Skype on Monitors During live Streaming [Archive]

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pincbubble

03-15-2009, 06:52 PM

Any suggestions on how to use skype through the ivga to get the monitors to go live instead of still pictures of people you are interviewing in another city?

I would appreciate any information.
Thanks,
pincbubble in Atlanta:help:

joseburgos

03-15-2009, 09:22 PM

I've been working on this exact thing for about a month now.
Call me tomorrow or send me email so I can assist you.

joseburgos@burgosfx.com
732-479-0938

Take care,

Sound Man

03-16-2009, 11:43 AM

I've been working on this exact thing for about a month now.
Call me tomorrow or send me email so I can assist you.

joseburgos@burgosfx.com
732-479-0938

Take care,

I hope you would keep this on the Thread as a lot of us have to deal with this from time to time with other web apps.

Bob Haworth

joseburgos

03-16-2009, 12:20 PM

The reason I asked for off Forum was I have created LiveSets to handle this and other web application interaction.
So I will try to keep what I can on the thread.

Take care,

rally1

03-17-2009, 12:03 AM

You could move away from iVGA, and just use a video input. Or if you are Leo you could create.... Skypesaurus http://leoville.com/2009/03/16/21978/

joseburgos

03-17-2009, 10:09 AM

My method is similar in how to input (SVHS or iVGA) but the difference is I do it with a LiveSet.
My "News Interview" set allows for a broadcast final out like CNN or FOX.
I can have two remote feeds via Skype plus the news anchor on screen at the same time and still have titles available to overlay.
I can also have three remote feeds via Skype and the news anchor but this would max out inputs to the LiveSet and disable overlay capability.

The system would resort to a "Takes" only production again much like the Broadcast news productions.

Equipment would still have to follow the example Leo gives for multiple Skype feeds. A single Sykpe feed can be achieved at a much lesser cost.

Equipment coupled with my "News Interview" set produces a top notch production capable of equaling a broadcast news show.

That was all LIVE production but another process I have developed allows for you to do a remote interview via Skype at Skype quality and then take the footage back to the studio and edit at full resolution to produce a post production remote interview at a high quality or full resolution quality.

Note Skype by far is the fastest and highest quality for being a free remote video feed out there IMHO. That said, quality depends on Internet speed and the studios speed is critical especially if you Skype more than one person and stream live to the web.
Skypes compression is fabulous as I have tested on a Sprint wireless connected to a laptop at great quality for extreme remote feed situations.

"News Interview" set features;
- Custom LiveSet news style virtual studio with a set video monitor
- New style dual box where actor in virtual studio is in one box and another video feed is in the other. If the feed is from a Skype video connection, then the actor can interview the remote feed while in his studio like a broadcast news production
- New three box with same features as dual box but with shots in the set allowing for interview of one or the other remote Skype feed or three Sykpe feeds in the boxes for a debate again just like the broadcast news productions
- Skype remote video feeds can see production output as there video input allowing for group debates of two or more
- Post production remote interview instructions for full resolution of remote location
*External equipment is needed with a minimum of one extra PC to do a single remote Skype video feed and a video splitter for Skype remote viewing production output.

Take care,

PIZAZZ

03-17-2009, 11:39 AM

Hey Jose! put up some example pictures so we can better visualize the look.

joseburgos

03-17-2009, 11:53 AM

I am working on a video sample for it but I'll try and post an image or two.
The best part of this is I have an actor on a virtual set in a virtual set of PIP boxes :)
All other PIP/Dual boxes are of standard feeds mainly main bus and FX bus.
My LiveSet takes an actor on a green screen and puts them on a virtual set like any other LiveSet but when you go to a PIP shot in the set, the actor stays in the virtual set (without the virtual set monitor) in a med-close camera shot.
So a remote feed from Skpe can be on the virtual set monitor with the actor talking to it or either actor or remote feed full screen or dual box with actor in a virtual set next to another video feed which can be a Skype feed.
I've had this in the works for over two months now working out all the kinks mainly when it comes to more than one remote feed. More than one remote feed or video input leverages another LiveSet input resulting in a take only production. From watching every news show that does this type of broadcast, a takes only production is the normal so nothing lost there.
It does take practice when you go past the two inputs of a LiveSet but no hard to master :)

PS I knew I would get a lot of interest in this type of LiveSet and I was waiting to unveil it soon as I had all my ducks in a row. Then bam, Pincbubble post the question and forced me to move quickly :)

Take care,

Paul Lara

03-17-2009, 01:36 PM

VERY cool stuff, Jose. Congrats. I can't wait to see some screenshots, man.

joseburgos

03-17-2009, 04:45 PM

Thanks Paul.

brians0105

03-17-2009, 05:01 PM

Jose, I like what you're trying to do. I have helped the local highschool do something similar for days when they have a live guest in a different part of the school. They run cables to the remote classroom, but this could be Skype instead. The kids are in front of the greenscreen hosting the show and then in a double box is the remote feed. We have also done it with the host @ the green screen on the left side of the screen and then two smaller boxes with remote feeds on the right. We could add a 4th box using iVGA, but then we would lose the DSK.

