Video Taping of GIRS Meetings??

[dellrio]

I think it would be cool if we could get someone to videotape the meetings... This way if someone were to miss a meeting with a topic that they were very interested in they could borrow a tape and see the meeting anyways. If someone had the video equiptment i think this would be cool. VHS tapes are relativly inexpensive and would be a cool thing to have. They could also be used as referances... Perhaps a new member joins in 3 months and wants a meeting about Calcium Reactors because they were looking into buying one - Then we could let this person borrow the tape on that meeting to help them out... Does anyone else think that this would be a good idea? I am willing to organize this if there is someone out there with a video camera. Please let me know what everyone thinks

Nick Dell

[Coralfreak]

Hey Nick,

We have actually been tossing around the idea of a digital voice recorder to tape the meetings and then upload them onto the site. The video tape is also a very good idea:)

Does anyone have the necessary equipment they could bring along on Sunday??

Allen

[lchase12]

If my trip gets cancelled, I can bring along my camcorder.

I should know today.

Lance

[lchase12]

my trip has been post poned, I will be able to attend the meeting.

YEAH!

If you like I could video tape and then convert to a Mpeg.

Let me know.

Lance

[Coralfreak]

Lance,

That would be great:D

Thanks!!!

Allen

[lchase12]

No problem, We can have some fun with it.

see ya there.

[dellrio]

I would also like to keep a library of the meetings on VHS if possible - Not everyone has the capabilities to view .mpg . How large would a meeting be on mpg? most of my DIVX movies are around 700Mb and i can fit them on a CDR disc - that would be cool to.

[lchase12]

Depends on the length of the meeting. but we could break it up by subject and then provide links to it on-line. We would just have to have somewhere to save the files. I have a DVD burner and we could use that medium also. Then you could play it in a DVD Player. Just like a movie.

Yes VHS will be nice also.

Lance

[dellrio]

Im just afraid with having it online that it will take up too much webspace... I do not know how much webspace there is but i know the videos would take up a lot of space. DVD would be as good as VHS - I dont think that there are many people without DVD players anymore but aren't the DVD-r discs still somewhat expensive? Also i was thinking that we could bring in some revenue from this to help cover its costs perhaps something like this

Members - Borrow videos for free
Non-Members - Have to pay a small fee to rent
Also have videos available for purchase
for a cheap price for members and a higher
price for nonmembers

This is again something that would have to be discussed with
the entire group and would probably have to be voted on by the
members. If you could burn it to DVD I could easily copy it to
VHS if someone needed.

[Atticus]

I think you guys and gals have hit the nail on the head. So much would be missed without the video portion of the meetings. It would be nice to be able to go back and reference a past meeting also.

[lchase12]

I think we should formalize a plan and get a vote on it.

Thanks.

Lance

[dknape]

If you guys like the idea, I can see to it that media services is configured for this site and then videos could also be viewed from the server/web site. Speeds would still be very good when viewed from a broadband connection.

Does this sound like a good idea to anyone? The files could be broken down into peices similar to how WWW.NASA.GOV is displaying videos on the Mars 2004 project.

Let me know.

[dknape]

How many minutes do you suppose a typical "presentation" would last? I will figure some things out on my side. I can be available to convert VHS tapes to digital format for meetings that take place here in DSM if someone else were to do it while meeting in other cities.

Of course, this is if it were decided that this was the method to go with.

For those concerned with the bandwidth, I do not feel that this would be any issue based on the server configuration and bandwidth available.

Nick, web space is not too much of an issue. I will research this a little bit more. This method would be cheaper and easier than VHS although I think VHS tapes should be kept for at least a period of time for borrowing by other members.

My brother is a manager for a national audio visual company here in Des Moines. I will see if he has any suggestions for producing VHS/DVD videos for this purpose, cheaply. :-)

[dellrio]

This is cool... Im glad that others think that this is good idea, i think this would really benefit the club and it members and future members. I think that we should discuss this at a meeting and see what the rest of the club thinks but i do think that even untill a final decision is made the meetings should be taped. So here is what we got so far.


lchase12 - has volenteered to tape the upcoming meeting this sunday.

dknape - is going to look into lo cost options for puting the videos online as well as onto the desired video media's.

Though I think the next meeting will be quite lengthy already I would like to have this topic discussed and voted on at the next meeting if at all possible... Allen would we be able to discuss this?

I may or may not be able to attend the meeting on Sunday 11 - I am still trying to get work off so I can come - Lindsay will be there for sure. Lindsay says she'd be willing to add my ideas to the discussion if I cant make it.

Once again I'm glad to see the support and enthusiasm about this idea.

Thanks Again.
Nick

[lchase12]

I have a digital camera with DV out on it, I have the digital software to take the video straight into the computer and editing it from there.

Sounds great, Thanks for the idea

[lchase12]

One correction to my post it is a digital Camcorder mini DV.

Thanks

[Coralfreak]

Originally posted by dellrio
Though I think the next meeting will be quite lengthy already I would like to have this topic discussed and voted on at the next meeting if at all possible... Allen would we be able to discuss this?


Yes, definitely, this is a great idea, we just need to work out the finer points at the meeting.

Allen