Huge marketing opportunity for LL via providing Podcast/Video podcast support

Hi LL,

With all the tech podcasters talking about LL at the moment (Leo LaPorte, Microsoft's Robert Scoble, Adam Curry etc) I think there's a huge marketing opportunity for you if you can provide a means for podcasters a means of create an inworld podcast/video cast. That is to allow for example the TWIT team to do a video cast in-world with each of them having their own avatars. The pieces of the puzzle would include:

A) capturing audio from everyone - e.g. if in-world may need in-world microphones or a means to mix in audio from different avatars + objects that create audio in 2nd life
B) capture video - including ability to control camera position for the recording

I guess the obvious options here are (I'm just throwing these up as I haven't really researched/thought about this) include:

(i) using external tools such as a screen recorder and SKYPE to do this + assume that camera position & what sounds are included are based on whichever avatars PC is being used to record the session - I'm thinking however this may not be the perfect experience or really model what is happening? - Even with this option perhaps there are SL tweaks that could assist

(ii) integrating in 2nd life - e.g. perhaps pay for the service of creating a 2nd life video podcast and you get virtual camera & microphones provided


Just wanted to start the conversation on how best LL can support SL in-world video podcasts &/or podcasts

You can pretty much do this already, without needing to modify SL. Plus, you have more options without having the functionality hardwired into SL. But, I don't think it'd be possible with just one computer and one regular internet connection.

Basically, audio/video compression and uploading takes a lot of CPU and bandwidth. At the same time, running SL with skype can be taxing on your computer system and bandwidth. The simple (not cheap) solution is to use two complete systems, one with DSL and the other with cable broadband.

The downlink system would be used to run SL and skype, with SL running at a screen resolution closet to the stream resolution. Output the video to S-video, splitting it between your monitor and the uplink system. Do the same for the audio out.

The uplink system would have a video capture card which would compress the live audio/video from the downlink system, same as it would record regular television. Stream the captured movie to your internet host server, and let it spread from there.