So you want to communicate with your members.  You want it to be in real time, and you want members to hear you and/or see you.  The teleconferencing might work, but you know some people will not call a long distance number, plus, you really want your members to give you live feedback via real-time chat.  The video chat might work, but with each participant broadcasting audio and or video, it could be a mess for a one-to-many "webinar" type event.  Solution? The iGrOOps Live Broadcaster!

The live broadcaster was developed out of the growing need for an administrator of a group to communicate and audio/video message to his or her members in real-time, while allowing the members to offer real-time feedback, using an incredibly simple interface.  It is a flash-based application that loads in seconds and allows for hundreds of participants.

The live broadcaster is the ideal compliment to any Pocaster!  Imagine doing live podcasts and having participants ask questions and leave comments as you podcast.  Welcome to the next phase of podcasting evolution.

Activating Your Live Broadcaster

All members have access to this new application.  Like all applications, in order to activate for your group, you must go into your "administrator settings", then select the second tab at the top of the screen - "Applications / Permissions".  Scroll down and look for the "Live Broadcaster".  Make sure it is checked, and choose the permissions.

The live broadcaster now supports integration with Ustream.tv or Justin.tv as well.  Use the iGrOOps brodcaster if you want members only to participate, or use the Ustream.tv/Justin.tv option if you want it open to the world and want to use many advanced options that those other services have to offer.  But keep in mind those services will show advertising on your video stream.

Only the administrator is allowed to control who can broadcast with the iGrOOps broadcaster.  You can choose to allow limited members and/or full access members to participate or not.  If you ever wanted to allow a member to broadcast, you can give that member admin access to the application, or be on the boradcast with the member and choose to make the member the broadcaster.

Once your broadcaster is activated, you need to link the application somewhere within your iGrOOp.  Most people will choose to just add this application to the list of "featured applications" on the left column.  This is done in the homepage editor, under the "left column" section.

Setting Up Your Admin Options

Just as you begin to introduce any application, you should setup the admin options by clicking the "admin options" link within the application.

• Introduction - the text at the top of the broadcaster application.  Suggestion: use your calendar to schedule live events and provide a link to your calendar within the introduction.
• USTREAM URL - If you enter a USTREAM.TV URL, USTREAM will be used as your broadcasting application IN PLACE OF the member's only broadcaster. Remember, ustream is a public broadcasting service.
• USTREAM Video Embed - Embed code provided by USTREAM in the "share" tab of their interface.  No need to modify it.
• USTREAM Chat Embed - Embed code provided by USTREAM in the "share" tab of their interface.  No need to modify it.
• Twitter Message - This will only be seen if using the public USTREAM option. This is the message that will make up the first part of the Tweet... no need to enter the URL -- this will be appended. Example, "Live Event: Join us for a discussion about XYZ". 100 characters max.
• Whiteboard message - leave a message for those about to enter the live broadcast.  Use this for welcoming members, last minute details, instructions, or next broadcast time.
• Private lock code - You can require a private code for any given session (does not work with USTREAM option).  This way, before the member can enter the broadcast, they must provide the code.  Using this feature you can invite only certain members to participate.

Broadcasting Using the iGrOOps Broadcaster

As an administrator, when entering the application you will see TWO links: "Start Broadcasting" and "Launch Live Broadcast Console".

note: the text above the "start broadcasting" link is the whiteboard message.

Assuming you want to broadcast, click the "start broadcasting" link.  The flash broadcaster will launch in a new window with administrator (brodcaster) permissions.

Once the window opens, find yourself in the "participants" window and click on your name/nickname.

The option you want as broadcaster is "Set Speaker".  This will activate your webcam and microphone, and allow you to start broadcasting.  You will see two windows, one is your local video and the larger one is the main video that all participants see.  You can close your local video by clicking the webcam icon at the top of the screen.

Other Options:

• "Set Inquirer" will allow another participant to also broadcast audio and video at the same time.  This is great for two way video conversations and/or question and answer sessions.  There can be only one inquirer at a time.
• "Kick" will disconnect someone from the server.  They can get back on unless you block them from your iGrOOp and cancel their membership.
• "Watch Privately" will allow only you, the administrator, to see another participant.
• "Private Chat" will start a private chat session.
• "Block" and "Unblock" will stop the allow uses from chatting.

