technical guide to the tap - Water-Wheel.net

TECHNICAL GUIDE TO THE TAP

© Waterwheel 2013

Table of Contents Introduction System requirements Network access Timezones Documentation Symposium setup

Chapter 1: Presenting on the Tap

1.1 Registering and becoming a crew member 1.2 The basic setup for presenting on the Tap 1.3 Getting to a Tap 1.4 Putting your webcam on 1.5 Type of internet connection 1.6 Headsets and external microphones 1.7 Lighting 1.8 Preparing and uploading your own media 1.9 Presenting your media 1.10 Chat Logs

Chapter 2: Setting up a Node

2.1 Providing a public screen 2.2 Providing computers and/or wifi access 2.3 Sound setup 2.4 Visual setup 2.5 Lighting in a node 2.6 Multiple camera angles 2.7 Managing panel presentations

Chapter 3: Session format and team roles 3.1 Format 3.2 Team roles 3.3 Facilitator 3.4 Go-‐Between 3.5 Moderator 3.6 Presenters 3.7 Lead in 3.8 The start of a session 3.9 During a session

Chapter 4: Creative uses of webcams on the Tap 4.1 External webcams 4.2 Switching between webcams 4.3 Multiple camera angles simultaneously 4.4 Webcam effects

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting 5.1 Refresh! 5.2 Ghost webcams 5.3 Audio echo

Tech-‐check list

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Introduction This guide is for Presenters, Node Organisers and the Team of the Waterwheel World Water Day Symposium 2014 (3WDS14). Please read and understand it prior to a scheduled “tech-‐check” meeting with a 3WDS14 team member. The tech-‐check meeting will occur in the lead-‐up to the Symposium. Follow the tech-‐check list on the last page to guide you. Ensure that you have the same setup for the tech-‐ check as you will for the Symposium. If after reading this guide, you need technical help getting set up, please request it at symposium@water-‐wheel.net before the tech-‐ check, stating what you need help with. System requirements The Tap is coded in Flash so works on most browsers on most systems. However, it DOES NOT work on iPad and iPhone, because the system they run on (iOS) does not currently support Flash. Other portable devices supporting Flash should work. If necessary, download and install the latest Flash plug-‐in from here: http://www.adobe.com/support/Flashplayer/downloads.html Network access The Tap should work on almost all networks. However, in some institutions access restrictions will prevent it. Do the following test on the actual network you will be using to see if the Tap will work http://water-‐wheel.net/pages/test_rtmp. That test link can also be found in FAQ on Waterwheel website under “Problems connecting to the Tap”. Timezones When you are logged in, the times for Tap events show for YOUR local time (the one selected in your profile). Hint: if you travel to another timezone, edit “timezone” in your Waterwheel profile. Documentation The Waterwheel system does not have a recording function for Tap sessions. For documentation purposes screen-‐captures can be made using free external software. It is advisable to have more than one person documenting. Bear in mind though that a screen-‐capture video will never transmit the connection that is felt during a live online event at the time it is happening. Symposium setup Presentations from around the world are transmitted online through the interactive platform the Tap, with audience online and in real-‐world places (nodes). The Tap allows interaction and discussion between Presenters, and with audience members, wherever they are no matter how geographically dispersed.

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Chapter 1: Presenting on the Tap

This chapter outlines the requirements for Presenters who will be making presentations from their own places: home, office, or anywhere they can access the internet. 1.1 Registering and becoming a crew member Before you can get on the Tap, you must first register on Waterwheel and become a crew member. These steps MUST be completed before a tech-‐check. • Click “register” on the homepage (http://water-‐wheel.net) and follow the prompts. • Then, activate the link sent to your email (email link no. 1). If you don’t see it, look in your junk folder and/or search by sender for info@water-‐wheel.net • Then, send your username to symposium@water-‐wheel.net, so you can be “invited to become crew member” of the Tap that you will be presenting on. An “invitation to a WaterWheel Tap” message will come to your inbox. • Then, click the link in the message to “accept the invitation” (email link no. 2). Hint: You must be logged in to Waterwheel to accept a Tap invitation. 1.2 The basic setup for presenting on the Tap • In most cases of presenting on the Tap, the basic setup should be all you need: a computer with webcam and microphone using a browser with the latest Flash update, and a set of headphones/earbuds. • Most laptops have an inbuilt webcam and microphone. • Updating Flash is easy in most browsers, and some, like Google Chrome, update Flash automatically. If necessary, download the latest Flash plug-‐in from here: http://www.adobe.com/support/Flashplayer/downloads.html 1.3 Getting to a Tap • You can get on a Tap ONLY during a scheduled session. • Once you become crew of your Tap, log in to Waterwheel & click “my taps”. • Then click on the Tap name to see the countdown to the next session. • When it goes “live”, click the “enter” button. 1.4 Putting your webcam on There are tabs in the menu bar at the top of the Tap window that allow you to access your webcam, drawing tools and media assigned to that Tap (images, sound, animations). When you enter, by default the webcam tab is chosen (top left). • Click and hold the webcam icon, drag it to the display area and release. Wait a moment for your webcam to appear. It might take some seconds, but don’t repeat the action before the webcam appears. • The first time you do it, the “Flash settings” window will pop up. • Check the box “allow” for your webcam to stream. • In the Flash settings you can adjust microphone level, choose between webcams (if you have more than one connected) etc. • You can access the Flash setting again at any time: CTRL/right click > “settings” (third from the top).

