Lesson Capture on the Cheap

[jamesfed]

Currently looking into options to do lesson capture at a reasonable price (some of the professional options I've looked at so far are in the region of £3,000+ per class room!); I've got the software sorted already (Planet eStream with its dual record (video from a camera and the extended screen)) just looking into the hardware.

 

My thoughts thus far go around a webcam (maybe even something like a Kinect for Windows) which is mounted to the ceiling pointed in the direction of the whiteboard on a fixed basis.

 

Will be trying out some things with cameras I have already (Microsoft LifeCam Studio being the one I am most hopeful of) however I've got concerns of the USB cable length as well as sound quality (especially if the teacher isn't pointed in the direction of the camera).

 

Hardware wise has anyone done anything similar before?

[hawc]

Could you get a little discrete headset for the teacher to wear. You can get some good wireless ones that can do the audio.

[jamesfed]

Sounds like an idea, I've asked out media tech dude to look into roof mounted options as well (kind of like the ones you get in theatres) as well

[hawc]

Yeah, what about if the teacher showed a video, it would be good if that could take over the full screen.

[jamesfed]

I can imagine that'll depend on the ability of the eStream software although that's more of a licence concern (depending on who owns the video).

[lmgtfy]

We recently bought one of these around £130 ex vat Logitech for Business Logitech BCC950 it has a good mic which should be able to pic up even if you are not facing it and the camera has a remote that you can use to move the camera around and zoom into objects. The cable it comes with as well is long so you should be able to position it easily. It might not be 100% what you are after but works really well for the money. Also a god send is it is true plug and play on windows 7 no drivers to install so we can lend it to anyone to use for Skype, WebEx etc

[Bananas]

Trick I thought was something with a wide enough lens, this jvc has 170 degree lens on it!

 

Got this tasty little jvc toughcam it's designed for people base jumping etc so shock proof, water proof, records at 720p on to SD cards.

 

Got it for £120, £30 for half decent tripod and 32gb branded sd cards £10 each

 

No one's used it yet and knowing our teachers never will be for "personal review" but I guess it ticks a box having something available to teachers if they do want to use it

[psydii]

Lesson Observations and Classroom Observation Made Easy | Star Lesson not the cheapest, but portable and easy to set up, and 'it just works' They train the teachers and work with SLT to ensure you get best value from it, and all the tech team have to do is keep the server powered on and provide network to the classroom (wired or wireless).