Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 13:01:03 -0500 To: pbs-demo@thequilt.net From: Mary Fran Yafchak Subject: Notes from PBS-Quilt project call, 1/31/03 Cc: Mary Fran Yafchak Bcc: X-Attachments: Corrected version - for the archives and "the record"...(Good exercise to reprogram my brain too...) -mfy ****************** Dear all, Below are the notes from our most recent PBS-Quilt project call. Long again, yes, but at least we have a record ;-). And action items sprinkled throughout, of course... Next call is: Friday, 2/14, 12:30 p.m. EST 800-998-2462 code: 6305950 Talk to you then, -mfy ********** PBS-Quilt Project meeting, 1/31/03 Attendees: Jim Marsteller, PSC Ellen Vaughan, I2 Larry Flournoy, Texas GigaPoP David Felland, MPTV Greg Petrowich, University of Alaska of Fairbanks Jim Kutzner, PBS Steven Vedro, Consultant/WPTV Note: Greg Palmer of MAGPI will join the group as co-lead. He has sent a note of introduction to the list and plans to attend the next call on 2/14. Agenda for this call: Go over action items from last time and begin to define specific parameters (partners, timelines) for a first pass at this project. 1) Action items from last time: - MFY caught up with Steve Vedro between calls; corrected the fact that he wasn't actually on the list before (which can sure slow down a response time on action items ;-)); he will join this call. - MFY did not submit an abstract for this group to do a track presentation at I2 since we may not have enough concrete material by then. Instead, will look to submit for a poster session when that is announced. Will also plan an update as part of the Quilt session, and perhaps see about collaborating in K20 sessions that might be proposed if there seems to be synergy there. - Ellen has heard from four schools that are interested in talking more about this with us. Two seem like they are well-qualified; two maybe not so well. She will summarize this information and send it to the list. **AI: She is still checking into the availability of I2 V-Brick units for extended use with this project. Also has a message into both Eric and Matt of E2E to gauge their interest in collaborating or at least coaching us a bit. Wil provide status on both of these for the next call. Further discussion: Larry noted some schools in Texas that have fiber and he feels would be qualified/interested in working on this. **AI: Larry will send summary information about these schools qualificationsto the list. Ellen agreed to structure her spreadsheet to be the receptacle for gathering all qualifying school info including connectivity description, decoder capability, display capability, teacher/curriculum contacts. Will send that to the list. [Note: Ellen sent this to the list right after the call] - Jim Marstellar did not find any K-12 in his area that have the technical qualifications to participate. Greg Palmer (new co-lead) may have leads too so we should check w/him on the next call. **AI: Greg - If you've read this far ;-), could you check into schools in your area for the next call? - MFY has not yet checked w/Jacqueline Brown to see if she has any additional info/contacts for learning more about the schools Dennis mentioned earlier on. **AI: MFY will catch up with Jacqueline before the next call. Side discussion: Are there enough people in this group going to the I2 meeting in Arlington that we should have a meeting there? Unclear from those on call... **AI: MFY will query the group on the list re: a possible meeting at I2 2) Continue to refine initial project scope (what feed, what network path, what school(s), what timeframe, what are our missing pieces to do this first pass?) What feed, if any, is "guaranteed"? Per David, they are still trying to work out a connection to the eagle nest/forest so cannot consider HD of that feed "guaranteed". The eagle feed would still be available in SD for a fee. They are definitely moving forward on feeds from the Milwaukee Zoo back to MPTV. Already own the microwave capacity to connect these feeds and have an agreement with the zoo to locate cameras in three locations. These are: Amazon river exhibit, Rock Hopper Penquins, African watering hole. Goal is to have feed in operation on broadcast facility on May 1. No end date is currently projected. It still remains to be determined which zoo content will be broadcast. All sources will be available simultaneously and are intended to be continuous but MPTV will not broadcast this content all of the time. They have committed to the Zoo to broadcast at least 4 hours a day. MPTV will receive and broadcast these feeds as per their program/interests and would like to wrap that in an educational wrapper. UWisc had agreed to do that for eagle nest; don't know yet if they would agree to do similar work for these zoo feeds. (Steve Vedro joined the call at this point: UWISC Extension may be interested but would need to link this to existing work.) Feed will be broadcast from MPTV in HD. That signal could also be made available to others if/as connections can be made back to PBS or through MPTV's Internet connections but MPTV cannot absorb the added transport costs. (Currently, MPTV has a DS3 into an access point on WISCNet (their ISP). They are also moving forward with connecting to a fiber MAN but there is no timetable on that.) MFY's suggested next steps - We need to know what our endpoints are to begin evaluating/engineering network connections. We need to qualify endpoints by technical capabilities and also teacher interest. Ellen's spreadsheet will give a place to gather info on qualified K-12s. For further discussion with them, we will need to be able to describe the available content so they can match that to curriculum interests and schedules. **AI: David will check w/zoo to ask them to take a first pass at characterizing the nature of the feeds - what might be seen in each exhibit, what times of day/year, etc. 3) Other notes - - The commodity Internet test between MPTV and PBS is scheduled to start next Tuesday, 2/4, using HD content that they already have on tape. It is intended to test transport over I1 at a rate of 19.39 Mbps. **AI: David or Jim will send an update to the list on how that goes. - Update on the NASA situation from Steven Vedro - NASA has content but are cautious about distributing it due to other projects that haven't worked out so well in the past. One current project is with the Discovery Channel, providing them with an exclusive feed of a launch of the ISS. During the ISS mission, however, given NASA's mission, content is supposed to be made broadly available to educators. There may be ways to bring some of that content into this project, perhaps (?) in HD. Coming in Q1 2004, there may be MARS rover feeds available and NASA does not yet have a distribution plan for that. If this project goes well, we could consider how to become more of a major partner with NASA in that.