= New Tally =

== CONCEPT ==

• Tally lights on the front of camera
• mount via tripod or flash shoe to camera
• Tally light on front to inform presenter which camera is 'LIVE'
• Screen for camera operator to see messages from 'Director'
• Interoperate with Voctomix
  • add 'Tally' buttons to each camera preview window
  • Automaticity show active camera when selected by 'director'
• Connect Via Ethernet - WiFi is possible (it is on RPi 3) but cabled network gives us no bandwidth issues when used in busy 'hacker / hostile' environments (i.e. Debconf)
  • try and keep bandwidth requirements low (design choice)
• Picture in picture display (either continuous screen, or a frame if the director wants to comment on a particular frame)
• Use Existing hardware wherever possible
  • bare minimum cable mods

== Software ==

=== ToeTally ===

Runs on each 'RPi Tally light'

Current tally display concept code: https://salsa.debian.org/debconf-video-team/toetally (Work in progress, early work, experimental, proof of concept, etc)

ToeTally is a pygame instance that can run directly on SDL, no X server is required, so it's small enough to contain in a small squash fs or even initramfs.

User interface:

• ToeTally is a full screen app that will display messages/status from the director
• The display will ideally have 2 or more touchscreen or hardware buttons so that a camera operator can perform some functions, for example:
  • acknowledge a message
  • mark an event
  • request emergency assistance from video team
  • Prod the director
• Easter eggs
  • Don't panic card

=== Voctogui ===

Runs on the 'Voxtomix / Directors' PC

Voctogui need some additional UI elements to control the tallys. Alternatively another GUI app can be added, but for the convenience of the camera operator this should ideally be integrated completely.

=== Voctocore ===

Runs on the 'Voxtomix / Directors' PC

Voctogui sends events to Voctocore. These need to be read and passed on to the tally core so that it can be displayed there. How this communication will work has not yet been conceptualized.

=== System ===

We'll boot a Debian(ish) system over rpi PXE.

== Hardware ==

• Raspberry Pi 3B+ (needs 1GB RAM for disk-less operation & 3B+ needed for 'Pi Boot / PXE boot)
• 2" - 4" screen facing camera oporator
• R/G/B LED strip (Presenter facing) place behind a defusing screen to prevent pin point light sources?
• single RGB (repeating front LEDs) facing camera operator
• Some kind of case + shoe
• 4 buttons on one edge of the screen (mimics touch screen operation IF we have a touch screen)

=== Deliverables ===

Release 1 Goals

• PXE boot of RPi's
  • Command line User space Daemon to pick up MAC address / Serial Number of all RPis on the LAN, and offer to initialise un-configured devices
  • Same tool can be used to 'reboot' the systen (i.e. ssh in & reboot)
• UI button in Vocto GUI to send 'Canned' messages to Tally
• UI button in Vocto GUI to end short 'Free text' Message to Tally (5 lines of upto 40 chars per line)
• Turn state LED RED when camera is selected by Vocto mix / Director
• Turn state LED dimmed green when camera is returned to 'standby' by Vocto mix / Directo
• Turn state LED OFF when system is Off line
• Show on big friendly letters on the screen when the camera is live
• Hooks into VoctoGUI / VoctoCore for automated 'state' change for each camera (Live / Standby / Off Line)

Future Releases / Road Map

• Picture In Picture - Show what video is on feed
• USB Head set 'voice' support (mumble to conference Audio)