OMwiki:Gear

Revision as of 14:55, 19 March 2010

A suggested room setup diagram (with slide mixing). Click on an object to learn more; the image is area-hyperlinked.

Speaker

• Properly attired, light makeup if heavy lighting is used
• Helpful to have the speaker tour the room beforehand and try a test run
• Send notification of archival video publication
• Recommendation: >200mW green laser pointer, carefully wielded

Presentation Laptop

• Presenters' laptops are not generally available beforehand, but it is helpful to send instructions on signal output expectations.
• Carry several different cable converters: Mini DisplayPort to VGA, DVI-to-VGA, miniDVI-to-VGA, etc.
• Recommendation: Thinkpad-style laptops; stay away from HDMI

Special notes: In-room wireless bandwidth traffic spikes during presentations, so it is best to have on-podium Ethernet connections.

Splitters

VGA Splitters

• Powered via outlet power or USB
• No fancy features beyond signal duplication; these are hardware-only devices
• Recommendation: Gigaware 2-Port USB Powered VGA Splitter or similar

Composite A/V Splitters

• Powered via outlet power; signal-copy only
• Also, carry plain RCA Y-cables and RCA female-to-female couplers
• Recommendation: Distribution Amplifier or similar

Audio Splitters

• XLR Splitters
• Recommendation: ?

Scan Converters

• Aspect ratio is significant, as is max. resolution
• Recommendation: Kramer

Monitors

• Check and configure scan converter
• Can be set to record input A/V

Recommendation: Cowen A2 or A3

Special note: A/V input cables must manufactured by Cowen

Mixers

Audio

• Also known as a soundboard
• Bulky devices with lots of cabling

Video

• Generally expensive, bulky devices
• Can do picture-in-picture
• Different aspect ratios possible
• Transitions between two or more video sources possible

Recommendation: Edirol ____

Auxiliary video

Secondary cameras

Cameras

• Must have composite video-out
• High-definition vs. standard
• Tape vs. solid state; all-day recording
• Backup recording
• Audio-in
• Time drift problem
• Zoom range
• Suitable tripod

Cameraperson

• Present vs. non-present
• Approachability

Audience

• Mic'd vs. non (for audience questions)
• Wireless connectivity, competition for outlet power (gaffers tape)
• Reserved areas, tablecloths
• Pan-ability

Encoder

• Very important
• Quiet
• Dedicated internet bandwidth, non-firewalled
• Laptops (USB/FireWire video) vs. mini-machines (USB/FireWire/PCI capture cards)

Distribution

=Page embedding

• Load balancing: client-side vs. server side

Projectors

• Expensive
• Recommendation: Something quiet and reasonably bright

Lighting

• Stage lighting vs. fill lighting
• Heavy, fragile equipment
• Sandbags, tall stands sometimes needed

Power