How many receiving sites can we have?

[seanhyte]

The current webcast solution will handle up to 200 connections if you choose "Large Event" when you schedule it. We are working as a priority towards increasing this to a lot more, but until then it is 200 connections per event stream.

Also, remember this number is per connection, not per person, sometimes we see areas where they will request the need for 500, but what they mean is 500 people not connections since 1 connection may be viewed by more than one person, e.g. a home with a family of 5.

[lajackson]

The current webcast solution will handle up to 200 connections if you choose "Large Event" when you schedule it.

Thanks. Please let us know if/when it changes. I do not anticipate an immediate need, but it will be good information for the stake presidency to have.

[Mikerowaved]

In light of the new guidelines from the First Presidency regarding large gatherings of saints in the affected areas of the COVID-19 virus (including USA), that number of 200 connections per stream is likely to be heavily taxed.

[russellhltn]

In light of the new guidelines from the First Presidency regarding large gatherings of saints in the affected areas of the COVID-19 virus (including USA), that number of 200 connections per stream is likely to be heavily taxed.

I'm not sure where that challenge will be coming from:

we will postpone stake and leadership conferences and other large gatherings in Church Areas where illness caused by COVID-19 is a challenge

I'm reading this as all stake conferences are canceled for the time being. Not televised - canceled.

Televising the sacrament meeting is a different matter - something that would have to get approval from the area authority given the Handbook guidelines on webcasting.

[Mikerowaved]

Sure, but if a stake can webcast a stake conference to all its members in a similar fashion as General Conference, it wouldn't need to be cancelled.

[jirp]

Sure, but if a stake can webcast a stake conference to all its members in a similar fashion as General Conference, it wouldn't need to be cancelled.

This was my thinking and exactly the question I came here to get answered. Treat the entire stake as a whole bunch of private connections. Since this was only intended to let a few people do the non building logins I am guessing the facilities would be badly strained by even a few stakes doing it. Was also thinking of weekly sacrament meeting. We don't have the facilities to stream it at the ward level but if the same system could be used we could do it at the stake level back down to the ward just like webcasting any other stake event back to the ward. But instead of having the building the main receiving site grant password access to everyone so it could be viewed from home. It would be dependent the ability to stream to huge numbers of private locations.

Simply trying to plan ahead and figure out what might be requested of me and what I need to learn. Because if the church follows normal pattern they will call the night before to tell me it needs to work at 10 the next morning or worse.

[russellhltn]

Sure, but if a stake can webcast a stake conference to all its members in a similar fashion as General Conference, it wouldn't need to be cancelled.

It may not need to be canceled, but by direction of the First Presidency, it's been postponed. I believe stake conferences turn in a report. Such a report being turned in might encounter some criticisms. Given the letter, I'm not sure as stake presidents are going to want to stick out their necks. If I know my stake presidency, they'd be quietly happy that there's one less thing they have to deal with.

New direction may come at any time. And I suspect it will if/when it starts to look like this won't blow over in a few months (Especially if it starts to look like stakes will be missing two conferences). But with that announcement may come new resources/rules.

As techs, I think examining our tool chest would be wise, but I wouldn't get too wrapped up in details just yet.

One of the questions I'd ask of leaders is how many active families attend sacrament meeting. That would give you some idea of how many streams might be needed.

[lajackson]

Sure, but if a stake can webcast a stake conference to all its members in a similar fashion as General Conference, it wouldn't need to be cancelled.

Theoretically. But I think the First Presidency and Twelve have simply decided to postpone them. I doubt our assigned general authority will be coming next week. I expect to get word from the stake presidency after their meeting this evening that I should cancel a few webcast tests and the conference webcast, as well.

[lajackson]

It may not need to be canceled, but by direction of the First Presidency, it's been postponed.

A stake president does not have authority to schedule a stake conference. He is given the conference schedule from the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. If he feels to recommend a change of dates for stake conference, he requests it from the President of the Twelve.

Our stake president once needed to change the date of one of our stake conferences because he was going to be out of the country and unable to attend and preside. The response from the Twelve was, You have counselors, don't you? And so the first counselor in our stake presidency had the privilege of presiding at one of our stake conferences.

As challenging as it is for a stake president to preside at one of his own stake conferences, it was totally mind-blowing for that counselor to do it. And yet it still ranks right up there as one of the best stake conference our stake has ever held.

[Mikerowaved]

But I think the First Presidency and Twelve have simply decided to postpone them.

I've just been in touch with my SP regarding our April stake conference, and while he appreciated my offer to setup a webcast to the stake membership via YouTube Live, he suggested that it may have already been cancelled (from the verbiage in the letter), but he's waiting to hear from either the scheduled visiting authority or the area authority for the final word.