Clarkson Audio Broadcast

[ICG]

Hi everyone,

First thanks to those of you who contacted me over the weekend to report problems, I only received a couple of e-mails, both complaining about time-outs and lapses. We can only tell if there's a problem if you tell us!

I am currently working with CIS to find out what the problem is. As far as we know, our encoding (this is the ICG's end) was working fine. The way the feed works is that it goes from the 99 Hits to our receiver, which goes to our encoder, which goes through the Internet to the ERC (Where CIS is) CIS then transmits it to the Internet. We believe there are several possibilities with the feed last weekend:

a) A new T3 line has been installed up here, I'm not sure exactly when but all the kinks may not be worked out.

b) Issue transmitting to the ERC or RealServer problem: There has been issues about campus bandwidth and uploading, this could've hampered our feed getting out of the campus. I am currently contacting CIS to see if this is the issue. Rumor also has it that the RealServer at the CIS was on the fritz.

c) Congestion outside of the campus. As always depending on your connection, and the amount of activity on the Internet it could knock down your feed and cause lapses.

We will continue to work on this throughout the week with CIS, and other on campus personnel and hopefully we will have this resolved this weekend. The best thing all of you can do for us is to continue to notify us of problems during broadcasts, and be specific, just saying a feed will time out doesn't completely help us.. Try other feeds, etc and tell us if you have the same issue.

Also on a side note, we are currently working on expanding the number of feeds, especially for later in the season, and we think we will be successful in doing so. Thanks to everyone who contacted us at the end of the season so we were able to compile some info to give to some of the big wigs.

Thanks and if anyone has any questions feel free to respond or e-mail me!

-Ron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ronald J. Ayers '02
Student Manager
Clarkson University ICG
icg@clarkson.edu

[scottcomstock]

Thanks very much for your note, Ron. In times of problems such as ICG has recently experienced with the RealMedia server, is it possible to have a web page, a telephone answering machine message, or even a Roundtable post with the status of the RealMedia server? I tried to telephone the ICG during the game and got the answering machine.

I can create a special forum on the Roundtable on which the ICG can post RealMedia server status updates, if you like; this way, fans have an easy way of knowing what's going on in case of a problem, and aren't barraging the ICG (or others*) with demands for information.

I think you guys in the ICG do a Hell of a job making the hockey broadcasts available to the alumni and fans -- many of which, I'm sure, are sending a big THANK YOU in the direction of Potsdam every time there's a game.

--Scott

*Back in the time when the ERC/CIS ran the hockey broadcasts, WCKN was often hit with misdirected complaints about RealMedia server problems -- phone calls, emails, and Roundtable posts.

[ICG]

Scott,

I'm not sure if a special category for RealAudio status is neccesary. Typically a student is always in the office during the games (this weekend being the only exception due to the Open House on campus we were spread extremely thin.) The best thing to do is call the ICG first at 315-268-3978. Then e-mail icg@clarkson.edu. A situation like what happened last weekend sounds like there was nothing ICG could do because there was no one at the CIS office. If we notice any problems, we will post on this forum in the game update section to let everyone know. Thanks for the kind comments, and we'll keep trying our best!

-Ron

[joecct]

This may be wishing on a star, but...

Sometime in the near future, will it be possible for Clarkson to pur out internet video of the home games?

I remember a few years ago, TSN (Canada's ESPN) did a video (Windows Media Player??) of the World Junior Finals. The picture was crisp and clear and the game flowed well on the PC with little frame flicker.

I know it may be a pipe dream, and, interestingly, I am willing to pay for the service. Can you guys do something like that now???

THANKS!!!

Joe LaCour
CCT '77/78

[ICG]

Hi Joe and everyone,

First regarding Audio, we believe we have identified the problem with the feed and it relates to the campus bandwidth issues going OUT to our T3. To remedy major student complaints, during off peak hours bandwidth was allocated to students. Because of this bandwidth was taken away from academic buildings including those that house our server and their server. In response CIS has created a four hour window for us to get more bandwidth.

In response to Joe's question about video. Video is being heavily talked about on campus since we are the only university with an on campus cable station capturing the games. The major issue is in terms of quality against bandwidth. Many people have trouble finding the puck during a televised game, and it would be significantly more difficult to do it online. Clarkson is looking into higher quality video applications for this specific purpose, and hopefully your wish will come true, but it will take some time :)

-Ron

[demock]

How is the stream lately? Earl- you said you lost the stream again? Can you post here to tell us some details? I'd like feedback from anyone who listens to the stream please. If we don't know whats going on, we can't do much about it. Thanks!
-ICG

[chuck]

I hate to sound like a whiner, but I had a lot of problems the past two weekends. I ended up listening to the Northeastern feed last weekend and had spotty feeds for the Harvard game. I don't have the fastest connection so it may be on my end, but it sounded like Earl had the same problems. Thanks for your concern and your help.

[Earl_Leatherland]

First of all, let me say "Thank you!" I am able to listen to my favorite hockey team. I am not a pro-hockey watcher and do not have a dish, so this is the extent of my hockey experience in Charlottesville, Virginia...besides taking up an assistant coaching position with a local traveling Bantam team...I hope. So, no matter how bad it gets, i will always try to listen.

Now, for details, I will try to describe it the best I can.

Every 5 to 10 minutes, complete drop-out of signal. This could last anywhere from 5 seconds to 45 seconds, approximately. At times the connection would be gone for up to 2-3 minutes.

About three times a period, the sound would degrade to a robotic voice reproduction. Very digital sounding. The signal would degrade in this fashion until it was inaudible. I would close the window and reestablish a link. The robotic voice reproduction sound would still be there. Then it would gradually return to a normal sounding broadcast.

This may not be your problem but a problem on my end. However, closing the connections out and reestablishing should have remedied some of this, and did not.

That is probably not the technical detail you want, but that is all I can provide at this time. I will, in true engineering fashion, document further difficulties and then relay the information. :D :D

[demock]

Chuck and Earl, sorry for the problems you're having. I did get to experience those issues firsthand when I was home over Thanksgiving. I listened at 28.8k and I did run into the robotic voice sounding thing, but only it seemed when I was doing other things like loading websites and using the bandwith.

So can I ask both of you what speed you usually connect at? (by modem right?). Also does anyone else connect to our stream via broadband (cable/DSL etc)?

Hopefully it will work out better for you this weekend, and we'll do what we can to help.

Eric

[Earl_Leatherland]

I believe a lot of my difficulties are from my end. My modem is a 56k, but I only get about a 32k feed from my provider.

Also, scott was on the same time as I was and said he was not getting any of the problems I was encountering.

We'll see on January 4th!!!

Thanks again for the broadcasts. I had been going into withdrawals and subjecting myself to professional hockey. I just don't like it anywhere near as much.