This is the working draft of the workshop proposal for the ​Open Video Conference in 2011. It is structured according to ​the form for proposals.

Title of Session

Live Streaming Using Free and Open Source Software; Lessons learned from a year of supporting live Internet broadcast all over the world

Session Type

Hybrid

(type options are: Creative, Technical, Legal, Hybrid, Other)

Short Description

Over a little more than a year Mayfirst/ People Link has repeatedly been asked to provide support for audio and video streaming from a variety of social movement events such as the World (and US) Social Forum(s) and the Cochabamba Climate Conference. We have had people on the ground to stream or support streaming all over the world, from Bolivia to Senegal, Palestine to Mexico, we have provided some form of streaming services and through it have learned a lot about what works, what doesn't and how to plan for streaming from just about anywhere; and all using Free and Open Source Software.

This session will cover the landscape of available free tools for streaming, what we've settled on and why. We will also go over on the ground logistical planning, and useful equipment to have.

What Will You Accomplish

We plan to start with a basic discussion of our experiences; what we did and where we did it.

Then we will move on to discussing available tools, which ones we've abandoned and which ones we recommend. We should also address the choice to use or not use Flash.

If time allows, showing folks how to go from a pile of equipments and a web connection to a high quality stream; setting up a live stream from the front of the room, on the projector. This could be worked into a hands on activity.

Questions and discussions...