EZ-VOTE Connect Software on (Apple) Mac Computer with OS X Operating System

Meridia currently doesn't provide a OS X-native version of EZ-VOTE Connect, or a Keypoint plugin.

Mac users can use/run EZ-VOTE Connect (and the EZ-VOTE PowerPoint plugin), as long as they have a dual-boot Operating System and Microsoft Office set up on their computers.

This can be done in many different ways: VMWare, Bootcamp (free, included with Mac, but you'll have to run Windows OR OS X, NEVER both at the same time), Parallels (paid, but probably the best multi-tasking option), Virtual Machines, Wine, and CrossOver. Our hardware/software doesn't support Remote Desktop.

The Windows and Office version has to conform to the standard software requirements listed on our website.

Parallels offers what they call a "Coherence" mode. In this mode, when EZ-VOTE is in Presentation View (so that the audience can see what you're projecting), Coherence causes the Presentation View to be interrupted and the user is 'kicked' out into Design Mode, even though EZ-VOTE Control Bar can still be seen.

If you are experiencing this behavior, simply turn off Coherence in Parallels and you should be able to operate EZ-VOTE normally.

The Windows OS also needs to recognize our USB device (base receiver) so that the PowerPoint add-in (EZ-VOTE) and the remaining Connect Suite desktop apps can receive votes from the clickers.

If the receiver is a newer EZ-VOTE 5/10/HD/PRO device, the drivers will be installed automatically and there should be a new "USB Input Device" listed in your Windows Device Manager, under the Human Interface Devices section.

If the receiver is the older Meridia ProVOTE Classic model, and Windows doesn't automatically install the drivers, follow the instructions in this article to download the drivers from our website and resolve the issue.

After the drivers are installed correctly, you should see the base listed as USB Serial Port (COM#) under Ports in Device Manager (e.g. COM3).

Verify that the device is installed properly.

While looking at the Windows Device Manager, you disconnect the base receiver from the USB port, which will cause the screen to refresh and remove the HID (or COM port) from the list. When the base is then reconnected, the device should show up in the list again (no exclamation marks, yellow triangles or any signs of incorrect/incomplete installation are acceptable).

To complete the installation, go to the EZ-VOTE tab in PowerPoint and with the base receiver connected, navigate to Tools --> Base Manager and verify that the device is listed in the white field.

If you're using the ProVOTE Classic base, you'll have to click on the image of your keypad model on the left (the top one) and confirm the next two prompts.

If details mentioned above are still not resolving the issue, and you are using a MAC with OS X and VMWare to run windows on it, the reason can be that with VMWare every USB device is first detected and assigned to the OS X side of the MAC environment. Please perform following steps to resolve the issue.

- Find the settings icon(highlighted part in image) in VMWare and click on USB and connections. It will show you the list of USB connected in the system.

- After that "USB & Bluetooth" pop up will open, check the box for the EZ-VOTE Connect USB device.

- There should be the standard process of hearing the 'connection sound', the 'found new hardware' Windows notification, and finally, a notification 'New hardware has been installed'.

- Open the Base Manager (EZ-VOTE (tab) --> Tools --> Base Manager) in EZ-VOTE Connect and click the icon of the keypad.

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