Lewis-Palmer School District Enhances Visual Learning At High School Level With Hitachi Software StarBoards

Colorado School District Utilizes Hitachi Interactive Whiteboards To Enhance Learning In All Major Subject Areas

In order to develop next generation educational programs, Lewis-Palmer School District, in Monument, Colorado, selected Hitachi Software StarBoard interactive whiteboards. Purchased through Troxell Communications, the district utilizes twenty-four of the FXDUO-77 model StarBoards at the elementary and high school levels.

The StarBoards are currently being utilized by teachers in all major subject areas at the high school level. “The StarBoard is a great tool to teach students how to edit and revise their writing. We take students writing and work on editing exercises using the StarBoard software in front of the entire class. Having the ability to visualize in this format makes it a much more valuable learning experience for the students,” stated Kathleen Raphael, English teacher in the Lewis-Palmer School District. “Our students are in a generation where technology is used in almost every aspect of their lives. It is how they communicate with their peers. Using technology to make learning more accessible and more authentic for them is vital.”

Ms. Raphael also believes there is confidence gained in having students come up to the StarBoard individually. “By using this tool, we model excellent communication and presentation skills. These skills will absolutely be invaluable to them in their chosen career fields.”

“Students have a hard time believing certain properties in Geometry because they cannot visualize what is happening. They tend to get stuck on certain types of pictures and struggle to transfer certain concepts when diagrams change. The StarBoard allows a teacher to make these illustrations come to life. It is great to have the ability to build and manipulate shapes in front of the students, instead of being tied to my desk and computer,” stated Marc Johnson, Math teacher in the Lewis-Palmer School District.

Tracey Lehman, Director of Educational Technology in the district, also feels the Hitachi StarBoards have become a major asset for the students in their visual learning.

“Classes like Geometry and Trigonometry have come alive with student interactivity. Right now we are also in the process of creating a high-tech multi-purpose room where students can collaborate about a project using the StarBoard as the center point of their discussions. It has definitely changed teaching and learning for students and teachers.”

For more information on Troxell Communications visit www.troxell.com.

Casita Center For Science, Technology, and Math Implements Hitachi StarBoards To Take Learning To A Higher Level

-- Casita Center, A California Magnet Elementary School, Has Successfully Created A Fully Integrated Curriculum Using Interactive Whiteboards --

In an effort to provide the best possible learning experience in math and science, the Casita Center has integrated Hitachi StarBoards into classes at the elementary level. Sold through Troxell Communications, Casita has installed Hitachi FXDUO77 interactive whiteboards, as well as Hitachi 3LCD digital projectors CP-X200, CP-X201 and CP-X251 series.

The Vista Unified School District founded Casita Center for Technology, Science, and Math as a magnet school in 1992. As a magnet school, they create new and exciting ways for children to learn and for teachers to teach, in addition to offering an expanded learning experience with a special focus on technology, science and mathematics.

Casita educators have made it their goal to effectively implement the StarBoards into their everyday lessons. “It’s not enough to just have the technology, you need to seek out the content to maximize its potential as an educational tool. Hitachi’s interactive whiteboard content also provides content that I can immediately utilize as part of a lesson plan,” stated science teacher Jamie Hagen-Holt. “In fact, a key priority is to ensure that lessons being taught on the Hitachi StarBoard coincide with physical demonstration students can see, this is the most powerful way to maximize the learning experience.”

Additionally, Hitachi StarBoard’s durability have also proven to be a major selling point for the Casita School. “We knew that if this board was going to be in an elementary school classroom, it needed to be durable,” stated district technology coordinator Scott Hill. Being that the Hitachi board itself contains no electronics, we knew it would be best suited to hold up in this environment.”

Another major factor in selecting Hitachi whiteboards for Casita was due to its large screen. “When you’re dealing with a classroom full of elementary school age students, the size of the screen is crucial. They need to be able to see the detail of everything that is being displayed. While this might not be considered a significant technology feature, for educators it is extremely important,” stated math teacher Sue Ritchie.

Since implementing the Hitachi whiteboards, the teachers have embraced them and enjoyed the new creativity it allows them to bring to their teaching. Our goal is ensure that we have a StarBoard in every classroom,” said Mr. Hill. “We need to make sure we are giving all of our students the same opportunities to enhance their education using the latest in technology.”

