Check out some highlights from that article below.

More churches than ever are sharing their worship services with live video streaming. Houses of worship have several requirements that make it critical to find the right equipment for the job. Few churches have large budgets set aside for equipment, and even fewer have staff to set up and operate it. They need cost-effective solutions that can be run by volunteers with minimal training. Many churches also need cameras that will capture professional video without disrupting the look and feel of the worship service.

Scalability is also a big concern. Many times congregations want to start small. However, as demand for the live stream, Zoom meeting and the church itself grows, they want the ability to add equipment and improve the experience. Since budget is always a concern, churches don’t want to replace all their equipment each time they upgrade. They want equipment that will grow with them.

This is why PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras are becoming more popular than ever for church live streaming and video meetings on Zoom. Churches of all sizes are using PTZ cameras in different ways – from one camera hooked directly to a computer to multiple cameras connected over a network or even a professional setup with SDI connections and a broadcast-quality switcher. No matter where a church starts, PTZ cameras offer the flexibility to build a system that works for their situation and the scalability to ensure their system can grow with them.

Check out the full article HERE.

Learn more about PTZOptics HERE

For ages, people have been regularly attending church services, such as group singing or praying, to be closer to God. But modern life is changing. Sometimes it becomes so unpredictable that people can’t physically attend a ceremony — but they may not want to miss it, even being in another city or country. Sometimes even people from other parts of the planet want to join a sermon, and fortunately, both situations become easily solvable nowadays through the power of the Internet, which allows for streaming live church services online and lets churches get closer to their followers, despite any distance.

Churches all over the world actively use digital technologies and communicate with their congregations through websites, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, which are known as the most important communication channels, surpassing email, events, print, etc. And since live video is one of the leading forms of content on social media, broadcasting is likely to become the next step to make church services even more accessible for people.

The advantages of sermon broadcasting include:

• Possibility to engage people who cannot attend worship personally.
• Being closer to the members of your parish and providing support wherever they are and whatever they experience in their lives.
• Sharing inspiring live videos easily and encouraging more people to join your community.
• Bringing church to more people’s lives.
• Soliciting donations for further live video development.

Before moving on to actual streaming, let’s dive into the basics.

Getting started with live video

With all those benefits in mind, you may want to start broadcasting your first video as soon as possible. But before that, make sure you have everything set.

Below, you will find the details that will help you get familiar with camera settings and lighting design, choose the recording gear and streaming platform that would perfectly meet your goals, and more.

Choosing the right gear for a church live stream

The first step is, of course, a nice camera that will help you make videos of good quality. There is a rich assortment of church live streaming equipment from which you can choose either more affordable or high-budget solutions. It all depends on how much you are ready to spend.

To get the sermon across, you basically need a camera recording in HD and featuring an HDMI output. This is enough if you have a relatively small amount of money for planned spending or don’t strive for super-professional quality of BBC level. You can, however, purchase a camera or camcorder that costs up to 1,000 dollars. If you plan to go with high-end video production, we recommend considering one of the top camcorders that capture video in UHD 4K up to 30 fps.

These are our top picks:

• Canon Vixia HF G21: a great solution for newbies who just plan to go live with worship.
• Panasonic 4K Cinema-Like Video Camera Camcorder: effectively works in low light.
• Canon EOS REBEL T7i: belongs to DSLR cameras and also works well in poor lighting conditions.
• IP live camera AXIS M3045-V: good for shooting from different perspectives and streaming directly to your site, where parishioners can watch the worship live.
• Canon XA15: high-budget and usually attracts people who are more familiar with the technology.
• Sony PXW-Z150: captures videos in UHD 4K up to 30 fps and provides a lot of professional features that make it one of the best cameras for live streaming church services.

Regardless of the camera you choose, it should meet the basic requirements in categories such as:

• Frame rate
• Shutter speed or motion control
• Aperture or depth of field
• Gain or image noise (aka ISO)
• Resolution

Encoders

Another tool that plays a significant role in church live streaming setup is an encoder, which is needed to transfer the information to a communicable format for broadcasting services. Depending on your purposes and needs, you can choose from software or hardware encoders. They both bring much value to their users, although a software encoder is more suitable for those who are not professional broadcasters and are hunting for cheaper, more accessible, and easy-to-use solutions.

restream.io

Check out the full article to learn more, HERE.