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1.5 Type of internet connection Your upload speed is important when you are streaming your webcam. Try to get on a connection that has the best upload speed. • You can test it here: http://www.speedtest.net/ • Test on both ethernet and wifi to see which is best in your situation. In most cases, ethernet will provide the best connection speed and stability. 1.6 Headsets and external microphones If you want to improve the quality of your voice on the Tap (how you are heard), getting a headset with a decent microphone goes a long way. • A wireless headset (USB or Bluetooth) will also give you freedom to stand, gesture and move. • In a quiet room when more than one speaker (or musician) is using a single microphone, we recommend using an omnidirectional mic. • In a noisier room in which the voice of a single Presenter needs to be heard over background noise, a uni-‐directional microphone is better. • These microphones are available in professional music stores, are not expensive, can connect to USB ports, and have long cables. • At the more expensive end, wireless lavelier (lapel) microphones pick up vocals very well and offer freedom of movement. • Like webcams, your prefered mic can be chosen in the Flash Settings.

1.7 Lighting • Take care to set the lighting in the room for a good image, and/or move yourself to a better position in the light. • Your face and the background should be lit evenly to avoid too much light on your face or too much backlighting (avoid having a bright window behind you).

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1.8 Preparing and uploading your own media • You must upload to Waterwheel all the media you want to use in your presentation, and add them to the Tap you will be presenting on. • These can be photos (jpg, png), slideshows (swf), audio (mp3) and video (mp4 less than 90 sec). • We recommend naming your files with your initials and short identifier (e.g. XY_creek, XY_graph). • Detailed info about file preparation and uploading media can be found here http://water-‐wheel.net/how-‐it-‐works. There is a manual, and video tutorials on uploading media and converting a PowerPoint presentation into a Flash slideshow. • If you don’t have the Flash software, the Waterwheel team can convert it for you as long as you upload your PowerPoint presentation on EasyChair by the deadline. 1.9 Presenting your media During a Tap session you can click on and drag any media item from the appropriate tab to the display area (sometimes called the “stage”). Once there, they can be manipulated using a palette of tools that appears when you click on the object. You can move, enlarge, rotate etc any media object independently. The menu bar with tabs and the palettes of tools are not accessible or seen in audience mode (only for crew). • You can play your own media during your presentation, or ask one of the Symposium team to manage them. • When clicking through slideshows, you can minimise your webcam image and place it off to one side, or, if you wish to talk without being seen, use the show/hide “eye” icon (in the webcam tool palette) to allow only audio. • The Drawing Tool can be used to make live illustrations over other images. • Hint: before drawing, go to the “layers” tab, and target layer 6 (so your drawings will appear above everything else in the display area). Then, when you wish to hide or erase all the drawings at once, just hide/erase layer 6. • More about managing layers is on page 11 of the manual here http://water-‐ wheel.net/how-‐it-‐works 1.10 Chat logs The Waterwheel system records logs of the chats. • They can be found in the Tap Dock (same place as where you enter a Tap). Scroll down to find crew chat log and chat logs (audience) for each session time. • If you are looking for the log of a Tap you are not crew on, and there are no upcoming sessions of the Tap scheduled, try searching for that Tap in Fountains (hint: scroll back in time and click on the black dots).

