Enhancing Seminar Live Streaming with Cube: A Wireless, Cloud-Based Alternative to PTZ Cameras

• Position and Mount the Camera: Place your PTZ camera in the desired location, ensuring it has a clear view of the seminar or event space. Mount it securely on a tripod or a fixed mount.
• Power the Camera: Connect the camera to a power source using the provided power adapter.
• Connect the Camera to the Network: Use an Ethernet cable to connect the camera to your network.
• Assign an IP Address: Ensure that the camera is assigned a static IP address on your network. This is important for reliable connection and control through vMix.

• Launch vMix: Open the vMix software on your computer.
• Add the Camera as an Input: (a) In vMix, click on the “Add Input” button in the bottom left corner; (b) In the input selection window, click on “Camera”.
• Select the PTZ Camera: In the “Camera” drop-down menu, select your PTZ camera. If the camera is connected via an IP network, choose “NDI / SRT” or “NewTek NDI” (if your camera supports NDI).
• Configure the Camera Input: (a) Set the resolution and frame rate to match your production needs; (b) Click “OK” to add the camera input to vMix.

• Enable PTZ Control: (a) In the “Inputs” section, locate your PTZ camera input; (b) Right-click on the camera input and select “Input Settings”.
• Configure PTZ Control: (a) Go to the “PTZ” tab in the Input Settings window; (b) Select the “PTZ” protocol that matches your camera. For most cameras, this will be “VISCA over IP” or “Pelco D”.
• Test PTZ Control: (a) Use the on-screen PTZ controls to test pan, tilt, and zoom functions. Ensure that the camera responds smoothly to your commands; (b) You can also set up preset positions by moving the camera to the desired position and clicking “Set Preset”.

• Switch Between Camera Angles: Use vMix to switch between the PTZ camera feed and other inputs during your live production.
• Control the Camera During the Event: Use the vMix interface to control the PTZ camera live. You can pan, tilt, zoom, and switch between preset positions as needed during the event.
• Stream or Record Your Event: Once everything is set up, you can start streaming or recording the event directly from vMix, incorporating the PTZ camera feed seamlessly.
• By following these steps, you can connect and control a PTZ camera in vMix, allowing for dynamic and professional live production during your seminar or event.
  The PTZ camera approach is an excellent choice for a static setup in a conference room. PTZ cameras, paired with professional software like vMix via Ethernet, provide robust control and flexibility, making them ideal for fixed installations. While these cameras are controlled remotely, this usually means within the same local area network (LAN), with the operator often positioned in a room adjacent to the conference space, which typically co-locates to the sound system of the conference room. This proximity allows for smooth operation and quick adjustments during the event, ensuring a seamless production experience. High-end conference rooms, such as those at the Plug-and-Play conference center and GitHub headquarter, have adopted the PTZ camera solution.
  Implementing a static PTZ camera configuration in a high-end conference room often requires some degree of construction work, particularly to mount the cameras securely to walls or ceilings. This process also involves routing Ethernet cables through walls or ceilings to ensure a clean, professional installation. However, the fixed nature of these installations can be limiting; the chosen camera locations might not always provide the optimal viewing angles for every event or meeting configuration. Once installed, adjusting the camera’s position is not straightforward, which means that while the setup delivers stability and high-quality video, it may not offer the flexibility to capture the best possible views in all situations.

Here’s a step-by-step guide of using Cube to record/live stream a seminar:

• Download and install the Cube Capture app on your phones. Simply follow the quick start guide on mycube.tv to complete the process — it’s as easy as installing any other app on your phone.
• Place your phones in the desired location, ensuring it has a clear view of the seminar or event space. Mount it securely on a tripod.

• Simply follow the quick start guide on mycube.tv to create the live channel of the seminar or reuse an existing channel.
• Get the “Stream Code” into the Cube Capture app and click “Streaming”.
• In the browser, the operator can switch between the video feed and other inputs during your live production. This can be done fully remotely.
• Cube offers an auto-directing plugin that you can easily activate for your seminar. Once enabled, this feature automatically selects the best video feed for you, ensuring a smooth and professional live stream without the need for manual intervention.
• Stream or Record Your Event: Once everything is set up, you can stream simultaneously to up to five public platforms, such as YouTube and Twitch, using the multi-streaming feature.
• Cube also provides a private channel where you can share your live stream securely, eliminating the need to rely on public platforms.
• Additionally, all your videos are automatically recorded and stored in the Cube cloud for easy access and future use.

• To achieve clear and professional sound, which is critical for any seminar, you have two options:
• Use External Microphones: Connect high-quality external microphones, like DJI wireless microphone, to one of your cell phones for optimal audio capture. This ensures that the voices are crisp and free from background noise, enhancing the overall listening experience.
• Audio Only Function of Cube Capture App: If you have access to the conference room’s sound system, you can easily achieve professional-grade audio by connecting an AUX output from the sound mixer to another cellphone using a small sound adapter. This setup allows you to stream an audio-only feed to the same channel, ensuring that your live stream benefits from the high-quality sound directly from the conference room’s sound system.
• Collecting video signals from the big screen in the conference room can be done using a similar method.
• You can use an HDMI splitter to duplicate the video output that is typically sent to the big screen, which usually comes from the presenter’s PC.
• HDMI Splitter: This device splits the HDMI video and audio output into two, allowing you to send the same signal to both the big screen and another device.
• HDMI to USB-C Adapter: This adapter captures the HDMI video and audio signal and sends it to your Android phone via a USB-C connection. These adapters are widely available and can be purchased for less than $10. Once you have the video signal routed to your phone, you can use the “External Device” function in the Cube Capture Pro App to stream the same video that is being displayed on the big screen, ensuring that your live stream perfectly mirrors the in-room presentation.

Cube achieves the same, if not better, video and audio quality as conventional solutions using only cell phones and a few compact devices. The setup is incredibly simple, with no need for wire connections, allowing for flexible camera placement that can be easily adjusted to suit different event configurations, ensuring the best possible angles. Additionally, you can seamlessly integrate the conference room’s sound system to capture professional-grade audio. Even capturing the video signal from the big screen is straightforward, with a cell phone acting as a video sensor. All of these features combine to provide remote viewers with an immersive experience that rivals being in the conference room itself.