There are two primary problems with using a smartphone or tablet to live stream your service from the back of the room. The first is zoom. Getting close enough to the action without sacrificing image quality can be difficult, especially if your leaders won’t let you get close enough to account for the limitations of the lens in a mobile device.

The other is even harder to correct. Sure you could awkwardly frame a shot or quickly pan over to a screen, but neither of those are solutions like capturing the output of your worship presentation software and showing that instead of a video of it on the screen.

So, how do you do it? 

First, you need a system that can switch between the camera and the worship software. This will require, at the very least, a different app for your device or a computer that would do the encoding using OBS, Wirecast, vMix, etc.

Ideally, you’d want to look at a video switcher. Sure, they’re a lot more money than just holding up a smartphone, but if you want to go to the next level and add in multiple cameras or just the output of the worship software, it’s a great choice. If you’re comparing it to free software for switching and encoding, you’ll think a switcher is a bad deal. Instead, consider the cost of the computer, software (maybe), and capture cards when you compare prices. 

… consider the cost of the computer, software (maybe), and capture cards when you compare prices. 

In an earlier article (https://www.churchproduction.com/education/finding-the-right-keying-method-for-your-live-stream/), I talked about the different types of keys you’d use to superimpose worship software onto a video source. But whether you do that or just switch to a full screen image of the output of the worship software, you’ll have better results than the alternative of shooting the screen.

Let’s start with an obvious problem though. How do you get the output of your worship software into your switcher or encoder? Before, it was just turning the camera, but now it’s more complicated.

How do you get the output of your worship software into your switcher or encoder? Before, it was just turning the camera, but now it’s more complicated.

Video switcher considerations

First, let’s look at the video switcher solution, since in some ways, that’s the easiest problem to solve. Let’s assume you’ve already got PowerPoint, Keynote, ProPresenter, Proclaim, Easy Worship, MediaShout, or any of the other presentation software packages, whether secular or church-focused, running to a projector or other display for your in-person congregation to see. 

If you’ve only got one projector or television, you might wonder how you’ll send that output to two places instead of one. 

One of the first ideas a lot of people have is to use an additional video output as a duplicate or mirror of the main one you’re already sending. 

Under some circumstances that idea might work, but there are a couple of problems. You need an additional output and your computer would need to support it. MacOS, for example, can duplicate two of three displays, but doing so puts additional strain on the computer. That’s also true on Windows … and it’s not necessary.

There’s a device which amplifies and splits the signal so that one output can easily become two … or more. Its technical name is a Distribution Amplifier or D.A. 

There’s a device which amplifies and splits the signal so that one output can easily become two … or more. Its technical name is a Distribution Amplifier or D.A. Most people erroneously call them “splitters,” but that’s not correct because they aren’t passive devices. They’re doing some work to make sure the output signal is at least as strong as the input, not half of it.

So, if you’re using a video switcher, it could be as simple as plugging a camera into one input and one of the outputs of your D.A. into the other (assuming everything is the same resolution).

Then, either key the worship lyrics, etc, over the camera or switch to full screen. 

Software-based options

With encoder software (and some switchers, especially those like the Tricaster, created by NewTek), you have an option. 

With software-based options, you could just get a capture card and capture the output of the presentation computer directly into the software. These range in price from a few dollars (for no-name SD versions, which you should avoid) to a few hundred for models from AJA, BlackMagic, etc., which tend to give you a better signal (in HD or better, too).

Another option is that you can capture the output in the worship software computer and electronically send it to the switcher/encoding software, either on the same computer or over the network.

Wirecast has a utility that does just that, but another option is NewTek’s format called NDI. NDI, short for “network digital interface,” sends low-latency video over the network. The easiest way to do it is if your worship/presentation software is NDI aware. 

NDI, short for “network digital interface,” sends low-latency video over the network. The easiest way to do it is if your worship/presentation software is NDI aware. 

For example, the SDI module in ProPresenter 6 can output NDI. Check to see if yours does, either natively or with an add-on because this tends to have the fewest problems.

There are other options, as well. NewTek makes a software suite called NDITools which is a free download on their website. There’s a bunch of software you’ll get with NDITools, but what we’re looking for is NDI Scan converter. 

This software allows you to designate an output (or even just a part of a window) and capture then transcode it to NDI.

Some Mac worship software has the ability to output a signal via syphon. Syphon is an open source project that does much of what NDI does….

If NDI scan converter doesn’t meet your needs, it’s possible that you might have another option, as well. Some Mac worship software has the ability to output a signal via syphon. Syphon is an open source project that does much of what NDI does, but sends the output of one program to another on the same machine. 

