Enhanced Webcasting Specification
From DoWire Wiki
Webcasting Home
Please click the "Discussion" link then the + sign to comments on this draft.
You may also add or edit the text directly. It is that easy. We ask that you get started with a DoWire "wiki" account first.
Enhanced Webcasting Specification
Version 2.0
This specification is an attempt to collaboratively define the technical features desired by public sector webcasters with "enhanced" webcasting.
See what is enhanced webcasting for a short introduction.
This specification is designed to gather feature wish lists from governments and inspire providers of webcasting services to meet these demands.
An enhanced meeting webcasting system is not slated to be built by this project. However, our proposed Democaster prototype will demonstrate an alternative integration of open source tools for extremely low-cost "enhanced" audio webcasting of public meetings and related content.
Specification Outline
1. Summary
2. Assumptions
3. About Webcasting
- Technology Components
- Video Source options
- Video Capture Hardware
- Video Capture Software
- Video Broadcasting Server
4. Public Presentation Console
- Meeting Content List
- Layout Options
- Viewer Options
- Scenarios
5. Administrative Panel
- Real-time Use
- Archive Additions, Corrections and Editing
6. External Content Management System Requirements
- Automation enhancements
7. Success Stories and Lessons
8. Alternative Options
- Low cost audio casting options
- Enhanced streaming standards and other platforms
- A good webcasting system implementation
9. Example of demo system project plan
10. Future Options and Trends
- Data casting text/documents with DTV
- Mobile video access, SMS polls/comments
1. Summary
Enhanced webcasting refers to contextual content and interactivity provided in real-time during live and archived webcasts of public meetings.
As meetings progress, "content" in front of elected officials, participants, and/or audience members would be made available via an online console along side the embedded video and audio stream. The system would support automated linking from meeting agendas where items are named in a standardized manner with relevant content accessible via any content management system.
An administrative panel will allow real-time agenda adjustments as well as the manual inclusion of links to relevant content not included in the content management system during or after the meeting for archived webcasts.
The Minnesota House Enhanced Webcasting System inspired this exploration. It is comparable to other options.
Options for real-time interactivity, from "raising your hand" by typing in a question to audience polling to remote testimony via the Internet will be considered via this "wiki" based on practitioner interest. Many of these long-term ideas are listed in Steven Clift's Online Committee Room draft.
2. Assumptions
2.1. Government produces or has access to quality video and audio from their public meetings. Video is produced by their own staff, via their public access cable or community television channel (primarily in North America), or via third-party contractors. Most UK governments that currently webcast bring in outside help to record and webcast their meetings.
2.2. Government provides a basic video and audio webcast directly to the public directly or via a webcasting service provider.
2.3. Most government organizations, other than legislative assemblies, do not currently maintain their meeting documents in a web-based content management system nor do they code related meeting documents with numbers (e.g. House File 123) which make it easier to automatically call up related content. Until meeting documents are placed in such a system and effectively coded, manual use of the real-time enhanced webcasting administrative panel will be required to create a value-added webcasting experience for the public.
2.4. The first draft of this specification was based on the current Minnesota House webcasting platform and experience. This specification now attempts to be platform-neutral.
2.5. A decision on whether to pursue future development based on this specification will need to be determined by the UK Local E-democracy National Project with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. We assume release of this specification will prompt current providers to enhance their features based on market demand. The Democaster prototype, an audio-focused alternative, is being developed with our limited budget and time. Help build our knowledge base for future options by comparing webcasting format enhancement options.
2.6 Leveraging webcast production investment through direct video broadcast of meetings via a possible local government digital television video channel/network is recommended by this project in the UK. Current local government UK digital television explorations focus on e-service and content via set-top boxes, not video broadcasting of meetings. We recommend that use of the a new Local Government Channel on Freeview terrestrial DTV be modelled after the Community Channel. The UK does not have extensive cable television networks nor "public access cable" like that was established in the early 1980s in the United States.
3. About Webcasting
There are a number of partial and often unsupported free open source options for webcasting. There are a handful of commercial systems that have some useful features and support. Costs involved with streaming and the production of quality video can be expensive.
