Chapter 7 Vide Bradcast The Vide feature f Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing enables yu t transmit and receive vide bradcasts with thers in a sessin. This is vide yu send live via a vide camera (e.g., web cam) nt t be cnfused with a pre-recrded vide (mvie) that Mderatrs can play using the Multimedia feature. Nte: This feature is nt supprted n mbile devices. Fr a list f features that are supprted, see Attending Sessins n Mbile Devices n page 23. The Vide feature can display up t six simultaneus camera transmissins. Fr details, see Multiple Simultaneus Cameras n page 93 Page 83
The Audi & Vide windw has the fllwing Vide cmpnents: 1 Expand/Cllapse buttn 4 Preview Vide buttn 2 Optins menu 5 Transmit Vide buttn 3 Primary vide display Yu will knw smene is transmitting vide (has their Transmit Vide buttn turned n) when the blue Vide activity indicatr ( ) appears next t their name in the Participants list. (Fr details n activity indicatrs, see Vide Activity, Permissin and Status Indicatrs n the facing page). In the example belw, Vivian and Lisa are transmitting vide. 84 Vide Bradcast
Mderatrs can use all the available Vide features and Participants a subset f thse features. In the fllwing table, a checkmark indicates which functins can be perfrmed by Mderatrs and which can be perfrmed by Participants (with the Vide permissin enabled). Fr details n permissins, see Setting Vide Permissin fr Participants n page 100. Feature Mderatrs Participants Preview a Vide transmissin Transmit a Vide bradcast Receive a Vide bradcast Set Vide camera preferences Capture a Vide image and send it t the Whitebard Change what is shwn in the primary vide display Make the Vide display fllw the current speaker Make the Vide display fllw the Mderatr's fcus Grant/revke the Vide permissin t/frm Participants Cnfigure simultaneus cameras Vide Activity, Permissin and Status Indicatrs Yu can mnitr the state f Vide activity and permissins thrugh indicatrs displayed in the Participants list f the Participants panel. Fr details abut permissins, see Understanding Permissins n page 51. Activity and Permissin Indicatrs The fllwing table describes the icns displayed in the Participant list t indicate Mderatr and Participant permissins and activity while using Vide. Activity Indicatr Meaning User has turned n his/her vide camera. Vide permissin is set glbally t "n" but the Mderatr has revked Vide permissin frm this user. Vide permissin is set glbally t "ff" but the Mderatr has granted Vide permissin t this user. Vide Bradcast 85
Status Indicatrs Status indicatrs appear n the Vide activity indicatr icns f Vide users in the Participants list if there are delays in the transmissin r receipt f Vide. When there are delays, the server begins t drp frames. Yu will experience delays as a drp in vide quality. The degree f delay is indicated by clr: Amber Indicatr: Appears when a persn's receipt r transmissin f vide is mderately delayed. Red Indicatr: Appears when a persn's receipt r transmissin f vide is significantly delayed. Nte: Vide transmitters see status indicatrs fr themselves and vide viewers. Vide viewers see status indicatrs fr vide transmitters nly nt fr themselves. (There is ne exceptin: if using multiple cameras, a persn can be a viewer and transmitter at the same time, s viewers may see status indicatr fr themselves but nly because they are als transmitters.) In the example t the right, Vivian is transmitting vide, Lisa is experiencing a mderate delay in receiving Vide, Lucy is experiencing a significant delay in receiving Vide, and Charlie is nt having any prblems receiving Vide. Previewing and Transmitting Vide Befre yu transmit vide t everyne in the sessin, it is a gd idea t preview it first t check the quality f the image. If it is nt satisfactry, yu may want t adjust yur camera settings (refer t the dcumentatin fr yur camera) r change the Vide Frame Rate (see Setting the Vide Frame Rate n page 98). Tip: If yur Vide buttn is inaccessible (grayed ut) it may be because a Mderatr has remved yur Vide permissin r the maximum number f simultaneus cameras has been reached. 86 Vide Bradcast
Nte: If yur Audi & Vide panel is in its cllapsed state, it will autmatically be expanded when yu preview r transmit vide. Previewing Vide T preview vide, click n the Preview buttn. Ntice that, when activated, yur Preview buttn turns blue. The images captured by yur camera will be displayed in yur primary vide display, alng with the wrd "Preview". N ne else will be able t see yur preview. 1 Preview image 2 Preview buttn Nte: If yu get an errr when yu click n the Preview buttn (such as "Cannt cnnect t the vide surce"), yur camera may be in use by anther applicatin r yu dn't have the crrect camera selected under Preferences (see Selecting yur Vide Camera n next page). Transmitting Vide T transmit vide t everyne in the rm, d ne f the fllwing: Click n the Transmit Vide buttn in the Audi & Vide panel. Enter the keybard shrtcut Ctrl+F3 (Cmmand-F3 n Mac). Tip: This keybard shrtcut is a "ht key", meaning yu can redefine it. Yu are actually able t cnfigure tw ht keys fr the Vide buttn: ne t turn it n and ne t turn it ff. Fr details, see Ht Keys n page 40. Vide Bradcast 87