If you’ve got a pretty powerful machine and can run both–easily (because you don’t want one minor process like a typo correction to be the straw that broke the camel’s back and causes your software to crash)–it’s another way to do the job.

There’s also another little free utility called NDIsyphon which can even take syphon from your worship software and turn it into NDI so that it can go between computers or be available to a NewTek Tricaster. 

NDI is fast becoming a standard, so it’s probably something to be aware of, at the very least. 

NDI is fast becoming a standard, so it’s probably something to be aware of, at the very least. 

How you interface your worship/presentation software with your live stream depends on what you’re using, where you’re going, and the budget you have. That said, it’s not that difficult, despite all the options, and it takes the quality of your live stream up quite a bit from barely viewable to professional and distraction-free–if you do it right. 

It’s worth the trouble to remove distractions. So, whether you’re adding in a video switcher or sending the signal over the network with NDI, figure out the option that’s best for your situation and implement it. You’ll be glad you did, and so will your online congregation.

Check out the full article HERE

Learn more about NewTek HERE

The house of worship community – of all different types and different sizes – are increasingly realizing the value of including video as a means to keep congregants informed, along with delivering inspirational messages.

It is increasingly common for a house of worship to have some combination of standard IT wired or wireless network.

worshipfacilities.com

Live streaming media around facilities, to multisite locations, or to individuals with remote access, is becoming both simpler and less costly, thanks to the shift to implementing video over Internet Protocol, or IP.

Creating attention-getting event productions that engage viewers has also become easier, using IP-based systems and workflows.

It is increasingly common for a house of worship to have some combination of standard IT wired or wireless network. Therefore, utilizing that existing network for video and audio is uncomplicated and much less costly, versus installing dedicated wiring for traditional video and audio distribution.

With a network that is set up to use IP for video and audio, there are a wide variety of cameras, production systems, graphics systems, and streaming devices that work entirely with IP – along with converters that take the outputs from existing equipment and convert them to NDI^® signals, which are optimized video signals, for use over standard networks.

NDIrequires no special hardware of any kind. NDI works with existing software applications, computer platforms, and network infrastructures to acquire, store, and deliver video, audio, and data streams.

In addition, there are NDI tools – such as Studio Monitor, Scan Converter, and Virtual USB Camera – that are available at no charge, to get live video moving across networks using Windows, MacOS, and Linux components.

NDI devices are simply connected to the network, discover each other, and are ready to transport media back and forth. This connectivity can be extended across the network, to other locations using streaming, even over the public internet.

Streaming using NDI can occur in real time to connect sites, guests, and viewers to a specific event, but can also be used at a later time by congregants, by recording the event, and saving it as a file that can be put on a local server or on to a Cloud-based video hosting platform. Streaming can also be set up with social media platforms on an organization’s website.

This level of simple and affordable setup and operation is a true enabler of live streaming. It democratizes the technology to allow houses of worship of all sizes to seriously consider live streaming as an option.

This is further enabled by the advent of more IT-based practices and IP transport. This enables volunteers to deliver event coverage, without needing extensive media production experience. In addition, software-based tools and systems are embracing a more inclusive user experience.

Devices have more auto-configuration and discovery functionality to take the technical complexity out of connecting various components together. Customized software control panels optimize common tasks and limit the variables, to just what is needed for a particular program or operator. Control surfaces can even be deployed on touchscreens and tablets. Program details such as effects and graphics are set up with presets and templates, to make it fast and easy to add or change production elements.

As many events are preplanned, simple program automation based on written scripts manage the teleprompter, switching sources, effects, video playback, and graphics to run an entire show, without having to know about the operation of these systems.

Many organizations have conducted basic production with a single camera, microphone, and streaming encoder. Now they can be empowered to create more sophisticated programs. The next steps involve multiple cameras to capture more action from multiple positions, and then using multiple displays within a sanctuary, capable of showing different content on each one or across all of them.

A common need is image magnification of a camera source to a display that must be kept in correct video and audio sync. These aspects require a live production system for switching, transitions, effects, video clip playout, and managed outputs. A more advanced system can also integrate audio, graphics, using virtual sets as backgrounds, and control of devices such as cameras.

The best part? All these functions can be done over IP. Sending signals around a building or campus to multiple displays and screens can also done using IP.

