XML Feed

An xml feed has been set up in order to publish and make available the mp3 recordings we have available of our Sunday services on Apple Itunes. This creates a "Podcast" type environment which allows those individuals who use Itunes to subscribe to the Hope Podcast and automatically receive the messages and have them synched to their mp3 players.

CD Duplication

This is an update to the process that we've been using for duplicating CDs of our services based upon the use of the Primera CD duplication system. After working with this system for several years we've found that we've reached a point in the number of CDs required to be burned on Sunday mornings that we've now changed are process to the following:

• We've purchased a 7 cd duplication system. This is an all in one tower unit that has a master cd drive and 7 cdr drives for duplication. The device is stand alone as it doesn't need a computer attached in order to run. The process to burn is as simple as placing the cds in the drawers and pressing the RUN button for duplicaiton. Seven CDs take approximately one minute to complete.
• The master CD is recorded and burned at the booth in the sanctuary and is brought to the recording area for duplication.
• Labels are created using the ink jet printer included in the Primera system. Labels are now being pre applied a month at a time so that CDs are ready for duplication after the first service.

Fiber Cabling

Our new building will be connected to the rest of our church campus using a fiber optic backbone. 100 megabyte switches are connected via fiber which then connects to the copper based CAT 5 connections via a standard patch panel.

An interesting aspect of fiber connections is that there is no real standard. The switches in place for this installation will use a combination of MT-RJ (pictured) and SC. Other standards include LC, ST, MU and MT to name a few.

New Building Update

We've been very busy lately working on our latest building project which will include a number of new Technical Arts additions which I'll post in multiple updates.

From a networking perspective, the new building will allow us to incorporate a server which can provide a central location for distributing MP3 stored audio. This means all the classrooms and the sanctuary will have access to the same music. Jukebox software will be used on the client side to play the audio.

Classroom check-in processes will change and will use PowerChurch Plus as the main application for tracking attendance. The application supports bar coding and label printing to make the process fast and efficient.

M-Audio USB PreAmp

M-Audio has an excellent USB preamp that can be used in a service recording process. We're using this device connected to our Allen and Heath board through the rear headphone 1/4 jack. The device is then plugged in USB to a notebook computer running the free open source audio application Audacity. The service is recorded in WAV format. Once the recording is complete, the notebook is then moved to the room which has the Bravo CD duplicator system in order to cut CD copies of the service.