:
Releases & Dates:
Customer Support:


SAFARI Montage
5.1.x
5.1.11 - 07/05/2011
http://www.safarimontage.com/support

Introduction

This document contains the release notes for SAFARI Montage 5.1.x. This is a full release of the SAFARI Montage System and the following sections provide details to its release. SAFARI Montage 5.x.x is not a software-only upgrade from SAFARI Montage 4.x and may require a new OS drive, increased RAM, or a new server. Contact SAFARI Montage Customer Service (1-800-782-7230) regarding SAFARI Montage 5.x.x upgrade options.

New in this Release

  • Thumbnail and Icon Dashboard
    • Thumbnails are now integrated into a new dashboard, search results, detail pages and playlists.
    • Packaged content now supports thumbnails, including chapter and key concept thumbnails for video.
    • CreationStation supports automatic generation of thumbnails.
      • User selectable thumbnails, including a snapshot created from the media for supported formats, a title slate based on the item's title, or a standard thumbnail per media type.
    • Network logos pre-packaged to support Digital TV.
    • Custom logo support.
    • School News (Live & Recorded) and Internet links restored on dashboard.

      • NOTE: The new dashboard requires content drives purchased in the last 2 years to support the addition of thumbnails. For customers with content drives older than 2 years, a new content drive will need to be purchased.

  • Enhanced Core Platform
    • Improved fault tolerance and recovery (BSD 8).
    • Improved stability and security based on a full update of core OS components.
  • New User Types
    • School Admin (school-specific administration)
    • Principal (school-level admin and reporting access)
    • Curriculum Admin (curriculum-specific administrative reporting and content approval)
  • Expanded Interactive Whiteboard File Support
    • eInstruction® Workspace™
    • Hitachi® Starboard®
  • Expanded Search results
    • Web links
    • eBooks
    • Thumbnails
  • Expanded support for projector control via Pathways SM™
    • BenQ MX711
    • Promethean PRM-20AV1
    • Hitachi CP-A220N
    • Hitachi CP-WX4021N
    • Hitachi iPJ-AW250N
    • LG 50PQ30C
    • LG 42PA30C
    • SMART UF-65
    • SMART UX-60
  • New Apple® iPad®/iPod Touch®/iPhone® support
    • Access SAFARI Montage and Pathways SM device control via iOS devices.
    • Available in the Apple App Store
    • Requires H.264 Home Access Content Drive for Packaged Video Playback
    • Virtual Student Response System in Digital Curriculum Presenter module

      • NOTE: Subject to native playback limitations of iOS device.

  • Enhanced SAFARI Montage Media Player
    • Support for 64-bit OS X
    • Admin can design bitrate configuration by user type, location (home) or device type (mobile devices)
    • Addition of scrolling lesson asset thumbnails in the SMMP in DCP module
  • New Content Drive (Superset XXI)
    • 2TB Drive contains both 800K & 300K on one drive
    • 300K Spanish files for home and in-school access
    • Ambrose Video (including BBC Shakespeare)
  • Digital Curriculum Presenter (DCP) Module
    • IMS Common Cartridge v1.1 Conformant
    • Moodle v.1.9 integration
    • Playlist import feature & auto thumbnail
    • Get It!™ feature for virtual SRS on mobile devices
  • Network DVR (N-DVR)
    • Live Classroom capture into CreationStation
    • Digital TV recording

Supported Content Packages

  • Audio Clips With Supporting Still Image
    • IRC: History Pictures
    • IRC: California History Pictures
  • Interactive
    • Visual Dictionary
    • Cyber-Science 3D™ - NEW!
  • Still Images
    • Schlessinger Image Library
    • World Factbook
    • Paintings by the Masters
    • Digital Resources From NASA
    • IRC: History Pictures
    • IRC: California History Pictures
    • National Atlas of The United States Maps
    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Photographs
    • Cyber Science 3D™ - NEW!
  • Video
    • K-8 Core Content (2011)
    • 9-12 Core Content (2011)
      • 9-12 Core (2011)
      • 9-12 Expansion (2011)
      • 9-12 Super Core (2011) [9-12 Core + 9-12 Expansion]
    • K-12 Core (2011)
    • K-12 Super Core (2011) [K-12 Core + 9-12 Expansion]
    • 9-12 Super Core
    • Additional Schlessinger Media® K-8 (2010)
    • Additional Schlessinger Media 9-12 (2010)
    • K-6 Supplemental (2011) - NEW!
    • Digital Resources from NASA
    • Eyes on the Prize
    • Career Clips1
    • BestQuest Teaching Systems®
      • Algebra'scool®
      • Math'scool®
    • Almanac Newsreel
    • National Underground Railroad Freedom Center®
    • Reading Rainbow®
    • The Video Encyclopedia of the 20th Century®
    • BBC Shakespeare - NEW!

