What were the main goals of this project at the University of Utah’s SJ Quinney College of Law?
The main goals of the project at the University of Utah’s SJ Quinney College of Law were to cost-effectively continue to support established lecture capture processes and expand the availability of the lecture capture service to more classroom locations.

What was the main challenge the college faced in implementing the new lecture capture solution?
The main challenge the college faced in implementing the new lecture capture solution was gaining traction and support for AVoIP (specifically NDI) solutions from central campus resources. As a smaller department, the college needed resources not available on staff, with AV system coding support being the most critical need. This support would enable coding the legacy matrix switch out of the equation and adding support for the NDI-based solutions into the existing touch panel UI.

What equipment was used in the new lecture capture solution?
The equipment used in the new lecture capture solution at the University of Utah’s SJ Quinney College of Law included Magewell Pro Convert HDMI Plus, NewTek NDI Tools screen capture and webcam tools, and the NewTek CaptureCast Server.

Read the full article by by Macy O’Hearn for AVNetwork HERE

Learn more about Vizrt CaptureCast HERE

Learn more about NDI HERE

“We are so excited for this collaboration. We have been a long-time user of Panopto and now with the addition of Epiphan as a Panopto Certified hardware appliance and its ease of integration into our existing AV systems, UNLV has a solid platform for the streaming and recording of our students’ coursework.”

Frank Alaimo, Manager of Classroom Technology Services at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV)

“We are thrilled to announce that the Epiphan Pearl family is now Panopto Certified. This certification signifies the completion of rigorous testing to ensure the high-quality compatibility and seamless integration of Epiphan hardware with Panopto’s leading video management software. Together, Panopto and Epiphan are dedicated to empowering educators and students to improve classroom engagement and learning outcomes with a comprehensive video capture solution designed specifically for higher education.”

Chris Alibaruho, Manager, Partnerships & Strategic Alliances at Panopto

The Epiphan Pearl family works with existing AV control platforms (Crestron, Q-SYS, and Extron), cameras, displays, projectors, microphones, audio mixers/DSPs, and more to deliver a superior capture experience across campus. Epiphan’s powerful cloud management tools for remote access, management and maintenance, allows a single staff member to manage hundreds of endpoints through one simple interface.

“The demand for classroom capture has been unprecedented, making our partnership with Panopto a game-changer for faculty, administrators, and students alike. Many Panopto customers trust Epiphan for a touchless experience, ease of integration, and ability to manage video at scale with limited resources. Certification provides confidence to all Panopto customers that our teams are working together at the highest levels to define the future of video on campus.”

Nic Milani, VP of Product, Marketing, and Sales for Epiphan Video

Read the full press release from Panopto HERE

Learn more about Epiphan Pearl Mini HERE

Learn more about Epiphan Pearl 2 HERE

Learn more about Epiphan Pearl Nano HERE

Learn more about Epiphan HERE

What is Lecture Capture?

Lecture Capture is a range of video applications used for education. This is the practice of recording live lectures for students to watch back at a later time. There are many pros to this, especially for students, and this is why colleges and universities would do well to put it in place.

Flexibility: If the student isn’t able to be present in class, they can catch up on the course material at a later time by watching the recording.

Comprehension: Students who feel they are behind, or just need a refresher, can go back and review the lessons on demand. Lecture recordings also make a great study aid for upcoming exams.

Accessibility: On-demand lecture videos can better support the success of students with disabilities or learning impairments, and any who are out of class frequently for health reasons.

Key Components of Lecture Capture

What is the typical Lecture Capture setup like? Generally, there are 5 key components.

• Video source(s) – Cameras, a laptop running a slide deck, a tablet or other mobile device, etc.
• Audio source(s) – Microphones, sometimes paired with a mixer or an in-room audio system
• Video encoder – A general-purpose computer running a recording application, or a dedicated appliance purpose-built for recording and/or streaming
• Video content management system (CMS) – E.g., Kaltura, Panopto, YuJa, Opencast, Echo360
• Learning management system (LMS) – E.g., Canvas, Blackboard Learn, Moodle

Read the full article from Epiphan HERE

Learn more about Epiphan HERE

Hardware I/O

Physically, the unit is about 6″ front to back, 8.5″ wide, and 2 inches high, about the size of a 300-page hardback novel (Figure 1, below). As you can see in Figure 1, the unit has two HDMI inputs, one for a camera and the other for computer input. If you’re working with an older computer that doesn’t have HDMI output, you can buy a VGA- or DVI-to-HDMI adapter for under $10. There’s also a single SDI input for video, and HDMI/SDI outputs to a preview monitor, which isn’t essential but I found very useful. The unit accepts up to 1080p output in either NTSC or PAL rates, but goes no higher, so if you’re looking for a 4K solution, this isn’t it…[continue reading]

MONTREAL — August 22, 2016 — Matrox® will be on hand at the upcoming WFX – Worship Facilities Conference and Expo (Louisville, Kentucky, September 21-22, 2016 – Booth 1028) to display the Monarch™ line of streaming and recording appliances, including the Monarch HD and the newly released Monarch LCS. The small form factor Monarch devices are ideal for house of worship applications; facilitating live service offerings, broadening accessibility, and spreading high-quality video content to congregations who are present in-house or are joining the service remotely.

