Organizing Hybrid Conferences - DevOpsDays Taipei 2023

Transcript

1. Organizing Hybrid Conferences Empowering Community Events from a Technical Perspective During the Pandemic Ryo Tagami DevOpsDays Taipei 2023 1
2. Who? • Name ◦ Ryo Tagami • Day job ◦ Software engineer (Python / TypeScript) ◦ Ex infrastructure engineer • Community experience ◦ Conference Volunteer: 2022~ 2
3. Hybrid Conferences • Is hybrid conference working for you? • Is there any communication issues between online and onsite attendees? • Is hybrid conference better than onsite only conferences? 3
4. Community Events 4
12. COVID-19 • 2020-04: DevOps Days Tokyo ◦ Canceled • 2020-06: Scrum Fest Osaka ◦ Online • 2021-01: Regional Scrum Gathering Tokyo ◦ HYBRID! ◦ All tracks are streamed; no onsite only / online only track 12
13. Online Tools 13
15. Eventbrite • Ticketing ◦ Registration ◦ Payment ◦ Ticket-collection ◦ Has an API 15
17. Discord • 1 category for each conference 17
18. Discord • Roles control access to conference categories • Sponsor channels are public (for exposure) 18
19. Discord • Basic layout of per-conference category Staff only (Requires dedicated role) Lobby Questions for organizers Forum(misc.) Per track chat (Zoom meeting URL in channel topic) Whatever Voice chat 19
20. Discord • 1 category for each conference organizers 20
21. Discord • Organizers gather at Discord voice chat ◦ Notified as an “Event” ▪ ~6 month: Biweekly ▪ ~3 month: Weekly 21
22. “mogiri” 22
23. “mogiri” • Discord bot • Enter the Eventbrite order # in Discord to get the role (which in turn grant access to the conference category) 7732935699 is a valid Eventbrite order number. Added Scrum Fest Mikawa 2023 attendee role! 23
25. Zoom • Zoom “Virtual Meetings” ◦ Bi-directional communication ◦ cf. Zoom Webinar • No authentication • No authorization • No waiting room 25
26. Zoom • No need to wait for host • Turn video off on entry • Turn mic off on entry • Automatically recorded ◦ “Shared screen with speaker view” 26
27. Benefit of Zoom • Zoom automatically switches the camera feed based on audio input (even while screen sharing) ◦ Mixed onsite / online presentation ◦ Multiple onsite location for an event ◦ (No need to mess with spotlighting) ◦ Recording works as expected 27
28. Considerations of Zoom • Screen share v. Video feed ◦ Screen share: High resolution (~4K) / Low frame rate (~2fps) ◦ Video feed: Low resolution (720p) / High frame rate (~25fps) • Presentation materials with animation / video ◦ Zoom screen share with “Optimize for video clip” ◦ Capture presentation with HDMI capture device 28
30. YouTube • Recordings are uploaded to YouTube (unlisted) • Any attendees can host a “watch party” on their own • Unlisted videos are published after certain period 30
31. YouTube • Optional ◦ Split each presentation into separate videos ◦ Appropriate thumbnails ◦ Appropriate descriptions 31
32. Equipments 32
33. Last 1 mile of hybrid conference: audio and visual gears 33
34. Apple iPad 9th gen. • Dirt cheap ◦ 329USD MSRP • Low maintenance • Stable 34
35. Center Stage • Center Stage uses machine learning to adjust the front-facing Ultra Wide camera when you use video apps such as FaceTime ... As you move around, Center Stage helps keep you and anyone else with you in the frame. ◦ iPad Air (5th generation) ◦ iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation or later) ◦ iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation or later) ◦ iPad (9th generation or later) ◦ iPad mini (6th generation) ◦ Compatible Mac computers connected to Studio Display (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212315) • Benefits ◦ Eliminate camera person • Issues ◦ Multi-presenter session ◦ Shadows from lighting 35
36. Audio & misc. • IK Multimedia iRig Pre 2 (Preamp) ◦ 59.99USD MSRP • Shure SM58S (Microphone) ◦ 104USD MSRP • YAMAHA MS101-4 (Loud Speaker) ◦ 169.99USD MSRP • K&M 19793 (iPad Stand) ◦ 114.99USD MSRP • Cables ◦ XLR(F) - XLR(M) for microphone ◦ 3.5mm TS - 3.5mm TS for speaker ◦ Power extension cord for iPad charger 36
37. Screenshare for on-site attendees • iPad 1 ◦ Audio to Zoom ◦ Audio from Zoom ◦ Video feed to Zoom ▪ Presenter • iPad 2 ◦ Screen share from Zoom ▪ Presentation material ◦ (Video feed to Zoom) ▪ On-site room scenery 37
38. Considerations • Don’t unmute the microphone of more than 1 Zoom client in a the room • Don’t unmute the speaker of more than 1 Zoom client in a the room • iPad connected to an HDMI device might output audio from HDMI 38
39. Other considerations • Presenters need to share their materials via Zoom’s screen share ◦ Don’t forget to mute their microphone and speakers ◦ Mobile devices may not be able to completely mute their Zoom sound • Requires a good network infrastructure onsite ◦ Multiple devices per attendees ◦ Bandwidth / DHCP address pool / NAT sessions / AP client limit ▪ Might be worth creating a separate network dedicated to presenters and organizers ▪ Cellular WiFi hotspot as a backup (hit and miss) 39
40. Bigger venues • Benefit of better equipment ◦ Wireless microphones ◦ Powerful speakers • Negotiation might be required ◦ Mixed use of “their equipment” and “our equipment” ◦ Difficulty of negotiations widely varies from venue to venue 40
41. Pitfalls of bigger venues • Audio from microphones needs to be sent to both Zoom and loud speakers • Audio from Zoom should only be sent to loud speakers ◦ Never send audio from Zoom back to Zoom 41
42. (Venue) Microphone Inputs (Organizer) From iPad (Venue) Loud Speaker Output (Organizer) To iPad 42
43. Attenuators • iRig Pre 2 input is quite “hot” ◦ Minimum gain setting still clips with line level input ◦ Zoom’s audio processing is “too good” • What worked (so far) ◦ +4dBu Output ◦ With -40dB attenuator ◦ Into iRig Pre 2 Input ▪ Gain dial ~5 43
44. Not all connectors are equal 44 3.5mm Unbalanced Mono (Tip: Signal Sleeve: GND) 3.5mm Unbalanced Stereo (Tip: Signal L Ring: Signal R Sleeve: GND) 6.35mm Unbalanced Mono (Tip: Signal Sleeve: GND) 6.35mm Unbalanced Stereo (Tip: Signal L Ring: Signal R Sleeve: GND) or 6.35mm Balanced Mono (Tip: Signal Hot Ring: Signal Cold Sleeve: GND)
45. Not all connectors are equal 45 6.35mm Bal. Mono 6.35mm Unbal. Stereo 6.35mm Unbal. Mono 3.5mm Unbal. Stereo 3.5mm Unbal. Mono https://www.ians-net.co.uk/articles/balanced_lines
46. Working Examples 46
50. Closing Thoughts 50
51. Closing Thoughts 51 • Aim for “good enough” • Do it yourself • Trial and error, improve little by little, involve other community
52. Thank you 52