Using the Roland VR-1HD to Live Stream for Worship
By Jamie G
Live streaming has helped houses of worship during these unpredicted times reach their audiences and hold their normal congregations. With the help of some good and reliable live streaming equipment, like a Roland VR-1HD AV Streaming Mixer, houses of worship are able to stay connected with their community.
The Roland VR-1HD lets you broadcast dynamic multi-camera livestreams, complete with amazing picture and sound that easily outshines ‘standard’ livestreams from a mobile phone or static webcam. Editorial Director of Alchemedia Publishing, Chris Holder gives some tips and tricks to help you’re live streaming.
“Livestreaming can be as basic as opening Facebook on your smartphone, selecting Live Video, pointing your camera in the right direction, and relying on your 4G connection to stay solid for the duration of the sermon. If this describes the extent of your experience with livestreaming, you may already be aware of some serious limitations.
Chris Holder
First up, you really need better audio quality. Clear, present spoken word communication is utterly crucial for those at home accessing your stream on a computer or mobile device. Bad audio will be the first reason people switch off or zone out. Your smartphone’s internal microphone can’t deliver the quality needed, and there’s no way to easily incorporate an external mic directly.
Secondly, you need to find a way of including sermon slides, such as verses of scripture and illustrations that would normally be projected on the displays in the auditorium. A smartphone can’t accept a second video input on its own, so you’re out of luck.
To achieve something more acceptable, you’ll need to invest in some hardware. But don’t panic—it won’t break the bank, and you won’t need an engineering degree to figure it all out!”
Holder then recommends bringing your live stream together with a video mixer.
“The first and most important criterion for selecting a video switcher is the number of video and audio input sources it can accept. Next is hands-on control, which makes the switcher easy for anyone to operate. In a world that relies so heavily on volunteer operators, we all know that ease of use for any new equipment is of paramount importance.
Chris Holder
Small-format switchers can be quite inexpensive. But don’t be fooled into simply choosing the cheapest—after a few weeks of frustration, you’ll regret it. Inexpensive video switchers typically have very little hardware control. They’re fiendishly hard to work with because the settings are hidden down in menu “rabbit holes.”
So find a video switcher that’s within your budget—but make sure it supports the number of input sources you have and provides plenty of hands-on control.”
It’s important to get the right setup for your house of worship. Especially since live streaming might be here to stay long after the pandemic comes to an end. It’s a great way to reach people outside the community or people who cannot attend that service. It’s a great way to stay connected.
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