Installation and Upgrade Notes

  • Installation and Upgrade
    • See the SAFARI Montage 5.1.x Upgrade Instructions tab above.
  • Minimum System Requirements
    • See the SAFARI Montage 5.1.x System Requirements tab above.

5.1.11 Release Details

Notes

1Requires SAFARI Montage Media Player for playback.

Microsoft® Windows®

Operating System
  • Windows XP Service Pack 3
  • Windows Vista®
  • Windows 7
Web Browsers
  • Internet Explorer® 7.0 - 8.0
  • Firefox® 3.0 - 3.6

    • Note: For version 3.0, full-screen playback unavailable for all media players; for version 3.6, full-screen playback requires SAFARI Montage Media Player.

Minimum Hardware
  • 1.8 GHz CPU (Recommended: 2 GHz or greater)
  • 512 MB RAM (Recommended: 1 GB or greater)
  • 128 MB of Video RAM
Apple® Mac OS®

Operating System
  • Mac OS X v10.4
  • Mac OS X v10.5
  • Mac OS X v10.6 (32 and 64-bit)
Web Browsers
  • Safari® 4.0 - 5.0
  • Safari® 5.0 (64-bit)
  • Firefox® 3.0 - 3.6

    • Note: For version 3.0, full-screen playback unavailable for all media players; for version 3.6, full-screen playback requires SAFARI Montage Media Player.

Minimum Hardware
  • Power PC® G5 (Recommended: Intel® processor)
  • 1.8 GHz CPU (Recommended: 2 GHz or greater)
  • 512 MB RAM (Recommended: 1 GB or greater)
  • 128 MB of Video RAM
Browser Plug-ins (All Platforms)

  • SAFARI Montage Media Player
    • Plays both Windows Media® and Apple QuickTime® (Apple QuickTime 7.6 required)

      • Installers

    • Version 5.1.011 (32-bit Windows XP, Vista, 7)
    • Version 5.1.009 (32-bit OS X)
    • Version 5.1.009 (64-bit OS X)

      • Required for:

    • Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 Compatibility
    • Pathways SM™
    • SAFARI Montage Managed Home Access Module
    • Closed Captioning Toggle
    • Alternate Language Audio Tracks
    • Enhanced Full-Screen Playback
    • Playback of Career Clips Content
  • Apple QuickTime 7.6
    • Required for Windows operating systems and Mac OS for playback of QuickTime and H.264 content, and Managed Home Access.
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 (Windows XP and Windows Vista) or Microsoft Windows Media Player 12 (Windows 7)
    • Required for the playback of Windows Media. Windows Media playback not available on Mac OS.
  • Adobe® Flash® Player 10 - Required for Visual Dictionary interactive image package.
  • Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9
  • Sun® Java® 6 Standard Edition - required for CreationStation uploads.
Additional Local Software

Additional software may be required to create or view certain CreationStation content.

  • Software clients for the associated file types
    • SMART Notebook® software / SMART Notebook Interactive Viewer software - .NOTEBOOK / .NBK
    • Promethean® ActivInspire® / ActiveStudio® / Flipchart Viewer - .FLIPCHART / .FLP / .AS3A
    • Hitachi® StarBoard® - .YAR
    • eInstruction® Workspace™ - .GWB
    • Microsoft Office / Office Vewiers - .DOC/.DOCX, .XLS/.XLSX, .PPT/.PPTX
    • OpenOffice.org® - .SDW/.ODT, .SDC/.ODS, .SDD/.ODP, .ODG; .ODF, .SDP
    • Apple iWork® - .PAGES, .NUMBERS, .KEY
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader - .PDF
    • An EPUB® Reader - .LIT, .EPUB
  • Interactive Whiteboard Integration - supported software versions.
    • SMART Notebook Software / Notebook Interactive Viewer - v 9.5 or greater
    • Promethean ActivInspire (v 1.5 or greater) / ActiveStudio (v 2.5 or greater) / Flipchart Viewer
    • StarBoard (v 8.11 or greater)/StarBoard LE - Viewer Only (v 3.0 or greater)/StarBoard for OS X (v 9.2 or greater)
    • eInstruction Workspace for Windows (v 8.90 or greater)/eInstruction Workspace for OS X (v 5.10 or greater)
Managed Home Access Clients
  • SAFARI Montage Media Player 5.1.x
  • Apple QuickTime 7.6
  • 768kbps Broadband Internet Connection
Local Area Network
  • 100Mb Wired Ethernet
  • NetBIOS Protocol
    • Windows: "Client for Microsoft Networks" protocol must be active on client machines.
    • OS X: The "Samba" suite of protocols is already active. No changes are required.
  • Switched Backbone
  • Full Duplex

Instructions for Upgrading SAFARI Montage OS to Version 5.1.x

Please note that these upgrade instructions are ONLY for upgrades to installations of version 5.0.29 or later. If you are currently running a version prior to 5.0.29, you will need to first upgrade your server. A server upgrade to version 5.0.29 will require a hard drive and memory upgrade. Please contact Technical Support at 800-782-7230 if you have any questions or concerns regarding the current status of your SAFARI Montage server.