Nte: If yu get an errr when yu click n the Preview buttn (such as "Cannt cnnect t the vide surce"), yur camera may be in use by anther applicatin r yu dn't have the crrect camera selected under Preferences (see Selecting yur Vide Camera belw). Ntice that, when activated, yur Vide buttn displays a red camera. 1 Vide buttn ff 2 Vide buttn n Stpping Vide Transmissin T stp vide transmissin, turn yur camera ff in the same way yu turned it n: Click n the Vide buttn in the Audi & Vide panel. Enter the keybard shrtcut Ctrl+F3 (Cmmand-F3 n Mac). Click n the Preview buttn. Yu will cntinue t see vide images, but thers in the sessin will nt. Tip:This keybard shrtcut is a "ht key", meaning yu can redefine it. Yu are actually able t cnfigure tw ht keys fr the Vide buttn: ne t turn it n and ne t turn it ff. Fr details, see Ht Keys n page 40. Selecting yur Vide Camera If yu have nly ne vide camera installed n yur cmputer, that device is autmatically used by Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing t preview and transmit vide. Hwever, if yu have mre than ne vide input device n yur cmputer, yu can select which device yu want t use thrugh the Preferences dialg. Nte: When a cnnectin is established t a vide camera device, that cnnectin is maintained until a different device is cnnected r the sessin is terminated. While a cnnectin exists t a vide device, that device is nt available fr use by ther applicatins. 1. Open the Preferences dialg in ne f the fllwing ways: Frm the Edit menu, select Preferences (Windws & Linux) 88 Vide Bradcast
Frm the Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing menu, select Preferences (Mac OS X) Enter Ctrl+Cmma (Windws & Linux) Enter Cmmand-Cmma (Mac OS X) 2. In the left pane f the Preferences dialg, select Camera Settings under Audi/Vide. 3. Select the desired camera frm the Select the camera t use drp-dwn list. 4. Click n OK t save yur preferences and clse the Preferences dialg, Apply t save yur preferences and leave the Preferences dialg pen r Cancel t clse the Preference dialg withut saving any f yur changes. When yu cnfigure preferences, Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing will remember the settings each time yu jin anther sessin n the same cmputer. Nte: Yu can restre yur preference settings t the default. Fr details n restring default preferences, see Restring Default Preference Settings n page 11. Vide Bradcast 89
Viewing Vide T view the vide being transmitted by thers, yur primary vide display must be pen. If it is cllapsed, click n the Expand buttn (in the tp left crner f the panel) t pen it. Tip: Alternatively, if yu want t preview yur Vide, click n the Preview Vide buttn t expand the panel. If yu want t transmit Vide, click n the Vide buttn t expand the panel. If yu d nt wish t view anther's vide transmissin, cllapse the primary vide display by clicking n the Cllapse buttn. Tip: When yu cllapse yur primary vide display when viewing vide, incming vide is nt transmitted t yu. This will reduce the bandwidth used and will imprve the verall respnsiveness f Blackbard Cllabrate. (If yu are transmitting vide, cllapsing the vide display will nt affect bandwidth vide will still be transmitted.) Nte: Fr infrmatin n wrking with panels, see Wrking with Panels n page 28. In the primary vide display, yu may see either smene's prfile picture (r default prfile icn) r Vide transmissin. The display will als shw their name. 90 Vide Bradcast
1 Cllapse buttn 2 Primary Vide display 3 Name f transmitter The Default Views By default, the ptin Make Vide Fllw Speaker is turned n and the Mderatr-nly ptin, Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus, is turned ff. These ptins affect what is shwn in the primary vide display. (Fr infrmatin n these ptins and hw t change what is presented in the primary vide display, see Cntrlling the Primary Vide Display n page 94.) If the default ptins are maintained (and yu are nt previewing yur wn vide), the fllwing happens in the primary vide display as peple jin the sessin, transmit vide r speak: If yu are the first persn in the sessin, yur primary vide display will be blank. If yu click n the Transmit Vide buttn, yu will see yur wn transmissin in the primary