How to Use PIVoT: The Physics Interactive Video Tutor

Need technical help with PIVoT? Send mail to pivot-support@mit.edu

GETTING STARTED

Welcome to PIVoT, the Physics Interactive Video Tutor! PIVoT features the principles of Classical Mechanics as taught by MIT Professor Walter Lewin and provides a rich multimedia environment for exploration of the subject.

Before you can explore PIVoT, you will need to create an individual user account by going to the PIVoT startup page and choosing "Request an account" near the top of the page. Startup instructions vary, depending upon what kind of machine you are using, so please read the appropriate section below. Once you have an account, you will be able to access PIVoT from any Internet-connected personal computer, either on or off campus, that has the required plug-ins installed. If you experience any problems getting started with PIVoT, please send e-mail to pivot-support@mit.edu.

Create Your PIVoT Account From a PC | From Athena (MIT only) | From a Macintosh

From a PC/Windows machine:

Run a web browser, then:
Go to http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot
Click on Request an account near the top of the page
Fill in all of the boxes (first and last name, e-mail address, username, password, and password reminder) and select the user category you belong to (student, faculty, staff, or guest)
Click on Register, or Clear if you want to clear the text you have entered and start again
Click on Start
If you do not already have the two required plug-ins installed, download (1) RealPlayer 8 Basic, and (2) IBM TechExplorer Introductory. These plug-ins will ensure your ability to view and use all of PIVoT's resources. For links to the plug-in download sites, go to http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html. All software required for PIVoT may be downloaded free of charge.
Complete the technology test found at http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html to make sure that your computer is configured to run all the PIVoT components
You are now ready to explore PIVoT!

From Athena (MIT only):

If you are using an Athena machine on campus, we recommend that you use a Sun Sparc Ultra-5. However, if you use either a Sparc Ultra-10 or an SGI machine, you will need to change one setting before logging in to PIVoT, as follows:

1. Before you log in to Athena, click on "other options" in the Athena login dialog.
2. Choose "Restart X in 8-bit Mode".
3. When the Athena login dialog reappears, log in, then start using PIVoT as follows:

When using PIVoT, it is important to run Netscape by typing the following at the Athena prompt (athena%), so that the plug-ins required for PIVoT will be automatically loaded. Type:

athena% add sniemczy
athena% add infoagents
athena% pivot

When Netscape appears, type in the URL http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot. Once you have arrived at the PIVoT splash page, follow these steps to create your PIVoT user account:

Click on Request an account near the top of the page
Fill in all of the boxes (first and last name, e-mail address, username, password, and password reminder) and select the user category you belong to (student, faculty, staff, or guest)
Click on Register, or Clear if you want to clear the text you have entered and start again
Click on Start
You are now ready to explore PIVoT!

The next time you log on to PIVoT, you will only need to type at the Athena prompt:

athena% piv

From a Macintosh:

Run a web browser, then:
Go to http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot
Click on Request an account near the top of the page
Fill in all of the boxes (first and last name, e-mail address, username, password, and password reminder) and select the user category you belong to (student, faculty, staff, or guest)
Click on Register, or Clear if you want to clear the text you have entered and start again
Click on Start
If you do not already have the two required plug-ins installed, download (1) RealPlayer 8 Basic, and (2) IBM TechExplorer Introductory. These plug-ins will ensure your ability to view and use all of PIVoT's resources. For links to the plug-in download sites, go to http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html. All software required for PIVoT may be downloaded free of charge.
Complete the technology test found at http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html to make sure that your computer is configured to run all the PIVoT components.
You are now ready to explore PIVoT!

PIVoT NAVIGATION AND FEATURES

The PIVoT web site provides multiple methods of exploration using a navigation bar, a search tool, and a friendly user interface. The following sections describe the functionality of each choice in the navigation bar.

PIVoT Home

Clicking on the PIVoT logo will take you to the Home screen, which is the main PIVoT navigation page. From this page you can:

Start using PIVoT by selecting any item in the navigation bar
"Search" for content by typing physics terms into the text field
Go to the "About PIVoT" information page
View a "Video Introduction" to PIVoT by Professor Walter Lewin
"Contact" the PIVoT team by e-mail

On this page you may also see current announcements about PIVoT or about your physics class.

