With today’s lecture capture systems, virtually any room can be provisioned for video with a simple flick of a switch. From large auditoriums to smaller classrooms, or from dedicated labs and practice spaces to faculty offices, creating a baseline video capture setup can be as easy as downloading the appropriate software to a computer and plugging a camera into a USB port. Show
That, however, doesn’t mean that lecture capture can or should be deployed the same way in every instance. To get the best results, you’ll want to plan for the practical realities of recording in each room you provision. Last week, in Part I, we addressed lecture capture setup considerations for where and what you’ll be recording. This week we dive into the AV equipment you’ll need and technical considerations that should help you choose the right tools for particular rooms and uses. If you’d like to read our guide in its entirety — or you simply prefer the e-book version — you can download our 50+ page guide to setting up lecture capture anywhere on campus here. What Equipment Will You Need For Recording Lectures?SECTION 1: Lecture Capture Computers SECTION 2: Video Recording Equipment for Lecture Capture SECTION 3: Audio Recording Equipment for Lecture Capture SECTION 4: Lecture Capture Accessories When it comes to lecture capture equipment, the basics are simple. You’ll need a computer configured for lecture capture, as well as audio and video recording devices that will feed into the computer. While lecture capture software enables instructors to record basic video content with just a laptop or mobile device, most colleges provision their classrooms on campus with a fixed lecture capture system. These systems provide teachers with a ready-made recording environment, in which faculty simply walk in, plug in, and hit record. The lecture capture system ensures consistent quality in the classroom videos, and minimizes the need for presenters to learn and tweak potentially complex in-room AV setups. Below, we compare options for the backbone of your lecture capture setup — building a lecture capture computer versus buying a rack-mount lecture capture appliance. We’ll then dive into specific features you should consider when selecting peripherals such as video cameras, microphones, capture cards and other accessories for your setup. 1. Lecture Capture ComputersAt the core of an in-room lecture capture system is a lecture capture computer that runs video capture software and grabs AV feeds from connected classroom devices. A lecture capture computer can either be a customized desktop, or it can be purchased as a plug-and-play rack-mount appliance. We’ll discuss the benefits of each approach, but first let’s look at the components that typically go into a lecture capture computer. What Goes Into a Lecture Capture Computer?A lecture capture computer is typically a midrange to a high-end computer with video capture software installed and the proper ports for capturing and syncing AV feeds. Typically, a lecture capture computer will have the following components:
Your choice to either use customized desktop computers, or to purchase rackmount appliances, will depend greatly on the following:
Option 1: Customizing Desktop
Computers A few key considerations: Existing equipment: Budgeting: Upgrade Flexibility: Option 2: Buy Rack-Mount Appliances for Lecture Capture A few considerations for provisioning classrooms with purpose-built appliances: Existing Infrastructure: Budgeting: Upgrade Flexibility: The Panopto-Certified Video Capture Appliance by Seneca Option 3: Utilizing Faculty Laptops for Lecture Capture This is a quick and flexible setup option that can be scaled to many classrooms, but the presenter will need to be able to connect peripherals and have a functioning knowledge of how to use your lecture capture software. >> Remote Recording And SchedulingOne software-based lecture capture feature can make recording remarkably simple for both presenters and the AV team — remote recording. If your lecture capture software provider offers this feature, your technical team will be able to schedule and manage your lecture recordings from anywhere with a web browser or smartphone.For faculty and non-technical presenters: A mobile app with a remote control interface turns any smartphone into a secure touch panel for controlling in-room AV gear. This interface standardizes the controls for different devices in different classrooms on campus. It’s the perfect solution for anyone who has avoided recording lectures because they weren’t sure how it all worked. For your AV team: Remote recording has the potential to reduce workloads, giving them the ability to schedule recordings in specific classrooms in advance. With just a few clicks, you can securely schedule a single event or a recurring weekly lecture for the entire semester. You can even control how the recording is captured by selecting video sources, setting the recording quality, and even choosing to live stream the recording or not. Additionally, AV teams can use the remote recording feature to securely monitor recording status, preview live recordings, and check audio levels. From one remote location, you can check the status of recordings all across campus to make sure scheduled recordings are going as planned. 