vide display. When a secnd persn jins the sessin, yu will see their vide transmissin r, if they are nt transmitting vide, their prfile picture. It is assumed yu will want t lk at that persn, nt yurself, regardless f wh is speaking. (This happens even if neither f yu has spken.) As subsequent peple transmit vide r speak, their vide transmissins r prfile pictures are added as thumbnails. Nte: There is ne exceptin: if neither f the first tw parties is transmitting vide, when a third persn jins the sessin, the primary vide display will g blank until smene transmits vide r speaks. When smene speaks, yur primary vide display will always shw either the prfile picture r the vide transmissin f the persn currently speaking r, if n ne is speaking, the last persn t speak (even if that speaker has left the rm). Vide Bradcast 91
Nte: When smene is transmitting vide while yu are previewing yur wn vide, the received vide will be displayed in a thumbnail and the vide frm yur camera will be displayed in yur primary vide display. In the example belw, Lisa is speaking (she desn't have her vide camera turned n s yu just see her prfile picture) and Vivian has her vide camera turned n. Vivian's vide is shwn in a thumbnail belw the primary vide display. Tip: Hver yur muse ver a thumbnail t display a "tl tip" cntaining the transmitter s name. Tip: If yu are having difficulty with yur camera (e.g., it freezes), try changing the frame rate. Fr details, see Setting the Vide Frame Rate n page 98. If desired, yu can display a bx shwing the frame rate f the transmissin in the upper-left crner f the primary vide display. (T d s, see Setting the Vide Frame Rate n page 98.) This is useful fr trubleshting vide (see Trubleshting Vide Delays n page 97). 92 Vide Bradcast
Multiple Simultaneus Cameras Sessins can be enhanced by having the vide streams f multiple peple displayed at nce. Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing has the capacity t shw the transmissins f up t six vide cameras simultaneusly. Mderatrs can disable multiple simultaneus cameras (by setting the maximum allwed t ne) r enable frm tw t six simultaneus cameras. Fr details n cnfiguring hw many simultaneus cameras t permit in a rm, see Setting Maximum Simultaneus Cameras belw. When there is mre than ne simultaneus camera enabled, the vide stream f ne persn will appear in the primary vide display. Everyne else's transmissin will appear in thumbnails, up t a maximum f five thumbnails 1 Primary Vide Display 2 Thumbnails Fr a discussin f what yu will see (by default) in the primary vide display as mre peple transmit vide, see The Default Views n page 91. Fr a discussin f hw yu can change that display, see Cntrlling the Primary Vide Display n next page. Setting Maximum Simultaneus Cameras The maximum number f simultaneus cameras allwed is initially set by the sessin creatr. As a Mderatr, yu can verride this default at any time during a sessin. Vide Bradcast 93
Cautin: When using multiple simultaneus cameras in cnjunctin with breakut rms, Blackbard Cllabrate will allw yu t have six active cameras in each rm. Hwever, since vide is bandwidth intensive, using mre than six ttal active cameras in a sessin will affect the quality and speed f vide in all breakut rms and the main rm. It is recmmended that yu limit the number f active cameras t six acrss all rms in the sessin. T cnfigure the maximum number f simultaneus cameras allwed in a rm, d the fllwing: 1. Open the Maximum Simultaneus Cameras dialg in ne f the fllwing ways: Frm the Tls menu, select Vide and then Maximum Simultaneus Cameras. Frm the Audi & Vide panel Optins menu, select Maximum Simultaneus Cameras. 2. Select the number f simultaneus cameras yu wuld like t permit in the rm by mving the slider with yur muse. 3. Click n OK. Cntrlling the Primary Vide Display The primary vide display can be cntrlled in three ways: setting the Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus ptin, setting the Make Vide Fllw Speaker ptin, and by manually selecting what t display. The Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus ptin is set by Mderatrs nly and verrides an individual's Make Vide Fllw Speaker ptin. Bth ptins verride a persn's ability t manually select what vide stream t shw in the primary vide display. Nte: When images change in the primary vide display, they may be a bit fuzzy fr a few secnds while the server changes the reslutin f the new image frm lw (which is what is used fr thumbnails) t a higher reslutin (which is used in the primary display). 94 Vide Bradcast
Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus Mderatrs can use the Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus ptin t frce everyne in the rm t see the same thing in their primary vide display as what the Mderatr is seeing in his r her primary vide display. This ptin verrides all ther methds f cntrlling the primary vide display. Cautin: If there is mre than ne Mderatr in a sessin, a secnd Mderatr can verride what the first Mderatr set as the primary vide display. Be careful nt t disrupt anther Mderatr's presentatin by inadvertently changing yur primary vide display. Yu can turn n Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus in tw ways: Frm the Tls menu, select Vide and then Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus. Frm the Audi & Vide panel Optins menu, select Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus. T turn the ptin back ff, just repeat the prcess. Make Vide Fllw Speaker By default, the ptin t Make Vide Fllw Speaker is turned n. When it is turned n (and a Mderatr has nt turned n Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus), the primary vide display will always display either the prfile picture r the vide transmissin (and the name) f the persn currently speaking r, if n ne is speaking, the last persn t speak (even if that persn has left the rm). The Mderatr ptin Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus always verrides this ptin. If yu want t manually select the image t be shwn in the primary vide display, turn ff Make Vide Fllw Speaker. Yu can d s in tw ways (prvided the Mderatr desn't have Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus turned n): Frm the Tls menu, select Vide and then Make Vide Fllw Speaker. Frm the Audi & Vide Optins menu, select Make Vide Fllw Speaker. T turn the ptin back n, just repeat the prcess. Manually Selecting What t Display If Make Vide Fllw Mderatr Fcus and Make Vide Fllw Speaker are turned ff, yu can manually cntrl what is displayed in yur primary vide display. T mve a thumbnail image int the primary vide display, simply click n the thumbnail. The image that was riginally in the primary display will mve t the thumbnail in which the mved image previusly resided the images swap places. Vide Bradcast 95
Multi-Camera Vide in Recrdings If a sessin with multiple simultaneus cameras is recrded, the vide frm all cameras is saved and, when playing the recrding, yu can chse wh t shw in yur primary vide display just as yu wuld if yu attended the live sessin. Fr instructins n changing yur display, see Cntrlling the Primary Vide Display n page 94. Sending a Vide Image t the Whitebard If yu want t take a snapsht f an image in yur primary vide display, yu can d s in ne f the fllwing ways: Frm the Tls menu, select Vide and then Send Camera Snapsht t Whitebard. Frm the Audi & Vide Optins menu, select Send Camera Snapsht t Whitebard. The image yu snap is placed in the fregrund f the current page f the Whitebard. Yu can manipulate it like yu wuld any ther Whitebard image. The name f the persn transmitting the vide will nt be captured in the snapsht and, if yu have the Display frame rate ptin selected in the Camera Setting preferences (see Setting the Vide Frame Rate n page 98), the frame rate bx will nt be captured in the image. If yu take a snapsht f yur Preview view, the wrd "Preview" will be captured in the snapsht. Nte: Fr Participants t use this feature, they must have Whitebard permissins. 96 Vide Bradcast
Tip: If yu want t take a snapsht f an image in a thumbnail (simultaneus cameras), yu must mve the thumbnail image int the primary vide display and then take a snapsht. (Fr details, see Cntrlling the Primary Vide Display n page 94.) Trubleshting Vide Delays A pause in the vide transmissin may be due t a slw cnnectin speed, netwrk cngestin r an verladed server. T cmpensate, and keep the viewer up-t-date, the server des nt send the viewer all f the frames that the transmitter sends t the server. If yu are the transmitter f vide, and users are frequently getting amber r red vide status indicatrs, try lwering yur frame rate in the Preferences dialg. Nte: Fr a discussin f frame rates, see Understanding Vide Frame Rates belw. Fr details n setting yur frame rate, see Setting the Vide Frame Rate n next pagesetting the Vide Frame Rate n page 98. Understanding Vide Frame Rates The frame rate is the number f frames per secnd being transmitted r received. The default rate is 10 frames per secnd. The higher the frame rate, the higher the bandwidth being used. T reduce the lad n yur Internet cnnectin, yu can chse t receive vide at a frame rate lwer than what is being transmitted. Hwever, yu need t be careful nt t put it t lw r yu may find that the quality f the vide is cmprmised (making it jerky r blurry). Raising the frame rate will imprve the quality f the vide nly up t a pint. Ideally, the