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Chapter 2: Setting up a Node

This chapter is for Node Organisers. Nodes are presentations of Tap session(s) to a public audience, with or without local Presenters, along with remote Presenters. 2.1 Providing a public screen The type of setup depends on the number of people in the node. • A few people looking at one computer could constitute a node. • For larger audiences, connect the computer to a monitor or data projector. • Likewise for sound, connect to appropriate external speakers or to an in-‐ house sound system (if in a theatre or auditorium). 2.2 Providing computers and/or wifi access • Have the wifi password up on the wall or noticeboard, as people can log on and interact on the Tap on their own laptop or handheld (not yet iPad!) • You may choose to provide computers for your public, or set up your node in a place that has computers available (e.g. IT lab or Library). • Many people using the same router or internet connection may cause lag. See “1.5 Type of internet connection” to check your download speed. 2.3 Sound setup Special care must be taken to avoid sound feedback (Larsen) and echo when a Presenter speaks from the place of a node. • The sound output to the room must come from the same computer that is being used for broadcasting sound and webcam to the Tap. • If it is in a big auditorium, and the Presenters are anyway being amplified, then the sound input to the computer that is streaming to the Tap could come from the sound mixer or from another mic placed alongside the in-‐house mic. • In this case, it may be advisable to have a sound engineer help with the setup.

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2.4 Visual setup • The visual output for the room, however, whether it is via projector or external monitor can come from the same computer or another computer (recommended). • In the case of same computer the projection will be in “crew view” and show all manipulations, tools, crew chat etc • In the case of using another computer, the projection will show audience view (clean and simple), but if there is a delay in the internet, the image might be slightly out of sync with the sound from the first computer. Note: the sound on this second computer must be turned off too. 2.5 Lighting in a node • In addition to the lighting requirements in “1.7 Lighting”, take care that light is not spilling onto the projection. • If the room lights need to be dimmed in order to see the projection, use overhead spot lights, or even desk lamps, to light the Presenter’s face. 2.6 Multiple camera angles • Having one camera for Presenter and another for the room provides a great sense of the place for audience online. • See “4.3 Multiple Camera Angles Simultaneously”. 2.7 Managing panel presentations In order to maintain a good broadcast, it is sometimes necessary to reduce the number of media in the display area during a session. Therefore: • IF, one or more of the Presenters in a session will not be speaking for some time, (after introductions or testing webcams, for example), • THEN, delete those Presenters’ webcams and ask them to re-‐put their webcam only when needed.

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Chapter 3: Session format and team roles

It is important that everyone understands the format (3.1) of how sessions will run, however the bulk of this chapter defines the roles of the co-‐ordinating Team members, and outlines guidelines for each, as well as for Presenters. Please refer to your appropriate section. 3.1 Format Inspired by the Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER) series of lectures and presentations on art, science and technology, we will use this format: • 4 presentations (e,g. 2 artists and 2 scientists) of up to 25 minutes each, followed by a one-‐hour discussion between Presenters AND WITH the audience (onsite and/or online). 3.2 Team roles In order to keep on time, maintain audience interest and have a vibrant exchange, sessions will be co-‐ordinated by a Team consisting of: Facilitator, Go-‐Between, Moderator and (if need be) Interpreter. The following sections define the roles. They don’t need to be all in a node, nor in the same node! • They should connect by email previously, to get familiar with the Presenters’ content and prepare some questions. We advise you have an informal meeting beforehand on the Tap (as a rehearsal session). 3.3 Facilitator The Facilitator chairs the node. S/he introduces the Presenters, facilitates the changeover from one Presenter to the next, allows audience to get one or two clarifications between presentations, and after all 4 presentations, during the discussion, directs questions to the Presenters (from audience or his/her own questions) and focuses the session on the selected theme (when needed). The Moderator and the Go-‐Between roles allow the Facilitator to focus on the presentations rather than coordinating audience interest and/or managing technical issues. If you are a Facilitator, follow these guidelines during your session: • with webcam on stage, briefly introduce the 4 Presenters • hand it over to the first Presenter • hide or delete your own webcam from the display area & follow the presentation and audience comments • 22 min into presentation Go-‐Between plays a sound signalling 3 minutes left • 24 min: put back or show your webcam to signal 1 minute left • 24 min 30 sec: if Presenter is not finished, ask them to wrap up • 25 min: ask next Presenter to put or show their webcam (by typing in the crew chat or speaking) • audience may seek one or two clarifications on that Presentation during the changeover • hand over to next Presenter, restating the name and subject of their presentation

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repeat procedure after the 4th Presenter, ask all Presenters to put or show their webcams read comments/questions (posted/typed/copied by the Moderator in the crew chat) and/or ask your own questions facilitate the discussion between Presenters and with audience, on the theme of the session

