Hey Rubén, in my experience in the eight years of bringing recording equipment into class- and other rooms of a university, there are things that are more important than money. For example restrictions for structural alteration, fire regulations or somtimes that the room isn't owned by th University. Monument conservation, always a nice arguments against all kinds of new wires, especialy in combination with fire regulations. These are only some examples. So there are many more reasons to spend money for special solutions.
I like the idea of mobile solutions, build one for virtPresenter which runs very good under the given conditions. So I'm very instrested to see what's comming next in this area. Nils > Hello Steve, > > I'm sorry about my English, it's normal you don't understand that > sentences > because it doesn't say what I meant (I thought it did, at the time). To > put > it short, my point was that I didn't see why spending so much in a single > component when a whole classroom could be equipped with not much more > money. > > However, now that you explained your case a little more (thanks about > that, > btw!), I'd definitely go for semi-permanent installation in the > classrooms. > I mean, having the necessary wiring conveniently installed in the > classrooms, so that recording a classroom would only be plugging the > recorder on one side, a camera on the other side, and start recording. > This > was what I meant here: > > As an alternative, you could think of having a pre-installation for audio >> and video, so that all the cables are installed and conveniently >> "hidden" >> from the public, and you'd only have to plug the VGA, audio, etc. from >> some >> panel next to the teacher's desk. But, again, it depends largely on what >> is >> your intended setup, if there are fixed cameras in each classroom, etc. > > > For instance, in most classrooms in UVigo there is a multimedia projector. > The cable to the projector is passed through the ceiling and walls to the > teachers desk, so they only have to plug an VGA cable lying next to their > desk to their computer, and they can start their slideshow or whatever. > You > could have the same with a camera but, instead of having a permanent > camera > in every classroom, you could have simply the cable and a connector panel > in both ends. If you use HD webcams, as we do, then the price of them is > low enough to consider having one for every classroom. Still, I believe > that this kind of wired installation would be cheaper than the wireless > alternatives, and at the same time more robust and with a better > performance. > > Finally, I do think that having a working CA in a laptop is possible, > though its main problem is the "confidence monitoring", which is getting > fixed in this and upcoming versions. As regards to Galicaster, it may > certainly run in a laptop, though it's more difficult to add periferals > (such as capture cards) to them (this problem affecting also the official > CA and any laptop-based solution, of course). > > Best regards > Rubén > > 2012/4/2 Stephen Spencer <[email protected]> > >> Thank you for your synopsis Mike. >> >> Steve >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] [mailto: >> [email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael D. Walker >> Sent: 30 March 2012 17:13 >> To: Opencast Community >> Subject: Re: [Opencast] Teradek Cube >> >> The Teradek Cube is a good portable encoder. $1500 is inexpensive when >> compared with Vbrick and Haivision appliances. That also compares well >> against a high end capture card loaded in a PC or Mac Pro. You may want >> wireless, but they also have wired. >> You can spend a lot more on the camcorder, mics, and mixer. >> >> It's a portable solution for a camera/webcast team, not to install in >> every classroom, but it's not really a DL solution. >> >> Mike >> >> On 3/30/2012 2:25 AM, Stephen Spencer wrote: >> > Hi Ruben, >> > >> > Thanks for your reply, I appreciate that your willing to hear my >> thoughts on our ideal setup. Basically what we hope to end up with is a >> portable ca that is as light weight and unobtrusive as possible, which >> we >> can setup before a lecture starts. >> > >> > It's worth noting that we are a relatively small institution and don't >> intend to be turning around 100's or 1000's of hours of video every >> year. >> As a result when I said we have a low budget what I mean is that we >> can't >> afford to kit out all of our teaching areas with static installations >> for >> something that probably won't be in constant use. It's likely that >> certain >> lecturers will want to be involved and want all of their modules to be >> recorded. This causes us a problem because the way our timetabling >> system >> works means we can't guarantee that they will be in the same teaching >> space >> from day to day (hence the portable requirement). >> > >> > Something that we would like to avoid happening is having trailing >> cables running through the classroom which is one of the reasons for >> thinking about using these