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPLY THIS UPGRADE TO A SAFARI MONTAGE SERVER RUNNING SOFTWARE VERSION 4.4.X OR EARLIER. DOING SO WILL RENDER YOUR SERVER INOPERABLE.
Contents - One(1) of the Following

SAFARI Montage - 5.1.x Upgrade DVD OR USB Drive

Please read these instructions in their entirety before you begin:
  • These instructions and all related documents are available online at http://www.safarimontage.com/support
  • It is important that you review the SAFARI Montage 5.1.x Release Notes available online, as these may include Known Issues that you should understand before running the upgrade.
  • Review the SAFARI Montage 5.1.x System Requirements, which include important information that will ensure your environment meets all requirements.
  • Allow for time to backup your system in your update planning.
  • No one should use the SAFARI Montage System during the update process, so please perform this update during off-hours.
  • Review any questions with Technical Support in advance. Please note that SAFARI Montage Technical Support is available Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time and they may be contacted by telephone at 800-782-7230 or online via http://www.safarimontage.com/support/.
Important Considerations:
  1. We recommend you update all client computers to the current version of the SAFARI Montage Media Player prior to running the OS upgrade. Not doing so will result in all users receiving an alert upon logging in to SAFARI Montage instructing them to upgrade the player. Administrators can suppress this notification in the following location: ADMIN -> Settings -> System -> Alert to Install SAFARI Montage Media Player. The latest version of the player is available for download at http://www.safarimontage.com/support/.
  2. If monitoring the update from the console, be aware that the system may appear to be inactive at certain times during the upgrade. This does not mean that the upgrade has stopped.
WARNING: DO NOT interrupt the update in any way or power off the server at any time during the update process or database optimization. Doing so may severely and irreparably damage your Safari Montage system.
If you are running WAN Manager with Expansion Server(s):
  1. The Expansion Controller must be upgraded first. See Upgrade Instructions below.
  2. Once the Expansion Controller has been upgraded, it will automatically push the upgrade to all of the Expansion Servers. The progress of the upgrade can be viewed by navigating to Admin -> Expansion Server -> Expansion Servers.
If you are running WAN Manager with Remote School Server(s):
  1. The WAN Manager Parent server must be upgraded first. See Upgrade Instructions below.
  2. Once the upgrade is completed on the WAN Manager Parent server, you will be able to automatically 'push' the upgrade to the Remote School Servers, thereby eliminating the need to upgrade them separately on-site.
    1. Navigate to Admin -> WAN Manager -> Remote School Servers
    2. Either check 'Remote update all servers', which will update five servers at a time until they have all been upgraded, or select individual servers to be upgraded by checking the box next to the server name.

Total time to upgrade all expansion and/or remote school servers will depend upon the total number of servers and available bandwidth. The upgrade will be downloaded to each remote server, where the upgrade process will run automatically and take approximately one to two hours. If 'Remote update all servers' is selected, servers will be processed in groups of five, and upgrades will run concurrently on each group of remote servers.

Upgrade Instructions:
  1. Backup your SAFARI Montage system via the Administration tools:
    1. Navigate to Admin -> Data Recovery -> Backup
    2. Perform a full backup setting the backup option 'Data Only' to 'No.'
    3. Click on the 'Backup' button to begin.
  2. Insert the DVD or USB drive into the server
    1. For users with a DVD, at the SAFARI Montage Console, select Eject Removable Media (option 6) to open the DVD drive, and then insert the SAFARI Montage Upgrade DVD.
    2. For users with a USB drive, insert the drive into an available USB port on the server.
  3. Select 'Update SAFARI Software' (option 5) from the console menu and press 'Enter'.
  4. Select how to update the server.
    1. For users with a DVD, select Update from CD or DVD (option 1) and press Enter to run the software upgrade. The server will reboot during the upgrade.
    2. For users with a USB drive, select Update from USB Drive (option 2) and press Enter to run the software upgrade. The server will reboot during the upgrade.
  5. When the upgrade is complete, choose 'Eject Removable Media' from the SAFARI Montage Console Screen to remove the DVD or unplug the USB drive from the server's USB port.
~ THIS COMPLETES THE SERVER UPDATE PROCESS. PLEASE TEST FROM A CLIENT BROWSER. ~
Deploying the SAFARI Montage Media Player:

Go to http://www.safarimontage.com/support/ to download the latest version of the SAFARI Montage Media Player and for instructions on how to deploy the player to your client environment.