Search

Clicking on this button will take you to PIVoT's Search page, where you can set the following search parameters:

search for one or more media types: video, textbook, simulations, FAQs, practice problems (default is all five media types)
include minor key words in your search (default is no minor hits)
search by keywords, topics, or both (default is both)
set the maximum number of hits you want returned from a search query (default is 50)

The following rules apply to searching on PIVoT:

Phrases must be surrounded by quotation marks (“ ”). Phrases that are typed without quotation marks will result in a content list that contains one or more of the individual words in your phrase. Example: Typing "angular velocity" with quotation marks will result only in content which contains the phrase "angular velocity." Typing angular velocity with no quotation marks will produce content that contains either "angular" or "velocity," or both. In such a case, content containing both words will appear at the top of the list.
A plus sign (+) in front of a word indicates that the word is required for an item to match.
A minus sign (-) in front of a word indicates that items containing the word will be excluded from the results.

Once you have set the parameters and entered the physics concepts you want to search for into the type-in box, click on the Search button to retrieve the results. The results are ranked by relevance to your search terms, as indicated by the percentage displayed to the right of each content link. You may also conduct a search from the Keyword and Topic pages.

Keywords

The Keywords page provides an easy method of finding multimedia content for over 500 physics words and phrases. Simply click on a letter in the alphabet menu across the page, and a list of keywords beginning with that letter appears. To the left of each keyword are icons showing which kinds of content media are available for that keyword. The icons represent the following media types:

		Video
		Textbook
		Physics Simulations
		Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
		Practice Problems

Click on a keyword to search for all types of multimedia, or click on an icon to search for one media type. A list of content items relevant to the selected keyword appears. Click on the link for the content you wish to view. If there is additional content that is cross-referenced to the item you have chosen, links to these cross-references will be listed on the next screen you see.

Following is an explanation of the five different media types:

Video. These are short segments of streaming video. There are two types of video content: (1) Help Sessions, in which Prof. Lewin explains difficult concepts and/or shows how to solve problems similar to those typically assigned as homework; and (2) segments extracted from Prof. Lewin's classroom lectures. The two types of video are not distinguished from one another in keyword search results; rather, they are presented based on their relevance to the term(s) being searched. Note: You must have the RealVideo plug-in in order to view the PIVoT videos.

Textbook. The book Physics, 2nd Edition, by Hans Ohanian, ©1989, W.W. Norton Publishing Company, has been reproduced with permission of the publisher. Links to relevant textbook passages are provided under most keywords.

Physics Simulations. PIVoT provides links to physics Java applets that are available on the World Wide Web. These simulations can deepen your understanding of physics concepts. Dynamic visualizations of concepts are demonstrated as you change the attributes of each simulation. You must have Java enabled in your web browser in order to run these simulations. Note: PIVoT does not support these external Java applets. If you find any broken links or applets which no longer work, please report them to pivot-support@mit.edu.

Practice Problems. These are multiple choice problems similar to those typically assigned to students for homework. Select a letter for the answer to each question, then press Submit at the bottom of the screen to see your results. Some wrong answers provide hints to help you understand where you may have made an error, as well as some guidance in selecting the correct answer. You may re-try answering the questions as many times as you want. Note: You must have the IBM TechExplorer Introductory plug-in installed in order to view the Practice Problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). These are common questions and text answers which cover many of the topics included in PIVoT. Some FAQ answers also include links to other relevant content which may further your understanding of the concepts. Note: You must have the IBM TechExplorer Introductory plug-in installed in order to view the FAQs.

Topics

Click on Topics in the navigation bar to view a list of PIVoT's physics topics. Click on the "Expand All" button to reveal the entire list of 210 topics and subtopics. Click on "Contract All" if you only want to view the major topics. You can also expand each individual topic or subtopic by clicking on the ">" button to its left, or contract each by clicking on the "v" button to its left.

