Codian cascade and recording

[Rene Tessier]

I have a meeting coming up where i will need to cascade the participants on two bridges (I have 2 4505 with 12 ports each).  I also want to record using my content server, my question is if I do the recording on the secondary bridge, will it get the main participant in the primary bridge or should I keep it on the primary?

Thank you in advance

[Enrico Conedera]

When cascading MCUs, if you are using Continuous Presence on the Primary MCU, you want to make sure to set the Secondary MCU for full-screen voice-switched.  Then the layouts will work properly across both MCUs.

I think you should use the Primary MCU for the Content Server.  Then, regardless of which site is speaking, you will always get Continuous Presence into the Content Server.  If you put it onto the Secondary MCU, then if another site on the Secondary MCU speaks, the layout will switch to full screen for the Content Server.  This is OK but not optimal.

[ricmurph]

I would recommend that you keep the TCS on the primary MCU because in most cases the main speakers are on that MCU and the secondary MCU is for other participants.  This will make sure the recording is of what is expected, primary presenters, versus the participants on the secondary MCU.   If it is on the secondary MCU it will depend on how that MCU is configured with the cascade as to what is recorded.

As far as the TCS in either case it will record the audio, video, and content channels that MCU sends it.  If you think of the TCS as just another video endpoint in the call, its recorded video will be exactly the same as the other participants are seeing on that same MCU.

[MIKE ZINNER]

Any time you have to cascade, and you're able to monitor the conference, make the MCU that's presenting, the Important participant on the other MCU and release it when the Q&A sesstion starts. If the entire conference is fully interactive, this strategy will not work out.  You can also have the TCS record from both MCU's and use an NLE like Sony Vegas or Final Cut Pro (or even that one from Adobe <<choke>>.