With support from Konscious and Manhattan Neighborhood Network we have packaged and uploaded the latest version and it can be downloaded at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/itv-ism/.

Currently this is a source only release of the project and doesn't include much documentation but here is some information to get you started:

The TeleServer is a server application meant to run on a stable and somewhat fast internet connected machine with a static IP. This application manages all of the client connections for chat and so forth. It is written in Java and there is a simple shell script for starting it up. (ITJ-TeleServer-Beta1.zip)

The WiFiTVChatClient is a client side chat application that works with the above server. It is meant to be run as an applet within a webpage. (ITJ-WiFiTVChatClient-Beta1.zip)

The WiFiTVPlayer is the application that allows for switching between QuickTime compatible streams with the ability to output those streams along with chat messages to a second monitor. This application requires QuickTime for Java (Mac or PC). (ITJ-WiFiTVPlayer-Beta1.zip)

If you are interested in using any of these applications in the production of a show for MNN or any other public access station please contact me: vanevery@walking-productions.com. If you are interested in helping to further develop this project please do the same.

Check it out!

Oh yeah, I haven't anything here yet about Konscious.TV. It was 2 half hour broadcasts from in and around the RNC here in NYC featuring ITJ!

In this image, Jonny is carrying the portable streaming computer in a messenger bag and holding the steady cam rig with camera and touch-screen.

This is a closer image of the same:

With that said, let's get started.

In a nutshell, you will need a cheap but powerful single board computer, some RAM, a Firewire/IEEE 1394 camera, a small touch screen monitor, a battery, a hard drive and a WiFi card. Next you will need to install Linux, add in some video capture, encoding and streaming software and your ready to go.

Almost...

Ok ok, so it isn't really that easy.

What follows is a description of the system I built along with information on how I built it and the problems I ran into along the way.

This project started about 6 months ago with the purchase of a Via EPIA M10000 motherboard. I chose the Via EPIA M10000 because several friends have had good experience with them and it seemed an especially nice single board computer with good support for Linux and great extras. It has a plethora of ports including 2 Firewire/IEEE 1394 ports, 4 USB ports, S-Video and composite video out as well as all of the standards such as VGA, parallel, serial, audio in/out/microphone, PS2, PCI and even I2C. This board is also very quiet, small (17 cm by 17 cm), low power (less than 5 amps) and sports a speedy 1 GHz x86 compatible processor. The unfortunate thing about starting with a board like this is that you have to purchase and install everything else and I mean EVERYTHING ELSE.

In the above image you see what is displayed on the touch screen monitor that is mounted on the steady cam and is running on the portable streaming computer. On the top left there is a button panel that enables quick launching of the various applications required: MP4Live for streaming, Corriander for camera capture and last an application for viewing the audience feedback. The video window appears on the right and acts as a viewfinder for the tele-journalist. On the bottom is the application that displays the audience comments.

Next is the in-studio stream/chat reception and rebroadcasting application:

The top portion of this application allows the studio staff to monitor the audience chat and gives them the ability to select messages for display on TV. The bottom portion of the application allows them to select a tele-journalist stream (or live in-studio camera) and switch between feeds.

Here is an example of the television output of the above application:

The chat messages from the audience appear at the bottom of the screen and the feed from the tele-journalist takes up the rest.

Last is an image of the simple application that audience uses to interact with each other and the tele-journalist:

I often leave this application running and you can try it out for yourself