Opencast
Opencast is a university-wide video management service that on the one hand enables the automated recording of (teaching) events in equipped lecture halls, on the other hand offers the storage and provision of digital instructional videos mainly in ILIAS, but also in web projects or in the OER framework. Playback is done via HLS streaming with the opencast version installed at the Univerity of Cologne.
Automated recording
Good reasons for recording lectures
Live Streaming
Terms of Service
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How can I schedule recordings and livestreams?
Unfortunatley this guide is only available in german. Anleitung. An English version is in the works.
If you need assistance in english please do not hesitate to contact us.
Which rooms are ready for recording and livestreaming?
Recording and simultaneous live streaming (see live streaming) is currently possible in the following lecture halls / rooms (last updated November 2024):
Main Building
- Gb. 100 - HS XIII
- Gb. 100 - HS II
- Gb. 100 - Auditorium 1
- Gb. 100 - Auditorium 2
Philosophikum
Lecture Hall Building
- Gb. 105 - HS A1
- Gb. 105 - HS A2
- Gb. 105 - HS B
- Gb. 105 - HS C
Gyrhofstr. 15 “alte Botanik”
Faculty of human sciences
- Gb. 211 - HS 111
- Gb. 211 - HS 112
- Gb. 211 - HS 113
- Gb. 211 - HS 114
- Gb. 211 - HS 115
- Gb. 216 - HS 124
GeoBio Building
Physics Buildings
- Gb. 321 - HS 1
- Gb. 321 - HS 2 1
- Gb. 321 - HS 3 ²*
- Gb. 321 - SR PH1 *
- Gb. 321 - SR PH2 *
- Gb. 321 - SR THP *
- Gb. 326 - SR 01 *
- Gb. 326 - SR 03 *
Chemistry Building
- Gb. 322 - HS I
- Gb. 322 - HS II
- Gb. 322 - HS III
1 Livestreaming or 4K blackboard camera
² Blackboard camera with 4k resolution. Please contact us in advance via our contact form opencast.
* no livestream available
If you would like to arrange a recording in another lecture hall or you need more information, please contact us via the contact form opencast.
Why should I use ditigal lectures?
Due to the constant increase in digital instructional videos, their direct provision in ILIAS is no longer up-to-date, both for storage reasons and the way they are played as HTML5 videos. As a video management system, Opencast offers the management of the videos outside of ILIAS. Most of the management functions are directly available to you in ILIAS. The following functions are possible:
- Upload videos
- Record videos in the browser ('Opencast Studio' see below)
- Transfer existing videos from Opencast
- Delete video
- Cut videos
- Change metadata
- Put videos on/offline
- Allow students within a course to upload videos themselves
How can I use more advanced features of Opencast?
Further functions can be found in the user interface of the local installation of Opencast.
How do I use the Opencast object in ILIAS?
How can I use Opencast videos on my website with TYPO3?
Under this link you will find instructions on the steps required to provide a public video and use it in TYPO3.
Who can access my videos in ILIAS?
All accesses are only possible within the ILIAS course authorizations and roles.
How can I create recordings by myself? | Opencast Studio
Via the opencast object in ILIAS, you will also find a tool for creating your own videos. 'Opencast Studio' allows the creation of video content in your browser, uncomplicated and without the installation of additional software. It allows you to record your whole screen or the window of a single application (e.B. a presentation), your audio output and the image of your webcam simultaneously. How you combine these possibilities is up to you. Speeches, presentations, instructions or lectures can thus be easily made accessible to students regardless of time and place. See this link for a short video on using Opencast Studio.
What can I do if I have problems playing back recordings?
In our experience, our integrated player works more reliably with the Chrome and Firefox browsers, which is why we recommend using them for playback. Furthermore, if you have used the browser for a longer period of time, it may help to restart our browser before playback or to empty the browser cache. Link on the subject of 'clearing the cache': for a collection of browsers.
What possibilities are available for creating lecture recordings or hybrid scenarios if the seminar room/lecture hall is not yet equipped with the necessary technology?
First of all, you should consider the possibility of reusing your own recordings you may have already created. With the help of the object Opencast videos from your courses from previous semesters can easily be integrated into the current semester in ILIAS.
If it is necessary to record your current course or if you would like to hold a hybrid lecture, you can find out more about the various scenarios and their technical requirements on the page of the multimedia section linked here.
Mailing list "Opencast users"
The content of this mailing list is aimed at all Opencast users. We provide information about short-term outages or urgent maintenance work. We also want to share relevant information via this mailing list on a regular basis, but no more than once a quarter.
Subscribe via: https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/opencast-users
Contact
If you have any questions or problems, please contact the ITCC-Helpdesk
