Our resident BoinxTV mastermind, Bastian, recently came across another great piece of equipment to use alongside BoinxTV - the HDMI to Composite /S-Video Converter 3RCA CRT TV CVBS from Portta. Designed to convert HDMI to either Composite Video or S-Video, this converter allows the devices only equipped MiniDisplayPort output to be connected to CRT TV. "We receive many requests from schools for an adapter or converter to use with BoinxTV," says Bastian. "This converter is perfect for school use, as many schools may be using HD devices and Macs that only allow for digital video playout, but are only equipped with analog TV. This takes care of that problem, converting your HDMI to analog, and allowing schools to run BoinxTV at the best possible quality."

Bastian outlined the three different scenarios in which schools might use the HDMI converter to run BoinxTV in a handy little diagram - click here to view. Here's a breakdown of each diagram:

Case 1: Mac with a DVI-out port: You have your Mac with a DVI-out port. Simply connect your Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Converter cable, like this one from Menotek, to your DVI-out port. Then connect your composite or S-Video cable from your Mini DisplayPort to your cable system. For audio, connect a 1/8" > RCA cable, and voila, you're in business!

Case 2: Mac with a Mini DisplayPort without embedded Audio: For video, simply connect your HDMI cable to your Portta HDMI Converter box. Then take your composite or S-Video cable and connect to your cable source. Once again for audio, connect a 1/8" > RCA cable.

Case 3: Mac with a Mini DisplayPort with embedded Audio: Just as in case 2, connect your HDMI cable to your Portta HDMI Converter box, and your composite or S-Video cable to your cable source. Then, connect your 1/8" > RCA cable directly from your Converter box to the cable system.

All in all, the HDMI Converter box from Portta is an extremely affordable and great quality product to help schools get set up with BoinxTV. Just cable it up once, open BoinxTV on your Mac and, Bastian suggests, output to 1280x720 for the best results. The converter also comes with cables, so you have everything you need to get started. You can get the HDMI to Composite /S-Video Converter from Portta on Amazon.com at a great price. Try out and let us know what you think!

As you may have already seen at (http://bitnapping.tv/episodes/2010/5/5/bitnappingtv-094-streaming-with-boinxtv.html), streaming from BoinxTV currently works using free 3rd party software. A while ago, Teradek released a fine product called the Cube, that simplifies the process of streaming quite dramatically.

The cube is basically a small box with HDMI and analog audio input that can connect to a wired or wireless network and convert the video input to different types of network streams. For local networks, it supports RTSP and HTTP-Live Stream (HLS). So if you simply want to stream inside a closed network, one of these would be your method of choice. If you want to stream to the Internet, the Cube so far supported streaming to livestream.com but with the latest firmware update, Teradek added generic RTMP streaming, what means, streaming to any Adobe Flash Media or Wowza Server (that most streaming platforms use) is now also possible.

All that is required to get you streaming using the Cube is a HDMI cable and adapter, an audio cable and a Teradek Cube (e.g. the Cube 200).

The cabling is pretty easy, plug the adapter from your secondary monitor output in (like a Mini Displayport to HDMI or DVI to HDMI) adapter, connect the adapter and the Cube with the HDMI cable an finally plug the audio cable into the Cube and into the main audio out of your computer (you might want to add a splitter if you want to use headphones for monitoring meanwhile. It sounds much more complicated than it actually is. Take a quick look at the photo and you'll understand the cabling immediately.

Now you need to configure the Cube. Plug in an Ethernet cable in your network and open the TeraCentral software that comes on the tiny thumbdrive and select "Configure Settings".

After logging in, head to "Video Setup" > "Device Settings" and make sure your Audio Input settings are correct. The Cube should automatically recognize the video input settings. Sometimes the video resolution of the Mac can't be recognized properly, in that case, you need to adjust it all by hand. If you set you resolution in "System Preferences" > "Displays" e.g. to 720p and 50hz, choose "720p50" in the "Video Input Resolution" drop down, if you made other adjustments in "System Preferences", set it here accordingly. Now also set the Colorspace using the "Video Input Colorspace" drop down. Normally this has to be set to RGB. Afterwards, click "Apply" and wait a moment for the Cube to process your settings.