3.4 Go-‐Between The Go-‐Between is the timekeeper and tech person helping Presenters with media and live streaming. If the Presenter wishes, he/she can operate media, such as add/remove/manipulate media objects, clear drawing, clear layers etc. Time-‐ keeping notifications during sessions come through visual and audio files, which the Go-‐Between puts on the stage at the appropriate time. It is important that the Go-‐Between meets or is familiar with the Presenters and their technical needs prior to the session, either by rehearsal session (strongly recommended) on the Tap or via email exchange. If you are a Go-‐Between, follow these guidelines during your session: • in the lead in, check level of microphones and if needed flip webcams • liaise between nodes and Presenters in the crew top chat • help to add/remove/manipulate media (if needed) for each Presenter as well as minimising, enlarging and positioning Presenters’ webcams. • 22 min: play audio file “z-‐hmm” = 3 min signal • if there are a lot of drawing or media on stage, push the webcams to an empty layer, and erase the other layers • before the Tap session ends, put the visual file "z-‐next" on stage and click through the 3 slides 3.5 Moderator The Moderator’s role is to trigger and maintain the interest, clarity of content and communication with the audience through the chat. Online audience will use the chat to ask the Presenter questions, to comment and start a sub-‐debate within the chat. The Moderator focuses on this content and supports the interaction among audience members. When questions arise in the chat, the Moderator copy-‐and-‐ pastes them into a text/Word document in order to communicate them to the Facilitator during Q&A discussion later on. If you are a Moderator, follow these guidelines during your session: • engage with and guide the online audience during lead in (see 3.7) and session • when stage is clear, write name and title of the next Presenter in the audience chat • during the presentation, try to keep the flow of audience chat going, and on topic, by adding relevant comments/questions • copy and paste audience questions on a separate document

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tell audience that questions will be answered in the Q&A after all the presentations 22 min: remind people that they will be able to have clarification during the changeover, if needed at the end of the presentations, post questions in the crew (top) chat, for the Facilitator to ask the Presenter. before the Tap session ends, write the next Tap’s URL

3.6 Presenters Presenters present content and information to and for the audience. The Presenter communicates with Go-‐Between to make sure the presentation is smooth with a minimum of technical difficulties. Please note – ONLY YOU ARE ABLE TO PUT YOUR OWN WEBCAM ON THE STAGE. All other media can be added/removed/manipulated without your help. If you are a Presenter, follow these guidelines during your session: • in the 30 min lead in before session start time, you can put your webcam on the stage and check sound level • after the Facilitator introduces all Presenters, give your presentation in the agreed order • during your presentation, either you or the Go-‐Between manipulates your media • 22 min: a “hmm hmm” sound signal indicates there is 3 minutes left • 24 min: the Facilitator will put his/her webcam on stage, signalling 1 minute left. • 25 min: while your webcam is minimised by Go-‐Between, you can give some clarification to audience if needed while the next Presenter gets ready • after all the presentations, put or show your webcam and join in the discussion 3.7 The lead in The lead in starts 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. This is an allocated time for preparation before the Tap goes live to online audience. The Team & Presenters meet, place and check their webcams and microphone levels, position their webcams etc. The Go-‐Between will help them technically. A count-‐down timer shows time remaining before the start. During this lead in, audience cannot see or hear the webcams/mics but they can type in the chat. The Moderator can start greeting audience, explaining that they can type in the chat (and press enter to put the text up), asking them to write first their nickname, out of courtesy, so we can identify who is writing. He/she is also warming up the audience, asking where they are from, trying to engage a conversation between them. The Moderator will explain the format and tell audience to post their comments and questions at any time for discussion after the 4 presentations, and that during the changeovers between Presenters, they can ask a clarification.

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3.8 The start of a session The session starts with the Facilitator explaining the format very briefly, and introducing the Presenters. The Facilitator should explain that during the changeovers, a brief clarification can be asked of the last Presenter, but that questions and comments will be kept for the one-‐hour discussion. Then according to what has been decided at rehearsal or by email, Facilitator will remove his/her webcam and Presenters will minimise their webcams and put them on one side or in the 4 corners to give space for the media of each Presenter who will decide where his/her webcam will be. 3.9 During a session As described above, each is focused on a different aspect. • The Facilitator and the Moderator are links for the audience and for the Presenters among the different presentations. • Between and during the presentations Go-‐Between makes sure that the stage has all the relevant media in order to have the presentation as smooth as possible. • The Go-‐Between will help to manipulate the media during each presentation (unless Presenter wants to manage it all). He will play a sound file at 22nd min so the Presenter knows that there is still 3 minutes left. • The Moderator communicates with audiences in the chat and copies & pastes in a document the important questions/comments from audience in order to keep track – the chat can go very fast when audience is engaged. S/he will also remind audience that the Presenter will be able to give clarification during the changeover and copy/paste the brief questions in the crew top chat. • The Facilitator will put his/her webcam back on stage at the 24th minute. So the Presenter knows that there is only 1 minute left. At 25th min, the Facilitator thanks the Presenter, voices the clarification request asked in the crew top chat and names the next Presenter. Then as before, he/she removes her webcam...etc until the 4th Presenter. • The Facilitator and the Moderator should discuss between themselves, prior to the session, their way of preparing comments & questions raised, and how to prioritise what to talk about or ask first. • The Presenter adds the webcam as agreed before the node. S/he will present their presentations. And afterwards s/he will answer questions from the audience and from the Facilitator.