The same media type icons that appear in the Keywords section are displayed to the left of each topic and subtopic, indicating which multimedia components are available. You can click on a media icon to view only that media type, or click on the topic itself to get a list of all the media components available for that topic.

Textbook

The textbook Physics: Second Edition, Volume 1, by Hans Ohanian (©1989, W. W. Norton), is available on PIVoT. Click on Textbook in the navigation bar to view the Table of Contents, from which you can select specific chapters or sections. You can click on any graphic or equation to see an enlarged version of it for easier viewing.

Lectures

A complete set of lectures on Classical Mechanics by Prof. Walter Lewin is available in streaming video format. Click on Lectures in the navigation bar to see a list with a brief description of each lecture. Click on any lecture link to view a page containing a description of that lecture's contents, as well as a list of shorter lecture segments with more detailed descriptions of each segment. Click on the lecture link at the top of the page to view it in its entirety, or click on a segment link to view only a specific portion.

Go to Preferences and click on "Video Setting" if you want to change your video setting from the default low-bandwidth (80 kbps) version of the lectures to the high-bandwidth (300 kbps) version.

Discussion

To post and receive messages or chat with classmates and instructors, you can use the WebBoard discussion tool. Click on Discussion in the navigation bar, then click on New User to create an account. To log in as a new user, follow these steps:

On the WebBoard login page (http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/discussion.html), click New User. The New User Information form appears.
Follow the directions on this page and fill in the required blanks (marked with red dots). You can later change or add to this information by editing your user profile. To do this, log on to the WebBoard, select "More ...", then click on "Edit Your Profile" and proceed from there.
At the end of the form, select whether to view WebBoard in frames or non-frames mode. The default is frames, which enables you to view the Conferences list while reading and posting messages. To use frames, you must use a level 3 or higher browser. If your browser does not support frames or you prefer to not use frames, select the No frames mode.
When you have finished entering information on the form, click Create. If your login name is unique, WebBoard creates the account and displays the main WebBoard page. If your login name is already being used or some other information is missing, you must complete the form again and resubmit it.

Preferences

This section allows you to customize your PIVoT settings.After you have changed one or more settings, click on "Apply," then "Exit Preferences" to save your settings for this and future PIVoT sessions.

Personal Tutor: Choose whether to use the Personal Tutor "tutorlet" feature while navigating through PIVoT. For more information, read the section below called "Your Personal Tutor." The default setting is "No tutorlet."
Video Setting: Depending upon the speed of your Internet connection, choose either the high (300 kbps) or low (80 kbps) bandwidth version of PIVoT's streaming videos. The default setting is 80 kbps. If you wish to view video captions (a limited number of video captions are currently available), select the box next to "Closed Captions." The default setting is no captions.
Password: Fill in the blanks as indicated to change your password.
Advanced: You are not likely to need to change this setting, as you can only do so if you have a copy of the entire PIVoT video archive on your local hard drive or CD-ROM. If you'd like more information about this setting, contact pivot-support@mit.edu.

Help

The PIVoT Help section, which you are viewing now, provides general information about how to use PIVoT, including system requirements, navigation, registration, the test page, the Personal Tutor, passwords, and support.

YOUR PERSONAL TUTOR

PIVoT's Personal Tutor feature can help you find the information you are looking for, and more. This is a custom tool that attempts to make PIVoT as useful as possible based on each individual user's interests. This feature use a "tutorlet" to keep track of which physics concepts, keywords, and topics you are spending the most time investigating. It will then make suggestions to you about other relevant items to view in PIVoT which may further your understanding of these topics. In the uppermost portion of your web browser window, you will be presented with links that will take you directly to the suggested materials. The status buttons in the Personal Tutor area indicate whether this feature is on or off.

The default setting for the Personal Tutor is "on." To turn the Personal Tutor off, click on Preferences in the navigation bar, then choose the "Personal Tutor" tab. Select "No Tutorlet," then click on "Apply" so that your setting will be saved for this and future PIVoT sessions. When you are finished, click on "Exit Preferences" to return to the screen you came from. If at any time you wish to turn the Personal Tutor back on, go to the Personal Tutor Preferences card, choose "Suggest Video," click on "Apply," then click on "Exit Preferences."

