[AG-TECH] Portable AG node

Fri Apr 1 01:51:06 CST 2005

That's good to know. i was thinking as well of some kind of wireless video sender/receiver for each camera. So I can move them around and change their position easily. I dont know whether someone tried this. I dont know either whether have some of this devices interfere each other or with wireless (802.11 I mean) or Digital TV signals...

Which kind of projectors would you recommend?. I think our JVC D-ILA SX21 might be too big to be carried around... 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John I Quebedeaux Jr 
  To: Natalia Costas Lago 
  Cc: ag-tech 
  Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 2:36 AM
  Subject: Re: [AG-TECH] Portable AG node

  Natalia,

  I need to get you a picture of how the cables are placed on ours (maybe I'll take the top off and show you that way) - but basically, I have a set of cable ends from the phoenix connectors on the XAP400 that just run to the back in a flexible conduit with XLR connectors where the cables (which are coiled up on hooks on the sides when in "storage/move mode" and simply plugged into the connectors on the back when in use. This lets me mix and match for distances, etc.

  Note: a lot of 2" wide velcro was used in keeping things in place - monitors, gentner (helps cushion during travel as well), other devices - even the powerbricks from the monitors, etc). Walmart, fabric section - black or white is where you find lots of the stuff... =)

  I'm setting up the system over the weekend for a conference, i'll get some detailed picture for you on that. My preference would have been to put a patch panel somewhere on the cart but just never got around to it - i.e. it works, it's quick, we've been so busy I haven't done more to it! But it could be cleaned up.

  Someone was telling me that the audio folks have some nifty cards for rackmounting equipment that are mobile... i have to look into that... they did say it was $$$$ though...

  -John Q.
  -- 
  John I. Quebedeaux, Jr.
  Louisiana State University
  Computer Manager / LBRN & CCT / 131 Life Sciences Bldg. & 339 Johnston Hall
  e-mail: johnq at lsu.edu or johnq at cct.lsu.edu / web: http://lbrn.lsu.edu & http://cct.lsu.edu
  phone: 225-578-0062 / fax: 225-578-2597

  On Mar 31, 2005, at 9:11 AM, Natalia Costas Lago wrote:

    Thank you very much John for such a detailed description. There are some points that are interesting for ours.

    Our mobile node will be used... everywhere. Actually we are thinking in a 3 projectors setup. Buy 3 portable screens.... The main goal is to reduce the size of the rack (that means to reduce every item we can think of), and try to work out some solutions for an easy .. "plug and play". The cables issue is a big one.

    We need.. room node quality equipment.. that we can move around easily.

    ----- Original Message -----

    From: John I Quebedeaux Jr 

    To: Natalia Costas Lago 

    Cc: ag-tech 

    Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 10:12 PM

    Subject: Re: [AG-TECH] Portable AG node

    Natalia,

    I hate to say it this way... but it depends. That's one of the things about the AG is that it IS so flexible for the environment you are putting it into. Will you use the portable in a small room, large room, auditorium, etc? everywhere?

    I'm currently upgrading our portable node and putting as much flexibility and power into as small a box i can get was one of my dilemmas. I'm still looking at motherboard slot configurations, etc. I'm going to be trying out one of those quad-capture cards... 

    However: this is what my current portable node looks like below (LSU's portable node is affectionately named "Wilbur the PIG")

    two 15" LCD monitors
    one dual head AGP Matrox card (I forget which)
    one quad head PCI Nvidia card (I forget which)
    two Canon VC-C4 cameras
    one Sony EVI-D100 camera
    3 tripods
    wireless keyboard and mouse
    one trackerpod quickcam (WDM) for operator
    three osprey 100 capture cards
    on board audio/network (100mbit on this one)
    CPU is a dual 2.2 xeon running XP(SP2)
    XAP400
    one wireless lapel mic
    i borrow crown mics from my full node as needed for inputs 2-4
    pair of genelec 1029A speakers
    surgeprotector/filter
    50' to 100' of just about every cable - well shielded s-video cables btw.

    my upgrade will speed up the CPU/motherboard, replace the video card with a single quad card, put in a single capture card, have audio and firewire and gigabit. I'm going to add a 2nd wireless mic (for audience on a stand) and a couple of table mics I can attach. I'll upgrade the cart - pneumatic tires probably or build a split "cart" where the top and bottom are removable for easier travel in vehicles. I've taken Wilbur all over the state. Fortunately, this design fits in the back "well" of my van (where the back seat folds up into). Note, the tripods do fold up small enough to fit inside the cart. EVERYTHING fits on the cart.

    The bottom half of this card holds ALL the cameras, cables, etc. The top half holds the CPU, echo canceler, wireless receiver, monitors, and speakers (velcro holds them in place during the long rolls across campus). There is even a plastic cover (see picture with umbrella in the corner?) that keeps it dry in the event of a sudden down pour (which has happened... it's Louisiana, thunderstorms happen). =)

    The reason for the mismatch on the cameras is that i ended up with a spare camera from another project... and two cameras is NOT enough. I'll even say 3 isn't, but 3 is okay. 

    The cart is a rubbermaid cart... we removed the drawer section in the top half, put a plywood board in for more support (that CPU is heavy), and cut one small hole for the cables into the bottom half where we have a powerstrip/surge protector.

    Hope this gives you some ideas. Basically though, this has allowed most of the flexibility I needed - I have a spare projector but it's not that bright and i have to rely on the installed projectors in rooms I go to, but 1 projector isn't enough (no one seems to understand that until they see our full node in action). They keep wanting to squeeze everything into one screen. Argh. Terrible.

    -John Q.

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    -- 
    John I. Quebedeaux, Jr.
    Louisiana State University
    Computer Manager / LBRN & CCT / 131 Life Sciences Bldg. & 339 Johnston Hall
    e-mail: johnq at lsu.edu or johnq at cct.lsu.edu / web: http://lbrn.lsu.edu & http://cct.lsu.edu
    phone: 225-578-0062 / fax: 225-578-2597

    On Mar 30, 2005, at 11:06 AM, Natalia Costas Lago wrote:

    Hi everybody!

    We are in a new stage of AG deployment, our new challenge is to develop a mobile AG node. It's a room one, but we need to move the equipment wherever is needed.

    And, we are in a hurry, as we need to purchase and have it working properly for an important event soon.

    I've seen this isnt a brand new idea, there is a pic of one "portable ag node" on the Internet2 website, and there are more sites that have one. The problem is that i couldnt find precise details about the hardware we should purchase. Or the better configuration (cable length, wireless video, maybe rack PCs?), there are so many choices!!.

    We greatly appreciate any suggestion, configuration and/or advices provided.

    Has anyone out there worked on a similar configuration?

    Thankx in advance,

    Kind regards,
    Natalia.

    -----------------------------------
    Natalia Costas Lago
    email: natalia at cesga.es

    Centro de Supercomputacion de Galicia (CESGA)
    Avenida de Vigo, s/n Campus Sur
    15706 Santiago de Compostela - SPAIN
    Tel:   +34  981 56 98 10
    Fax:  +34  981 59 46 16
    http://www.cesga.es/
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