Use PVC for Stake conference

Discussions about the desktop video conferencing solution provided by the Church

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harddrive
Senior Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:52 pm

#11

Post by harddrive »

I have purchase the Osprey 260e card and it works like a champ. I installed it in my computer, installed the drivers and I was up and running.

I was able to connect the Sony EVI-D70 using s-video or composite and vidyo desktop recognized it. It also recognized that I had connection a XLR mixer to the card.

I tested it with a member of my stake presidency and it worked like a champ. The picture was good, sound was great and in a sense, I had it set up exactly like I plan to for stake conference in June 2012.

I also tested it with webcasting software and it picked it all up. I also seemed to get at one point a 30 second delay, but I kept trying it and it seemed to grow back to 90 seconds. I will need to determine if it is because of composite or s-video makes a difference.

So now more testing and see what we need to do. I'm hoping to be able to use an IP based camera with this software, so that we don't have to purchase a separate computer.

I will keep you updated on this.
rgme
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Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:58 pm

#12

Post by rgme »

So, I got the Roxio USB capture device, and tested it out with a DVD playing. I was less than impressed with the video quality. When I set it to best framerate, the size dropped to 4-- x 270. Otherwise, I ended up with ~15fps with 640x360. Now, I'm sure this is a problem with my net connection (as well as using wireless; didn't have access to wired connection). However, I'm wondering if you had any reservations with the quality in your testing? What was your net speed? Was it perfectly smooth? What size were you running?

Did you have any audio-video sync issues? My a-v seemed to be off a tiny bit (just didn't look right).

We're debating using Meetinghouse Webcast because it (so far) has provided a more reliable, fluid picture. Having the little bit of choppiness can get old after 3 minutes, not to mention after 2 hours of a meeting. I know the other clerks I'm working with have mentioned that the video will need to be perfectly smooth (no "Skypiness", if you know what I mean).

I was really looking forward to PVC, as we really want a two-way broadcast. Hopefully I can get it working. (We're also looking at a potentially non-upgradeable 1.3 down/0.3 up connection at our satellite location.)
harddrive
Senior Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:52 pm

#13

Post by harddrive »

rgme wrote:So, I got the Roxio USB capture device, and tested it out with a DVD playing. I was less than impressed with the video quality. When I set it to best framerate, the size dropped to 4-- x 270. Otherwise, I ended up with ~15fps with 640x360. Now, I'm sure this is a problem with my net connection (as well as using wireless; didn't have access to wired connection). However, I'm wondering if you had any reservations with the quality in your testing? What was your net speed? Was it perfectly smooth? What size were you running?

Did you have any audio-video sync issues? My a-v seemed to be off a tiny bit (just didn't look right).

We're debating using Meetinghouse Webcast because it (so far) has provided a more reliable, fluid picture. Having the little bit of choppiness can get old after 3 minutes, not to mention after 2 hours of a meeting. I know the other clerks I'm working with have mentioned that the video will need to be perfectly smooth (no "Skypiness", if you know what I mean).

I was really looking forward to PVC, as we really want a two-way broadcast. Hopefully I can get it working. (We're also looking at a potentially non-upgradeable 1.3 down/0.3 up connection at our satellite location.)
As I said, I haven't tried it yet. However, my Internet speed at my stake center is 15 meg down and 5 meg up. The slowest connection in the stake is 3 meg down and 800 K up.

My stake conference is the last weekend of February and I will let you know what I find out. I will be generally using hardwired in the stake center for everything, except for my workstation receiving the broadcast.
caj36
New Member
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:39 am
Location: Indiana

#14

Post by caj36 »

harddrive wrote:As I said, I haven't tried it yet. However, my Internet speed at my stake center is 15 meg down and 5 meg up. The slowest connection in the stake is 3 meg down and 800 K up.

My stake conference is the last weekend of February and I will let you know what I find out. I will be generally using hardwired in the stake center for everything, except for my workstation receiving the broadcast.

