To Install, Configure and Use openEyA: 

1. read Manual on-line
2. or retrieve PDF version
3. see also openEyA poster

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are updates to the software regularly available?

Some updates of the software are programmed; so far starting from the software version 2.0.1 openEyA is rather robust and stable. Most likely we will be adding new features.

• Is there a user community available for troubleshooting and questions?

openEyA is very new. Its users community is growing –see some on-line discussions. For troubleshooting and questions so far you can contact us directly.

• What is the total number of people required to maintain the software, and to maintain the servers that run the post-production?

Only “few minutes” work is needed by a non-technical person to run the software, record and process the audio-video-slides data. With openEyA, automated digital photo shots or vga screen capture as well as audio/video recording, processing and delivery are done on a single low-cost Netbook –with just one click!

• Is the information streamed or simply downloaded?

Both, the recorded lecture is streamed in Flash format and also compressed in zip format –see examples here and at www.ictp.tv

• Do you employ people to train users of the system?

To implement and to use the system is very simple! Just one click to install it and another click to program the automated recordings (as well as the post processing).  See our demo video at YouTube of an early version of openEyA:

• Do participants access the information via http? Do they need to download a client?

The recording are accessed via web (http) by linking a simple HTML page, which contains the Flash video and the synchronized slides –there is no needed to download any extra client - Flash player is already available in most web browsers.

• Does openEyA work on Macintoshes or MS Windows?

openeEyA runs under Linux Ubuntu O.S — see requirements.  The actual costs for the needed hardware is about 650 Euros per unit (as per Jan 2010). openEyA can be installed in a small, low-cost Netbook and it can be used in any type of classroom (including those for the delivery of traditional chalk-and-talk lectures). Thus openEyA is mobile and easily scalable.

• How are class discussions captured?

openEyA allows to archive and share traditional scientific lectures and talks carried out using, for instance, very large chalkboards found in classrooms and/or using modern presentations (PPT, PDF, animations, etc). It is innovative because of these main features:

1. no dedicated human intervention during recording and post-processing (there is no need for an operator or editor); the automated audio-video-slides synchronization is done in few minutes with just a mouse click.
2. Scalable architecture and portable (from one classroom to many);
3. no special requirements for the speaker or lecturer (there is no need to press buttons during the lecture or to wear a microphone, etc) ;
4. high resolution of zoomable images (taken with a digital camera or vga screen capture); space disk is saved by cropping pictures when processing the synchronized audio-video-slides openEyA recordings. Duplicated photos, or photos that have slighltly changed, are automatically discarded. Furthermore, photos can easily be straighten out.
5. Low total cost of hardware implementation;
6. low-bandwidth features (synchronized recordings can be compressed as Zip files).

For further details see User’s Guide or About openEyA.

A key issue to carry out massive digital lectures recordings (besides to store, manage and share them), is to automate as much as possible the production and post-production processes to pull down all the costs. openEyA satisfies all these requirements in a way that has yet no similar.