Attached is a picture of a live broadcast with the host @ the greenscreen and a remote feed (that could be Skype) on the right. I don't have any pictures/video of when we had two remote feeds on the screen at once.

EDIT - I added a zip of the video since it won't let me upload a WMV version.

Brian

joseburgos

03-17-2009, 05:24 PM

Brian,
Yes you need to try it for yourself as it is quite remarkable. Full screen at full video resolution is not great (soft look to it) but scaled down it looks great. No cable to run either.
That said, if you say it is a remote feed via Skype, you automatically get a pass on the quality and big props for using a hip technology.
Heck Oprah uses it :)

Take care and nice work,

CLE

03-31-2009, 02:56 PM

I've seen Skype used on Oprah and Fox News. Anyone know how they manage to remove the smaller PIP on the bottom left of the screen that shows your image?

joseburgos

03-31-2009, 08:25 PM

Right Click on the window and select "Hide Myself" to turn it off. Then wait a few moments (don't move the mouse) and it will go away.

Take care,

CLE

03-31-2009, 09:24 PM

Thanks a lot, Jose!!!

joseburgos

03-31-2009, 10:14 PM

Your welcome :)
You may also want to change the size of your desktop computer to better frame for use in TC/VT. 1280x768 and 800x600 seem to give the best results in my extensive testing.
Running it through a LiveSet allows me to size the video down to give a more pleasant quality image.

Take care,

Quiet1onTheSet

04-01-2009, 02:16 PM

Your welcome :)
You may also want to change the size of your desktop computer to better frame for use in TC/VT...

Awww! Now that's a funny slip, there José, as it's clear after a bit of thought, that in all likelihood, you were intent on communicating:
You may also want to change the [display resolution] of your computer desktop"...

:thumbsup:

joseburgos

04-01-2009, 02:21 PM

http://www.villainsource.com/images/shrink-ray.jpg

No I meant re-size it using a Shrink Ray Gun, doesn't everyone have one of these? :)

Yes, Windows desktop resolution, thanks for that.

Take care,

Quiet1onTheSet

04-01-2009, 02:32 PM

Yes, Windows desktop resolution, thanks for that.

Take care,Heh,heh, heh! (Such a good sport, that José). Well, you seem to be really working hard at "taking care" of LiveSet users. Keep up the cause, May'in!
:thumbsup:

mad1town

08-25-2009, 04:15 PM

PIZAZZ

08-25-2009, 07:08 PM

I tested Skype with my Tricaster Broadcast...video worked perfectly on the live set PIP. I was trying to pick up audio from my laptop speaker with an external mic but that was very poor.

How do you guys handle audio for the Skype video so you can hear the skype video caller and it is in synch as well...s-video out of the laptop running skype into the TB or audio board?

Thanks...

Marc

Marc,

Take the audio line level or headphone output via a cable with 1/8inch TRS miniplug to 1/4" connectors that would plug into the TriCaster inputs. I sometimes us a USB sound card for the best sound quality. I have one with balanced XLR outputs. There is no comparison between that $200 sound card and the builtin sound card in a PC.

mad1town

08-28-2009, 08:13 AM

PIZAZZ

08-28-2009, 12:52 PM

Jeff - thanks very much. Do you recommend a particular USB card fora laptop...most that I'm seeing online are far below the 200 price point so I assume they are not very good. Thanks again for the info

Even a $20-30 USB sound card will be a step up from the built in one.

I have used quite a few of external sound cards:

Here is one at Guitar Center for $149
http://www.guitarcenter.com/PreSonus-AudioBox-USB-2X2-USB-Recording-System-243007-i1388074.gc

another one at $129
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Numark-DJ-iO-104474143-i1275628.gc

and one I keep in my backpack for just in case scenarios
http://www.turtlebeach.com/products/micro/home.aspx

mad1town

08-30-2009, 01:17 PM

Thanks Jeff...I tested a 1/8 to 1/4 audo cable from my laptop into my mackie audio board and it worked pretty darn well. I'll do some more tests...thanks for the tips!

Colleen

09-20-2009, 04:57 AM

I find it amusing that my skypasaurus has become notorious.

Zane Condren

09-20-2009, 06:19 AM

Or is it infamous?

KCPro

09-25-2009, 03:41 PM

I'm trying to get a handle on what is being done here.
Just call me noob.
The feed going in to the tricaster is what?
Are you using a PC / Laptop with skype and then running iVGA from it into the Tricaster? Or how are you running the feed into the Tricaster.

If I go into livesets, I can use the two screen setup for this?
Is there a single screen set available?

Someone mentioned a vga splitter, what would I need that for and where would it go.

