Small Problem with DC Webcasts

[Wesley1982]

I don't mind watching the webcasts by the Dzogchen instructor but I'm trying to understand what he is saying.

[Kunga Lhadzom]

I thought you saiD in another post once, that you are hearing impaireD . So you CAN hear ? It took me a while to get useD to Him speaking (the Italian accent), but now it's not that Difficult...you will get use to it, anD then it will be clearer...I hope...

[Wesley1982]

Yes, I can hear a small volume with a hearing aid. Is Mandarin the official language of the Chinese?..

I can watch the DC webcasts but generally need a modern English "translation."

[Kunga Lhadzom]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_Chinese I guess it DepenDs on what part of China you live

[Mr. G]

I don't mind watching the webcasts by the Dzogchen instructor but I'm trying to understand what he is saying.

You should read his book "The Crystal and the Way of Light". It'll provide the context to help you understand what he's saying.

[asunthatneversets]

Yes, I can hear a small volume with a hearing aid. Is Mandarin the official language of the Chinese?..

I can watch the DC webcasts but generally need a modern English "translation."

Everything he's saying is in english (just with an accent), except for the lungs he gives for the certain practices which are in tibetan (and are the mantras for the practice), during those just be present, they are transmissions to do those practices.

Some of the terminology he uses is also in the context of the teaching he's giving, and can be hard to decipher if you're not familiar with the full spectrum of practices and yānas. The more you listen the easier it will become to understand.

[Wesley1982]

Yes, I can hear a small volume with a hearing aid. Is Mandarin the official language of the Chinese?..

I can watch the DC webcasts but generally need a modern English "translation."

Everything he's saying is in english (just with an accent), except for the lungs he gives for the certain practices which are in tibetan (and are the mantras for the practice), during those just be present, they are transmissions to do those practices.

Some of the terminology he uses is also in the context of the teaching he's giving, and can be hard to decipher if you're not familiar with the full spectrum of practices and yānas. The more you listen the easier it will become to understand.

That's not how the hearing problem works.

I hear the voices and sounds but what is being said is not clear - so deciphering is involved in what the other person is saying.

[asunthatneversets]

Yes, I can hear a small volume with a hearing aid. Is Mandarin the official language of the Chinese?..

I can watch the DC webcasts but generally need a modern English "translation."

Everything he's saying is in english (just with an accent), except for the lungs he gives for the certain practices which are in tibetan (and are the mantras for the practice), during those just be present, they are transmissions to do those practices.

Some of the terminology he uses is also in the context of the teaching he's giving, and can be hard to decipher if you're not familiar with the full spectrum of practices and yānas. The more you listen the easier it will become to understand.

That's not how the hearing problem works.

I hear the voices and sounds but what is being said is not clear - so deciphering is involved in what the other person is saying.

Oh ok, I didn't realize you were talking about the hearing issue, my little brother has the same type of thing, he usually lip reads to supplement his listening so I know how that goes. I'm not sure what the best option for that would be during live webcasts but if you're a member of the community I know there's access to archived video so you could go back and re-listen part by part. There may be transcriptions too, I'm not really sure.

[oldbob]

Yes, I can hear a small volume with a hearing aid. Is Mandarin the official language of the Chinese?..

I can watch the DC webcasts but generally need a modern English "translation."

Everything he's saying is in english (just with an accent), except for the lungs he gives for the certain practices which are in tibetan (and are the mantras for the practice), during those just be present, they are transmissions to do those practices.

Some of the terminology he uses is also in the context of the teaching he's giving, and can be hard to decipher if you're not familiar with the full spectrum of practices and yānas. The more you listen the easier it will become to understand.

That's not how the hearing problem works.

I hear the voices and sounds but what is being said is not clear - so deciphering is involved in what the other person is saying.

Hi Wesley, all and All,

I have the same problem. It is a very complex issue involving not just sound quality but money and politics.

If you want an example of good sound quality that improves intelligibility, and really excellent video quality (that allows you to go full screen on a large monitor) then check out:

http://dalailama.com/webcasts/post/240- ... -teachings

This is the replay, but I listened live, and the excellent audio and video quality was the same.

It is my strongly held personal conviction that the DC webcasts could have the same quality.

It is a matter of will and money. It is up to everyone concerned to bring this to the attention of the people responsible, if they want this to happen.




The other key issue is that the way the DC webcasts are set up, the replays suffer from the same breakup of the digital stream, on the web, as the original stream and that requires you to go back to the beginning to start over if the digital stream drops. It is also not ideal if you miss something and want to go back over the recording again. You have to start from the beginning. For some people this is a show stopper because they do not have the time and/or ability to overcome the many drops of the web stream and the many times, required, starting over.

The replays of the HHDL webcasts are also available in a format that you can easily download onto your computer and then transfer to your mobile device or computer and then listen to whenever you want. It is clear that whomever is in charge of the HHDL webcasts really want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to benefit from the teachings of HHDL.

My strongly held personal conviction is that the current business plan of the Dzogchen community could be improved by making high quality streaming and down-loadable replays (same quality as in those of HHDL) available to the DC.

The increased costs of the improved quality (if any) would be more than made up for by the huge increase in membership in the Dzogchen Community, that would occur if easier access to the teachings were allowed.