Performance, Support and Efficiency Make Hitachi’s CP-X206 Networkable Projector The Right Choice For Temple Independent School District

--Hitachi’s Superior LCD Performance Saves School District Money, And Network And Audio Pass-Through Capabilities Mean Additional Cost Savings--

Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. Business Group, the leader in K-12 educational AV systems, is the choice for the Temple, Texas Independent School District (ISD) and its initiative to bring its 14-campus district that serves approximately 8,300 students in pre-school, elementary, middle and high school to the cutting edge of educational AV. Temple ISD recently installed the first round of Hitachi CP-X206 networkable projectors in 506 of its classrooms system-wide. This project will be followed in succeeding months with the installation of an additional 50 to 100 Hitachi projectors (including CP-X201, CP-X306 and CP-X807 models) in other spaces, including libraries, art rooms and cafeteria throughout the district. The Hitachi CP-X206 networkable projectors were purchased through and are being installed by Troxell Communications, the largest privately held audio-visual distributor in the United States, which is based in Phoenix, with 50-plus offices nationwide selling to a broad array of end-users.

The initial round of 506 Hitachi CP-X206 projectors for classrooms are ceiling-mounted to provide unobstructed views for any sized classroom. Additionally, they are integrated with a document camera and a laptop computer offering teachers and students a user-friendly and reliable system for displaying visual media. The Hitachi CP-X206 projectors offer incredible performance, but the Temple ISD, founded in 1883 and celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, was looking for more in a projector that would take their school system into the 21st century. In an era of tightened budgets and soaring energy costs, they needed a projector that was both cost-effective and energy-conscious, and the Hitachi CP-X206 projector delivered on all counts.

“We had evaluated DLP® technology for our projectors, but in comparison testing Troxell was able to show us that the output of the Hitachi’s CP-X206’s LCD display in terms of brightness and color accuracy rivaled that of the DLP format and for substantially less cost,” said Luann Hughes, technology coordinator at Temple ISD.

According to Hughes, the Hitachi CP-X206 provided other advantages, as well. Its audio pass-through capability means that when teachers are using audio-only sources, such as CDs or audio files played through laptops, the Hitachi CP-X206’s lamp can be put into standby mode, thus curbing power consumption and conserving bulb life.

Furthermore, Hitachi’s PJMan systems management software – provided free with all networkable projector purchases – allows central control over all of the projectors in a school, eliminating the potential for projectors to be left on when not in use. And then there is Hitachi’s famous dedication to support and service. “Every question and query to Hitachi was returned promptly via voice or email,” said Gary Siddons, Account Executive on the project for Troxell Communications. “That’s characteristic of Hitachi and yet another reason the Temple ISD decided company to partner with on this important project.”

The Hitachi CP-X206 delivers performance value and versatility for a variety of environments. The CP-X206 offers a remote control and maintenance via a LAN network connection, while Hitachi's proprietary My Image technology allows administrators to send still images to every projector on the network. The CP-X206 projector also features a new hybrid filter, allowing for 2,000 hours before replacement, located on the side of the chassis. It also contains a top door lamp, enabling easy replacement when the projector is ceiling mounted.

For more information on Troxell Communications, please visit www.trox.com

Performance, Support and Efficiency Make Hitachi’s CP-X206 Networkable Projector The Right Choice For Temple Independent School District

Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. Business Group, the leader in K-12 educational AV systems, is the choice for the Temple, Texas Independent School District (ISD) and its initiative to bring its 14-campus district that serves approximately 8,300 students in pre-school, elementary, middle and high school to the cutting edge of educational AV. Temple ISD recently installed the first round of Hitachi CP-X206 networkable projectors in 506 of its classrooms system-wide. This project will be followed in succeeding months with the installation of an additional 50 to 100 Hitachi projectors (including CP-X201, CP-X306 and CP-X807 models) in other spaces, including libraries, art rooms and cafeteria throughout the district. The Hitachi CP-X206 networkable projectors were purchased through and are being installed by Troxell Communications, the largest privately held audio-visual distributor in the United States, which is based in Phoenix, with 50-plus offices nationwide selling to a broad array of end-users.