2. Video Recording Equipment For Lecture CaptureIn an ideal world, a single camera model would meet the requirements of every learning space. This perfect, all-in-one camera would support pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) to accommodate the size and setup of any classroom. It would deliver smooth, broadcast-quality video in different lighting conditions. It would have a small form factor to fit on a podium or discreetly mount to the wall. Its cost wouldn’t prohibit you from buying one (or more) for every classroom across campus. And of course, it would plug directly into a standard USB port to eliminate the need for video capture cards. You could buy this all-in-one camera in bulk to receive significant discounts, and you could save time by provisioning the same camera model in every learning space. Of course, this camera doesn’t yet exist, although we can see glimpses of this future through recent advances in 4K, 60 frames-per-second (fps) USB webcams and smartphone cameras. Until the all-in-one camera arrives, you’ve got choices. Fortunately, where budgets are concerned, the cost of the highest-quality cameras has dropped significantly in recent years, and the capabilities of even the most inexpensive devices have risen considerably. You’ll find that the “best” camera(s) will vary by classroom, based on the room size, available lighting, existing infrastructure, course-specific demands, and presenter logistics. For example, a high-end PTZ camera may be your best choice for a large lecture hall frequently used for guest presentations and live events, while a consumer-grade camcorder or even webcam may suffice in some smaller classrooms. As you consider your options for each learning space, keep in mind that the goal of any lecture capture camera is to reproduce the classroom environment with high enough fidelity to improve the student viewing experience. When thoughtfully provisioned, video cameras help students feel as though they’re in the room even if they’re watching from miles away. Let’s look at the major categories of video cameras on the market, compare their relative strengths, and discuss why you might select one over another for any given space. Webcams | Camcorders | DSLR Cameras | PTZ Cameras | Motion Tracking Cameras | IP Cameras | Mobile Devices | Specialty Cameras WebcamsWebcams are compact video cameras that are either built into a laptop or connected externally via a USB connection. Webcams have become remarkably powerful in recent years, with models like Logitech C922 supporting 60fps and Logitech Brio supporting up to 4K resolution. Many webcams will also record audio, although the quality of audio captured currently varies greatly frommodel to model. What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price
Range CamcordersPortable video camcorders, like the Sony Handycam or Canon VIXIA series cameras, will have more features and higher-end capabilities than a webcam. Camcorder lenses typically provide zoom capabilities anywhere from 8x to 60x. These cameras also have larger sensors and wider dynamic ranges than webcams, performing better in low-light situations. And camcorders typicallyprovide greater control over white balance and exposure to help ensure the consistency of your recordings. What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Along with the camcorder itself, it’s likely you’ll also need to invest in a capture card in order to connect the camcorder to your lecture capture computer. Check out our section on Connecting Video Recording Devices to Lecture Capture Systems for more details on capture cards. DSLR CamerasDigital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras made their name in still photography, but in recent years, they’ve also become a contender for high-quality video capture. These interchangeable-lens cameras sport significantly larger sensors than camcorders, making it easier to capture high-quality video in difficult lighting conditions, and to achieve more cinematic depth of field.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range PTZ CamerasThe defining characteristic of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras is their ability to have their direction and zoom controlled remotely. Cameras such as the Sony SRG-120DH and SRG-300H are meant to be wall- or ceiling-mounted and then controlled by a wireless remote, room AV control system (like Crestron), or joystick controller. These cameras have large zoom ranges, and most newer PTZ models capture excellent-quality video in 1080p at 60fps.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Motion Tracking CamerasMotion tracking cameras, such as the iSmart Lecture Tracking camera (LTCA2001N), are innovative PTZ cameras that can automatically follow a presenter as he or she moves, without the need for an operator to manually pan the camera during a recording. The iSmart camera uses facial recognition and motion detection technology to follow the presenter moving about the front of the lecture hall.