Case Study: Hybrid Education with AREC for Banking University in Poland

Dear ADENA Partners, our end of the year case study this time is the Polish WSB University. Together with our official distributor Kontel, integrator Tritech installed several complete sets of AREC systems for professional lecture capture, live streaming, and auto-tracking.

WSB University is one of the highest-ranked private universities of Poland - this year it ranked 3rd in the annual report of the Perspektywy Education Foundation. It has 10 campuses spread across the country and offers a variety of programs, such as law, healthcare-related disciplines, and information technologies. However, as the official name “Wyższa Szkoła Bankowa” (Higher School of Banking) implies, the university is most known for its banking and finance management courses. To further improve the quality of education provided in these disciplines, WSB decided to upgrade its hybrid education setup with AREC systems for lecture capture, streaming, and auto-tracking.

Several sets of LS-300, CI-T21H, and A-BR01 were installed for the university. The main component of these sets, LS-300, is a 3 channel Media Station that makes it easy to connect computers, IP cameras, document cameras, amplifiers and other audio and video sources for recording and streaming. One of the key advantages of AREC Media Stations are their multiple and straightforward control options, such as the Online Director web interface, numeric keypads, and the graphical user interface, all of which are used by the university. Another advantage is how well suited the station is for hybrid education - its two video outputs are used to loop PC content for students attending in person via the VGA port and send complete mixed video with camera feed via the HDMI port to A-BR01 for MS Teams, where the Media Station appears as a USB webcam and microphone for remote students. In terms of image, CI-T21H Auto Tracking camera makes sure that the university’s lecturers are able to carry out their work without worrying about the camera’s image, focus, and PTZ. All of these parameters are adjusted automatically thanks to the AM-600 IR positioner, and all the users need to do to make it work is to turn it on.

With AREC systems in place, the university has elevated its hybrid education to a new high. Is your university in need of an easy-to-use and complete solution? Contact us at www.a-dena.com and we will be happy to discuss how AREC can help in your case.

ADENA Hack: How to configure CI-series cameras in the Tracking Config Tool

All CI-series tracking cameras rely on the Tracking Config Tool for tracking configuration. Using this tool, you are able to change tracking modes, tracking directions, auto-zoom presets, tracking and zoom offsets, set up custom zoom levels for tracking, and also update tracking firmware. In order to configure these tracking settings of your camera, you need to use the provided USB-3.5mm cable. Connect the USB to your computer and the 3.5mm end to the camera’s 3.5mm jack - for CI-T21H, this will be on the top of the camera, whereas for CI-T10 it will be on its back. After the cable is connected, open the Tracking Config Tool. On the left side from the list of Ports, select the COM port called “Prolific”*, then press “Connect”. All tracking settings will be enabled to you and you will be able to change them how you see fit. After you make the necessary changes, press “Apply” and disconnect the tool. Using the Tracking Config Tool is simple and fast, and allows you to make the tracking ideal for your location. If you would like to know more or need assistance, reach out to us at www.a-dena.com and we will be glad to help you.

*Please note that if you do not see “Prolific” COM port in the port list, you will need to download it from our website

Case Study: NSI easily records and publishes digital content with AREC and Opencast

Dear ADENA partners, we are excited to share a case study from our German distributor DIMESO and their client, The Lower Saxony Study Institute for Municipal Administration (NSI) in Hannover. The institute is using AREC KL-3WT Media Station and CI-T21H auto-tracking camera to record pedagogical content.

With the NSI expanding their digitization efforts and the need to produce high-quality educational content, a professional solution was required that provided a good integration with their existing Opencast platform, an open source, flexible, reliable and free solution for management and distribution of video content at scale. To fulfill this request, DIMESO recommended AREC’s Media Station which has proven to be very popular. Within a few months, more than 100 films have been produced and automatically uploaded to Opencast without any problems.

Florian Lausen, Project Manager for Process and Organisation Development at NSI commented, that “the provided test equipment convinced us in the end by its easy handling and the possibility for lecturers without profound technical knowledge to record their teachings.” Mr. Lausen particularly highlighted the smooth service provided by DIMESO and ADENA even before getting the equipment, with continuous application and technical support, working together from the initial set up all the way to firmware upgrades that expand features and open up new production possibilities for the Institute.

The NSI represents a great example of integration between AREC and Opencast, and how our products can be used in education to make effective digital content. If you would like to learn more about which other platforms AREC is integrated with and how it can be used in your organisation, please contact us at www.a-dena.com and we will be happy to assist you.