Bishops / Ward Specialists want permanent camera solution - what do I do?

[Biggles]

One of the meeting houses in our stake (Not the stake centre), has just put in a request to the FM group for a camera etc., to be mounted in the chapel. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is!

[drepouille]

Last Fall, our STS asked the FM to install PTZ cameras in all meetinghouses in our stake. The FM replied that they were only allowed to install permanent cameras in stake centers, not other meetinghouses. The stake president replied, "Hold my Diet Coke." He got the FM to install a camera in a multi-ward meetinghouse, but we really don't need one in our single-ward meetinghouse.

[davesudweeks]

But we have a camera mounted on the wall near the back of the chapel (zoomed in on the podium) that serves well so we don't have to attach anything to the podium or place a stand in one of the front pews. It was mounted by the FM group.

Is this a stake center? I know they will do it for that, but I'm not so sure about "regular" buildings.

We are not a stake center, but our stake center is a regular building with stake offices added. I don't know how the camera was installed as I am out of that loop now, I just noticed it about the time the COVID pandemic began in early 2020 and we used it all last year.

[skyrocket]

Thanks for all of the further responses, everyone! I'm going to approach the stake president and ask him what the time frame for virtual sacrament meetings is. I'll go from there based on what he says! Thank you!

[jworth1]

The camera mount looks great. Would you have plans or blueprints on the camera mount to the pulpit?

Thanks
Jeff Worthington

[brad_p]

I'd say that whatever you use for a permanent solution, it should be: 1) nearly cordless, and 2) requires minimal setup, and 3) has great audio.

We're currently stuck trying to get PTZ cameras mounted. FM said that the church denied their request to install a PTZ camera even in our stake center through 2025. We can mount our own for about $800 per chapel. Our FM is insistent that church HQ won't allow that. My stake president desperately wants them and is trying to work something out. So we're currently stuck here in a holding pattern.

What our FM did say is that they would be happy to install ethernet, power over ethernet, and possibly even 3.5mm jacks almost anywhere so long as there is cord access to the wall behind. That helps. But without a mounted camera, it's going to require a significant setup and teardown every meeting, which isn't very "permanent".

[davidengel84]

Based on the comments here, I'm curious if others have received permission to have a camera installed permanently. If so, what cameras are you using (make and model)?

The reason I ask is possibly outside the scope of the existing conversation, so I apologize if it is.

The mounted camera in our Stake Center is an old analog camera. The video quality is poor, at sub 720p. We just had Stake Conference and streamed via the soon to be discontinued Webcast system, and feedback from some was similar regarding the video quality. I don't think Webcast had anything to do with the quality, since we directly connect to the camera (hanging cords/wires) and the quality is poor when viewing directly on the laptop using OBS. I submitted a FIR regarding the video quality and was told the system is working as expected and won't be replaced for another 10 years. I guess I have a hard time believing the FM would allow a second mounted camera, because I doubt they'd replace the existing one based on previous comments. So I'm investigating the option of having another mounted (not likely) or buying another and setting it on a tripod placed under the mounted cam in the back of the chapel for use during Stake Conferences. Or perhaps since we don't use ANY of the video equipment in the closet and the camera isn't using that system at all, I could see if the Stake President is willing to put some pressure on the FM group to upgrade our camera anyway to a networked PTZ 1080p HDMI camera. Thoughts?

[russellhltn]

I could see if the Stake President is willing to put some pressure on the FM group to upgrade our camera anyway

I would start there.

[lajackson]

The mounted camera in our Stake Center is an old analog camera. The video quality is poor, at sub 720p.

Since it is the stake center, I believe that when the camera breaks the FM Group will replace it, hopefully with a more capable one. And I would expect that to happen in sooner than 10 years with lots of extra use for sacrament meetings in addition to the normal stake conferences.

[brad_p]

Based on the comments here, I'm curious if others have received permission to have a camera installed permanently. If so, what cameras are you using (make and model)?

See this thread. viewtopic.php?t=39696

Some of us either aren't or can't mount cameras. So we need the best low footprint portable mount we can make.

I'll likely be putting a PTZ camera on an 8 foot mic stand

The post by CalS201 has some attachments showing some great ideas as well.