3.1 Technology Components
The webcasting technology system consists of four components: video source, video capture hardware, video capture software and video broadcasting server.
A general webcasting system diagram:
- The video source can be an ordinary web camera or more advanced video camera. The video source can also be a few cameras operated by a person using special controller hardware or software.
- The video capture hardware is either built into the video source or standalone.
- The video capture software is an application that converts the video stream from the video capture hardware into a compressed data stream optimized for transfer over a network connection.
- The video broadcasting server is an application that is used to stream video to multiple clients at the same time and provide a lot more services such as access control, video archive, document archive, agenda, traffic control and statistics and much more.
3.2 Video Source options
There are few options for video source:
- The simplest option is to use one webcam connected to the broadcasting PC as the video source. There are number of manufacturers produce web video camera models that cost under 30 GBP. The advantage of this choice is cost. A downside is that this camera provides only one static view of the room and no remote control of position and zoom.
- The next, more sophisticated, option is to use one web camera and a remote controlled positioning device. It is not expensive and it allows camera to pan and tilt providing different viewing angles and zoom. This would be particularly useful as the attention of the plenary hall shifts from one speaker to another. Controlling the camera view can be automatic or manual. Active amplification cabling would be needed but is low-cost.
- The highest end option is to mount few prosumer camcorders or broadcast quality video cameras with positioning devices connected to a controlling PC or dedicated controller operated by a human. The advantage is that this option gives higher quality video for broadcasting. However if the only output is for web streaming this option may be provide more than what is required. The downside is that it is more expensive and requires a trained staff person to operate the video equipment. However, if the meetings are to be simulcast on television (digital, cable, etc.), high quality video is a must.
- WebCameras vs. Advanced surveillance/TV cameras/camcorders:
- Web cameras have fixed focus lens that is usually adjusted to focus objects closer to the camera (up to 1.5m). Thus, especially at first, the web cameras being within 10 feet or so of council members might be perceived as intrusive by some.
- Advanced surveillance or TV cameras or camcorders have more advanced focus system that allows them to capture crisp images far away from the camera. For example, advanced surveillance or TV cameras or camcorders have optical zoom that allows to bring objects closer 20-30 times
- Web cameras usually are equipped with USB cable that cannot be very long so that means camera has to be close to the PC that it is connected to (up to 5-7m). This however can be countered by active amplification cabling. For several reasons wireless is not an optimal solution including cost, complexity and reliability.
- Web cameras do not require video capture hardware because it is built in
- Advanced surveillance or TV cameras or camcorders require video capture hardware
3.3 Video Capture Hardware
There are 2 choices for video capture hardware:
- Most simple webcams do not require video capture hardware because it is built into the camera itself. Usually these are cameras with USB or IEEE1394 (Firewire) connectors.
- Most advanced cameras require video capture hardware that will convert the video signal into digital stream. This hardware usually costs about £100.
3.4 Video Capture Software
The video capture application is a specially written application that converts the video stream from the video capture hardware into compressed data stream optimized for transfer over network connection. It is operating system specific and it will work only on a PC with the chosen operating system. It is essential to choose appropriate video compression algorithm (codec) that will be used to reduce the size of the transmitted data overt the Internet. The video codec needs to encode and decode video data real-time without taking significant system resources. The same thing applies for the audio stream.
Here are some of the most popular options for operating system:
- Linux - Free, open source, can be more reliable than Windows, frequently updated, secured, complex configuration and often poor documentation
- Microsoft Windows - Overall cost can be expensive, has security issues, has more hardware requirements, easier user interface, many applications available
3.5 Video Broadcasting Server
The video broadcasting server consists of 3 modules:
- Content Management System: Authorized personnel can manage the content of video archives, documents, agendas and any other types of files that can be used
- Viewers user interface: Web site (requires web browser) that includes video (automatic Java applet) and information pane, navigation pane
- Broadcasting engine: Sends the video stream simultaneously to multiple clients at the same time via Internet connection.
4. Public Presentation Console
4.1 Meeting Content List
4.1.1 - Agendas - Includes usual agenda additions and order changes.
