[PLUG] Audio/video hardware.

[patrick.n.fitzgerald.1]

Hello, Fellow Pluggites. 

Some of you may recognize me as the guy behind the videocamera at last
week's meeting. As promised, there's now a full video of the meeting which
should be made avaialble sometime today. Look for a link on the plug main
page somewhere, once Dave J. gets the file(s). It's about 120 megs, and
the quality ain't half bad. There should also be a .mp3 audio only file
which is about 6.5 megs. It is in .avi format using the Intel Indeo 5.0
codec, which is supported by xanim 2.80 (see http://xanim.va.pubnix.com) 
or greater so long as you also download the appropriate codecs. I can also
do mpeg, rm, asf formats, but the .avi seems like the best option for most
widely supported. If your favorite OS doesn't support the codec, try
contacting Mark Podlipec and providing him a cross-compiler that runs
under Linux and generates object code for the platform of your choice. And
if anyone really, really wants a different video format, let me know and
I'll do what I can. 

One thing you may note is that the quality of the audio isn't very good.
This is due to the fact that I couldn't find any way to interface my gear
to the room's built in PA system. I think this can be done, however it
will require some equipment that I don't currently have. If any of you are
A/V geeks with equipment and/or time to donate/lend and would like to
help, please let me know. To do a really professional quality job, I'll
need at least a 4 channel mixer and a couple of good mikes. (Note: I can
get my hands on a lavolier wireless mic with a few days notice, thanks to
Dave J., but it doesn't do me much good without a mixer to separate audio
out to the video rig and the PA system. Besides, I can only get 1, and a
typical meeting has at least 2 people talking.) Any cable that I can get
my hands on is helpful too. Oh, and my current video rig is in servicable
but very old condition (no batteries, needs an outlet, no autofocus, etc)
so a decent videocamera would be a plus, too, especially if we want to do
more fun AV stuff besides just videotaping meetings. 

The bottom line: I can do a passable job as things are now, or I can do a
spectacular job with a little bit of help. 

What do you get for it? Your name mentioned in the credits, the
satisfaction of a job well done, a free soda, and being recorded for
posterity forever as a supporter of the Open Source movement. And you get
to join the elite PLUG A/V crew. 

Anyone who wants to help, please e-mail me (pfitzge1@purdue.edu) with what
you've got or what you can do. 

Thanks in advance,
Patrick N. Fitzgerald
PLUG Videographer and A/V geek (and Keeper of the Sacred Flame)

--
Gravity is a myth, the Earth sucks.
   --fortune (5)