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November 15, 2011

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Cameras, Microphones, Social Media, Technology

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How to Produce a Webcast… part 5

Video Mixer

In part 4 of my how-to series, I spoke about mixing various audio sources together.  In this one I will describe how to mix your various video signals together with the mixed audio to produce a final product.

Once again, due to intensive research, I discovered a wonderful product which does exactly what I’m after.  According to their website:  “VidBlaster is a state-of-the-art live video production tool” and I would totally agree.  This single tool replaces tens of thousands of dollars worth of physical video mixing equipment into one very easy to use piece of software.  When used on an appropriately fast computer, you can produce Full-HD LIVE broadcasts. 

During the first episode of Week In Review, we had spent too much money on needed audio and video equipment that we were broke.  But by our second episode we had enough capital to purchase the Home version of VidBlaster.

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As you can see from the image on the right, our home version limits us to 7 modules.  Based on the hardware we have, here are the seven modules we chose and why:

  1. Preview allows us to monitor the signal output.  This is similar to the “headphones” connector on our audio mixer.  Since we want to produce a 720p broadcast, our preview window is sized appropriately.
  2. Audio is a module which we designate the audio source that will be feed into the broadcast.  I have chosen the rear Line In blue plug on my sound card since that is where I have the Main output of the mixer going.  We can monitor the sound level with this module and modify it as needed on the fly.
  3. Streamer is used to link our broadcast to our uStream LIVE broadcast channel.  It only has Start/Stop buttons with additional options under the right click menu.  These include our username/password and our chosen LIVE broadcaster (uStream in our case).
  4. Recorder, this module is used to capture our broadcast to a video file for later post-production within Windows Live Movie Maker (covered in part 8 of this series).  This module also includes some basic controls for starting/stopping and saving our broadcast.  It also has an option for uploading the video, but I want to add starting and ending credits which I do in post production because of the Home Edition of VidBlaster I own.  Once we have enough to purchase the Professional Edition we can add our starting and ending credits within the live broadcast itself.
  5. Camera 1 which I have configured to pull from the Microsoft Cinema camera pointed at David’s location.
  6. Camera 2 is configured to pull from my other Microsoft Cinema camera which is pointed at my location.
  7. Camera 3 is configured for Screen Capture mode.  Since we have the 7 module limitation this module changes based on how our broadcast is planned.  Currently our co-host Eric doesn’t have a computer and we are using our Skype to call his cell phone.  This configuration allows me to display YouTube videos, websites, or anything else I can call up on it on a LIVE broadcast.

Our upgrade plan is pretty easy to guess.  The Professional Edition of VidBlaster increases the module limit to 25 and with these additional modules we will be changing the configuration and adding new modules.

  1. Camera 3 will be configured to screen capture mode and has our Skype caller displayed full screen.  They are displayed on my 3rd desktop screen which points towards David so he can see our guest directly.
  2. Camera 4 will be pointed at my 2nd desktop screen also in screen capture mode.  This 2nd screen will be used for browsing webpages and such LIVE.
  3. Player 1 will have our opening credits video which was post-produced a few weeks ago.
  4. Player 2 will be used for our closing credits.  Likely these are produced for each episode since we don’t know who to thank for various content and our guests.
  5. Player XX, these additional players will be used for various videos used during the broadcast.  If we want to display a YouTube video, we will use a utility to download that video and have it on my hard drive and preloaded into a Player module.  The reason for this is it will put less of a strain on my internet connection which every bit of is needed for a good quality upload to uStream.
  6. Video Overlay 1 will be used to hold our customized title graphic for David.  It basically contains his name and job description for display at random times during the broadcast.
  7. Video Overlay 2 will be used for my customized title graphic.
  8. Video Overlay 3 is destined to hold the customized title graphic for our Skype guest/co-host.
  9. Video Effect 1 I will use to combine both Camera 1 and Camera 2 in a side-by-side or Picture-in-Picture format.  This module has nearly a dozen different formats which I may setup additional Video Effect modules for.
  10. Video Effect 2 is used to combine Camera 2 and Camera 3.
  11. Video Effect 3 is for Camera 1 and Camera 3.

As you can see, our limitations force us to find creative ways to produce our broadcast.  If you’d like to help us overcome these limitations, please donate to the Week In Review show.  All donations will go to improving the quality of the show and keeping us online and broadcasting.

Cost Sheet

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At this point you have all the tools to produce videos and broadcast them LIVE for less than $700 + tax.  From this point forward we will focus in on hosting services (parts 6, 7 and 10), as well as post production (part 8 and 9) and lastly publicizing your new show online using social networking tools (part 11).