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range IP CamerasAn IP, or internet protocol, camera can send and receive video over a local network or the internet. This type of camera is most commonly used for security and surveillance, and was a common choice in some early lecture capture installations. IP cameras installed as part of your security infrastructure can sometimes be repurposed or reconfigured to also support lecture capture. What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Smartphones and Tablet CamerasMost people today already have a device in their pockets that can record course content — their smartphones. High-end smartphones and some tablets have the ability to record high-quality video at up to 1080p and 60fps with image stabilization. These devices have made new use cases for lecture capture possible, from in-the-field recording to multi-camera captures of demonstrations, and more.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Specialty CamerasSpecialty cameras expand the type of content that faculty can include in their recorded lectures. These cameras typically capture feeds that are secondary the presenter video and their on-screen content. So check that your lecture capture software is capable of capturing video from multiple sources. Below are some of the most common examples of specialty cameras:Document cameras: Microscopes: Interactive whiteboards: Specialty scientific instruments: >> Connecting Video Recording Devices to Lecture Capture SystemsDifferent cameras provide different ways to stream video from the device to the lecture capture computer. Webcams, some PTZ cameras, and an increasing range of specialty recording devices make it simple by using USB 2.0 or 3.0 connections. Whether you’re using a laptop, a desktop, or a rack-mount appliance, these devices typically just plug-in and work.By contrast, camcorders, DSLRs, most PTZ cameras, and many specialty cameras send video to the lecture capture computer over HDMI, SDI, DVI, VGA, component, or composite connections. These require either an internal or external video capture card to convert the feed into a format that can be recognized by the computer as a video source. For rack-mount appliances and most desktop computer setups, an internal video capture card makes the most sense. These cards typically provide single, dual, or quad inputs for video, with options for all of the typical video interfaces. For laptops, internal video capture cards aren’t an option. Instead, external capture cards (sometimes called capture dongles) can accept incoming video from the camera and convert it to USB. These converters are available for HDMI, SDI, DVI, VGA, and analog video sources. In just the last few years, USB 3 video capture cards have begun to change the face of high-quality video recording and live streaming. An AV setup that once cost thousands of dollars and required complex, specialized appliances can now be achieved with an existing midrange laptop and a $300 dongle. Want to know more? Read our overview of USB 3 video grabbers. Distributed RecordingSome lecture capture systems provide a capability called distributed recording (also known as multi-machine recording). With distributed recording, you can use separate web-connected lecture capture computers and/or mobile devices to capture multiple video and audio feeds. These feeds are automatically synchronized on the lecture capture server or in the cloud with no hard-wiring or other physical connections necessary. Benefits of Distributed Recording
For more, check out our detailed video review of distributed recording. Distributed recording simplifies in-room recording setup by using separate computers to capture different aspects of the lecture. In this example, slides are recorded using a laptop at the front of the room, while the presenter is recorded using a camcorder and laptop in back. 3. Audio Recording Equipment For Lecture CaptureThere’s a simple secret to getting the most out of your lecture capture tools, and it’s this: your audio matters twice as much as your video. When students can hear crisp, clear audio of their instructors in a recording, poor video quality may still be a distraction, but one that can often be overlooked. By contrast, broadcast quality video is for naught if the audio is garbled or otherwise unintelligible. Without a quality talk track, students will rarely find a recording useable. Fortunately, the same trends that have made video recording devices more accessible and affordable in recent years have also been at work with audio devices. Today, institutions will find a plethora of easy and inexpensive devices. Let’s take a look at what’s available, what each does well, and why institutions might select one over another for any given space. Desktop Microphones | Boundary Microphones | Lavalier Microphones | Handheld Microphones | Podium Microphones | Built-in Microphones Desktop micsDesktop microphones are designed to sit on top of a table or podium, near the presenter.What They’re Good
