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Computer Facility • 53 Church Street

Computer Labs

Our labs are equipped with an array of hardware, outlined below. We also have extensive software.

53 Church Street

Lab (Room #) Resources
Shared Lab Resources
  • Wired Gigabit Networking to Lab Workstations with Redundant Fiber Optic Internet Backbone Links (translation: that's about 4GB per minute Internet transfer capacity per 64-bit computer!)
  • Wireless b/g Networking (wireless radius includes outdoor patio and nearby cafés)
  • HP Black and White LaserJet printer (printing of small print jobs is included for registered continuing education students)
  • HP Color LaserJet printer (requires permission from front desk)
Video Streaming Lab (L01)
  • 32 17″ MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2GB of Ram and Configured as Dual Boot for use with Macintosh OS X (10.5) Leopard and Microsoft Windows 32-bit Vista Business Edition
  • 16 AT8615 Microphones
  • Dual Touch Panel Projection System
  • Video Conferencing Capability
  • 1 Samsung Document Camera
Macintosh Lab (104)
  • 31 MacPro Dual 2.8GHz Quad-Core 64-bit Intel Xeon (8 Processor cores) Workstations with 10GB of RAM, 15,000 RPM SATA Hard Drives
  • Each includes the high-end NVIDIA QuadroFX 4800 video graphics card with 1.5 GB of video RAM and 24 CUDA-compliant GPUs with 8 processor cores providing 192 cores pushing 196,608 symmetrical processing threads at 76 GB per second throughput
  • Each configured as Dual Boot for use with Macintosh OS X (10.5) Leopard and Microsoft Windows 32-bit Vista Business Edition. Scheduled upgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6 for Spring 2010 semester; Microsoft Windows 7 for Summer 2010.
  • Each workstation comes with a 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • Each features a 23″ Flat Panel Aluminum Cinema Displays
  • 3-D Animation and Rendering Software
Multimedia Lab (105)
  • 5 MacPro Dual 2.8GHz Quad-Core 64-bit Intel Xeon (8 Processor cores) Workstations with 10GB of RAM, 15,000 RPM SATA Hard Drives
  • Each includes the high-end NVIDIA QuadroFX 4800 video graphics card with 1.5 GB of video RAM and 24 CUDA-compliant GPUs with 8 processor cores providing 192 cores pushing 196,608 symmetrical processing threads at 76 GB per second throughput
  • Each configured with Macintosh OS X (10.5) Leopard. Scheduled upgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6 for Spring 2010 semester; Microsoft Windows 7 for Summer 2010.
  • Each workstation comes with a 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • 3 Canon 9950 High Resolution Scanners with back-light capability
  • 2 High Definition DV, DVD, and VHS Duplication Stations
  • 5 Digital Video Recorder Decks configured with software control from Apple Final Cut Studio Pro and Adobe Master Collection
  • 5 High Definition Sony Trinitron Video Production Monitors with 4:3 / 16:9 aspect ratios and blue channel isolation capabilities
  • Each features a 30″ Flat Panel Aluminum Cinema Displays
  • Each is installed with Professional Video Editing Technology
  • 3-D Animation and Rendering Software
Mobile Classroom (106)
  • IBM/Lenovo Core 2 Duo or Intel Core Duo MacBook Pro Laptops available for classes
  • Projection System
Adaptive Technology and Mini Lab (107)
  • 4 Dell OptiPlex Desktop Computers
  • 19″ Flat-Panel Display
  • DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive

Adaptive Technology Hardware

  • 3 Dell OptiPlex Desktop Computers
  • 19″ Flat-Panel Display
  • DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive
  • Smartview SV80000 Document/Object Magnifier

Adaptive Technology Software

  • Dragon Naturally Speaking Voice Recognition Software
  • JAWS Windows Reader
  • MAGIC Screen Magnification Software
  • Kurzweil Optical Character Recognition Software
PC Classroom (201)
  • 21 Dell OptiPlex Desktop Computers
  • 17″ Flat-Panel Display
  • DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive
  • Dual Touch Panel Projection System
PC Classroom (202)
  • 31 Dell OptiPlex Desktop Computers
  • 19″ Flat-Panel Display
  • DVD-RW/CD-RW Drive
  • Dual Touch Panel Projection System
Mobile Classroom (203)
  • IBM/Lenovo Core 2 Duo or Intel Core Duo MacBook Pro Laptops available for classes
  • Projection System

Grossman Library

311 Sever Hall
(617) 495-4163

There is another Harvard Extension Computer Lab located in the Grossman Library. The lab hours are the same as the library hours:

Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 10 pm
Friday & Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday: noon – 8 pm

Lab access is limited to Harvard Extension School students only. Unlike at the Church Street facility, the HOLLIS catalog is available to all students and does not require a login. Some students prefer the Grossman Library computer lab because it is conveniently located in Harvard Yard. The library offers a large workspace, contains many books used in Extension courses, and offers a writing center to help with papers.

The Windows PCs and software in the Grossman Library computer lab are the same as at 53 Church Street laboratory PC Classroom 201. The library and lab are both wheelchair accessible.