The Facilities Management Group for resources?

[jdlessley]

I like the idea of sharing resources. Our stake and the three other stakes in our area have stake budgets that cannot support installing broadband capabilities for some units let alone the webcast system. Until either the Church funds such a system for us; we find a way to spread out the cost over several years; or resource sharing is worked out, we have no hope of using the webcast system. The webcast system is what we need to bridge the great distances between units and the stake center. Attendance at meetings such as stake conterence would definitely go up if we could implement webcast.

Our first concern is access to the technology. Once we have it I am sure we can work out the finer details of implementation and any special circumstances that may arrise.

[michaelfish]

Those who have setups working should document it with text and photos. In detail with model numbers and maybe source. I need to do mine.

This forum is a good place to bounce around ideas, but a better place to capture the conclusions is on the wiki. Over the last several days two Church employees have been diligently adding some great content to the wiki for Meetinghouse Webcast, and we can add more.

I’d be happy to document our microwave/Slingbox set up with photos and text, but I’ve been reluctant to share since the Webcast unit is now available and is a more feasible alternative than a microwave setup. I also feel future ISP’s bandwidth is only going to get better and cheaper – making the Webcast setup a better alternative.


With that being said, we started several years ago, long before the Webcast unit was available, but after much experimentation and hard work, we now have everything worked out. The system has great bandwidth, reliability and fantastic video/audio (as good as a General Conference broadcast).


Assuming someone would like information on a microwave solution (line of site less than 5 miles), I can provide documentation. If so, where would you suggest the information be posted? I could not find the proper place on the Wiki link you provided (need directions).


Mike

[michaelfish]

Have yet to finalize how to control the camera via RS422.

Our Stake is having its conference on December 13, 2009 and I am also working out the details of RS-422 remote camera operation via PC and a couple of robotic cameras.

Should I use this forum to provide the details as I work them out?

[aebrown]

Assuming someone would like information on a microwave solution (line of site less than 5 miles), I can provide documentation. If so, where would you suggest the information be posted? I could not find the proper place on the Wiki link you provided (need directions).

Our Stake is having its conference on December 13, 2009 and I am also working out the details of RS-422 remote camera operation via PC and a couple of robotic cameras.

Should I use this forum to provide the details as I work them out?

This forum is a good place to contribute the information. Then I can take the conclusions that are posted here and post them to the wiki. It can be a bit challenging to make new posts to the wiki, but once it's there, editing is easy. I'm happy to start off the wiki articles based on forum postings.

[michaelfish]

I am SERIOUSLY thinking about volunteering my services to other Stakes (possibly through the FMG). I've read about so many botched attempts of Stakes struggling year after year, to do what we have successfully accomplished in our Stake because they lack resources and technical experience. It’s so sad.

I posted this back in 2009 but now the church has organized a means by which technology specialists can volunteer skills or find help with-in their local areas.

LDSTech has formed "LDSTECH Chapters" which allow those who wish to share our talents and skills with others who need assistance.

Consider joining and offering to help in your area.

Check out tech.lds.org/wiki/LDSTech_chapters and set up or join a chapter in your area.