Now head to "Video Setup" > "Encoder Settings" and adjust your Primary Encoder. The settings depend on what your streaming destination allows you to send. For Standard definition 512k is fine and it complies with the maximum settings of most of the free accounts most platforms offer.

For the final streaming setup go to "Video Setup" > "Stream Settings".

Livestream.com

If you plan to stream to livestream.com (which we can really recommend), select "Live Internet Streaming". All you need to do now, is entering your livestream.com credentials and hit "Verify Login". Under "Livestream Channel Settings" you might want to configure a few additional settings. When everything is set, click "Apply" to save your changes.

To start streaming to livestream.com, all you need to do is heading to the "Stream Settings" page everytime you want to start a stream and hit the "Start Broadcast" button. Once your broadcast is over, click the "Stop Broadcast" button on the same page.

Generic RTMP Streaming

If you plan to stream to other services, like justin.tv or any other platform that supports RTMP (ask their support if you are not sure), your need the 5.x firmware that you can get from the Teradek Forums and an additional license, that can be obtained for free from Teradek. Just contact support@teradek.com with the serial number and Ethernet MAC Address of your Cube to request a license. Once installed, switch the "Stream Mode" to RTMP and enter the RTMP Server URL and the Stream ID in the appropriate fields.

You can find these settings e.g. in the advanced tabs of the various streaming platforms, Or you can download a Flash Media encoder XML from them that contains these values. 

Here is an example excerpt of the justin.tv XML:

You can also ask the support staff of the platform in question, they'll be most certainly able to give you the information required.

After entering these credentials, hit "Apply" to save the changes.

If you have a valid signal and the encoder works properly, click "Start Broadcast" to start streaming. In case you want the Cube to start the stream once Signal is recognized, set "Auto Start Broadcast" to "Enabled". Like this, streaming is just a matter of connecting the Cube.

Having set this all up, the Cube is ready to go, now there is only one thing left to do: Tell BoinxTV to play its output through HDMI. 

Live playout through HDMI and Line Out

Open your document, make all the adjustments needed and ensure that the HDMI adapter and cable is connected to the Cube. At first, click the headphones icon on the top right, select "Built-in Output" as the playthrough device and enable playthrough. Now hold the option key on the keyboard and click the Fullscreen button on the top right.

In the sheet that appears, select the secondary screen (make sure the main BoinxTV window is on the main screen) and choose the desired resolution and refresh rate. For example, if you set the Cube to expect 720p50 choose 1280x720 with a refresh rate of 50 Hertz. When everything is alright, klick "OK" and be ready to stream. (If your setup is not set to autostart the stream, all you have to do is log into the web interface and click "Start Broadcast").

The fantastic thing about this solution is, that you need to set it up only once. From then on, streaming is as easy as connecting a cable and you don't have to worry if there is enough CPU power left to encode a web stream. Apart from the ease of use, with this setup it is suddenly possible to do a high resolution web stream with a not so powerful computer like a MacBook Air. 

Find out more about the Teradek Cube on their Web site at www.teradek.com.

Bob LeVitus from the Houston Chronicle had always wanted to be on television, so when he was asked to write, coproduce, and host a half-hour program known as Mac Today back in 1992, he jumped at the chance. The show was syndicated in more than 100 markets, and ran for 13 weeks. During this first brush with TV, Bob learned that creating high-quality video programming requires time, talent and money. He was bitten by the TV bug and has been thinking about doing another show ever since.

"My big problem has always been the money," says Bob. "I've got time, and I'd like to believe I've got talent. What I didn't have was a TV studio filled with all the purpose-built equipment necessary to produce a TV show." That's where BoinxTV comes in. Bob describes BoinxTV as, "a Mac application that delivers much of the functionality of a traditional TV studio at a fraction of the price. With its unique layer-based production system, BoinxTV makes it easy to create video that looks like what's on TV, be it CNN, Fox News, ESPN, HBO, or the local news."