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF PIVoT

Registration Tips

Creating a PIVoT User Account
All PIVoT users must register through the "Request an account" link on the PIVoT startup page in order to gain access to the PIVoT site. Any unauthorized access or misuse of the PIVoT site is a violation of the MIT Information System rules of use and is subject to disciplinary proceedings, and in some cases, state or federal prosecution. A further explanation of these rules can be found at http://web.mit.edu/olh/Welcome/rules.html.

Finding a Forgotten Password
Forget your PIVoT username or password? Go to the PIVoT startup page and click on "Password reminder." Type your e-mail address into the blank box and click Submit, then check your e-mail for a message containing your password reminder.

Athena Tips (MIT only)

1. Headphones: Always use headphones while working with PIVoT on Athena. If you plan to view any of PIVoT's video files in an Athena cluster, you must use headphones in order to avoid disturbing your neighbors. Here's how:

Plug your headphones into the computer (for help locating the headphone jack, see "Using headphones in the Athena clusters" at http://web.mit.edu/acs/faq/headphones.html).
When you run PIVoT, the audio control panel should automatically appear on your desktop. However, if it doesn't, start it with the command "audiocontrol &" and switch output to "Headphone" instead of "Speaker." Sound should now play through the headphones. You may also use the audio control panel to control the volume.

2. Special settings: If you are working on either an UltraSparc10 or an SGI Athena machine, you will need to make the following setting change:

Before you log in, click on "other options" in the Athena log-in dialog.
Choose "Restart X in 8-bit Mode"
When the Athena log-in dialog reappears, log in and then start PIVoT as usual.
If this is your first PIVoT session, type:

athena% add sniemczy
athena% add infoagents
athena% pivot

If this is your second or more session with PIVoT, at the Athena prompt, type:

athena% piv

PC and Macintosh Tips

The following components are required for using PIVoT on a PC or Macintosh.

Web Browser
PIVoT requires the use of either Netscape or Internet Explorer, version 4.0 or higher. If you are using an earlier version, please refer to the PIVoT Technology Test Page for an update: http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html. Macintosh users: If you are using a Macintosh to view PIVoT, at this time you must use Internet Explorer, as the Java virtual machine used in Netscape for Macintosh is not Java 1.1 compliant.

Plug-ins
There are two free plug-ins required for proper viewing of PIVoT. Access to the videos requires RealNetworks' RealPlayer 8 Basic (RealOne Player is NOT supported). Display of PIVoT's FAQs and Practice Problems requires IBM's TechExplorer Introductory plug-in. If you do not already have these plug-ins installed in your web browser, please refer to the PIVoT Technology Test page: http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html.

JavaScript
You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser in order to effectively use PIVoT. For more information, see the section below on enabling JavaScript.

Physics Simulations

PIVoT contains links to external Java applet-based physics simulations. PIVoT does not support the sites on which these applets are located and cannot guarantee their viability. If you discover that a linked site is no longer active, we encourage you to report the broken link by sending e-mail to pivot-support@mit.edu.

Opening Content in Multiple Browser Windows

In order to simultaneously view multiple content items in PIVoT, you may want to have more than one browser window open during a session. To do so, follow these instructions:

In Netscape, under the File menu, choose New: Navigator Window
In Internet Explorer, under the File menu, choose New: Window

Changing Font Size

Some users may prefer to increase PIVoT's default font size, for easier viewing. To do so, follow these instructions:

In Netscape, under the Edit menu, choose Preferences and select the Fonts category. Change the font size using the drop-down lists on the right.
In Internet Explorer, under the View menu, choose Text Size and select a larger font size.

Hardware and Software Requirements

Windows Hardware
- Minimum Windows configuration: Pentium 133, 32MB RAM, 2MB hard disk space (after installation of software that must be downloaded), sound card, 56k modem, 8-bit (256) color.
- Recommended Windows configuration: Pentium II, 64MB RAM, 2MB hard disk space (after installation of software that must be downloaded), sound card, high-speed Internet connection (T1, RCS, cable modem, etc.), 8-bit (256) color.