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November 8, 2011

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Microphones, Technology

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How to Produce a Webcast… part 4

Audio Mixer

In part 3 of this series I discussed hardware required to pull audio from our host and his potential guests.  In this part, let us discuss how we’re going to mix those two microphones with various other sources like Skype, my computer (for videos and such) and an MP3 player for some fancy background sounds.

After yet another dose of online research I discovered that an audio mixer was required in order to inject audio from multiple sources into my VidBlaster video mixer software.  This meant a trip to my local audio shop for some physical research.  Based on my previous research I knew I had to ask for a mixer that supported 2 mic inputs (mono) and 3 Line inputs (stereo).  My local shop pointed me to the mixer display room and pointed me at the 5 channel mixers.  I asked a few simple questions and quickly discovered he knew less than nothing on mixers and I was on my own.  After a while of looking around I came across the Xenyx 1002B 5-Channel compact mixer for only $108.  Hashing it out in my head I realized this will perfectly fit my needs. 

Broadcasting SetupOnce I got it home I set about calculating the wiring I would need to get everything hooked up.  Visio helped me draw the mixer out and calculate my wiring needs.  According to the diagram and looking at my hardware I determined I would need the following wires which were reasonably priced at my local RadioShack:

(2) 1/8” Stereo Jack to 1/4” Mono Plug Adapter
(1) 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Stereo Cable
(3) Mono Phono Jack to 1/4” Mono Plug Adapter 2pk
(4) 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Dual Phono Y-Cable
(2) 1/4” Mono 3-ft Shielded Cable

I wanted to be able to listen to the audio as well.  I already had a simple Logitech headset but had to add a 1/8” Stereo Jack to 1/4” Stereo Plug Adapter.  However if you are buying these parts yourself, I’d suggest something like the Cyber Acoustics Stereo Headphones, it comes with a 1/8” to 1/4” adapter.  This is only for the audio engineer to listen to the output without causing any microphone interference.

It is hard to determine an upgrade path to this device.  The cost of audio mixers allowed me to choose one that would perfectly suit my needs and provide plenty of room to grow.  For example, if I were to have a 3rd in-studio guest, I would only need to purchase a 3rd microphone and cable.  If a 4th were to arrive, a 4th mic/cable and I could push the computer signal over to where the MP3 player is.

The current setup can feasibly handle up to 5 guests, one of them being a Skype guest.  If we would like to have more than 5 guests we would need to upgrade this mixer.  Researching a bit more I would recommend using the Behringer Xenyx X2222USB for $326.  It has room for 8 microphones and includes mixer effects to make the broadcast more fun.  Beyond that I’d probably recommend the 10-mic Xenyx X2442USB or how about the 24-mic EuroDesk SX3282 mixer for some real power at $978.  Of course I’m starting to get a bit silly now… something like that would be overkill for my little 300sqft home office.  Don’t believe I can even fit 24 people into it.

But seriously though.. back to the Xenyx 1002B configuration.  I had various inputs to be dealt with…

  1. Microphone 1 for David, our host, connected to Channel 1 Line In on the mixer using the 1/4” Mono 3-ft Shielded Cable.
  2. Microphone 2 for me, connected to Channel 2 Line In on the mixer also using the 1/4” Mono 3-ft Shielded Cable.
  3. Skype caller.  Skype allows us to specify which audio playing device the Skype audio is sent.  My sound card contains a nice enough sound card that I could feed the front green speaker plug a separate audio signal from the back green speaker plug.  I configured Skype to send its signal to the front plug which is connected to Channel 5/6 on the mixer using the

    4. Mono Phono Jack to 1/4” Mono Plug Adapter 2pk and 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Dual Phono Y-Cable.  Skype audio is in stereo unlike the microphones.

  4. Computer Speakers so we could hear audio from videos I might play from YouTube for example.  The default audio device for my computer is the rear green speaker plug.  Therefore it is connected to Channel 7/8 on the mixer using the Mono Phono Jack to 1/4” Mono Plug Adapter 2pk and 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Dual Phono Y-Cable.  This is also a stereo signal.
  5. My MP3 Player (iPhone) is connected to the RCA output connecters  on Channel 9/10 on the mixer using the 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Dual Phono Y-Cable.

