PITTSBURGH, PA. (PRNewswire) April 7, 2009 – Panopto, Inc. announced the availability of the latest version of its free lecture platform, CourseCast 2.1, and several new features including live broadcasting and usage analytics.

CourseCast 2.1 includes a simplified user interface, the ability to remember presenter recording settings, adjustable frame-rate recording, public and private note taking and the ability to attach and view PDF documents directly in the CourseCast player. Administrators will be able to remotely create and manage recording profiles, deploy a background service that automatically transfers new recordings to the server even when the application is closed, and increase security through enhanced Active Directory support.

Mark Nestor, Chief Information Officer of Miami Dade College’s Medical Campus, said, We’re very excited about the new features in version 2.1. The redesigned interface and preset configurations will make it even easier for faculty to capture their lectures. The new video podcasting feature allows our students to watch their lectures from their portable media devices like iPhones and video iPods. For students who are constantly on the move, going from home to work and class, having the ability to review class materials on-the-go is an incredibly useful benefit.”

Company officials also announced Live Broadcast, Usage Analytics, MPEG4 video Podcasting, and support for ActiveDirectory groups. Live Broadcast will allow instructors to broadcast their presentations and allow students to watch lectures from any broadband-connected computer. Eric Burns, Panopto’s co-founder and CTO, stated: “We are particularly excited about our new broadcasting support, where anyone can stream live presentations to hundreds or thousands of viewers, right from the desktop.”

David Paul, Manager of Educational Support Technology at the University of Colorado Denver, said, “Panopto CourseCast 2.1 is incredibly easy to use and will make it possible for our instructors to record and broadcast their lectures with just one click, reducing the need for IT support. I also can’t say enough about the viewer data that is provided in 2.1. We will now know which students have viewed recordings, how long they’ve watched and even which portion of a particular recording is most viewed. This will provide powerful information for our instructors and administrators.”

CourseCast 2.1 is available immediately to all Socrates Program members. Panopto Hosted and Socrates Program service subscribers will also receive Live Broadcast, Analytics, ActiveDirectory group support, and Video Podcasting.