Video toolmakers have long understood the need of houses of worship to make their video production look as professional as possible on a tight budget, using an all-volunteer crew that may not necessarily be well-versed in the art of video production.

With the advent of IP-based workflows, and increasingly powerful and affordable tools, smaller organizations are empowered like never before, to look as good as better-funded and bigger organizations. This is making it a very exciting time to be in charge of worship AV.

To take the next steps in developing an IP-based live streaming workflow, seek out a nearby AV integrator that deals in NDI, and the many products and solutions that NDI enables. Both the price point and the end production are likely to impress.

Check out the full article HERE

The article is a great summary of the current considerations for broadcast or media directors in the HoW segment. There are a couple of points we expand on here, and then we link you to the complete article.

They first outline the landscape of media in modern services. There is often a projection or display component used in services today even in modest congregations. In any size congregation this can be material that aides or enriches the worship experience – everything from projecting song lyrics to showing pre-produced video of performances or plays. For “mega” churches or temples the projection is also key for making a distant speaker or performer into a vital and close presence with visible expression and emotion, on displays placed throughout a large auditorium. Beyond that, houses of worship of any size often have to serve overflow areas, and provide their worship services by streaming to other venues, to congregants at home, and as outreach to the public. The organization may also wish to be able to make services available as video-on-demand.

The modern paradigm then involves both the production of media for use in the service, presentation of that media during the services, and producing and publishing the services themselves as media in a variety of ways, both live and on-demand. Click here for the full article.

Click here to watch the video on Youtube.

Livestreaming has become a mainstay for many houses of worship. Churches of all sizes have discovered that livestreaming is a wonderful option for those who aren’t able to attend services in person and can also help expand a congregation across the globe.

Some congregation members may be unable to leave their home, military personnel stationed abroad, or families who miss church because of illness. Additionally, there are some people who simply prefer watching a livestreamed service over going to a physical church.

There are churches that have large budgets to work with while many have very small budgets or close to nothing at all. Large or small, here are five ways that livestreaming can help your congregation reach every corner of the world:

1) Make the World Your Audience: By livestreaming your church sermons, it’s now possible to share your inspirational message to a broader audience and help them stay connected from any location. Viewers can be at home in their PJs or even watching from a small town in Bostwana.

2) Keep Them Connected: Moving away doesn’t have to mean losing connection. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have out of town relatives be able to enjoy your congregation’s youth concerts? Grandma won’t miss a beat of her grandchild’s holiday performance with live broadcasts…read more

Most people who live-stream professionally or have been doing it for a while, at least, know that to live stream, you need at least one source (usually a camera), a capture device, an encoder, and an internet connection with sufficient upload speed to get the video to the host.

What that looks like varies, though. In some set-ups, it’s just a smartphone, which does all the work. In others, it’s a multi-cam operation with a video switcher, graphics source, a dedicated encoder, and a crew of people to run the whole thing.

It’s just as problematic to use a big set up for a “hey, I want to say hi to you from this conference and remind you about this great thing we’re doing when we get back” message from the pastor as using a single smartphone in a large auditorium, from the the back of the room.

So, which should you use? Let’s examine each and see when it’s appropriate to use it and when you need something more flexible, more portable, more reliable, or more inexpensive.

Smartphone/tablet

In 2018, the smartphone is ubiquitous and services like Facebook and YouTube have made it easy to live stream from these devices anytime and anywhere that you have an internet connection with enough upload speed.

It’s little wonder that many churches have hopped on the smartphone bandwagon, assuming that’s all you need, in all situations. Sadly though, that’s not true…read more

As the church started streaming weekly services, the media team quickly realized they needed a more robust solution since they experienced network maintenance issues during their live streams. After an introduction to LiveU Solo and its cloud-based workflow, the team swapped out streaming solutions and couldn’t be happier with the results. “The church hasn’t seen any issues and the streams have been ‘unbreakable,’ said John Hettinger, Dwelling Place Church Media Director.

Every church has them: once-active church members that are now home bound (primarily older adults and their caregivers). With reduced involvement in the church, these members are largely unknown to most of the congregation and may feel forgotten, ignored, or misunderstood. “LiveU Solo has brought the church to these members. The ability to view and participate in the service has really strengthened their faith,” stated Hettinger.

“Audiences respond to true live opposed to simulated live,” said Hettinger. “When the Church hosts a live stream, it gives them more of a chance to interact with the audience as opposed to just watching it afterwards from home. LIVE makes things more interactive in real-time.”