cubes. The other reason is that they will >> take >> care of any transcoding of the video feeds, reducing the spec required >> for >> pc element of the capture agent. We plan to capture audio via >> Seennheiser >> ew 100-NEG radio mics which we already possess and the teaching pc >> through >> vga/dvi to hdmi converters connected to a cube broadcasting an rtp or >> udp >> stream back to the ca. I am also leaning towards using Gallicaster over >> the >> standard MCD spec. >> > >> > I do realise the these devices are fairly expensive at $1490 a go but >> I >> have to admit I'm having difficulty understanding your cost break down. >> You >> said in your message that Vigo are spending around €3000 per capture >> agent >> and later on "And still, all this stuff is roughly half as much the cost >> of >> a single Cube". A lot of this equipment we already possess so we don't >> need >> to start purchasing everything from scratch. >> > >> > Another thing to keep an eye on is whether or not using a cube will >> become redundant in about a year. I say this because in the 3rd quarter >> of >> last year the first wireless hd cameras were released but only to the >> south >> korean market, so I would expect to be seeing them in European/American >> market quite soon. >> > >> > If you have any better ideas that might fit our requirements I would >> be >> very grateful to hear them because we are new to Matterhorn and do >> appreciate comments/advice from seasoned users. >> > >> > Best Regards >> > Steve >> > >> > -----Original Message----- >> > From: [email protected] >> > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Rubén >> > Pérez >> > Sent: 29 March 2012 21:47 >> > To: Opencast Community >> > Subject: Re: [Opencast] Teradek Cube >> > >> > Hello, >> > >> > Steve, I would really like to know what you have in mind, because I >> > confess I don't understand all the details. You're saying that you >> > have a low budget for equipment and thus you don't want to set up a >> > fixed installation in the classrooms, but at the same time you are >> > willing to spend almost >> > $2000 in a single transceiver. >> > >> > I'm guessing that you'll still need a camera and a computer to send >> the >> video stream to. You still need to connect the teacher's pc to get the >> VGA >> feed, which I don't know how you want to accomplish, and also how you're >> going to get the audio feed. Are you installing cameras in every >> classroom, >> or are you using a mobile camera, too? What about the audio set up? >> > >> > I can tell you that we are spending ca. €3000 in Vigo to equip one >> classroom, and even though this is a high figure, it includes: >> > >> > - An i7-based computer, with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of HD in a >> RAID-1, >> for >> > redundancy >> > - Please note that this computer is highly over-sized for a >> simple >> > capture unit, but we are using this computers at night as >> Matterhorn >> > workers. We could easily use much cheaper i3 computers if we >> were >> to use >> > them as capturers only. >> > - The Epiphan VGA2PCI framegrabber >> > - An HD Logitech c910 webcam >> > - A Behringer sound board >> > - A wearable Revolabs Solo microphone >> > - A set of two fixed stereo microphones, to work as backup >> > - An audio gate to control the microphone gain >> > - A tactile screen >> > - A VGA splitter >> > - All the cables and adapters needed for the installation >> > >> > All that installed in the classroom in a non-obstructive way and ready >> to use. >> > >> > You can see that we are not installing the cheapest equipment and that >> we could do with less (less powerful computers, no microphone array at >> all, >> cheaper frame grabber and/or microphones...), so the price could be much >> lower than that. The screen is required because we use Galicaster as our >> reference capture agent, but you could spare the screen if you are using >> the official Matterhorn Capture Agents. And still, all this stuff is >> roughly half as much the cost of a single Cube. >> > >> > As an alternative, you could think of having a pre-installation for >> audio and video, so that all the cables are installed and conveniently >> "hidden" >> > from the public, and you'd only have to plug the VGA, audio, etc. from >> some panel next to the teacher's desk. But, again, it depends largely on >> what is your intended setup, if there are fixed cameras in each >> classroom, >> etc. >> > >> > Re. the Galicaster, I'd like to say: >> > >> > 1. Olav, thanks for testing and using it. Making something useful >> for >> > ourselves, but also for others, was our final goal, and seeing >> people >> is >> > happy with it makes us proud. >> > 2. You *can* manage Galicaster remotely via VNC. We currently >> manage >> all >> > our Galicaster equipments in such a way. Configuring Ubuntu for >> providing a >> > VNC signal without a physical screen attached may be a bit tricky, >> though, >> > but it can be done and it works perfectly. >> > 3. That RTP feature seems very interesting. If you want to share >> your >> > developments or concerns regarding that, we are more than happy to >> hear >> > them and even contribute to get those functionality on board! There >> is a >> > mail list for Galicaster users [1] and you are welcome to subscribe >> and >> > share your experiences. >> > >> > >> > I'm willing to hear Stephen's comments on their "ideal" setup, because >> this kind of discussions are good for adopters to make better decisions >> re. >> > their classroom equipment. >> > >> > Best regards >> > Rubén >> > >> > 2012/3/27 Olav Bringedal <[email protected]> >> > >> >> On 2012-03-22 16:47, Dr Leslaw Zieleznik wrote: >> >> >> >>> Steve, >> >>> >> >>> This is an interesting concept, but: >> >>> >> >>> 1. in my opinion the cost just for the transmitter is quite high >> >>> ($1690-$1990) >> >>> 2. you still need to run some wire between the camera/microphone and >> >>> the device 3. the question is where you will keep your recordings? >> >>> on the decoder/receiver which will add another $1600-$1900 to the >> >>> cost 4. will you have access to recordings on the receiver, such >> >>> that in a case of lost connection with the core (or missed >> >>> transmission) this can be recovered. >> >>> >> >>> >> >> I think this might be an interesting product for capturing a screen >> >> together with an IP-camera. We UiB have looked into solutions where >> >> we can depend less on a stationary PC in the class room, and rather >> >> have a virtualised agent. >> >> >> >> We have seen that the Galicaster agent is much easier to configure >> >> for rtp streams than the native MH agent. We are currently working >> >> with two >> >> scenarios: >> >> >> >> 1: have a device (either epiphan vgabroadcaster or the epiphan MCD) >> >> capture the screen and stream it to rtp. It is here the Tcube can be >> >> a replacement. An ip-camera does the same. Then a galicaster agent >> >> takes these streams as an agent. The drawback here is that the output >> >> for the galicaster is native, and without a pc in the room, no >> >> feedback is provided for the lecturer. If galicaster had a web >> >> interface we would probably go for that right away. >> >> >> >> 2. Get the MCD to work and accept the (less than optimal) quality of >> >> the s-video input. We see that the firmware on the MCD is also quite >> >> buggy, and are very unsure if it is production worthy. >> >> >> >> >> >> In my only few months experience with the MH system, the best >> >> solution is >> >>> to have an autonomous capture device, permanently placed in the >> >>> lecture room. >> >>> And so in the case of any problem, recordings can always be uploaded >> >>> at any time 'by hand' to the core. >> >>> >> >>> You would probably be better of if you design a laptop based capture >> >>> device, but then there is unavoidable hazard when moving laptop >> >>> around and making every single time connections to the network and >> >>> to video/audio devices. >> >>> We did use such idea in the past with MiniMac based Podcast Capture >> >>> portable device, which we found very unpractical. >> >>> >> >>> Anyway, an interesting concept and I wonder what other peoples will >> say? >> >>> >> >>> Best, >> >>> Leslaw >> >>> >> >>> >> >> -- >> >> >> >> Olav Bringedal >> >> >> >> Seksjon for integrasjon og applikasjonsutvikling IT-Avdelingen UIB >> >> >> >> ______________________________**_________________ >> >> Community mailing list >> >> [email protected] >> >> http://lists.opencastproject.**org/mailman/listinfo/community<http:// >> >> l ists.opencastproject.org/mailman/listinfo/community> >> >> >> >> >> >> To unsubscribe please email >> >> community-unsubscribe@**opencastproject.org<community-unsubscribe@ope >> >> n castproject.org> ______________________________**_________________ >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Community mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > http://lists.opencastproject.org/mailman/listinfo/community >> > >> > >> > To unsubscribe please email >> > [email protected] >> > _______________________________________________ >> _______________________________________________ >> Community mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.opencastproject.org/mailman/listinfo/community >> >> >> To unsubscribe please email >> [email protected] >> _______________________________________________ >> _______________________________________________ >> Community mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.opencastproject.org/mailman/listinfo/community >> >> >> To unsubscribe please email >> [email protected] >> _______________________________________________ >> > _______________________________________________ > Community mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.opencastproject.org/mailman/listinfo/community > > > To unsubscribe please email > [email protected] > _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Community mailing list [email protected] http://lists.opencastproject.org/mailman/listinfo/community To unsubscribe please email [email protected] _______________________________________________
