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This article describes how to use InstantPresenter to broadcast
your meeting that is taking place at a venue such as a hotel.
It outlines the required equipment and how to bring it all together
to make your on-site event have global reach.
Setting up the Presenter Station
The presenter station will be the broadcast source, sending
video and audio to all connected audience members. This means
that this computer needs to be set up with a video source,
such as a camera, and an audio source, such as a microphone.
For portability, this computer can be a laptop, but should
have at least a Pentium 4 processor, 256MB ram, and running
Windows 2000 or later.
The Video Source
The presenter’s video source can be either a WebCam
connected to the computer via a USB port, or a high quality
DV camera, connected through a Firewire port. Once the camera
has been connected and tested on the computer, it can be
selected for use in InstantPresenter. This is done by clicking
on the Video Settings button in the upper left corner, and
selecting the available camera source.
If using a webcam, the presenter must stay in one place,
since the webcam cannot follow the presenter around. If using
a DV Camera, a cameraman can be assigned to follow the presenter
around, do zooms, and any other kind of TV type camera work.
Please note however that the more motion there is, the lower
the quality of the video will be, because current video encoding
techniques work best when the subject is not moving a lot.
The Audio Source
The audio source for the presenter can be as simple as a
microphone, or as sophisticated as a set of microphones connected
to a mixer which is the connected to the computer. To use
a microphone, simply connect it to the microphone jack of
the computer, and you’re ready to go.
In a conference room scenario, the presenter may be using
a wireless microphone which goes into a mixer which is then
sent out to a PA system. In this case, we simply need to
take the line-out of the mixer, and plug that into the line-in
of the computer. This will provide the computer with whatever
the audience in the room hears, and will allow this signal
to be broadcast to the online audience.
Audio levels can be set using the Windows Recording Volume
Control, which is located in the lower right corner of the
screen.
Slides, Online Chat and Other Interactivity
A moderator should be assigned to watch over the presenter
station computer to watch for questions from the audience,
advance slides, administer polls, and perform other administrative
tasks. The moderator should have prior training on using
the InstantPresenter interface and should be comfortable
moderating the event.
Connectivity
The last but very important factor for a successful broadcast
is the internet connectivity available to the presenter station
computer. We recommend a wired high bandwidth connection
to insure that the video and audio quality of the presentation
is as high as possible. A poor internet connection might
result in choppy video and audio, and other poor quality
results.
Setting Up the Audience Station
The audience station can also be a laptop which will be
placed in the audience conference room. This laptop has similar
requirements to the presenter station, so it should have
at least a Pentium 4 processor, 256MB ram, and running Windows
2000 or later.
The Video Source
The video signal should be projected onto a large screen
using an LCD projector. This is easily done by plugging the
projector into the external video jack of the laptop. This
will allow the audience to see the presenter, the slides
and all of the other on screen elements.
The Audio Source
The sound from the computer can be made available to the
entire room by using the headphone jack, which comes on most
laptops, and plugging that into the room’s PA system.
Depending on the types of connections available, different
cables may be needed.
Connectivity
Once again, the last but very important factor for a successful
broadcast is the internet connectivity available to the audience
station computer. We recommend a wired high bandwidth connection
to insure that the presentation comes through clear with
no problems. A poor internet connection might result in choppy
video and audio, and other poor quality results.
About InstantPresenter
InstantPresenter is a web conferencing tool which allows
presenters to quickly, easily, and affordably present to
a large audience, using Video, Audio, Slides and other interactive
mediums. Perfect for sales, marketing, product launches and
demos, InstantPresenter is one of the most affordable and
easiest to use online meeting platforms available.
Our application uses Flash technology which makes it viewable
on 99.6% of computers today. What this means is that your
audience will be able to get your message loud and clear
without the technical headaches of similar web conferencing
services. There is no software to install or download for
either you or your audience members. All you need is your
browser and you are ready to present.
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