WiFi Camera for live practical lessons

[TMBS]

Hi

 

My unusual request of the week came from our Food Tech teacher who wants to 'wear' a camera to teach live lessons using Google Meet, so students can see what she's doing. I'm not sure how well it's going to work but I knew you lot would be able to offer lots of useful advice!

 

It needs to be:

 

Wireless

Compatible with Google Meet

Something she can wear!

 

I'm looking at some cheaper action cameras - GoPros are too expensive - but not sure if the live element will work on them??

 

Thanks

[atcoates]

Wouldn't a fixed camera looking down on their work area work better?

[TMBS]

Wouldn't a fixed camera looking down on their work area work better?

 

I suggested that but they want to walk around the room. Obviously kids nowadays need to be shown how to wash up too!

[robyholmes]

Wouldn't an Android phone work? We're an Office 365 school so I don't know much about Google Meet, but with Teams you can join the meeting from a phone (Expected) but also present your camera as if it was a desktop screen. So it uses the rear camera and puts everyone in to presenter view so they can see it full screen.

[TMBS]

Wouldn't an Android phone work? We're an Office 365 school so I don't know much about Google Meet, but with Teams you can join the meeting from a phone (Expected) but also present your camera as if it was a desktop screen. So it uses the rear camera and puts everyone in to presenter view so they can see it full screen.

I'd not even thought of that! Off to test now. Just need to work out how to attached phone to teacher!

 

Thanks

[PyROm]

If you get a wifi camera (action cam, battery powerd cctv, battery powered wifi baby monitor) where you can view the image on the pc via software/webpage, then she could just share her desktop on google meet.

[robyholmes]

If you get a wifi camera (action cam, battery powerd cctv, battery powered wifi baby monitor) where you can view the image on the pc via software/webpage, then she could just share her desktop on google meet.

 

Superglue? Ducktape?

[PyROm]

I did consider putting any camera can portable with a long enough lead and gorilla tape

[dhicks]

our Food Tech teacher who wants to 'wear' a camera to teach live lessons using Google Meet, so students can see what she's doing

 

There are cheap (£10) mobile phone chest straps available on Amazon which might be handy for mounting a mobile phone like a camera pointing in front of you. Probably better than something head-mounted as I'm guessing that would wobble around too much, although I'd imagine watching an hour's lesson from a chest-mounted camera is going to be pretty tiring, too. I'd add a webcam with a standard camera mount thread on a goose-neck desk stand that could be stood on the worktop and pointed at whatever was going on, then pupils could switch between views as they wish. You could also add a wide-angle adaptor lense to the mobile phone - again, available cheap on Amazon, might give a wider-angle view of what's going on in front of you.

 

If you can stretch to a GoPro I think the latest version can do software-based steadying of video, cutting down the uktra-wide view it takes to produce a slightly narrower angle but with all the wobble smoothed out. I'm not sure what compatability is like with Google Meet, thougth - you'd have to get the video into GoPros software for processing and then out as an emulated USB camera, probably.

 

If you're buying kit, I'd add a couple of small LED lights that, again, can be positioned on a stand on the worktop to point at whatever is needed.

[PyROm]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Driftingforlife]

We have been looking into the Mevo cam but they have yet to add an app for windows for it to work over wifi.

[TMBS]

Superglue? Ducktape?

 

Testing with Duct tape next week and if it works we'll treat ourselves to one of these!

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Designo-Harness-Cameras-Universal-Samsung-Black/dp/B01N7BPLIH

[TMBS]

If you get a wifi camera (action cam, battery powerd cctv, battery powered wifi baby monitor) where you can view the image on the pc via software/webpage, then she could just share her desktop on google meet.

My son has a go pro and said he can only share the image to an app on his phone, not PC. I guess you need an action camera that will act as a webcam to do this - good idea! I prefer your photo though

[msi_school]

I have used Gopros for sports videos and head mounted is very difficult to watch because of all the motion a police style body cam is much better for the viewer.

[SamanthaD]

Strongly recommend NOT doing this - unless they want the students to suffer from sea sickness watching an unstable image. Get it on a stand / tripod!

[Chaniel]

I have used Gopros for sports videos and head mounted is very difficult to watch because of all the motion a police style body cam is much better for the viewer.

 

For sports, definitely feels rough to watch. For cooking? Not bad at all.

 

 

Kenji does almost all of his cooking videos using a head mounted go pro and because there isn't a lot of rapid movement it works absolutely fine.

[PyROm]

Compare that video to a Barry Lewis one where the camera remains stationary most of the time and he moves it around only when needed (also has advantage you could use usb webcam,possibly with usb extension) on tripod.

, I find the wobbling in the Kenji video unpleasant.

[SamanthaD]

For sports, definitely feels rough to watch. For cooking? Not bad at all.

 

 

Kenji does almost all of his cooking videos using a head mounted go pro and because there isn't a lot of rapid movement it works absolutely fine.

 

I just watched the first few minutes of that and have to argue against it. Those first few minutes (especially where he's chopping the veg) is a perfect example of seasickness inducing video.