Tech Forum

This entry was from Alternate Camera Recommendations for the Sony EVI-D70 so I created a new post for the Next-Gen Meetinghouse Webcasting Project...

#5Postby pete.arnett » 20 Jan 2015 20:28

It has been rumored that the older version of Webcast is being replaced by a newer version during 2015, see beta link http://beta.ldswebcast.org

In the spring of 2014, I was fortunate to beta-test streaming from the new website portal.

Several test streams were conducted via wireless and direct Internet connection on a laptop, desktop and Android tablet. Although they streamed well, I experienced some minor stuttering and sometimes split second buffering between scenes. When viewing from one of our meetinghouses, the problems were more severe even though bandwidth was similar to another test building.

Later that summer I use the beta portal to stream a stake conference to a few home-bound members. Results were mixed due to non-webcast issues such as poor bandwidth, messed up computers, etc. Some complained about the picture quality. Others had no issues.

I wanted to try it again last December (our next stake conference), but the site would not complete requests (probably disabled).

I just completed the new STS training, and they mentioned that the Church is recommending a hardware solution that is supposed to work much more reliably with the new webcast technology. They also mentioned that it's supposed to go live within the next 2 months (they said March).

Have you (or anyone else on here) had any experience with the hardware solution that they are recommending? I was surprised that it only takes HD input and that you have to upscale any SD signals before feeding it into their hardware solution. They estimated that the price would be somewhere between $500 and $600.

I think you're referring to the attached image? (Screenshot from the LDS Webcast presentation from the LDSTech 2014 Conference

The Teredek VidiU will be about $500 with the church's discount applied.

Of interesting note, the Wirecast Redemption Code is now available on store.lds.org, but it is listed as 'backordered.' Getting closer!

Any updates about the go live date of 20Feb2015, has there been any delays
Any updates on when will upgrades to the existing Communicator boxes be available (versions 1.11, 1.12, 1.13)

We just finished our SC using the Teredek VidiU device. Our STS works at the Church with this stuff so we are always able to try all the widgets as they are coming out. I believe he actully conducts the STS training, if not one of his assistants, if I am not mistaken.

The idea/benefit of the new technology is that it supposed to allow for multiple streams to the receiving locations and it will adjust the bit rate based on polling and either increase or decrease based on this. As such, you can upload at the highest rate possible and the receiving locations will pull it down at a bit rate based on their connection. Before we had to scale the Webcaster to the "lowest common denominator", so to speak. The other thing that it touted is that if the stream is interrupted or stopped it will keep automatically retrying to pick up the stream where it was dropped.

Our actual results overall were good. We were uploading an HD signal (we had 3 HD cameras on loan from the Chruch). However, the Teredek will only accept an HDMI input. So, while we had HD/HDMI coming in from a Roland VR-50HD mixer and piping this to the Teredek we had to "dumb it down" so we could distribute it to the SC house system. To do this, we had an additional Roland VR3-EX on loan from the Church and we ran the HDMI/HD into this VR3EX and then we pulled the SD signal from this to pipe to the stake center house system.

So for a SC that doesn't have access to or have purchased an "up-converter" it would be an additional expense to get a device to convert to HD/HDMI to feed the Teredek.

The Teredek is a neat device. It can run on batteries and wireless-ly but we ran it wired.

-Jimbo3san
Lehi, UT
ASTS