For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Boundary micsA boundary microphone is a small, omnidirectional mic that sits flat on a surface, such as a table or mounted on a wall. The boundary mic is designed to pick up sound that reflects off the surface on which it is mounted or positioned.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Lavalier micsA lavalier microphone (also commonly referred to as a lapel mic, clip mic, body mic, or lav) is a small, hands-free microphone that can be worn by the presenter, and which will capture high-quality audio even as he or she moves around. The microphone plugs into a wireless transmitter that the presenter wears on a belt or waistband, and the transmitter sends the audio feed to a receiver that will need to be connected to your lecture capture system.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Handheld micsHandheld microphones are traditional microphones that a lecturer holds and speaks into directly. These can be wireless or wired into your lecture capture or AV system in a classroom or lecture hall. They are available with a range of capabilities and audio capture patterns (otherwise known as polar or pickup patterns, detailed below), and depending on the quality the cost can also vary quite a bit.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Podium micsPodium microphones, or gooseneck microphones, are intended to sit atop a podium or lectern where a stationary presenter will be speaking. You’ll have many pickup pattern options with podium microphones, similar to other styles of microphones. You can also purchase bases for these microphones with features including “active” LED indicators and mute switches.What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For Price Range Built-in micsMany video recording devices already have built-in microphones for recording audio. However, these mics tend to produce fairly low quality audio compared to external, dedicated microphone sources. If you plan to use a native audio source, it’s a good idea to perform a test recording to check the audio quality ahead of time. Depending on the performance of the microphone, you may find you want to add a separate audio source. What They’re Good For What They’re Not Good For >> Pay Attention to Pickup PatternsThe pickup or polar pattern of a microphone refers to the microphone’s sensitivity to sound relative to its direction or angle from the microphone. You will want to select a microphone whose pickup pattern will most effectively capture sound from the lecturer and minimize other sounds you don’t want to be recorded — for example, from the students in the audience. Some microphones will give you the option to select more than one pickup pattern, while others will record only one type of pattern. As you provision audio recording devices for your classrooms, it’s important to understand the following pickup patterns:
Connecting Audio Recording Devices to Lecture Capture SystemsAs with your video recording devices, your audio recorders will most often connect directly to your lecture capture computer. If your microphone cable does not align with any existing ports in your lecture capture computer, adapters should allow you to plug almost any type of microphone cable into your system. For example, higher-end microphones frequently output via XLR connections, requiring XLR-to-USB converters, such as those offered by Behringer, Shure, Blue, and Focusrite. Similarly, multiple audio sources will need to run through an audio mixer into your lecture capture computer.4. Additional Lecture Capture AccessoriesAlong with the standard recording equipment, there are a variety of audio and visual accessories that you may need for your lecture capture implementations. While this particular space is rapidly changing, here is a quick overview of some of the most common accessories we see used for lecture capture today. Video Switchers and Mixers Splitters Audio Mixers Visual Recording Indicators Part III…Next week we’ll share technical diagrams for nine different lecture capture setups and use cases that show you how to connect all of your lecture capture equipment.If you don’t want to wait, you can download our complete guide to setting up any room on campus for lecture capture for free, now. Download the complete guide to lecture capture anywhere. At what distance can you keep someone at arm's length quizlet?18 inches to 4 feet - distance is preferred for informal conversation and to keep people " at arms length".
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Which type of nonverbal communication is considered the most noticeable?Face and eyes are the most noticeable part of the body; the study of how eyes communicate is known as oculesics. Posture often reveals our feelings and those of others. Gestures, like manipulators consist of fidgeting, or one part of the body manipulating another.
What is the term for culturally understood substitutes for verbal expressions?Emblems are culturally understood substitutes for verbal expressions.
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