4.1.2 - Proposed Legislation, Ordinances, Rules
4.1.3 - Offered/Written Amendments, Motions
4.1.4 - Recorded Votes
4.1.5 - Official Handouts (often in PDF Format) - Any of the public documents distributed to officials in the course of their deliberations.
4.1.6 - PowerPoint Presentations - The ability to view or be shown slides in a readable manner through a secondary window that automatically reduces download time for graphic intensive presentation. Use of Flash is acceptable. Note the ePresence open source system being developed at the University of Toronto. It supports sharing of slide and promises an open source release.
4.1.7 - Written Public Testimony or Handout
4.1.8 - Embedded Links - To existing laws, ordinances, or rules as well as contextual web site content.
4.1.9 - Speaker Profile - Option to toggle biographical and contact information about the current speaker.
4.1.10 - Subtitles - If closed captioning or alternative language text is available, access via public console is provided in a format that allows reader to adjust text size for accessibility.
4.2 - Layout Options
Our enhanced webcasting web video explores some of the consoles we've come across as we have compared.
The following image, prepared with the assistance of Mentormate, presents a mock-up of an advanced "enhanced" viewer console:
A closer look at another tab. We recommend a full "Documents" tab at the top. Note the bottom links modelled after the Minnesota House system.
4.3 - Viewer Options
4.3.1 - Real-time updating of agenda items that lists current item on top or highlights in some way.
4.3.2 - Jump to specific agenda item or speaker from console in archived webcasts.
4.3.3 - Meeting event summary accessible via new window. Text generated from manual and automatic administrative and backend actions available in real-time. If you come in late you need to be able to find out what agenda items have been covered.
4.3.4 - Search tools that allow user to find particular speaker profile, document, etc.
4.3.5 - Option continuously scrolling text below the video window showing related information, news updates, financial information
4.3.6 - Voting system: allows viewer to vote or Answer a Poll Question and see statistics. Provides Real-time Statistics to Web, Meeting Room on Viewer Numbers - Console administrator should be able to note estimated number of those physically present. (Online access to meetings is about understanding the value of doubling those present from 10 to 20 citizens and most likely not making a magnitude jump from 10 to 1000. It is also about making any time, anywhere participation viable and effective.)
4.3.7 - Submit written statement/testimony/comment to All at Meeting or specific speaker
4.3.8 - Notifying viewers by email for certain events, document updates
4.3.9 - Newsletter
4.3.10 - Discussion Forum
4.3.11 - Converting archived content into PDA/mobile readable format
4.3.12 - Interactive web chat allows people to join different discussion channels and exchange comments real-time
4.3.13 - Ask a Question to current speaker or hall members real-time
4.3.14 - Option for viewers to disclose name, place, and affiliation
4.3.15 - Additional feature ideas are part of the Online Committee Room concept outline.
4.4 - Scenarios
A list of scenarios where enhanced webcasting might could be used for different types of public sector-hosted events:
- Public Meetings - Local Councils
- Public Meetings - Local Council Committee Meetings
- Public Meetings - Legislative Assembly Floor Sessions
- Public Meetings - Legislative Committee Hearings
- Town Hall Meetings - Public Hearings with Extensive Public Testimony
- Press Conferences
- State of City Speeches
- Conference Presentations, Panel Sessions
- Educational Videos
- Informational Videos - How to sort your trash for recycling, etc.
- Regulatory Compliance Videos
- Public Employee Training
- Elected Official Meetings with Constituent Groups - Audio or Webcam Back Channel
5. Administrative Panel
The Administrator is person(s) responsible for updating the information, agendas, managing content into the archives by adding/editing/removing documents, templates, and recorded video sessions. The Administrator also can have the option to control the current video and audio source if there are multiple ones.
5.1 - Real-time Use
A detailed description of the features available for real-time enhancement of meetings. This assumes that someone in the room or nearby with full access to or knowledge of public meeting documents and agenda changes is working from a laptop or other computer to feed the links/documents to webcast viewers. This is a virtual version of passing around a handout.
