Tech Forum

Hagothsen wrote:How do you verify that it isn't happening?

We really can't. That's between the church and their chosen CDN.

Hagothsen wrote:I thought I read somewhere that the church's solution uses Microsoft Azure. How can we be 100% sure that they're not keeping recordings? While we're at it, how can we be sure anything streaming over the internet, isn't being recorded? Here in Vegas, our ISP has changed to Cox in many areas. Now, we can't keep Cox WiFi (unfiltered, raw internet) out of our buildings. The FM Group says they've got them to turn it off, but it isn't. I'm not saying the church IT departments aren't capable of negotiating provisions for non-recording with their chosen CDN. Certainly, every CDN is capable of recording. How do you verify that it isn't happening?

It's not our role to verify, it's our job to utilize the resources the Church has asked us to utilize in the way they have asked us to use them. One thing that we all must keep in mind is that no matter what kind of setup we have 4 cameras, 3 sound feeds, text overlay , etc... the next guy in the calling may not have all the same skills. This is a MAJOR reason we should follow budget guidelines as well.

The setup at each encoding site is simple and easy to get started.. rely on it, it serves us very well.

If we all decide what to do on our own how does the church track usage, its important to know how many stakes are and area not webcasting, it's important for all sorts of future planning and wise use of $$. We are a house of order.

John, we're getting a bit off topic, but just like with the older Webcast Communicator box there was also an optional software solution; the church has selected Wirecast as the optional software solution for the VidiU box. From the church's Wirecast Overview page, it reads:

Wirecast software by Telestream is an optional method for creating an encoded webcast audio or audiovisual stream. Some units choose to use Wirecast because it has advanced features, such as the ability to switch between multiple cameras, display words to hymns, add speaker titles, and show media during a webcast.

It goes on to say that if the above features are not important to you, then they recommend using the VidiU box. I use the features listed above and found they are greatly appreciated by the receiving site(s).

I was using the YouTube servers mainly because of all the early problems STS's reported using the church's portal. I understand the church was working out bugs, licensing issues, and other glitches, meanwhile my webcasts were sailing along trouble free. I was also not restricted by the church's 2.1 Mb/s upload BW cap. It's a simple task to configure Wirecast to use the church's portal, but the quality will have to be reduced quite a bit from what I normally use to get under their BW cap.

Why are Stake Conferences so secretive? General Conference, Music and the Spoken Word, the Mormon Channel, BYU Speaches, and the rest of the Christian World are all happy to share their views on YouTube. Is it simply because too many widow's mites have been spent to allow one bit of availability go unused? I recently spoke with someone in the ICS department, and he honestly felt that because they got so relatively few complaints, all was well. So then, why is it that Sake Conference needs be more private than say, the Priesthood Session of General Conference?

I'm not saying I know better than our leaders. I know recording Stake Conference is not allowed, even forbidden. So I humbly ask, why? (We're allowed to do that now.)

Stake Conferences are not for a General Audience as General Conferences are. It's a simple matter of how inspiration works and is directed to be used. Counsel given, even by a General Authority, in a Stake Conference applies only to those living within that stake and NOT for the general membership.

Webcasts for Stake Conferences are used to reduce facilities costs plain and simple. Invest in a streaming solution rather than investing in Larger and Larger meetinghouses or renting out local larger halls for gatherings. It's the Lord's servants being wise with their stewardship over His money (our tithing dollars).

johnshaw wrote:Stake Conferences are not for a General Audience as General Conferences are. It's a simple matter of how inspiration works and is directed to be used. Counsel given, even by a General Authority, in a Stake Conference applies only to those living within that stake and NOT for the general membership.

I would think you could say the same thing about counsel given at coordinating council meetings. Other than stake and ward realignments, I've never heard anything at Stake Conference that wouldn't be good for all to hear. Unless we sin city saints are the only ones that need to stop doing this or should be doing more of that.

I'll just leave it up to my Stake President. I'll report and let him decide.

Hagothsen wrote:I've never heard anything at Stake Conference that wouldn't be good for all to hear.

True, but I have heard many things at stake conferences that you will never hear at general conference. Many general authorities have told me that what they say at stake conference, while guided by the Spirit, is also guided by the reverence and spirit the members of the stake bring to the meetings.

Hagothsen wrote:I would think you could say the same thing about counsel given at coordinating council meetings.

Not sure what that means... those aren't published / webcast either.

Other than stake and ward realignments, I've never heard anything at Stake Conference that wouldn't be good for all to hear. Unless we sin city saints are the only ones that need to stop doing this or should be doing more of that.

Except that isn't how the Priesthood works, neither is it how inspiration and/or revelation works - regardless of what we 'think'.

I'll just leave it up to my Stake President. I'll report and let him decide.

This is correct as long as he understands that the decision is either follow the direction of leaders or not follow the direction of leaders.

johnshaw wrote:Not sure what that means... those aren't published / webcast either.

You say that inspiration used to bless saints at any given Stake Conference, is local to those saints, and not to the church as a whole. Could we not say the same thing about inspiration given at a single coordinating council meeting?

Hagothsen wrote:You say that inspiration used to bless saints at any given Stake Conference, is local to those saints, and not to the church as a whole. Could we not say the same thing about inspiration given at a single coordinating council meeting?

I'm still not sure what you're talking about, of course it's the case. In that case there is Stewardship assigned to the Area Authority who leads the Coordinating Council through Priesthood direction.