5.0. SWCSR 08-04-2011 • Sherburne Wright Cable Commission
3rd Quarter 2011 Report
Wi-Fi Bridge
During the Big Lake Parade we started using a new technology that allows us to stream our live shoots
from locations that would have never previously been possible.
Our trailer was parked in the carnival grounds over 500 yards away from any network connection. Using
the Wi-Fi Bridge we setup one dish transmitter with router on top of our trailer. The second dish sat on
top of the Big Lake High School.A cable from that dish's router ran from the roof and plugged into a
network feed in the campus office of Big Lake Mayor Lori Kampa.
The schools IT staff gave us the bandwidth that allowed us to stream the parade video and audio signal
to a link on the City of Big Lake's web site. This allowed anyone world wide to see the parade on the
intemet.
As we develop the use of this technology more,we plan on publishing future shoots so that people can
notify family and friends world wide and let them know they can watch our community programming.
This is one of the many reasons that we have been working with each city's IT staff to setup remote
• access to the network.
None of this would have been possible if we hadn't received extensive help from Rick Todd of
Leightronix. He flew out in June to help us stream a live concert from Elk River's downtown park. He
showed us how to use the trailers equipment along with the Leightronix streaming box and PEG Vault to
send programming out via wireless streaming devices.
We hope to use this technology for many shoots in the future where we can't plug directly into a
network connection.
Delano Streaming
By the time you read this,Delano should be our next city that is streaming Channel 12 for the entire
world to see. We recently installed the equipment in their control room and have been working with
their city staff to activate it.
Rain and Video Equipment Don't Mix!
We have had an extraordinary storm season this year as far as our city equipment goes! We have fought
the elements on numerous occasions starting with the Buffalo parade where a very intensive rainstorm
almost derailed our live shoot. The rain followed us to Delano as we prepared for a Concert in the Park
shoot.
We have rain gear for the cameras but we are working on creating special gear for our cable reels and
• other equipment that is exposed to the elements. We have also had issues with some of the extreme heat
this season and we have modified the trailers electrical system so we can run extra air conditioning units.
• Movies in the ....Downtown!
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Watertown Downtown Movie
This year we have expanded our outdoor movie program to the downtown areas of Maple Lake,
Watertown and this coming Friday, a showing of E.T.in Monticello.
Many of the Monticello area business's are setting up booths and using the movie to introduce
themselves to area residents. If your city is interested in setting up downtown please let us know so we
can help you pick a suitable site for the venture.
Windows 7 Upgrades
We have been upgrading all new computers to the Windows 7 system where possible as we replace
systems that have'expired. With the increased amount of hacking taking place at all levels this is
. becoming extremely necessary.
We have requested software upgrades from manufacturers when possible to accommodate this change.
Equipment Needs Assessment
We are continuing the process of doing our long term equipment needs assessment. If I have not yet met
with your city I will be contacting you soon so that I can send out the report in time for next quarters
commission meeting.
As I have mentioned before,planning for upgrading the equipment is becoming extremely necessary as
our equipment ages and replacement pieces for the SD format are becoming harder and harder to find.
City Inter-Connection Progress
We have completed the necessary IT interconnection work in the following cities Buffalo,Watertown,
Dassel,Delano,Elk River and Maple Lake as well as the area wide channel.
This connection will allow us to send programming to each city government channel via the intemet.
We are using the Ultra Nexus equipment in each city to complete this interface. Monticello is currently
in the works with Big Lake, Cokato and Rockford left to do.
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Equipment Upgrade Requests
Maple Lake-Maple Lake is in the process of remodeling the entrance to their council chambers. They
would like us to install a 40"monitor with a wall mount so that it can be used by people attending their
council meetings. It will give those waiting out in the lobby a chance to view the ongoing proceedings.
Equipment Requested:
1 - Samsung-UN40D6300B-120 monitor $ 989
1- Custom wall plates with Cable,Audio and Video $ 385
1 —Chief Ceiling Mount and custom hang plate $ 349
Total: $1723
Elk River,Buffalo,Monticello,and Producer—The new software we installed for the edit systems in
these cities requires a new interface between the computer and the edit controllers. The Producer's
model, which Mark Davis uses,interfaces with his laptop and is different then the tower based edit
systems.
These interfaces will allow for the editing of H.264 video files which are becoming much more common
and are already being used in our trailer with the advent of streaming.
• The prices listed are for a purchase before August 30th. After August 30th the prices go up $500 for each
unit.
Equipment Requested:
3 —Matrox MX02 Rack with MAX $5685
1-Matrox MX02 LE with MAX for Laptop $1195
Total: $6880
Cokato—Cokato has requested that we upgrade 2 rack mount PC controllers that went down recently. A
goose hit the power line near city hall and fried out the power supply of one unit that controls their Ultra
Nexus system. The damage was limited to the power supply which I replaced but it is a very old
processor and is due to be replaced.
The week before a severe storm knocked out the power supply in their Scala controller which I also
replaced. The current units can be kept as emergency backups but should be upgraded. The prices also
include the interface units for each system as well as a scan converter.
The storm also severely taxed their battery backup unit. We also serviced and replaced the batteries.
•
• Cokato Equipment Requested:
2-Custom Rack mount PC with Scala Software and
Ultra Nexus software plus Windows $2850 each
Total $5700
Big Lake—Big Lake has requested a Leightronix PEG Stream system. Anticipating the loss of their
Wind stream channel,Big Lake is hoping that those residents that can't be served by Charter can at least
see Channel 12 streaming on the city web site.
Equipment Requested:
1-Leightronix PEG Stream System $2995
Total: $2995
Delano—Delano has requested a replacement for their Sympodium which died of old age last month.
Equipment Requested:
• 1- Smart ID250 15" Sympodium XGA LCD Tablet $2499
Total: $2499
The total for all equipment requests this quarter is $19,797
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