Skype-A-Raptor – Webconferencing on steroids

There has been an increasing demand for the ability to web conference (Skype, WebEx, Elluminate, etc.) with sites not just 1:1, as we have been doing for a long time, but with a whole classroom or panel connecting from our end. The expectation was that audio and video quality should be as good as our purpose built videoconferencing space.

Leo Laporte has Skype-A-Saurus, can we build a mobile flexible Skype-A-Raptor ?

A hypothetical solution, became an experimental solution and very soon we were Skyping in a live classroom – we were in production. The equipment was initially roughly connected on a bench top to prove that it could work, and then the bulk of the system was migrated into a portable DJ rack.

What do we have so far?

AUDIO
Initial audio is picked up from 7 x XLR Boundary microphones and 1 x XLR Shure SM58 Beta handheld microphone. This is then connected to a Behringer X2222USB mixer which connects to the PC via USB. The web conferencing software sees the entire audio array as a single USB sound input.

VIDEO
Initial video is picked up from a Polycom VSX7000 unit, which gives us full PTZ functionality. The VGA output goes directly to a CRT screen to allow the operator to see what the camera is seeing. The S-Video to VCR output is run to a Canopus ADVC300 to allow us an analog to digital conversion.

From the Canopus ADVC300 the S-Video is delivered to the Sony Studio monitor (Channel C), the composite video is delivered to a Pioneer PVR and then onto the Sony Studio monitor (Channel A) allowing for recording of the signal from the room {Good for the initial test instance, but for other conference will need to capture the incoming signal}.

The Canopus ADVC300 gives a firewire connection to the PC where we pick up the video using SplitCam software which presents the camera to the web conferencing software..

OUTPUT/ROOM
The PC outputs to our standard room AV with the inbuilt projectors and sound reinforcement; via SVGA and 3.5mm audio jack. Currently investigating using the control room output on the mixer to have the audio also delivered to the room by the mixer.

FIG.1: Skype trolley (front)

FIG.2: Skype Trolley (rear)

FIG.3: Schematic
AUDIO (Blue): 8 x XLR microphones -> Behringer X2222USB -> USB -> PC
VIDEO (Red): Polycom7000 -> S-video -> Canopus ADVC300 ->Firewire -> PC
RECORDING (Red): Canopus ADVC300 -> PVR -> Monitor

As it stands the unit has been quite functional, and allows for a fair amount of flexibility in the class room. Note that our classes are postgraduate level and as such we can assume a fair amount of maturity in the users of the space – this allows for the operator to interact directly with the class to meet their requirements.

WHAT’S NEXT
On the to-do list;
* replace the ADVC300 with an ADVC700
* recording the presentation screen rather than the VSX7000 screen
* inserting a doc cam into the 2nd camera input of the VSX7000
* Room audio via the control room/sub audio feed rather than from the PC sound card
* echo cancellation and noise limiting

This weeks links (2011-03-21)

In brief:

* Doctor Who reveals the real problem with Amy Pond’s short skirts (2011-Mar-18) [i09] | Part 1 | Part 2 |
Doctor Who’s Comic Relief special episodes, called “Space” and “Time,” have popped up online, and the Doctor’s facing his gnarliest dilemma yet. It’s another “bottle” episode set inside the TARDIS, which you may need to hit the bottle after watching.

* Piracy: are we being conned? (2011-Mar-22) [The Age]
The marketers of entertainment should ask themselves – if a quarter of Australian internet users are engaging in unauthorised downloads as they claim, is it because Australians are a bunch of immoral criminals? Or could there be another explanation?

* Apple sets local iPad 2 launch date and prices (2011-Mar-23) [The Age]
Apple has announced the following prices for Wi-Fi only models in Australia:
• 16GB – $579 • 32GB – $689 • 64GB – $799
For the Wi-Fi plus 3G models, Apple has set these prices:
• 16GB – $729 • 32GB – $839 • 64GB – $949

Some reading/listening:
* The Wise Man’s Fear (Excerpt) – Patrick Rothfuss (2011-Feb-17) [Tor]

* The Elephants of Poznan – Orson Scott Card (2011-Jan) [Lightspeed Magazine]

**Autumn Reading Challenge**

The Aussie Readers group on Goodreads has the Autumn Reading Challenge where you select books for at least five or up to the whole 10 of the challenge questions for you Autumn 2011 reading project.

To join the challenge you should choose at least five books from the challenge categories. But it would be nice if you could aim for one book from each category (10 books). Post your selections in the Autumn challenge thread. Runs from 1st March till 31st May.

**March Monthly Challenge – Food and Lifestyle**

March’s theme: Food and Lifestyle Challenge
The fabulous and delicious Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is held every March in Melbourne, Australia. In honour of this gastronomically scrumptious event we’re holding a Food and Lifestyle Challenge! The ground rules are simple. Pick a book or magazine that fits into any of the following categories:
- A book with a title that includes any food related words, e.g Like Water for Chocolate, Eat, Pray, Love, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or Tea Time for the Traditionally Built.
- A book about healthy living or diet, e.g The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook or Losing the Last 5 Kilos: Your Kick-Arse Guide to Looking & Feeling Fantastic.
- A recipe book, e.g. Maggie’s Harvest, The Naked Chef or Surfing the Menu. (You can even read a magazine if you like!)
This would have to be the easiest book challenge around so pour yourself a glass of wine and get reading! Feel free to post your favourite health and fitness tips or the best recipes from your chosen book.:) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
– Aussie Readers [Goodreads]

Extremely late to start on this as I was still working through the **Summer Reading Challenge**; time to move on I think as we now have the **Autumn Reading Challenge**

Because I didn’t get to this one in the Summer Challenge, I will try for Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert

If not I’ll fall back onto a Cook book.

Music Monday #055 – Santana

After last Wednesday’s concert this week was always going to be Santana

Santana
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill. This initial exposure made their first, eponymous album a hit at the time, followed in the next two years by successful follow-ups Abraxas and Santana III.
Over the next few years, lineup changes were common and frequent, and although retaining a basis of Latin rock, Carlos Santana’s increasing involvement with guru Sri Chinmoy took the band further into more esoteric music, which continued for many years, although never quite losing the initial Latin influence.
In 1998, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Carlos Santana, Jose Chepito Areas, David Brown, Mike Carabello, Gregg Rolie and Michael Shrieve being honored.
Santana has achieved a total of eight Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards which were all awarded in 2000. Carlos also won two Grammy Awards as a solo artist in 1989 and 2003.
– wikipedia

And now for some music …