New Cctv For The Organ In York

[Richard McVeigh]

After being encouraged to do so by Philip and John, I put the idea of having a completley new CCTV for the organ forward to our Precentor and hes basically right behind the idea and suggested that I look into possibilities.

 

The current system was installed in 1971 (Francis still had 11 years to go at that point!!!) and is now proving very inadequate for today's liturgy. There is one camera which is attached to the pulpit in the Quire facing west. Before Philip's time, the conductor stood on the west side of the choir stalls with his back to the organ, but now the conductor stands with his back to the altar, and therefore his back to the camera!

 

I am going to suggest that we:

 

Have two 'dome' cameras which are able to rotate 360 degees; one for the nave and one for the quire. There was an occasion around Christmas time last year when I played for a nave service, but the nave console wouldn't turn on. So therefore I had to play the service from the screen console, while having two people helping me in the organ loft - one doing the usual page turning and one running round the corner to tell me what was going on. This is crazy in this day and age.

 

Have one of those posh control panels with a joystick, as with these things you can have around 30 presents for each camera. This will enable full visibility of the Minster at the console.

 

An LCD screen. For those who have played the screen console in York, you will know that it is very tight. At present there is an ancient TV monitor on the left hand side above the music desk. The problem is, the console is attached to the organ case, so above the music desk there is a vertical wooden wall - being the east side of the case! This current screen is very high and quite far over to the left, so not only does it miss the organist's peripheral vision, it is very visible from the quire and looks very obtrusive. An LCD screen like the one at Westminster Abbey (see below) would be ideal I think.

 

 

So the reason I wrote this on here is to seek any advice. Has anyone got any idea on how much a system like this would cost, where to get such a system, and any other ideas that I haven't thought of.

 

Many thanks,

 

Richard

[Guest drd]

Nowadays, with easy availability of electronic components, it would be worth exploring the various constituent parts separately.

 

E.g. camera(s) and transmission system.

- you might like to look at the possibility of wireless transmission systems (there are plenty around), which will obviate the use of cables between camera and monitor systems (nave and case consoles - and anywhere else you might like to site a monitor.)

 

The monitor system

- LCD screens (i.e. flat screen computer monitors) are relatively very cheap now. So much so that they can almost be regarded as consumables - so don't go to the trouble of making a special receptacle for them - they can be more or less clipped onto the structure, or at least attached in a very unobtrusive way.

 

With the plethora of camera ideas for siting and view which you have, you might find that this spills over into Minster Security territory, - do they already have cameras around the place - perhaps some of the places are common, so you could (dependent on interfaces) benefit mutually from a selective cross-feed from their system?

[Guest drd]

I.e. what I'm getting at, in part, is that it no longer needs to be CCTV, but just LAN TV or WLAN TV.

[Guest Lee Blick]

With the plethora of camera ideas for siting and view which you have, you might find that this spills over into Minster Security territory, - do they already have cameras around the place - perhaps some of the places are common, so you could (dependent on interfaces) benefit mutually from a selective cross-feed from their system?

 

I would advise that you have a separate system, rather than get looped in within the building security system. It will allow the organist to have sole control of the system and prevent it being accidentely switched off.

 

Personally, I think that LCD screen is a bit of an eyesore with that console. Perhaps a slightly smaller screen built into box which could be hidden away with a sliding door?

[Guest drd]

Doesn't need to be tied in with the security system, merely to take feeds optionally from it, in addition to its dedicated feeds. (See Richard's point about multiple views.)

 

Conceivably, one could have an LCD or TFT screen built-in flush to a music desk - then one would merely have to arrange the printed music slightly to be able to see the screen as well. It would even be feasible to have two screens to be built-in in this way, one at each end of the music desk, showing the same image or segmented images so that one had flexibility in how to arrange the music.

[Contrabombarde]

Don't forget you'll need to apply for a TV licence if you want to be able to watch Neighbours during the sermon....I thought it was a proverbial tale, but I'm sure I once played an organ where the screen had been tuned in to the TV!

 

Contrabombarde

[Vox Humana]

Personally, I'd rather listen to the sermon.

[Guest Lee Blick]

Don't forget you'll need to apply for a TV licence if you want to be able to watch Neighbours during the sermon....I thought it was a proverbial tale, but I'm sure I once played an organ where the screen had been tuned in to the TV!

 

Contrabombarde

 

I guess the organist at the console could use the controls to spot the listening talent in the congregation...

[Graham Powell]

Edited blank

[Richard McVeigh]

Richard, have a look at this image http://npor.emma.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/PSearch...R00676&no=3

 

The discreet wafer-thin screen is on the left of the console, and suits my needs perfectly as I don't have a direct line of sight to the altar or the choir, nor can I see the door when weddings/funerals are entering the church. Being 5 years old, I dare say the system is quite basic, but I will find out details of manufacturer/supplier and let you know.

 

Graham

 

Thank you, what size is that LCD?

[Graham Powell]

Thank you, what size is that LCD?

 

I can't remember, but I will check tomorrow.

 

Graham