You can broadcast audio and video OR audio only.  To broadcast audio only, right click anywhere on the screen, and go to settings.  In the settings, de-select your valid webcam.

Once complete with the dialog, you will be broadcasting!

Participating

Participating could not be easier.  As a participant, just click the "launch live broadcast console" link.  There is no dialog box, and you will immediately start hearing/seeing the broadcaster.

Only the administrator sees the choice to broadcast.  The member does not see this link.

Some Podcasting Tips

This application currently does NOT record, but using your favorite desktop podcaster/audio recorder, you can have that software running while you are broadcasting.  Also, if you want to record the video for podcasts, use the USTREAM option.

Looking for podcasting software?  On the PC we suggest Castblaster or Audacity, and on the MAC you can use Garageband.

For more on podcasting see http://www.membershipsitebuilding.com/members/msb/blog/VIEW/00000008/00000015/Episode1-Podcasting-for-Your-Online-Group.html#00000015

Miscellaneous Notes

• Security is set so the member must be logged in, and accepting cookies by a third party
• Participants can arrive before the broadcaster
• There can only be one broadcaster at a time
• the broadcaster and participants should be on a high speed connection for best results
• broadcasting with audio only will produce better results for most participants due to the lower bandwidth needed
• USTREAM is a free service, thus is ad supported.  If you or your members will be offended by ads, do not use USTREAM

Live Broadcasting with USTREAM.tv

If you plan to have more than 50 or so people watching your broadcast, or if you want non-members to participate, it is advisable that you use the USTREAM.tv option for broadcasting.  This requires that you get a free USTREAM.tv account, and that you subject your viewers to a few ads, but the features and functionality make it well worth it.

Here is a step by step outline that will show you how to:

• create a USTREAM.TV account
• Setup your iGrOOps broadcaster so that it is using the USTREAM.tv option
• Broadcast your video
• moderate the chat
• record your video
• embed your latest episode and/or live stream in your iGrOOp

Create your USTREAM.tv account. Visit http://www.ustream.tv and click on the "sign up" link at the top right of the page.  Follow the online instructions to complete the setup of your account.

Setup your iGrOOps broadcaster so that it is using the USTREAM.tv option.  Look for a link that says "Go to show URL" and click that link.  This is the URL that you want to copy from your address bar and paste into your iGrOOps admin options, within the Live Broadcast application:

Now embed your video and chat into your admin options.  To get these URLs, visit the USTREAM.tv page, "Your Shows" >> "Share".  You will see the embed code for the video and the chat.  Copy and paste these into your admin options in iGrOOps.

As of USTREAM.tv's latest update (April 26, 2009), the embedded chat is not working.  Users of USTREAM.tv are reporting many issues with the chat, so it is suggested that you use a Meebo chat room instead.  You can create your chat room at http://www.meebo.com, and use the embed code to enter into your iGrOOps admin options for the embed chat.

(this is in USTREAM.tv)

(this is where you paste in iGrOOps)

Broadcast your video.  Broadcasting is actually quite easy.  Just click the "broadcast now" button and away you go.  There are many options within the broadcast console window, but they are all optional.  See ustream.tv docs for details.

When broadcasting, expand the chat section from the broadcasting section.  Do NOT leave your iGrOOps live broadcast screen open, or you will hear a massive echo!

Moderate the chat.  When you are logged into ustream.tv, you are the moderator.  There are commands you can use and buttons to delete chat comments and more.  Again, see ustream.tv for complete docs on this if needed, but it is pretty straight forward.

Record your video.  The great part about ustream.tv versus the iGrOOps chat is that you can record your videos and archive them. Within iGrOOps, you can then embed the lastest recorded video on your homepage.  When broadcasting, look for the "record" tab. Click to start recording.  When you are done, be sure to save the recording.

Embed your recorded video.  Click on the "Your Videos" tab/link at ustream.tv.  Select your video that you want to embed.  Click on the "menu" and press the play to activate the video.  You will see the embed code that you need to copy.

Once you copy this code, paste it in your admin options section that asks for homepage.