Interactive - Update

After speaking with Alex we have gathered a list of things completed and a list of things to do.

From last term here is what was achieved:

• Installed the Red5 server, this streams to our flash pods.

• Set up the proxy server for the trolley network, so that the internet can be accessed from one box.

• We have a much better understanding of how the Red5 streaming service should work and how the flash application (pods interface) will play the streams.

• The trolley has been racked correctly.

• The server and client are also setup, with the server now running the DHCP service required.

Things that need to be done:

• We need to either develop a server side application to the pods using one of the demos provided by Red5, an alternative would be to use Adobe's Flash Media Streaming Server, although we need to talk to sponsorship about this.

• For the client side of this application, Max will need to come up with an interface that we can use to bridge the gap to provide the data that he required.

• We need to set up the FCS workflow, James Uren said that he would help out with this in the first week back. All of the information to be used as metadata also needs to be gathered.

• We need to run power to all of the equipment in the racks.

• A live stream needs to be sent to Narrowstep via the Cisco media encoder, Max will need to re-skin the interface of the Narrowstep player to re-brand it to 2010 Rave Live.

• Jon was having trouble configuring the net booting process, we also found out that the Dell towers we are using as the pods might not be able to net boot at all, this may simply be an upgrade of the BIOS or revert back to booting from the USB pens.

• We need to work out the ports required.

There is still a lot of work to be done and we believe that the only way to break the back of this is to get the first years involved. This requires us sitting down and working out what roles they can fill. We also need to contact Max about getting access to the Media Bugs database and the Rave Live sign-up page on Media Bugs, this should preferably be done before we go back next week.

Engineering - Update

There have been several developments over the past week. The first concerns the transmission equipment, this was all removed from Pres today and placed up in TV Systems for the time being. The idea is to store it here whilst the rest of the chain is being constructed, this allows easy access to the individual items of equipment. Although this seems like a good idea on the surface, it may prove to be a bad move because now there is no reference to build the new system from, whereas before if a certain item was proving to be difficult to implement it could be checked out in Pres, now it will all have to be completely assembled from scratch.

The interactive build is proceeding well and after speaking to Max last week there are several things that he needs to implement before the next stage:
The sign-up section on the Media Bugs website (where production crews will register for their "Rave Live ID Numbers") needs to have an opt out check box or drop down in it so that people have the option to sign up-to Rave Live but will not remain on the Media Bugs system after the event.
There are a lot of engineers waiting to do some coding so we need to know what needs to be done in php and MySQL so that we can get on with it.
To proceed with Brandings' "augmented reality" logo we need the Rave Live logo as a .dae (Digital Asset Exchange) file.

The OB builds are fairly stagnant at the moment because the programme producers are yet to see the space that they have to work with at the venue (the next site visit is scheduled for the 8th March). Once they have visited then we can begin to gather their equipment requirements and contact the various companies with regards to borrowing some kit off them. There was also bad news in that SiS could not provide us with an OB unit this year due to scheduling constraints. After explaining this to management the decision was taken to approach Telegenic, who kindly provided us with a second OB unit last year, to see if they would be interested again this year. We have also began to build up a contingency plan should we not be able to obtain a truck, this would be in the form of a flyaway although positioning and equipment specifications have yet to be decided.

The last major news is that Jacques and Richard have finally managed to discuss where the lines are going to be run, they are now drawing up cable schedules for the day which can be forwarded onto Matter for them to approve. Once this is done we can begin costing and budgeting for the coax runs around the venue. We have also sent an email to be forwarded onto AEG inquiring about whether or not positioning an antenna on the O2 would be possible and if opening up the various ports needed for Adobe RTSP and MySQL access would be possible, and if there would be a cost involved in doing either of these.