Bob concludes his BoinxTV review by saying, "If you've ever dreamed of producing TV, BoinxTV makes it cheaper and easier than ever before." Read the complete review here!

This back to school season, educators all over the world are including a new tool in their teaching curricula - BoinxTV. I've learned that as more and more educators begin to integrate technology into the classroom, BoinxTV has quickly become a fan favorite among students and teachers alike for its user-friendly workflow and engaging video production capabilities. From creating a school news show, to broadcasting school events, conducting live interviews, or even making a full documentary, BoinxTV makes classroom projects more vivid and exciting - and kids really do love it!

"The BoinxTV application is like having a TV studio in the classroom," says Peter Goetz, Kentfield School District. "The look, feel, and results are very professional, and the students fall right into their roles as engineers, writers, directors, pundits, or special guests. Whether filming high-resolution videos or broadcasting a news show to a uStream audience, this is a classy and cost-effective way to do realistic media production with teenagers."

I think one of the most rewarding things about BoinxTV is that it gives students an immediate sense of achievement and satisfaction. It keeps them interested and engaged by simplifying the video production workflow and producing immediate results in real time. Kids can create their very own news show - just like CNN or the Today Show - in just one classroom period. "We use BoinxTV for our live news program," says Zachary McNaughton, Digital Audio & Video Electronics Instructor, RVTC School District. "We love the software for what it does! It gives us the look and feel we need during the live show and also eliminates editing for us after the live production. This year we will be building a real new set and really spicing things up for the show. The kids can't wait!"

There are so many ways educators and schools can use BoinxTV to engage kids in the learning process, help build teamwork skills, and introduce them to important technology workflows. Click here to find out all the ways BoinxTV can be used to spice up your classroom this fall!

I recently chatted with our resident BoinxTV guru, Bastian Woelfle, about a new greenscreen project he has been working on with a German company called tele-data. "The CKL-300 is a perfect solution for beautiful video chromakeys without tedious attention to background lighting," says Bastian. "The dual color (both Green & Blue) LED ring and a unique 3 x retro-reflective back drop cloth, embedded with tiny glass beads, provides a flexible and practical solution for any greenscreen needs. It's easy to fold up and carry with you on the go, the retro-reflective cloth is about 20" in size, take outside for outdoor shoots... and it works extremely well, eliminating green spills and shadows."

The CKL-300 light ring can output either green or blue, which makes it ideal for tailoring your pojects' subject to enure there are no color clashes. Users simply mount the LED light ring on the lens of their camera using an adapter, which then projects the green or blue light onto the back drop cloth. The light is then reflected back to the camera, via the tiny glass beads, creating a perfect green or blue background. "We tested it out with BoinxTV's Prokeyer, and the results were great! It's super easy-to-use and convenient for shoots taking place both inside and outside the studio," says Bastian. "We want to thank Mr. Wildner at tele-date for his help in tailoring the CKL-300 to work with BoinxTV... it's really a great new added option for our users!"

If you are located in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, please visit http://www.tele-data.info/ for pricing inquiries. All others can visit http://www.datavideo.info/ for purchase options and more information. Happy greenscreening everyone!

Mac360's Rob McElfresh recently took a look at BoinxTV as a solution for creating a Mac360 video series. Here's just a sampling of what he had to say...

"Boinx does a good job of describing the video effects tools with a series of video examples on the company website. You'll need them. Video production may be digital point and click, but dozens of elements, preferences, and settings are floating onscreen at the same time, so start slowly, build a simple video, then progress to more comples productions."

"Also useful are BoinxTV's export options. Most of the QuickTime movie settings are available, as is a single-click option to upload your production to YouTube. And, it covers a wide spectrum of usage, from a simple single video source, to multiple video sources. Add a live Skype video stream to the production."

"BoinxTV is more than a fun app or toy. It's capable of serious quality production, but requires plenty of time to master..."

Read the complete review here!

