Chat with us, powered by LiveChat Skip to main content
Echo360 Status: 

EchoVideo: Configuring Managed Capture Devices

Hannah Petty
  • Updated

Workflow

The workflow for getting managed capture devices ready to capture is as follows:

  1. Configure room/device settings.
  2. Download the configuration file to a thumb drive.
  3. Install the Pro, Pod, Universal Capture software, or legacy SCHD in the room where the classes and captures will occur.
  4. Note the MAC address of the capture appliance.
  5. Apply the downloaded device configuration file to the device as appropriate.
  6. In EchoVideo, assign the device to the room where it is installed.
  7. Log on and monitor the device to be sure the proper input feeds are working properly.

Wiring for Stereo vs. Mono Audio Input: Prior to supporting 1080p captures, EchoVideo would process all audio for Mono output. As a function of adding support for 1080p video capture, EchoVideo now also captures and processes audio for Stereo output. You may wish to check and re-configure your audio wiring setup, particularly if you have experienced audio problems. Reported problems include no audio due to phase cancellation or audio-only in one channel.
See Configuring Bare Wire Audio Input for Capture Appliances.

Setting up Capture Appliances

Configuring capture appliances (Pro, Pod, or legacy SCHD) involves placing the device into the classroom and making the proper video, audio, network, and other connections. Then you must load the device configuration file (the device.xml that you download using the procedure below) to the device. This allows EchoVideo to recognize and initialize the device for use.

TIP: If multiple capture appliances (of the same type) use the same device configurations (audio, video, display, login, etc.), you can use the instructions below to configure and download the device.xml file once and use it for all devices that share that configuration.

To set up a capture appliance

  1. Insert a USB thumb drive into the computer you are using; this will be where you save the device configuration file (device.xml).

    NOTE: We recommend you use an Echo USB thumb drive if one came packaged with the appliance. Otherwise, be sure you are using a FAT-formatted thumb drive.

  2. Log into EchoVideo as an administrator.
  3. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  4. From the Settings menu, select Institution Settings.

    General settings appears and Basic Info is selected by default.

  5. On the left side of the Institution Settings page, select Configuration.
  6. From the left panel, select Device Defaults.
  7. From the banner across the top, select the type of appliance you are configuring (PRO, POD, or SCHD). Device Configuration page showing navigation to page and configuration options
  8. Configure or make changes to the recording device inputs and other settings. See SCHD Input and Device Settings or EchoVideo Pro Capture and Device Settings or EchoVideo Pod Device and Capture Settings as appropriate for details.

    These can be changed later for individual devices, using the Configure option on the ROOMS page tile for a device.

  9. Click Save.
  10. Click Common Settings from the banner across the top of the page, to configure the device logins, outbound proxy, or other settings.
  11. Scroll to the bottom of the Common Settings page and click Save.
  12. Under Download Configuration, click Download.
  13. Save or move the downloaded device.xml file to the ROOT location on the thumb drive (NOT in a sub-folder).

    DO NOT change the name of the file.

  14. Go to the capture appliance. If necessary, turn it on and make sure it has fully initialized (wait about five minutes).
  15. Insert the thumb drive containing the device.xml file into the USB port of the appliance. Allow the device to upload and process the configuration file before removing the thumb drive.

    IMPORTANT: Note the MAC address of the appliance; you will need this to add the device to a room.

  16. Repeat the last two steps for each device that will be using the downloaded configuration settings.

Once the appliance uploads and processes the file, the following things happen:

  • The appliance establishes communications with EchoVideo. Once that process is complete, the device can be assigned to a room.
  • The appliance writes a status file back to the thumb drive containing useful information about the device (such as IP address), which can be used for troubleshooting if necessary.

Setting up a Software device

  1. From the classroom computer where you will be installing Universal Capture: Classroom, navigate to and log into EchoVideo as an administrator.
  2. Click the Settings icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  3. Select Downloads from the list.
  4. Select the Download link for Universal Capture. Downloads page for administrators with navigation identified and showing three download options for Universal Capture as described
  5. Launch the downloaded executable and proceed through the installation wizard.

    IMPORTANT: Note the MAC address of the built-in wifi adapter on the computer on which you are installing Universal Capture; you will need this to add the device to a room.

Once installation completes, the software installation establishes communications with the EchoVideo instance from which the installation executable was downloaded. This allows the installation to be assigned to a room as a capture device.