First, here’s our tech-agnostic approach to solution architecture:
1. Almost any computer
For best results, we recommend running ShareTheBoard on a desktop PC. This provides the most options to deliver a click-free experience for presenters. Don’t have a PC in the room? Use a laptop or ask us about STBox.
2. Almost any camera
ShareTheBoard web and desktop applications natively recognize cameras attached to a computer. STBox supports a broader range. Proper camera placement is crucial for success though (read on below for more)!
3. Almost any surface
No stylus or special hardware required. The surface you point your camera at is the surface you use – just like always. Whiteboards work best but blackboards, interactive boards, flip charts and pieces of paper will work too.
> Will this work with my board?
Room setup
Camera resolution vs. board size and distance
ShareTheBoard recommends using 1080p, 2k, or 4k resolution cameras. The right camera for your space will be determined by its distance from the board as well as the size of the board to be captured.
Please note that the quality and size of a camera’s sensor will greatly affect the quality of the image that ShareTheBoard has to work with. Still, we’ve found that “36 pixels per square centimeter” offers a reasonable approximation for a minimum pixel density.
Using this rule of thumb, we can assume that the theoretical maximum board width that most 4K cameras can support is (3840 / 6 = 640) 6.4m or about 21 ft. For 1080p cameras it would be 3.2m or 10.5 ft.
4K (UHD) cameras
- Theoretical maximum board width: 6.4m (21 ft)
- Recommended maximum distance to board: 4.5m (14.75 ft)
2 (QHD) cameras
- Theoretical maximum board width: 4.26m (14 ft)
- Recommended maximum distance to board: 3.5m (11.5 ft)
1080p (FHD) cameras
- Theoretical maximum board width: 3.2m (10.5 ft)
- Recommended maximum distance to board: 3m (10 ft)
Note: the actual maximum board width will likely be smaller, depending on the relative difference in pixel density between the center and edge of the board.
Greater distances
Can’t mount your camera within the maximum distances described above? Choose a camera with a commensurate optical zoom. For example:
- FHD camera with 2x optical zoom = maximum distance of 6m (20 ft)
- FHD camera with 3x optical zoom = maximum distance of 9m (30 ft)
- And so on…
In fact, placing your camera further away and zooming in on the board reduces the differences in pixel density across the image, allowing you to get closer to the theoretical maximum board width.
Please keep in mind that these are approximations. In the end, nothing beats a field test. If you need help selecting a proper camera, please work with your integrator of choice or contact our support team for assistance.
Extra wide boards or multiple boards
What happens when your board width exceeds the theoretical maximum of your available camera? Or when your room has more than one board in it? That’s when ShareTheBoard’s MultiCam feature comes to the rescue.
With MultiCam, you can use up to three cameras during a single session. The process of identifying the board is no different than when using a single camera. By activating Multicam, you’re giving ShareTheBoard the job of selecting the right camera at the right time. It does this by searching for the presenter. All you have to do is write on a given board and ShareTheBoard will activate the corresponding camera, updating both real time feeds as well as what gets recorded in Board Memory.
Summary
ShareTheBoard is proudly tech-agnostic: our software works with a very wide range of computers and cameras, allowing you to choose the hardware that’s right for you. If you have any questions about your specific setup, contact us and we’ll be happy to help you.
Otherwise, if your computer, camera, and board are all set up, it’s time to run your session!