A non-governmental, non-profit organization, Beachwalker is a unique social network popping up on shores all over the world. Beachwalker's primary mission is to protect and clean the planet's beaches and shores, aiming to educate and motivate people to behave voluntarily and proactively in an environmental sound manner. A graphic artist and photographer for the german publishing industry, and avid environmentalist and nature lover, Dirk Rappold started the Beachwalker initiative in 2007 after being struck by the amount of pollution on the shores of his favorite beach in Kenya. One afternoon, he simply asked the many tourists and locals sprinkled along the beach to help him collect the rubbish scattered all over the shore, and with everyone's combined efforts, it took less than one hour to clean up one kilometer of the east african beach. It was that afternoon that Beachwalker was born.

Continuing his mission to clean up our shores, Dirk will soon begin a bicycle journey along the coast of Germany, from the Netherlands to Poland, approximately 3660 km. During his journey, Dirk will be documenting the pollution along the shores through photographs, interviews with locals, marine biologists, coast dwellers, tourism companies, and more, as well as through a regular podcast about the status of his findings via BoinxTV running on a 17" Macbook Pro, two Sony Bloggie Cameras, and Final Cut Pro. He will podcast from the beach as he investigates the status quo of sand/water quality, as well as the general state of the beaches.

I recently caught up with Dirk before he leaves on his Beachwalker expedition to discuss his use of BoinxTV and his hope for the journey...

When did you first hear about BoinxTV?

I remember seeing a boxed version of BoinxTV some time ago in one of the Apple stores in Germany, but it was more recently brought back to my attention thanks to the Mac App Store. When I had a closer look at the software and its capabilities, I thought it might be great for my podcasts.

What benefits do you think BoinxTV has over other video production software? Why do you choose it over other options?

Prior to using BoinxTV, I always used Final Cut Pro and Motion (and even Avid Studio in earlier days) to make my podcasts. However, BoinxTV makes it much easier to set up a toolbox of necessary elements, such as lower thirds, logos, and backgrounds, in advance. Then all you need to do is layer everything together in the appropriate sequence and start/end each element with the push of a button, which is very cool. BoinxTV has a very uncomplicated user interface, which makes it easy to understand and achieve the results you want. The integration of the iSight camera/external camera is also very interesting and useful for me, as it enables me to combine prefabricated footage with live-elements.

Can you walk me through your workflow with BoinxTV a bit?

Absolutely! Before I even leave home, I will create some nice lower thirds, titles, logo animations, and alpha transitions in Motion, and import them into BoinxTV so that my podcasts are nicely branded and ready to go.

The bicycle I will be riding along the coast is equipped with two videocameras - one on the handle bar and one on the luggage-holder in the back which can be moved anywhere on the bike and trailer. There is also a third camera that can be fitted with interchangeable lenses from my DSLR and Leica-m cameras. The plan is to ride the bike along the coast during the daytime, stopping every 5 kilometers to take samples of the sand, measure the water quality, and document polluted stretches of beach. Of course, I will be taking photos and filming as I go. I also want to meet and interview beach-relevant people like biologists, hotel owners, tourists, fishermen, etc. Then, in the evening, I will transfer the resulting files to my laptop and sit in front of the campfire or my tent and bring the prerecorded sequences/images together with some live footage and comments on my findings. This will all be done via BoinxTV and recorded to disk.

From there, I will publish to the warehouse folder of my webserver via my iPhone or, depending on location, public WiFi. From the webserver, the podcast will be integrated into my project's webpage. Finally, I will send out newsletters inviting my audience to have a look at my findings and reports on the status of our shores.

Dirk invites everyone to be a part of the Beachwalker initiative by visiting the website http://www.beachwalker.org/ to find out what beaches need cleaning, keep up-to-date on news and data about the quality of the sand and water on any given beach, and keep track of upcoming beach cleaning events in your area. As the organization grows, Dirk hopes to connect with local media to get the word out about the status of our shores, as well as take his findings to schools and museums with hands-on labs and exhibitions. Beachwalker is a global mission to clean up our shores for future generations, and here at Boinx we are incredibly pleased and proud to be a part of such an immense cause. Stay tuned for updates on Dirk's travels and his podcasts via BoinxTV!

Photo Copyright © 2011 www.beachwalker.org