I'm curious, how did things go at Stake Conference? Any insights or troubleshooting advice?
harddrive
Senior Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:52 pm

#15

Post by harddrive »

caj36 wrote:I'm curious, how did things go at Stake Conference? Any insights or troubleshooting advice?

Sorry that i haven't gotten back with this. It has been a busy month.

Things with PVC went very well. We used the OSPRY 260E card and audio directly off the chapel amplifier and it worked great. The focus of the camera was off at times.

The OSPRY card allow us to give more than enough volume to the outlying units. The wireless worked good, but my plan is to go hardwired before our January 2013 stake conference.

We had our stake president log in with his account and his video came up on the screen in the stake. He won't live that one down, LOL. The big thing with PVC is to make sure that everyone is on 1 person on the screen instead of automatic. Also to make sure that notification of someone entering the room isn't turned on. Also to make sure that all microphones are muted and that everyone gets in before the meeting starts.

Picture worked great and the delay was about a second. It worked well on a 3 meg down, but again wireless was probably the biggest hangup. It worked, but I prefer hardwired and I'm working to do that in my stake. this way we can set everything up the same way and adjust the volume.

I found that I like it and will plan to continue to use it. The webcasting software worked during a test and the stream on the computers receiving the broadcast froze, so I don't like that.

The music was good, but everyone including teh choir really needs to have a microphone, because the podium microphone doesn't do a great job of picking up all sounds.

I hope this helps.
rolandc
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Posts: 257
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 8:20 pm

#16

Post by rolandc »

Did all your ward have to buy that card also? (260e)

How long were you cable runs Video? Audio?

Line level from the amp?


Also sounds like we may need a mic mixer.
Roland
russellhltn
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Location: U.S.

#17

Post by russellhltn »

harddrive wrote:We had our stake president log in with his account and his video came up on the screen in the stake. He won't live that one down, LOL. The big thing with PVC is to make sure that everyone is on 1 person on the screen instead of automatic. Also to make sure that notification of someone entering the room isn't turned on. Also to make sure that all microphones are muted and that everyone gets in before the meeting starts.

What happens if a remote site has to re-join after the broadcast?
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So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
lajackson
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Location: US

#18

Post by lajackson »

RussellHltn wrote:What happens if a remote site has to re-join after the broadcast?

Everyone who forgot to turn off notifications will get beeped.

And if there are any other problems, you will need a second line to discuss operator to operator, since you will already be feeding the program to everyone and you can't discuss back and forth as you might before the conference. You will probably already have this anyway to troubleshoot, remind each location to mute their microphone, and handle any other problems during the broadcast.

Cell phone. Free nights and weekends. That's what I've heard they use. (I don't have FNAW technology myself.)
harddrive
Senior Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:52 pm

#19

Post by harddrive »

rolandc wrote:Did all your ward have to buy that card also? (260e)

How long were you cable runs Video? Audio?

Line level from the amp?


Also sounds like we may need a mic mixer.
Rolandc, You do not need the OSPRY card at every building. The card is only used to take the video and audio from the wires, and digitize them onto the computer. So the only place that you will need that card is where ever the camera is. As I said, we are looking to do multi-buildings and so we may purchase another full computer and card to be transported to different buildings.

The cable run for audio was close to 150 feet and the video closer to 100 feet. On most amplifiers there is a line out, which allows you to connect it to another piece of equipment. As far as I know, our audio tech plugged into it and then ran a wire to the satellite cabinet for direct connection into the modulator and into the computer.

hope this helps
harddrive
Senior Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:52 pm

#20

Post by harddrive »

RussellHltn wrote:What happens if a remote site has to re-join after the broadcast?

Russ, if another site has to rejoin, then I believe that they will need to reset their viewing to 1 person and the beep will automatically be turned off because that is in the settings. So far, I have not had anyone, using a normal computer, instead of an iPad, drop off the call once they are in. I can also lock the room once I get all the buildings in. This way no one else will be able to join and if they drop, then they won't get back in.
Locked

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