[Linux-aus] efficiency of user groups

[James Henstridge]

On Thu, 3 Mar 2022 at 15:22, Russell Coker via linux-aus
<linux-aus at lists.linux.org.au> wrote:
> Does anyone else have server resources that can be shared with the free
> software community at negligible effort?

Not a server resource, but here's some software I wrote that might be
helpful to other LUGs that have been using BigBlueButton:

https://github.com/plugorgau/bbb-render

This takes the assets from a recording of a BBB meeting (webcam video,
slide images, screenshare video), and combines them into a single
video file suitable for archiving and uploading to services like
YouTube. It also gives an opportunity to brand the video through a
backdrop image (placed behind the slides/video), and title/end cards
to bookend the presentation (which can either be static images or
videos).

The main reason for working on this was that we have been using
another organisation's BBB instance, and wanted to make sure we
wouldn't lose the recordings should that org stop maintaining the BBB
server. We also wanted to have both our BBB and non-BBB presentations
available at the same place, which means they need to be available in
a lowest common denominator format (i.e. self contained video files).

While we'd originally considered BBB for remote meetings during
lockdown, it's turned out to be an acceptable method to stream and
record in-person meetings too:

1. Have a video camera pointed at the presenter, hooked up via an HDMI
capture device to the AV laptop. It'll look like any other webcam to
BBB.
2. Hook the presenter's mic to the AV laptop. We're using a cheap
mixing board with wireless mics that appears as a USB audio device.
3. Have the presenter log into BBB on their laptop. Either upload PDF
slides into BBB and present directly, or start BBB's screen sharing
and use virtually anything else.

James.