Macintosh Hardware
- Minimum Macintosh configuration: PowerPC, 32MB RAM, 2MB hard disk space (after installation of software that must be downloaded), 56k modem, 8-bit (256) color.
- Recommended Macintosh configuration: G3, 64MB RAM, 2MB hard disk space (after installation of software that must be downloaded), high-speed Internet connection (T1, RCS, cable modem, etc.), 8-bit (256) color.

Disk Space
Depending upon the browser you select, as well as the platform you are using, you need to allow approximately 17MB - 23MB on your hard drive for the software required for PIVoT.

Internet Browser
You must use Netscape 4.0 or higher, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher. To see which version of Netscape or Internet Explorer you are using, select "About Communicator" (Navigator) or "About Internet Explorer" from the Help menu on the browser menu bar.

Support: What To Do if You Have a Problem or Find a "Bug" in PIVoT

If you experience problems of any sort while setting up, registering for, or using PIVoT, we encourage you to send e-mail to pivot-support@mit.edu. The PIVoT support team will respond to your problem during the semester within 24 hours on weekdays, and as quickly as possible during weekends and vacations.

ACCESSIBILITY

For students with hearing and vision impairments, the following accessibility features have been incorporated into the PIVoT Web site:

Alt-text tags and D-links:
Images and image maps are accompanied by brief alt-text tags. In graphic browsers, alt-text tags are visible only if the automatic image-loading feature is turned off. Alt-text tags do not need to be visible to be read aloud by screen readers.

In addition, all images in chapters 2 ("Kinematics") and 17 ("Sound and Other Wave Phenomena") of the textbook contain the <longdesc> attribute and a "D" link. Selecting a D-link will lead to a textual description of the image. The descriptions have been written in MathSpeak, an easy-to-learn language for articulating mathematical concepts. If you are unfamiliar with MathSpeak, please read the MathSpeak rules. Following each description is a "Back" link. Select this link to return to the original image.
Accessible forms:
All form elements (text fields, check boxes, radio buttons, etc.) have been marked up so they can be identified by screen-reading software.
Skip links:
For users with screen readers, an invisible skip link has been placed at the top of most pages. Choosing the skip link will bypass the standard navigational elements, moving the user directly to the page's unique content.
Closed captions, transcripts and audio descriptions:
Closed captions have been incorporated into all lectures and many tutorials. Those videos which contain captions are identified on the Topics and Keywords pages by the abbreviation "CC". Captions may be turned on and off from the Video Settings preference card. Select or deselect the box next to "closed captions", select the "Apply," button, then "Exit Preferences." Settings will be saved for your current and future PIVoT sessions. Transcripts of all captioned PIVoT videos may be accessed from individual topic pages.

Tutorials which contain audio descriptions are identified on the Topics and Keywords pages by the abbreviation "AD". Descriptions may be turned on and off from the Video Settings preference card. Select or deselect the box next to "audio descriptions", select the "Apply," button then "Exit Preferences." Settings will be saved for your current and future PIVoT sessions.

Please note: there are significant performance issues when both "closed captions" and audio descriptions are enabled.
Hyperlinks:
All text hyperlinks have been written so they make sense when read out of context.
Braille and Tactile Graphics
Chapters 2 ("Kinematics") and 17 ("Sound and Other Wave Phenomena") of the textbook are available in braille with tactile graphics. To obtain copies, please contact pivot-support@mit.edu.

For more information about the accessibility features in PIVoT, go to http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/pivot/.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem: Can't play PIVoT videos on Athena

A common problem encountered on Athena when using RealPlayer to view PIVoT videos is that your Netscape preferences may be set to run an older version of RealPlayer. If so, you may get an error message that is similar to:

sh: raplayer: not found

Another problem encountered when using RealPlayer on Athena is that the player is displayed but never contacts the video server, and the video screen stays blank. If this happens, the current version of RealPlayer is correct, but the play specification is incorrect.

Here is how to check for and correct either problem:

Start Netscape.
Select Preferences under the Edit menu.
Click on the arrow next to Navigator—an additional list should drop down.
From this list, select Applications.
Scroll down in the Applications menu until the description field reads "RealAudio."