Sorry for all the questions everyone, this is a feature I need and I'm a lost puppy.

Any help would be great. (a video of it, or a flow chart, or maybe a shoulder to cry on)

Thanks,
Dave
720-535-9720

Colleen

10-01-2009, 04:30 PM

joseburgos

10-01-2009, 08:04 PM

Dave,
You can use iVGA or S-Video from a seperate computer that would handle the Skpye call. You need to feed the TC video out to the Skype computer so that the person you are talking to can see you. By using TC video out, if you use a LiveSet, the person will see you on the set.
You could use a dual box but not the one that came with TriCaster if you are using a studio style LiveSet. You would need for someone to custom make the set for you or purchase the NewTek LiveSet additional set packs. The reason is to keep you in the virtual studio while in the double box and the ones that come with TC don't do that.

I prefer using a separate computer with S-Video out into the TC and keeping iVGA available for other uses.
Not sure about splitter unless the video monitor you use to view your production does not have a video feed through to send the video out of TC to it and then the Skype computer. Also you can use a computer monitor connected to the projector port on TC since it is just a 2nd desktop display. Just make sure you connect it before turning on the TC and then use the projector out control panel to output the broadcast.

As far as sending the video to the Skype computer, I use a Sony DSR-11 deck and out of it, I connect the Firewire to the Skype computer. I then use a program WebCamDV to convert the DV video into a webcam for Skype to use.
The last thing is to use an external audio mixer to config the sound to go back to the Skype computer but minus the audio out of the Skype computer using its Aux/FX Send backto the Skype computers line in. This eliminates the audio echo to the person on the Skype call.

Now if you are bold, you can have a LiveSet made for you that uses the Preview bus as a feed to the LiveSet. This would allow you to make a triple box to show the host in a virtual studio and two separate Skype feeds. An external audio mixer with 3 Aux/FX Send for only allowing the right audio to go to each Skype computer and not its own audio out. The third Aux can be used to give drive studio speakers for the shows host or you can connect the host mic directly to the TC and then solo his mic and use the headphone out of TC to drive studio speakers. This would allow the studio speakers to hear all but the host mic and not give an echo. Same would be for the Skype computers but using the external audio mixers aux/fx send.

Last you want to make sure the Skype window is configured to not show its own video. Showing its own video is the default so that in a normal Skype call, you can see yourself and make sure your video is always coming out. In a TC production, you don't want this so disable it in the settings. Also make sure the PC you use has everything turned off that can start to go on like screen savers, virus checks, windows update, etc. A real show killer when one of then comes on the screen and no other contacts in the Skype phone list.

It is not that big a deal to set up one external Skype computer but a little more for two as not only do you need to wire up a lot more but you also have to learn how to do a live switch with out using the AUTO button or the TAKE button (or the short cut keys) when in a triple box.

NewTek has recently begun using a single Skype remote feed in there broadcast so you can call them for assistance.

Take care,

KCPro

10-04-2009, 10:13 PM

Thank you Jose, that helps me very much.
I appreciate it.
Dave

Dimitry G

03-19-2010, 12:15 PM

Marc,

Take the audio line level or headphone output via a cable with 1/8inch TRS miniplug to 1/4" connectors that would plug into the TriCaster inputs. I sometimes us a USB sound card for the best sound quality. I have one with balanced XLR outputs. There is no comparison between that $200 sound card and the builtin sound card in a PC.

Or better yet, use the digital audio output (called SPDIF) out of your computer and plug it into the AES/EBU digital audio input of your Tricaster. All Macs have digital audio output (either as 1/8 combo jacks on the MacBooks/iMacs/Minis or as combo Toslink jacks on the Mac Pros) and many PC's have them as well.

Although the AES/EBU spec is different from SPDIF (professional vs. consumer) I've found that the Tricaster has no problem locking to a SPDIF signal. If the SPDIF output on your computer is optical (such as the case with the macs) a simple and inexpensive Optical-to-Coaxial converter may be used: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2 For 1/8 combo toslink, you would need this cable: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1557&seq=1&format=2

PIZAZZ

03-20-2010, 03:11 PM

Or better yet, use the digital audio output (called SPDIF) out of your computer and plug it into the AES/EBU digital audio input of your Tricaster. All Macs have digital audio output (either as 1/8 combo jacks on the MacBooks/iMacs/Minis or as combo Toslink jacks on the Mac Pros) and many PC's have them as well.

Although the AES/EBU spec is different from SPDIF (professional vs. consumer) I've found that the Tricaster has no problem locking to a SPDIF signal. If the SPDIF output on your computer is optical (such as the case with the macs) a simple and inexpensive Optical-to-Coaxial converter may be used: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2 For 1/8 combo toslink, you would need this cable: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1557&seq=1&format=2

Great suggestion. Did not know that about the Mac having digital out. Thanks for the heads up.