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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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As with anything new, PILS has generated a number of questions about its intent and its use. This list should help to clarify the project and what it can do for you. What do we have to do to broadcast an event?For the time being, the procedure is as follows:
What type of event is best suited to PILS?As the name implies, lectures, with a speaker in a fixed position, are best. The system employs a single camera and microphone which can lead to uneven audio or video quality if used to show a roundtable discussion or seminar. Fewer speakers also requires fewer releases that need to be signed. We are going to conduct a phone interview/phone conference that we would like to broadcast. Is that possible with PILS?Yes. PILS now has resources to take the audio from a standard phone conversation and pipe it into the computer for broadcasting. Who can watch events broadcast through PILS?The only real requirements for watching something via PILS are the Quicktime software and a relatively fast Internet connection. This is particularly true for live broacasts. Material offered on-demand after it takes place is generally offered in three formats to accommodate a wider range of Internet connection speeds. We are not restricting access just to the University of Pittsburgh. We have an event in an hour. Can we use PILS to broadcast it?PILS is portable, not magical. While UCIS is nothing if not flexible, such last minute scrambling is ill-advised for the following reasons:
Is there a time limit on broadcasts?This is an interesting issue. The live broadcasts are not time-bounded. The computer digitizes the signal and pumps it out to the network. Archiving material, on the other hand, does have limitations. PILS now features a hard-drive recording device that can record two and a half hours of material continuously. While this has not yet been fully tested, it promises much better and faster archiving of recorded material. In some cases, however, we may have to use digital video tapes, which are limited to 80 minutes. This is great! Now we can do videoconferencing here in UCIS, right?Not exactly. Videoconferencing or teleconferencing typically refers to a situation where parties at remote sites can see and hear each other in real time, giving at least a slight impression of being in the same place. PILS has never been intended to play such a role. Indeed, "Lecture," as used in the project's name, is much more the traditional European definition of the word: one person talks, dispensing wisdom to the masses with little or no feedback from the audience. I have an event off-campus that I would like to broadcast. Is this possible?Unfortunately, no. PILS requires a University network connection in the venue where the event takes place. We have a video of a lecture that was given a few years ago. Can we make this available through PILS' on-demand video?Yes. The only caveat is that you should have a signed release from speakers who appear in the video. I have an event that I want to record, but I am afraid that broadcasting it will give people an excuse not to attend. Can you just tape it for me?The introduction of PILS does not mark the introduction of a videography department in UCIS. In this particular case, you have two options:
If you want to have the recording available afterward on-demand via PILS, please contact Mark Weixel. We are going to be using PILS to broadcast a lecture. Can we link to the session directly from our website, or do we need to direct people to the PILS website?You most certainly can and should provide links from your own web page. Furthermore, you can link to archived, on-demand video or audio. Contact Mark Weixel for specific information about how to do this.
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