The "Handled by" field should read:

realplay "%s"

If it does not, but instead reads either raplayer "%s" or rvplayer "%s" or realplay "%u", you will need to change it. Do this by selecting RealAudio and clicking Edit. Change the application command to:

realplay "%s"

and click OK. Click OK again to close the preferences box. Quit Netscape and run PIVoT again. If this does not work, or if you have other questions or difficulties, please contact us at pivot-support@mit.edu.

Problem: RealPlayer - File Not Found error / Link Outdated error

Real Networks "RealOne Player" has been designed to be used as an integrated HTML and Media Browser, this model is very different from the older "Real8 Player" which was designed to work as a stand-alone media player or browser plug-in.

If you are using the "RealOne Player" you will have to access the Web server through RealOne's browser window.

If you want to continue accessing PIVoT through your standard browser, please use "RealPlayer 8 Basic".

Problem: Can't play PIVoT videos on Windows or Macintosh

Viewing PIVoT videos on either a Windows machine or a Macintosh requires the RealNetworks RealPlayer G2 or higher plug-in. If you are working on a PC or Macintosh and do not have this plug-in installed in your web browser, please go to the PIVoT Technology Test page at http://curricula2.mit.edu/PIVoT/test.html for a link to the RealPlayer 8 Basic.

(Athena users: The PIVoT setup sequence for Athena described at the beginning of the Help section automatically installs the RealPlayer for Unix.)

Problem: JavaScript error message

The PIVoT site relies on JavaScript for easy navigation and interactivity. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser in order to effectively use the PIVoT site. Here's how:

To enable JavaScript in Internet Explorer 4.5, go to:

Edit: Preferences: Web Browser: Web Content: Enable Scripting

To enable JavaScript in Internet Explorer 4.0, go to:

View: Internet Options: Security: Select "Custom Level": under "Scripting," select "Enable" for both "Scripting of Java applets" and "Active scripting"

To enable JavaScript in Netscape 4.0 or higher, go to:

Edit: Preferences: Advanced: check the "Enable JavaScript" box

Problem: can't view faqs or practice problems

Viewing these two features on PIVoT requires the IBM TechExplorer plug-in. If you do not have this plug-in installed in your web browser, please go to the PIVoT Technology Test page at http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html for installation help.

If you are having issues seeing Quiz or FAQs on Windows machines in IE 5.5 SP2, IE 6.0, or higher, please download the LATEST VERSION of TechExplorer. Older versions (3.1 and below) will not display correctly.

(Athena users: The PIVoT setup sequence for Athena described at the beginning of the Help section automatically installs the correct version of TechExplorer for Unix.)

Problem: PIVoT asks me to log in again

PIVoT times out if you have been idle for 30 minutes following login. If you go back to PIVoT after a 30-minute break, simply log in again when the login screen appears.

Problem: Can't get beyond PIVoT login page

The Cookies feature in your browser must be enabled in order for PIVoT to function properly. If you are having trouble getting past the PIVoT login page, you should check to make sure that Cookies are enabled. Here's how:

In Netscape, go to:

Edit: Preferences: Advanced: Cookies: "Accept all cookies" should be selected

In Internet Explorer, go to:

View: Internet Options: Advanced: Security: Cookies: "Always accept cookies" should be selected

PIVoT TECHNOLOGY TEST PAGE for WINDOWS and MACINTOSH

In order to view all the PIVoT content properly from Windows or Macintosh, your web browser must be able to display the examples on the Windows and Macintosh Technology Test Page, which can be found at http://curricula2.mit.edu/pivot/test.html. After completing the tests, file a test page report using the form at the bottom of the page. Report a completely successful test, or a description of the difficulties you experienced.

(Athena note: If you plan to use an Athena machine on campus, please register and configure your Athena PIVoT account from the PIVoT home page, as described in the PIVoT setup sequence for Athena section above.)

Before testing your setup, make sure you are using the appropriate hardware and software, as described in the Hardware and Software Requirements section above. All software required for PIVoT may be downloaded free of charge from the links provided on this page.