Another important point is that it is doable, now, is to have a transcript typed and published shortly after the actual webcast by having 12 typists type up each 10 minute segment of the 2 hour webcast at the conclusion of the webcast. Then an editor could splice the 12 typed segments into a word document for editing and then this roughly edited version could be released as a pdf or Google doc, on the replay site. A fully edited version could be sold on SSI later. This is doable within 2 -3 hours of the completion of a webcast. With 2000 plus listeners I am sure we can come up with 12 volunteers, or 24 so there is back up if someone gets sick. The typists would have to be provided with their high quality 10 minute segment of the webcast immediately after the completion of the cast. Technically this is easy and doable now.

Another way to generate an immediate roughly edited transcript, would be to ask if there are any high speed typists in the community who are currently generating a transcript as ChNNR is talking. If there are no volunteers, then it would be possible to hire a "stenographer" whose regular job it is to type as fast as people could speak. This could be paid for by providing the roughly edited transcript, at actual cost, on the replay web page. The finally edited version with normal SSI pamphlet packaging could be sold later on SSI.

The key point is that there needs to be a two tier distribution plan that allows usable quality print and recordings to be released to the entire DC, contemporaneously with the webcast and then a higher quality, high production value - value added - version sold on SSI later.

This would allow easy access of the precious teachings of CHNNR by the entire DC. Now only those purchasing the DVDs and CDs from SSI, perhaps quite a while after the webcast, are assured high quality recordings of the teachings.

If anyone agrees with these ideas you might make this known to the webcast team at:

webcast@shangshunginstitute.org

I also should end with a huge vote of thanks for the hard work and current excellent quality of the SSI live webcasts and replays and a big to all involved.
Perhaps with dialog and collaboration we can improve an already excellent situation.

Best,

ob

[Blue Garuda]

Hi Wesley, all and All,

I have the same problem. It is a very complex issue involving not just sound quality but money and politics.


My strongly held personal conviction is that the current business plan of the Dzogchen community could be improved by making high quality streaming and down-loadable replays (same quality as in those of HHDL) available to the DC.

The increased costs of the improved quality (if any) would be more than made up for by the huge increase in membership in the Dzogchen Community, that would occur if easier access to the teachings were allowed.

ob

On another thread you were claiming that ChNNR seems to be led along by others with regard to finances, and here you are grinding the same axe again.

This time it is 'money and politics'. Obviously you disapprove of something you see as pretty nasty here, or why all the snide remarks?

I've no idea of the background to this, nor am I much interested in your history with the DC, but surely this is something to address to ChNNR himself rather than making sideswipes at his organisation, which seem to end with a few jolly smilies but do not hide the obvious anger which must prompt these posts.

Get it out in the open and off your chest - it must be sad for you to harbour this angst and feel that you can only poke the issue with a long stick.

etc. etc.

[Wesley1982]

The best solution for the "hearing problem" in the dzogchen webcast transmissions is to simply relay the teachings.

[Heartland]

Hi Wesley -

I don't listen to the webcasts, but I have a similar hearing problem (hearing aids in both ears). Have you tried using headphones during the webcast? I find that having headphones (or an in the ear hearing assistance device for live events that provide them) helps a lot.

[Pero]

The best solution for the "hearing problem" in the dzogchen webcast transmissions is to simply relay the teachings.

[Clarence]

HI Bob,

I think you have some very good ideas.

Best, C

P.S. Wesley, I too found listening with headphones much easier than without and I don't have a hearing aid. It might help you a little.

[rai]

The best solution for the "hearing problem" in the dzogchen webcast transmissions is to simply relay the teachings.

[Wesley1982]

The best solution for the "hearing problem" in the dzogchen webcast transmissions is to simply relay the teachings.

Communicate what you receive from a legitimate Dzogchen instructor here at Dharma Wheel (If that's ok with them)

[xylem]

i have the same problem with the DC webcasts. it is very difficult for me to understand the tibetan-italian accented english. i also periodically experience technical problems with the transmissions. often i don't seem to pick up the audio feed when i hit the webcast site for the webcast. other than that, it's really pretty awesome. i'm going to become a member as soon as i have the cash.

-xy

[Norwegian]

For the language problem, I'd recommend trying to listen to general stuff now and then in daily life before webcasts, just to familiarize yourself with the specific teachers' syntax and pronunciation.

At times I find His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be challenging to listen to, but the more I listen to him the more I get familiar with how he speaks and sounds like. If language is a challenge then it might definitely help to get "warmed up" and familiar with it. To me Chogyal Namkhai Norbu is much easier to understand and far more nuanced in terms of English, than HHDL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wov-6PQI7pw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hhGLhRefPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF7a5X_e08o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gePd_7aT7y8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaJwuhs0ZPM

Sometimes the audio quality of the stream - be it audio or video - is worse than in other retreats though. I definitely prefer headphones as it helps with the sound for me.

[Wesley1982]

There shouldn't be a problem with the financial funding needed to upgrade the webcast system quality

[xylem]

attempted to take in this last open webcast but had connectivity issues. i don't think it's bandwidth or computer problems as i changed my venues on subsequent days and had problems. i got maybe 60% of the content. as someone said here, CNNR's tibetan-italian english accident becomes easier to parse with time. dropped audio though is a different matter. i have this problem 1 in 3 times. i'd have joined DC some time ago if it wasn't for these technical glitches.

-xy