Case Study: Kazakh National University expands with AREC

Dear ADENA Partners, this time we are sharing a case study from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. This university is already an experienced user of AREC systems, and now, thanks to the assistance of our partner STEPLine and system integrator Alceza, it added AREC Lecture Capture and Auto-Tracking to the law department auditorium to record and stream classes.

The university, also known as KazNU, first learned about AREC in 2018 when it was looking for innovative learning solutions that could help it increase its standards of teaching and simplify its media work. Since then, it has purchased and used various elements of the AREC Media Capture System, including KL-3W, LS-2, and LS-200 Media Stations, DS-4CU Speaker Tracking Stations, and AREC MSR platform. AREC systems proved to be reliable and user-friendly, replacing previous software-based solutions with ease. Taking this positive experience and the advice of our partner STEPLine, KazNU chose to install more AREC systems in its other faculties and auditoriums, starting with one of the law department auditoriums.

For this expansion, the university purchased a KL-3WT Media Station and a CI-T21H IR Auto-Tracking Camera. The inbuilt screen of the 3-channel KL-3WT model makes it so that the lecturers are always aware of what is being recorded and streamed. The graphical user interface on the screen also helps the lecturers quickly adjust which video sources are used, start and stop recording and streaming, and export recorded videos on a flash drive among other functions. The station takes the video output from a smart lectern and a CI-T21H camera mounted on a wall bracket. Its third channel is kept open in case a document camera or a second computer is required. The combined videos produced by the station are streamed to the university’s YouTube channel where they are available via private links.

As for the CI-T21H, it makes sure that the lecturers are always in view of the camera and allows them to focus on the class at hand. Moreover, the camera stays on the lecturers even if students enter the field of view since it is looking only for the AM-600 positioner - a particularly important feature when it comes to tracking in lecture halls.

The new installation in KazNU improves the experience for both lecturers and students.

Would you like to know how your university can use AREC? Contact us at www.a-dena.com and we will be happy to discuss your requirements.

Text: Anastasia Yakimenko

Case Study: Increase your Student Reach - CESA Colombia Experience

Dear ADENA Partners, this time we would like to share a case study from a prestigious Colombian College of Higher Administration Studies known as CESA. Thanks to our partner Integración AV, the college equipped several classrooms with complete sets of AREC Media Capture Systems. Learn how the college utilizes our products below.

CESA is ranked as one of the top universities in Colombia, and a very selective one at that, with just around 20 to 30% admission rate. It is a trendsetter in the higher education of the country, having many research and student exchange agreements in place with other institutions and attracting students from all over the world. The college heavily relies on AV technology to provide the best quality of education possible to its students.

However, the original AV equipment present in the college required an update for a number of reasons. Teachers had to stand in a very small area to be properly captured by the cameras, which took away from the liveliness of their classes. Remote students also struggled, since they did not have a convenient way of attending classes remotely. Thus, CESA started looking for a system that could alleviate these problems and integrate well with other audiovisual technologies present in their lecture halls. With the help of Integración AV, they found AREC Media Capture System.

CESA updated a total of 28 classes with AREC Media Stations LS-300, CI-21H Network Cameras, and RADA A-TC01 Auto-Tracking Cameras. LS-300 is a 3-channel model that takes both of these cameras as network sources and arranges them in a mixed layout with an additional computer source. Teachers find it very easy to operate LS-300 thanks to the GUI produced by this station. They can turn on recording and streaming with just one button, completely change their presentation look with themes, and they do not need to worry about making the recordings of lectures visible to students, since these are automatically backed up on the college’s server. Moreover, A-TC01 cameras allow teachers to freely move around the room and engage their students better. The camera’s tracking algorithm makes it certain that the teacher will always remain the camera’s tracking target, regardless of the students in the room. Lastly, CI-21H Network Cameras capture the audience in high quality and ensure that students watching the lecture recordings are not missing a single detail. Apart from the AREC and RADA products, Integración AV also helped CESA with projectors, ceiling speaker systems, displays, wireless content-sharing tools, and a number of other devices that are working perfectly with the Media Capture System.

With the new hardware in place, the college is now properly equipped to reach students from abroad and increase its education quality. Would you like to know more about how AREC systems can be used in your institution? Contact us at www.a-dena.com and we will be happy to arrange a demonstration for you.

ADENA Hack: How to configure IR tracking cameras to show targets fully in maxed-out zoom levels

We’ve covered most of the IR Auto-Tracking Camera configurations in the previous ADENA Hacks - specifically №11, №41, and №42, but there is one feature that we haven’t mentioned yet - X/Y tracking offset.

In certain installations, you may need to position the camera far away from your tracking target. You can then either configure auto-zoom to show your tracking target, or set a manual zoom level to adjust for this distance. In either case, zooming in may “cut” the top of your tracking target’s head, or center the image on the positioner instead of the face. AREC Tracking Config Tool can be used to adjust your tracking offset for these situations, helping you focus the camera on what matters. If your camera is installed upright, and the head is “cut”, increase the Y-axis offset (set positive number).

Press apply, close the app, disconnect the tracking config cable, start tracking, and select the optimal level for your distance and zoom. If the camera is installed upside-down, decrease the Y-axis instead (set a negative number) and follow the same steps. Similarly, if your tracking target wears the positioner to their side (e.g. in a shirt pocket), adjust the X-axis accordingly. Please note that these tracking offset settings are visible only on significant zoom levels (e.g. 8x-10x magnification). We recommend zooming out instead if this level of magnification is too much for your installation.

If you would like to know more about AREC IR Auto-Tracking solutions, or about any other solutions we offer, please contact us at www.a-dena.com and we will be happy to assist you.