EchoSystem Capture Appliance Product Specifications

Dimensions

• Width: 11”
• Depth: 8”. When installing, add a little room for cables on the back of unit.
• Height: 1”

Terminations

VGA Termination

15 pin HD Male

Audio Termination:

• 1/4” Unbalanced
• RCA Unbalanced
• Requires Line Level (+4dBu) Signal

Video Termination

• SVideo – Port 1 Active / Port 2 Reserved
• Composite (RCA) – Port 1 Active / Port 2 Reserved

Mounting in Cabinet

Requires 1 RU Rack Space

Capture Source Options

The capture appliances can capture the following sources:

• Audio. Unbalanced 1/4" or RCA
• Video. S-Video or Composite (NTSC or PAL)
• External VGA. RGBHV signals are supported. RGSB signals are not supported. See Supported VGA Resolutions for further details.

Package Options

These packaging options produce viewable media for students:

• Podcast. MP3 audio
• Vodcast. M4V audio and motion display
• Audio Rich Media. Flash-based audio and display (browser)
• EchoPlayer. Flash-based audio, video and display (browser)

Requirements

The capture appliances contain all of the components necessary to record rich media lectures. The appliance runs embedded Linux. The only external requirement is the appropriate cabling for the network, video, audio and VGA sources. There are no additional requirements.

Audio is captured from a professional line-level (1.28Vrms, +0dBu) source using unbalanced RCA pair or ¼" stereo input. Most consumer-grade and semi-pro grade audio equipment provides a much lower line-level output (max. 0.316Vrms, -7.8dBu) and will require external amplification to properly drive the necessary audio levels.

Video is captured from NTSC or PAL sources via a composite signal with RCA termination or an S-Video signal with S-Video termination.

Analog VGA is captured from an RGB signal terminated as a 15-pin VGA cable (DE-15).

Deployment Considerations

Networking

The capture appliance must first be configured by obtaining a DHCP address. It can then be assigned a static IP address. Most institutions also require MAC address registration to obtain a DHCP address. It must also be able to resolve the host name of the EchoSystem Server via DNS.

The network connection is 10/100 Ethernet Connect.

Physical Installation

The capture appliance has a small form factor. It can be installed in a classroom podium or lectern using the feet provided. It can also be installed in a standard 19" rack with the rack-mount kit provided.

The capture appliance is passively cooled, so is sensitive to heat. Ensure sufficient clearance and ventilation, especially within an enclosed podium. See EchoSystem Capture Appliance Safety and Regulations.

Cabling

Cabling must be provided from the signal source to the appliance for capture. Cabling best practices should be applied when making cable runs.

VGA Pass-Through

The capture appliance provides the ability to pass the VGA signal through the system to other devices in the path, such as projectors or computer monitors.

Audio Monitoring

The capture appliance provides RCA audio pass-through for in-line audio monitoring. 

Supported VGA Resolutions

The table below lists supported, unsupported, and untested VGA resolutions.