The initial round of 506 Hitachi CP-X206 projectors for classrooms are ceiling-mounted to provide unobstructed views for any sized classroom. Additionally, they are integrated with a document camera and a laptop computer offering teachers and students a user-friendly and reliable system for displaying visual media. The Hitachi CP-X206 projectors offer incredible performance, but the Temple ISD, founded in 1883 and celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, was looking for more in a projector that would take their school system into the 21st century. In an era of tightened budgets and soaring energy costs, they needed a projector that was both cost-effective and energy-conscious, and the Hitachi CP-X206 projector delivered on all counts.

“We had evaluated DLP® technology for our projectors, but in comparison testing Troxell was able to show us that the output of the Hitachi’s CP-X206’s LCD display in terms of brightness and color accuracy rivaled that of the DLP format and for substantially less cost,” said Luann Hughes, technology coordinator at Temple ISD.

According to Hughes, the Hitachi CP-X206 provided other advantages, as well. Its audio pass-through capability means that when teachers are using audio-only sources, such as CDs or audio files played through laptops, the Hitachi CP-X206’s lamp can be put into standby mode, thus curbing power consumption and conserving bulb life.

Furthermore, Hitachi’s PJMan systems management software – provided free with all networkable projector purchases – allows central control over all of the projectors in a school, eliminating the potential for projectors to be left on when not in use. And then there is Hitachi’s famous dedication to support and service. “Every question and query to Hitachi was returned promptly via voice or email,” said Gary Siddons, Account Executive on the project for Troxell Communications. “That’s characteristic of Hitachi and yet another reason the Temple ISD decided company to partner with on this important project.”

The Hitachi CP-X206 delivers performance value and versatility for a variety of environments. The CP-X206 offers a remote control and maintenance via a LAN network connection, while Hitachi's proprietary My Image technology allows administrators to send still images to every projector on the network. The CP-X206 projector also features a new hybrid filter, allowing for 2,000 hours before replacement, located on the side of the chassis. It also contains a top door lamp, enabling easy replacement when the projector is ceiling mounted.

For more information on Troxell Communications, please visit www.trox.com

Hitachi Introduces Three New LCD Projectors For The Education Market

– Featuring a new 2,000-hour filter, the CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 LCD projectors address the demand for enhanced performance, reliability and security in education environments. –

— Providing educators with an optimal combination of usability, quality and security, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group today introduced three new LCD projectors: the CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401. All three models feature a new 2,000-hour filter and offer a lower total cost of ownership to schools in K-12 and higher education, thanks to high performance and a variety of technological advantages unique to Hitachi projectors.

The CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 vary in brightness (CP-X201: 2,200 lumens; CP-X301: 2,600 lumens; CP-X401: 3,000 lumens), but all weigh a very light 7.7 pounds and are easy to install or use on a cart top. The three models feature 7 Watts of built-in audio, eliminating the need for external speakers, while the Audio Pass Through function allows audio to play while the projector is in standby mode. The projectors all maintain a low noise rating of 29 dB in Whisper Mode.

The CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 all feature a new hybrid filter, which lasts for 2,000 hours before replacement, on the side of the chassis. Additionally, the lamp door is located on the top of the projector for easy replacement if the projector is ceiling-mounted. The CP-X201 and CP-X301 also offer longer lamp life (3,000 hours in standard mode; 4,000 hours in Whisper Mode).

The three new projectors bring a new level of customizability to educators, offering Hitachi’s proprietary My Buttons functionality, allowing two buttons on the projector to be programmed to executive any projector command. The projectors also offer Input Source Naming, allowing users to rename input sources to fit their needs. An improved remote control now features a My Source/Doc Camera button, allowing users to directly choose an input source, or document camera. The new remote control also features volume buttons.

The CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 feature Automatic Vertical Keystone, which detects the angle of the projector and corrects the image. The projectors also offer Whiteboard Mode, providing adequate clarity while limiting brightness for use with whiteboards. Day Time Mode allows users to clearly see the images in a bright environment, while Blackboard Mode offers better color balance when displaying an image on a colored background.

The CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 also feature a Transition Detector, which requires a password to operate the projector when it is moved from a fixed position. The CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 also offer PIN Lock and MyScreen Lock functions, as well as a security bar that enables the use of a heavy chain to prevent theft.

“The introductions of the CP-X201, CP-X301 and CP-X401 address the education market’s need for enhanced reliability, performance and security,” said Ray Soltys, Director of Sales, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group. “These three new models, which provide different levels of brightness and cost, also demonstrate Hitachi’s commitment to providing solutions to meet a variety of demands.”