MySchoolStreams.com Technology Overview

What type of events can be streamed through MySchoolStreams.com?

Any event that is meaningful to the school, its students, teachers or administrators may be streamed through MySchoolStreams – whether streamed live for immediate viewing throughout the world and automatically archived for future viewing, or simply recorded and uploaded to our server for future enjoyment. The event can contain audio and/or video, we support streaming of archived and live audio only, video only, or audio/video streams.

What is a live streaming encoder?

A streaming encoder is a software program that is used to convert the broadcast to a format that is viewable on the internet. There are many types of streaming encoders that offer a variety of services to the broadcaster such as video transitions, sound effects, and the ability to add text to your broadcast.

Do I have to pay for an encoder?

No, there are many free encoders available on the internet. We recommend Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder and Windows Media Encoder, both of which are available as a free download. We will work with you and advise you on the selection of the free encoder that will work best for the schools purposes.

Do I need a powerful computer to stream live events? What about streaming at the site of the event– can I use a laptop?

The type of computer you need is based on the encoder you decide to install and use. The more features you want from your encoder, the more powerful computer you need. You do not need a powerful computer for basic video streaming. You can absolutely use a laptop for live video streaming as long as of the laptop has one of the commonly available connectors or ports that may be used to connect the audio/video devices to the laptop. There are specialized computers available that integrate the encoding, switching among multiple cameras and microphones, and adding many special effects to the production – while such machines are very nice for the more experienced and sophisticated producers, they are certainly not necessary to produce a very enjoyable internet video show.

What about Operating Systems?

Live free video encoders are available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

What kind of video camera do I need?

You can use almost any kind of video camera and microphone with live streaming – including a web cam. There are many advantages to purchasing a video camera, including the ability to store the stream on a hard drive, tape, or DVD as an extra backup. At a minimum the video camera must have live outputs – meaning that it must have some way of having what it is taping sent to your computer. In most instances this is done via analog outputs (the yellow/red/white cable connectors). MySchoolStreams has had great success working with schools with camcorders that can be purchased for $200-300. For schools starting video streaming for the first time, there are almost always consumer quality cameras available in the school or from boosters. While there are some advantages to having the features of professional quality cameras, such features are not necessary to begin streaming. High Definition (HD) cameras also have limited value since the rate or transmission rate for most internet video streaming is such that the image is degraded so that an image that is captured as HD is not capable of being viewed in HD.

What kind of microphone do I need?

In many cases the camera’s microphone will work well for a basic production and many cameras offer microphone accessories that allow you to use wireless or secondary microphones. You can also purchase microphone headsets which help you keep your hands free. Depending on your needs, microphones can be purchased for $20-200. For some larger productions, such as some sporting events, multiple microphones may be used, including wireless microphones that may be a significant distance from the others. When using multiple microphones, an audio mixer is needed to take multiple microphone inputs and to consolidate those signals into one audio signal that is matched simultaneously with the video signal that is then encoded and streamed. An audio mixer is typically less than $100 (http://www.alesis.com/multimix6fx). A wireless microphone with a range of a few hundred yards is about $250.

Do I need a special port on my computer for my video camera?

In most instances you would need an IEEE 1394 FireWire port. Many multimedia computers and laptops come with either the 4-pin or 6-pin FireWire port standard (see image below). If your computer does not have a FireWire port you can get an adapter card that contains up to three ports (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158038), or if you have a laptop you can get an express card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16839158010) or a PCMCIA card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158030), any which should be less than $75.

6-pin and 4-pin FireWire Ports

How do I connect my video camera and microphone for live streaming?

Most inexpensive video cameras do not have the ability to send a live digital stream to your computer – those that do normally cost a lot more – but they do normally have live analog outputs (the yellow/white/red connecters). In order to use a video camera that does not have a live digital output for live streaming you need an analog to digital converter – something like the Canopus ADVC-55. Connect your audio and video sources to the converter and then to your computer via an IEEE 1394 FireWire port. Basic converts cost between $200-500 and allow for one video input (one camera or multiple cameras that have been reduced to a single video signal through a video mixer) and one audio input (one microphone or multiple microphones that have been reduced to a single signal through an audio mixer) to be connected to your computer.

How can I connect multiple video cameras?

In order to connect multiple cameras you will need a video mixer/switcher – which cost $500-2,000 based on how many inputs are available and other special features such as fading, audio effects, and built in monitors. Many companies offer mixer kits with attachable monitors such as http://www.datavideo.us/se-500.html, while others simply have controls over input and output like http://www.edirol.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=385 or http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/485162-REG/Sima_SFX_10_SFX_10_Video_Mixer.html.

What formats of video streams/files does MySchoolStreams.com support?

We support both Flash and Windows formats for live streaming and files in flv (Flash) and wmv (Windows) formats for pre-recorded events.

What kind of internet connection do I need for live video streaming?

In many instances, the preferred internet connection, a wired Ethernet connection, is not available for live streaming. If one is available it should have capabilities of at least 350Kbps upload speed for optimum quality. However, live video streaming can work with any internet connection including 802.11 wireless and cellular modems. You can alter the settings of the live streaming encoder based on the bandwidth available to you – we will review this in detail with the school when the program is implemented. We recommend using Speedtest to determine the available bandwidth prior to streaming your live event. MySchoolStreams.com has had very successful multi-camera broadcasts using cellular modems. Some locations benefit from the use of an external antenna attached to the cellular modem (cell card) to better position the transmission signal relative to the closest cell tower.

What about the viewers, how fast should their internet connection be?

The best experience as a viewer is available to those users who have at least 768Kbps download speeds via DSL, cable, or LAN. These speeds will reduce buffering in the live stream.

What do my viewers need to watch the stream?

An internet browser, and based on the stream type viewers will either need Adobe Flash Player, Windows Media Player, or a compatible plug-in. Well over 90% of all computers in the market already have Adobe Flash and Windows Media Player installed, so typically nothing new has to be downloaded or installed. The plug-ins are free and are available for most operating systems and browsers. The MySchoolStreams.com website has been tested with various browsers including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome.

Does the school need to purchase extra bandwidth to stream events?

No, all bandwidth is used between the MySchoolStreams.com servers and the viewers. Schools streaming with MySchoolStreams.com are only impacted by increased traffic to the school or booster club’s web site, or by a large number of people viewing the streams while on their network.

Do we have to pay for storage of archived events?

No, MySchoolStreams.com stores all of the events for a predetermined amount of time on our servers at no additional cost.