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Screen sharing and webinar solution?

Posted

Organizing user groups across the globe is still a challenge, so I thought it would be more helpful to run online meetings with screen sharing, text & voice chat. 

Discord came up in this discussion and seems to work fine, albeit not for Mac users ("screen sharing with desktop audio is Windows exclusive"). This prevents Mac users from showing and discussing their Synfire work online.

I remember testing Google Hangouts with some success and they still seem to exist. I will take another look.

If you know of any other solution we should consider, please chime in.


Tue, 2019-12-03 - 18:42 Permalink

Zoom.us is the top solution for this kind of webinar. No registration required for participants. We can use basic for free for 40 mins. So for the first webinar we could trial it. I think Andre, it would be best thought if you could initiate the trial under cognitone?

Tue, 2019-12-03 - 18:59 Permalink

For the demo 40 minutes is really good for testing only. But 14€/mo for the Pro plan is pretty affordable, if it works well. I mean an audience of 100 is a big deal.

Will test it.

Tue, 2019-12-03 - 20:16 Permalink

Zoom is amazing. It's an app (no browser needed). Very clean. Does everything we need.

We should definitely make a test meeting (tomorrow?)

Fri, 2019-12-06 - 21:40 Permalink

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For the public record:

Our test was wildly successful. We'll go with Zoom. Hosting a Synfire session on Windows is not a problem, as Ruchir has figured out, using the mixer tool mentioned above. I'll still have to check how that works best on a Mac.

The Zoom app is free and can be downloaded from http://zoom.org. It's a lean and snappy experience. Everyone insterested in attending a Synfire user meeting can download and install it and make yourself acquainted with its settings and controls already.

I've created a meeting room already (https://zoom.us/j/8287799686) that however requires me to open it before anyone can enter. Unfortunately I'm currently sick with a weird cold (lost voice) and it's nastier than expected, so hosting a meeting will have to wait until at least my voice is restored. Anyone with a Zoom account however is able to host a meeting, so if you want to test your headset/speaker setup with multiple users, just go ahead.

Will report back on Sunday. Looking forward to the first meeting!

Fri, 2019-12-06 - 22:42 Permalink

Just installed Zoom. (The zoom.org link didn't work for me).

Looking forward to the meeting.

Get well soon, André!

Sat, 2019-12-07 - 11:16 Permalink

The zoom app on my smartphone and tv with screen mirroring seems to be not working.
Is there a better setup for this ?
I am not a big fan of wireless at home, so i use cables for network.. i think i can do the same for the smartphone to the tv with a 'MHL Enabled Display'

So i can use a MHL - HDMI   cable from phone to tv ..

Sat, 2019-12-07 - 12:12 Permalink

You're trying to do zoom, and mirror it to your tv? That's quite a load for your smartphone. Your would be better off connecting a laptop or computer to the TV.

Sat, 2019-12-07 - 20:00 Permalink

Thanks, the computer is connected with the tv with networkcable too.
Mirroring to the tv i can't make it with the smartphone, although supported.

I was just looking to use a MHL cabling for the smartphone , but it seems that the tv it is not supporting a MHL port ( HDMI 2.0 with  HDCP 2.2) = MHL HDMI port ?

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00022399 

The smartphone does not support MHL (all models support,  but just my model does not ) 

 

Is/can the zoom app working on my computer ?

Note : it is big search to figure this out for windows 10, if a phone app can be used in windows 10 itself
How do someone use this zoom app for a webinair ? 

Microsoft i read , is these days working on mirroring the smartphone in windows 10 ..maybe it is already there?
With this the zoom .app video content can be  mirrored in win 10

 
 

 

Sun, 2019-12-08 - 03:02 Permalink

Think the link should be https://zoom.us/  and there is a PC client Janamdo you can download and install on your PC, no need for a phone (unless you don't have an internet connection to your PC). You should be able to use it to share the screen and audio from synfire with other synfire users if you host a meeting.