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Chapter 4: Creative uses of webcams on the Tap

The following points can help both Presenters and Node Organisers wishing to explore the technologically creative potential of presenting on the Tap. 4.1 External webcams • External webcams are not expensive and can be moved to show different angles within your space. • USB webcams can be connected with extension cables of up to 5m (further than that requires cable with inbuilt signal booster). 4.2 Switching between webcams • You can switch between inbuilt and external webcams on the same computer to provide different positions or angles. • During a Tap session change from one to another by right/ctrl clicking > go to ‘settings’ (on 3rd line) to make the Flash Settings window appear. Then click Camera Icon, and choose from all the webcams connected. 4.3 Multiple camera angles simultaneously Broadcasting multiple camera angles of the same scene simultaneously creates a very strong sense of the space for online audience, provided you have the equipment and high enough upload speed. • Have your cameras connected to separate computers logged in on different accounts. • Attention: when using multiple webcams simultaneously you must mute all webcam mics (in Flash Settings) except the preferred mic, otherwise there will be echo. 4.4 Webcam effects • You can use effects on your webcam image through additional software installed on your computer, such as ManyCam, MagiCam etc. • You can write on top of your webcam image, scroll text, show your desktop, play a video from your computer, use visual effects such as contours, B&W, erase a colour-‐layer in front of your webcam, etc….

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Chapter 5: Troubleshooting 5.1 Refresh! • If solutions to the specific problems listed below don’t work, or for any other technical problem, TRY the following in this order: • refresh/reload the browser window. If that doesn’t work, • clear the Tap stage. If that doesn’t work, • restart the browser. If that doesn’t work, • clear the caches and restart the browser. If that doesn’t work, • try another browser. 5.2 Ghost webcams • DESCRIPTION 1: Webcam sound is heard but the image doesn’t appear – this may happen if you put your webcam on the stage and then try to place your webcam again before the first one has appeared (sometimes there is a delay of 2 seconds before webcams appear). • TRY THIS: Clear the stage and try putting your webcam again patiently. • DESCRIPTION 2: Ghost webcams might also cause the username to show in the crew list (near the Tap logo) several times followed by a number e.g.: username, username2, username3. • TRY THIS: Clear the stage, close all Tap windows, clear the browser caches, restart the browser. 5.3 Audio echo • DESCRIPTION 1: audio echo caused by one person's volume settings changing in the Flash settings. • TRY THIS: the person causing the echo needs to adjust their settings: right-‐ click or ctrl click anywhere on the screen, then select “Settings”, select the microphone icon, adjust the input volume down (to about ¼), tick the reduce echo box, close the dialogue box to hear the result of the change • OR TRY THIS: Facilitator or Moderator -‐ mute that person's webcam until they need to speak. • OR TRY THIS: remove the person's webcam from the display area • DESCRIPTION 2: echo caused by logging in twice on same computer. • TRY THIS: Log out of all instances of a username except one.

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Tech-check list Basics I am not using iPad or iPhone I have done a network access check http://water-‐ wheel.net/pages/test_rtmp I understand that the TAP does not record the sessions I have the latest Flash plug-‐in http://www.adobe.com/support/Flashplayer/downloads.html For Presenters Only I have registered to http://water-‐wheel.net I am a crew member and know how to log in I have a computer I have a microphone I have a webcam I have put my webcam on a Tap I have adjusted my Flash Settings – microphone level, webcam I have tested my upload speed by wifi and ethernet I have set up lighting to light my face I have prepared and uploaded all my media to water-‐wheel.net All my media is added to my presentation session Tap (the one I am crew of) I will play my own media OR I need the Go-‐Between to play my media for me I know that Waterwheel records chat logs only

For Node Organisers Only I am providing a public screen I am providing computers or wifi access or both (password visible) I understand that sound output MUST come from the same computer that is being used for broadcasting sound and webcam to the Tap I understand that in a big auditorium or large room, it is preferable that the public sees the Tap in audience view (rather than crew view) I have read and understood the Team role descriptions. If you have a question not answered in this guide, or need urgent help, please email symposium@water-‐wheel.net or Skype chat: suzonfuks

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