“Monarch products fit seamlessly into places of worship allowing them to capture video of a service from a camera and/or the lesson presentation from a computer, and easily webcast them to their congregants,” said Dan Maloney, technical marketing manager, Matrox. “The intuitive products will mean faster turnarounds and allow sermons and prayer materials to reach audiences quicker, including those in on-site overflow rooms or at-home viewers with limited mobility. For those viewing at home, an experience comparable to being there in person will now be available on demand.”

Matrox Monarch LCS — Video Content Capture Appliance

Competitively priced at $2,495 US, the Monarch LCS is an all-in-one device with HD streaming, recording, and production capabilities. Matrox Monarch LCS is an easy-to-use content capture appliance that accepts video from any SDI or HDMI camera and presentation content from computers over HDMI. Inputs can be encoded independently and in sync for use with the latest multi-stream video players. Alternatively, the inputs can be combined in a variety of production layouts, including picture-in-picture and side-by-side, for use with standard video players. In recording applications, the encoders write H.264 files (MP4 or MOV) directly to network-mapped drives, eliminating the need for post-service file transfer.

Matrox Monarch HD — H.264 Encoder

For simpler installations where only a camera feed of the room needs to be webcast, the Monarch HD encoder, priced at $995 US, enables master-quality recording of sermons and services for post-event editing. Matrox Monarch HD takes an HDMI input from a source such as a camera and generates an H.264-encoded stream compliant with IP protocols (RTSP or RTMP). While encoding the video at bitrates suitable for live streaming, it simultaneously records a high-quality H.264 file (MP4 or MOV) to an SD card, a USB drive, or a network-mapped drive.

About Matrox Video

Matrox Video is a technology and market leader in the field of 4K, HD, and SD digital video hardware and software for accelerated H.264 encoding, realtime editing, audio/video input/output, streaming, A/V signal conversion, capture/playout servers, channel-in-a-box systems, and CGs. Matrox’s Emmy award-winning technology powers a full range of multi-screen content creation and delivery platforms used by broadcasters, telcos, cable operators, post-production facilities, live event producers, videographers, and A/V professionals worldwide. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Matrox Monarch LCS is shipping soon. Are you ready?
This past April, Matrox Monarch LCS was unveiled at NAB 2016. We hope that you have had a chance to familiarize yourself fwith the product details since then and have updated your website and marketing materials.

Matrox Monarch LCS is an easy-to-use two-input lecture capture appliance that easily integrates into video management systems (VMS) and learning management systems (LMS). Users can define profiles for live streamed and recorded lectures mixing camera and presentation material from SDI and HDMI sources. Powerful scaling, deinterlacing and noise reduction engines ensure only pristine images are sent to the encoders. Using either RTMP or RTSP protocol, encoders deliver live streams to local media servers or cloud-based CDNs. In recording applications, the encoders write MP4 or MOV files directly to network-mapped drives, or alternatively to local USB drives or SD cards.

Monarch LCS is a reliable, standalone network appliance that IT administrators will find simple to set up and integrate into video management systems (VMS) such as Opencast and Kaltura and learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle. Its intuitive web interface lets users easily define profiles for live streamed and recorded lectures mixing camera and presentation material from SDI and HDMI sources. Powerful scaling, deinterlacing and noise reduction engines ensure only pristine images are sent to the encoders. For streaming purposes, the encoders use either RTMP or RTSP protocol to deliver live streams to local media servers or cloud-based CDNs. In recording applications, the encoders write MP4 or MOV files directly to network-mapped drives, eliminating the need for post-lecture file transfer, or alternatively to local USB drives or SD cards.

Monarch LCS comes complete with a comprehensive set of HTTP-based control APIs that let network- or cloud-based video management platform developers and A/V integrators harness the streaming and recording capabilities of Monarch LCS appliances from within their own environments to create customized user experiences. A control module for Crestron room media controllers is also available.

See how it compares with the other members of the Monarch family, the Monarch HD and the Monarch HDX Broadcast H.264 Encoder.

Matrox Monarch Comparison Table