Sun, 2019-12-08 - 11:30 Permalink

Thanks!

I installed zoom on windows 10 and executed the program.
It shows a Zoom cloud Meetings screen..with Join a Meeting button
 

Let the meeting begin !

Mon, 2019-12-09 - 12:11 Permalink

Ok I'm still ill with barely a voice, but really want to get this going, provided someone else does the voice moderation. I'll participate via chat for now ;-)

Maybe for a start, we should run a test in EU timezone with a small group, before I invite a larger global audience via email?

How about 19:00 CET today?

 

Synfire Users is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Small Group Test
Time: Dec 9, 2019 07:00 PM Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna
Join Zoom Meeting: (https://zoom.us/j/276016897)

Mon, 2019-12-09 - 18:14 Permalink

Screen sharing on the Mac works this way:

  1. While a meeting is running, click "Share" on the lower toolbar.
  2. Select the window or monitor to share. Be sure to tick "Share computer sound" (bottom left)
  3. In Synfire, select "Zoom Audio Device" for audio output

This will send both what you seletced as microphone input PLUS Synfire audio to the conference.

(There will be a brief interrupt for the installation of the Zoom audio driver when you do this for the first time)

Tue, 2019-12-10 - 13:02 Permalink

To wrap this up: The test with a small group was a success!

I just revamped the 'Events' page and added a meeting room that is open 24/7 to all Cognitone users. Up to 100 users can meet there at any time and share their screens, workflows and music. I think that's a great new resource we should make use of more often.

(https://www.cognitone.com/community/events.stml)

Anyone that wants to host a meeting on a specific topic, just drop me a line (support at cognitone dot com) so we can setup an email invitation to interested users.

Tue, 2019-12-10 - 13:42 Permalink

Unfortunately for me the connection got very unreliable after some time.

Nevertheless I like the fact that we've found a usable means for virtual meetings.

Next time I'll try to participate using my home/office computer - unfortunately I can't do screensharing (my music computer which runs Synfire has no network connection)

Tue, 2019-12-10 - 15:09 Permalink

 is there a way to secure the meeting room a bit more so we don't get any spammers gate crashing the zoom room?

Tue, 2019-12-10 - 15:22 Permalink

Ok, I set a password: 'Synfire'

Should be easy enough to remember. Added it to the room description, too. Bots won't be able to grab it.

Wed, 2019-12-11 - 10:56 Permalink

Hi Andre 

Can you schedule a webinar for Monday 16th at 6.15pm BST. I'll be happy to screenshare and describe my workflow on producing cinematic music using Synfire.

Fri, 2019-12-13 - 18:34 Permalink

Hi, will it be possible to record the webinar for those who cannot make the live session?

Fri, 2019-12-13 - 23:36 Permalink

Yes. We will make a recording, streamline it a bit, and publish it (unless anyone objects). But I think it should be no problem to have it online at least for a week or so.

I've invited a hand picked selection of 260 Synfire users. Some already replied they are looking forward to the meeting. The actual participation ratio with video conferences is extremely low, though. If 10 users will actually join the meeting, that would be a success. Others may prefer to watch the recording. Let's see. Sounds like fun.

Sat, 2019-12-14 - 01:01 Permalink

Awesome. Thank you Andre. I haven't purchased the software yet but just wanted to get some information before making the decision as it's quite an investment.

Sat, 2019-12-14 - 10:56 Permalink

Hi Faran,

Thanks for your interest in the video. Please do view the webinar and ask follow up questions on the forum. My workflow will be very particular to me, and others will use different approaches. So it's best to get a range of perspectives. 

Sun, 2019-12-15 - 01:05 Permalink

Thank you Ruchir. I will definitely watch the webinar. 
 

All the best.
 

Mon, 2019-12-16 - 19:33 Permalink

Did you scroll down to the second event? It's titled "Making of a Cinematic Soundtrack". I got the same message when I clicked on the first event that happened on 10 December.