Panopto upgrades coming in early January

Panopto, a popular platform for recording lectures and other videos, has announced several upgrades coming in early January. Automatic archiving begins on Sunday, Jan. 2. All other changes will go into effect on Saturday, Jan. 8. These changes are outlined below.

Automatic archiving 
Videos that have not been viewed in 24 months will be automatically archived. The archive process keeps videos organized with the most recent content readily accessible, while preserving older content in a less conspicuous location. Archived videos can be restored to their original location within 48 hours of the request. The 24 month archive policy aligns with the pre-existing Blackboard archive policy. 

Course copy improvements
Panopto has added the ability to create reference copies of existing videos in new folders so they can be shared with different audiences. If instructors use the course copy feature on Blackboard, Panopto will automatically place reference copies of existing videos in the new course’s folder with appropriate access to students in the new course. This eliminates the need for instructors to manually share videos with the new group of students.

Daily comment notifications
Instructors who allow commenting on videos will receive daily email notifications when anyone comments on a video or replies to a comment. Notification settings can be modified through a link in the notification email.

Student video assignments in Blackboard Ultra
Instructors who have opted into Blackboard Ultra can now create video submission assignments with Panopto. This feature was already available in Blackboard Learn.

Accessibility enhancements
For students who have turned on audio accessibility features for Panopto, the video will automatically pause and read audio descriptions aloud using machine speech synthesis.

Multiple angles on mobile app
The Panopto mobile application will allow multiple users to contribute video to an ongoing recording, allowing recordings of a single event from multiple angles and no need for special equipment.

Panopto is managed by the Office of Information Technology. Please contact the IT Service Desk with specific questions or browse the Panopto help and resources page for additional assistance.