- Allows updated information by the Administrator to show up instantly on viewers' browser windows
- Creating agenda for each date with text hyperlinks, text formatting, images, attaching documents MS Word, PDF, PowerPoint, etc
- Receives the viewer’s question in sorted list that enables the Administrator to print selected questions and present them to the speaker
5.2 - Archive Additions, Corrections and Editing
In cases where paper documents are not immediately available in electronic format a post-meeting session would allow the attachment of enhanced content. Real-time sharing will be a challenge with public submitted written testimony in governments without a pre/during-meeting submission policy and virus scanning process. Whether in a content management system or not, it will also be impossible to manually or automatically link to a handout provided by a government department if it is not online before the meeting.
- Content Management System for archived video sessions, associated documents, forms, hyperlinks: the administrator is able to add new documents, edit and delete existing ones.
- Conversion tools allow the Administrator to export all/specific content from the archive into XML file structure or into a custom file formats compliant with other existing applications or systems.
6. External Content Management System Requirements
- Automation enhancements - What a government would need in place for the enhancement system to best work on a more automated basis.
- Conversion tools can be used to import and export data from external Content Management System but they have to be custom build using the technical specifications of both systems. Such tools can be used to create automated solution for data exchange between two different systems.
7. Success Stories and Lessons
A number of success stories are featured in our section comparing webcasting format enhancement options.
Additional stories are available from members of the Webcasting CoP.
8. Alternative Options
- Low cost audiocasting options
Options for smaller governments without access to video resources are being explored in the Democaster prototype. Making meeting and public events audio available along with enhanced content represents a pragmatic starting point for open source integration at a low cost. Options to upload webcam shots or toggle digital pictures of speakers and share as a "slide show" during and/or after the meeting would offer a cheap alternative to video webcasting. All that should be required is a broadband connected laptop with a line-in connection from the sound system (at a minimum you need some microphones) and access to a streaming server from which the public would access the meeting.
- Enhanced streaming standards and other platforms
Input on what we've proposed that is platform specific as well as any standards to follow will be important in any implementation. Commercial providers should be encourage to make their approaches toward enhanced systems work with various government used online content management systems.
- An implementation of a webcasting system could have features such as:
- Open Source Project written in Java - (works on all platforms) and Visual C++(Windows) or C++ (Linux)
- Video and audio streaming over the Internet for both low and high bandwidth client connections optimized for best picture quality and speed.
- Easy to use graphics user interface that works on any web browser.
- Live feedback from viewers: asking questions real time and interactive web chat with multiple discussion channels
- Archive Content Management System (CMS) with Video sessions, Formatted text, Hyperlinks, Attached Documents and Transcripts.
- Conversion tools for exporting data in XML or custom file format for use in other CMS and applications.
- News (Notification) system: Notifying viewers by e-mail or SMS for certain events, document updates, current speaker, etc.
- Voting system: allows viewer to vote and see statistics
- Discussion Forum
A diagram that shows all system modules and their relationships.
9. Example Demonstration System Project Plan
A diagram that shows development tasks and estimated time for each task.
10. Future Options and Trends
A section to explore future trends and access devices and methods.
- Datacasting text/documents with DTV - What about enhancing television broadcasts? People can't read a PDF on a standard TV, but the ability to view certain text would be attractive. With high definition television, the option to display documents expands. Would be use it? Where do the documents go if data cast along side a video stream? Standards likely vary from world region to region.
- Converting archive content into mobile/PDA readable or requestable format
- Streaming video to PDAs and mobile phones equipped with Internet connection, SMS polls/comments - It is possible, but would anyone pay for the wireless bandwidth?
- Video on Demand - As noted above, this project recommends that high quality video recordings of public meetings should find their way on the digital broadcast or cable access television. Another way to increase the benefits from video production costs is to make public meetings available via video on demand networks generally geared toward television. Video on demand is prevalent on digital cable systems.
- Online Committee Room - An reminder about this list that was mentioned eariler in the document. It contains the other 80% of features that would turn public meetings on their virtual head.
- Additional issues are being documented in the webcasting exchange.
Webcasting Home