Next I had to deal with my various outputs…

  1. My headphones allow me to hear what everything mixed together sounds like.  Therefore they are connected in the top right plug on the mixer using the 1/8” Stereo Jack to 1/4” Stereo Plug Adapter.
  2. Main Mixer Output needs to be fed back into the computer so it can be mixed with the video within VidBlaster.  Thus the main output gets plugged into the rear Line In blue plug on the back of my computer.
  3. Main speakers allow David anybody in studio to hear signals from specific sources I configure on the mixer.  In this case, I’d like David to hear anything from the computer, our Skype guest but that’s it.  I don’t want him to hear himself or any of the in-studio microphones since that would cause horrible interference.  Thus the main speakers are connected into the Mon Send plug on the mixer using a 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Dual Phono Y-Cable and Mono Phono Jack to 1/4” Mono Plug Adapter 2pk.  See the “Red” control knobs for which sources are sent to the main speakers.
  4. Skype Caller return signal will need to be plugged into the Rear pink microphone plug.  This is the audio that our Skype caller will hear on their side and is connected to the mixer with the 1/8” Stereo Jack to 1/4” Mono Plug Adapter and the 6-ft 1/8” Stereo to Stereo Cable.  Just like the main speakers you will use the “Orange” control knobs to determine which sources our Skype caller will hear.  In our case I want them to hear all the microphones, the computer and the MP3 player.   I don’t want them to hear themselves.  Since the orange knobs are linked to the volume sliders, they will only hear the sources where the sliders are tuned up.

When I’m not broadcasting, I keep all the source slider knobs tuned down including the Main slider.  Since the computer is turned up on the Red control knob it feeds into my main speakers which are my default for the computer.  I can turn the MAIN Main speaker Red control knob if I need to adjust the volume for anything I’m doing.

Now when I’m broadcasting is when the fun starts.  For this I put on the headphones and adjust the white control knob to adjust those.  I slide up the MAIN slider which affects both my headphones and the main output for the mixer.  Then I can control which sources are listened to by moving up/down their source slider.  Prior to the show I adjust the control knobs as desired for everyone (white knob for me, orange knobs for our Skype caller, and red knobs for David).

Cost Sheet

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In part 5 of my How to Produce a Webcast series, I will discuss the video mixer software called VidBlaster.  Show you some interesting features about that software.

 

Special thanks to JVonD for his video on YouTube for assistance setting up this mixer.

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October 18, 2011

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Cameras, Live Movie Maker, Microsoft, Social Media, Technology

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How to Produce a Webcast… part 1

imageI’ve gotten back into the video game.  Years ago I had a web show called RootSync which I produced on a shoestring budget.  It worked well and had nearly 24 episodes (full season in TV terms).  Since then several things happened, I got a “real job”, divorced my Ex, closed my business, found a wonderful new wife, upgraded my job, upgraded my house, now I’m upgrading my broadcasting capabilities.Avatar

My latest venture into webcasting is a News Review called Week In Review.  I’ve worked hard on this show technically and have added so many new technically interesting features to make it happen.  Below is a short list of technical things that need to be learned and sorted out:

  1. Our Host and general theme of the show.
  2. Microsoft Cinema HD USB cameras for capturing high quality video.
  3. Wireless Label Microphones from RadioShack for capturing our hosts audio.
  4. Using a Xenyx1002B audio mixer to bring together both label microphones, Skype audio, and my computer’s audio then feeding them into VidBlaster for broadcasting.
  5. Utilizing VidBlaster for mixing multiple video sources together, broadcasting it over to uStream, and recording it for later post-production.
  6. uStream for the LIVE aspect of our show.  Broadcasting occurs every Friday at 7pm CST and uStream helps us broadcast LIVE.
  7. YouTube for the hosting of our episodes that have been post-produced.
  8. Using Windows Live Movie Maker for Post Production.
  9. iStockPhoto for royalty free videos, pictures and images.
  10. WordPress for hosting the main website which ties it all together.
  11. Publicizing our show by utilizing social networking like Twitter, Facebook, IMAutomator, etc…

I will be going into depth on each of the above technical aspects of the show and hopefully by the end of my Webcasting series you’ll have the knowledge needed to produce your own Webcast.

Our Host

A very important part of any new Webcast web show is your host.  The host must be interesting, insightful, and knowledgeable on the topics to be covered.  It helps if your host has the time to research and find the stories or topics that they would like to talk about in a way that would interest an audience.

David Smith3For my latest Webcast, my friend David will be hosting the show while I get to focus on the technical stuff.  David is a long time friend and has tons to talk about.  He has an actual PHD, he has lived and worked in L.A. during the riots, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Rome, and has ended up in Northwest Arkansas.  His extensive knowledge about a wide array of subjects makes him a very interesting listen and I believe the world would be better with his views shared.

David and I have been meeting every Friday for dinner ever since I can remember.  During our Friday dinners we’d talk about how our weeks have gone and what has happened in the world during the week as well as how those events would effect our lives here in Northwest Arkansas.  A few months ago we decided to record our discussions and share them with everyone and a new show was born.

Now that we have our host and the general theme of the show, it’s time to focus in on the technical aspects.  In part 2, I’ll discuss the video hardware used during our show.