frame rate shuld be set at the lwest pssible value that will maintain gd vide transmissin fr the type f vide being transmitted. Fr vide with little mvement, such as when yu are having a cnversatin using yur web cam ( talking heads ), a frame rate f 7 shuld be sufficient. Setting the frame rate higher than 7 wuld nt imprve yur vide quality, but wuld nly increase the bandwidth lad n yur cnnectin. Generally speaking, the greater the mvement in a vide, the higher the frame rate required t prevent jerkiness r blurriness f the image. (Fr example, a TV shw wuld need a frame rate f 10 t 15 and a theatrical mvie wuld need a frame rate f abut 25 t 30.) The best frame rate is the ne that best matches the transmissin. If the vide is being transmitted at a rate higher than yur cnnectin can receive it, the Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing server will start drpping frames in rder t keep yu up-t-date. Fr example, if yur frame rate is 7 frames per secnd and the transmitter is sending the vide at 10 frames per secnd, the server will send yu nly 7 ut f every ten frames. This way yu will nt lag behind. The quality f the image yu receive may r may nt be cmprmised. T change yur frame rate, see Setting the Vide Frame Rate n page 98. Vide Bradcast 97
Setting the Vide Frame Rate Yu can limit the amunt f bandwidth used by Vide by adjusting the frame rate. (Fr a discussin f frame rates, see Understanding Vide Frame Rates n page 97.) The default frame rate is set t 10 frames per secnd. Nte: Increasing yur frame rate increases the bandwidth used by Vide and the lad placed n yur Internet cnnectin. Even if yur camera supprts a high frame rate, yur cnnectin speed may prevent yu frm sending r receiving vide at a high frame rate. Change yur Vide Frame Rate settings in the Preferences dialg. 1. Open the Preferences dialg in ne f the fllwing ways: Frm the Edit menu, select Preferences (Windws & Linux) Frm the Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing menu, select Preferences (Mac OS X) Enter Ctrl+Cmma (Windws & Linux) Enter Cmmand-Cmma (Mac OS X) 98 Vide Bradcast
2. In the left pane f the Preferences dialg, select Camera Settings under Audi/Vide. The Camera Settings preferences panel appears. 3. Under Use this ptin t cap the vide frame rate, mve the slider t the desired value. 4. If yu wish t shw the frame rate in the tp left crner f the primary vide display, select the ptin Display frame rate. 5. Click n OK t save yur preferences and clse the Preferences dialg, Apply t save yur preferences and leave the Preferences dialg pen r Cancel t clse the Preference dialg withut saving any f yur changes. When yu cnfigure preferences, Blackbard Cllabrate Web Cnferencing will remember the settings each time yu jin anther sessin n the same cmputer. Nte: Yu can restre yur preference settings t the default. Fr details n restring default preferences, see Restring Default Preference Settings n page 11. Vide Bradcast 99
Setting Vide Permissin fr Participants The Vide permissin is included in the default set f Glbal permissins s all Participants are granted the permissin t talk upn jining the sessin. (Permissins must be turned n when the sessin is scheduled. Fr mre infrmatin n cnfiguratin f Glbal permissins during sessin creatin, see Understanding Permissins n page 51.) There may be times when yu want t turn the Vide permissin ff such as when yu want t eliminate distractins and fcus the Participants attentin n the infrmatin yu are presenting. When yu remve the Vide permissin frm Participants, their Vide buttns are disabled s they will nt be able t transmit vide. Participants will still be able t view anther's vide transmissin, set their camera preferences, mve thumbnails int their primary Vide display and make Vide fllw the current speaker. T remve the Vide permissin frm all Participants at nce, deselect Vide in the Glbal Optins menu r click n the Vide glbal permissin icn at the tp f the Participants list. T remve the Vide permissin frm an individual Participant, deselect Vide in their Participant Optins menu. (Fr further details, see Granting and Revking Permissins t and frm Participants n page 55.) Stpping Vide Transmissin T stp transmitting vide, d ne f the fllwing: Click n the Vide buttn in the Audi & Vide panel. Enter the keybard shrtcut Ctrl+F3 (Cmmand-F3 n Mac). Tip: This keybard shrtcut is a "ht key", meaning yu can redefine it. Yu are actually able t cnfigure tw ht keys fr the Vide buttn: ne t turn it n and ne t turn it ff. Fr details, see Ht Keys n page 40. Click n the Preview buttn. Yu will cntinue t see vide images, but thers in the sessin will nt. T stp previewing vide, click n the Preview buttn in the Audi & Vide panel. 100 Vide Bradcast