Frequently Asked Questions - Academy Procedures


What are the minimum technical requirements in order to webcast?

Internet Connection
   In order to webcast, you need a stable internet connection that provides at least 100kbs upload bandwidth (which means dial-up connections will not work).  If you plan to have more than one or two people in a skype call, you will probably need a bit more than that.  You can test your bandwidth at AuditMyPC.com or speakeasy.net .  

Hardware

  • Based on our experience thusfar, it is necessary to use either a desktop USB mic like this or  USB Headsets like these which have two separate inputs for the mic and ear piece. Models that have been confirmed to work include: USB headsets that do NOT have the two separate inputs for mic and ear piece will not work and may cause severe anxiety for webcasters attempting to use them!
  • There are no other fixed minimum hardware requirements, but webcasting with anything less than 512kb RAM or the equivalent of a Pentium 4 would probably be pretty difficult.

Software

Information about software used to webcast can be found in the Webcaster Kit.  Trial versions of commercial programs are available, but as far as unavoidable long-term costs, Mac users will eventually need to purchase Nicecast, Windows users will need to purchase Virtual Audio Cables.
How do I 'join' the academy? What's involved in being an 'intern'?

For information about this, please check out:

About The Webcast Academy

Site Orientation

Webcast Academy Application

How can I keep track of all the content being produced on this site?

We're still in the process of figuring this out, but here are some pointers. 

All Front Page Nodes (audio, blogs, newsletters)
   Page View: http://webcastacademy.net
   RSS Feed: http://webcastacademy.net/feed.xml

All Comments
   Page View:  http://webcastacademy.net/comments
   RSS Feed:  http://webcastacademy.net/crss 

 All Blog Posts

   Page View:  http://www.webcastacademy.net/blog
   RSS Feed: http://www.webcastacademy.net/blog/feed    

All Forum Posts

   Page View:  http://www.webcastacademy.net/forum
   RSS Feed:  http://webcastacademy.net/allforums/feed

More links and feeds can be found on the Site Map


  

 

How do I participate in my class's group skype chat?
First you add 'webcastacademy' as a skype contact.  You will then be added to the skype chat within a few hours.
Then take a look at this screencast for some pointers.
http://www.screencast.com/t/TnPDoVVh15_
How do I know when it's OK to stream and how can I add a webcast the event calendar?

Once interns have been given access to the Webcast Academy streams (usually after completion of the first two tasks), they can can webcast anytime they like on either Sandbox A or Sandbox B.

To do impromtu (unscheduled) webcasting, first check the event calendar to make sure nothing is scheduled and then double check that there's no one already on the stream you plan to use by going to the listen page, checking the streaming status, and (just to be sure) try listening to that channel. It's also a good idea to enter the chat room to see if  anything is happening there  If a stream is available, you (interns) are welcome to use it.  If one stream is already in use, but the other is available, feel free to use that.

To schedule an event, click 'create content/event'.  You can  post the time in any timezone you like, but the default time zone is 'GMT'.  If you post the time in another time zone, MAKE SURE TO SELECT THE APPROPRIATE TIME ZONE from the pull down menu.  This will result in that time being listed in the event calendar, but will also cause confusion because time zone adjustments are not made on the calendar page.  As a result, it IS VERY IMPORTANT, that you INCLUDE A GLOBAL TIMES LINK when posting an event.  To do so, go to the TimeandDate.com Fixed Time Converter and copy the URL of the time you create.



How can I copy the URL of the Yugma?
Click on the top right icon in the Yugma window and 'copy session URL'.


How can I fix the overlap between between the main content and right column?
That overlap is created with some content when viewing the site with the default theme (Garland) on a 1024pixel wide monitor. You can fix it by clicking 'My Account / Edit' and then choosing either the zen theme or fancy theme.
Where's the old FAQ?
It's here - http://www.webcastacademy.net/node/677 We've just started using this new faq system and hope to have all that old info transferred over soon as we move into this new faq system.