Automated Start of Zoom Broadcast

[kassah]

Has anyone succeeded at getting a recent version of Zoom (with or without API) to start and stop a session from as a Zoom host/presenter automatically without user intervention with a camera and audio system hooked to Raspberry Pi?

I'm perfectly comfortable programming things like non-media web interfaces and linux automation.

Our current setup (that I've coded) involves:

• camera in each building that push out RTMPS streams

• a management interface that automatically creates a unlisted YouTube broadcast for each sacrament service based on rules (such and such ward is 10-11:15am every week), and pre-configuring the cameras to start and stop broadcasts at the correct time, as well as deleting any resulting videos to ensure compliance with church policy.

• an interface listing our broadcasts linking to the next item for viewing

• an viewer wrapping the view experience and controls the recommended videos at end of broadcast to ones from youtube account, so it's not showing or recommending content that is inappropriate.

With the recent addition of the https://meet.churchofjesuschrist.org/ and the broadcast links that are coming in the Gospel Stream app, is to make an attempt to adapt our platform to start and stop Zoom webcasts automatically, that can hopefully automatically be published there. Bonus points for bringing us into closer compliance to the leadership's direction of using Zoom for our broadcasts.

My goal is to do this without having to call & train a bunch more people from our Wards to manually run those broadcasts. I would prefer to have as many of our fellow brothers and sisters able to do the more important ministering, missionary and coordination work that cannot be automated.

Thank you in advance for your responses!

[CalS201]

kassah said: My goal is to do this without having to call & train a bunch more people from our Wards to manually run those broadcasts

Have you figured out how to "not" stream the audio and video of the sacrament ordinance without human intervention?

[kassah]

Have you figured out how to "not" stream the audio and video of the sacrament ordinance without human intervention?

Yep,
We detect a signal from the sacrament microphone and automatically cut the other feeds until we no longer detect signal from that microphone (i.e. it has returned to it's closed state). We have trained bishops, etc to look at the sacrament microphone to ensure it's closed if they get reports of problems. That resolves 99% of problem reports, and at this point all wards are really good about closing it properly after sacrament is finished.

[Mikerowaved]

Bonus points for bringing us into closer compliance to the leadership's direction of using Zoom for our broadcasts.

Just so you're aware, the move to Zoom is optional. Yes, it's the only platform fully supported by the church, but (so far) not the only one we must use. If you're using YouTube Live with success, as it appears you are, then I'd suggest staying right there. Other services, such as YTL, are not endorsed by the church, so you're on your own as far as support goes. I also have some automated scripts for scheduling meetings and deleting the old ones in YTL. (Not quite perfected yet, but it's getting there.) It wouldn't be impossible, but it would be very difficult for us to switch everything over to Zoom. Of course, we would if directed to.

We put the control of the meetings literally in the hands of the bishopric. They bring up Touch Portal on their phone or tablet and are presented with simple icons to press. For example, "Start meeting". They then select which ward they are. The PC running OBS (and Touch Portal) automatically switches to that ward's YTL stream key and sets up the desired scene for sacrament meeting. They can now press START to begin streaming. Now they see a button that will pause the live stream and put up a static picture during the sacrament. Another button resumes the live stream. Finally they are allowed to stop the webcast. It has worked so well, we're planning to implement it in our other buildings. We use the free version, but the Pro version is only $13.99 for life. Hard to beat!

I see Touch Portal is available for Linux, but it looks like they've only tested it with Ubuntu.

[kassah]

Just so you're aware, the move to Zoom is optional.

Yep, we are aware. We are really hoping to gain benefits by conversion or even just addition of Zoom. (specifically listing on Church Broadcasts portal)

We put the control of the meetings literally in the hands of the bishopric. They bring up Touch Portal on their phone or tablet and are presented with simple icons to press. For example, "Start meeting". They then select which ward they are. The PC running OBS (and Touch Portal) automatically switches to that ward's YTL stream key and sets up the desired scene for sacrament meeting. They can now press START to begin streaming. Now they see a button that will pause the live stream and put up a static picture during the sacrament. Another button resumes the live stream. Finally they are allowed to stop the webcast. It has worked so well, we're planning to implement it in our other buildings. We use the free version, but the Pro version is only $13.99 for life. Hard to beat!

Touch Panel seems interesting. I did find Zoom plugins there, I'll download those and peek at the code to see if it gives me any ideas on how I can join and start a Zoom remotely. If possible, I'd like to avoid spending any more stake money and stick with what's already present (i.e. the existing Pi's we already have in each building).

This does bring to mind a Windows PC in every one of my stake's buildings. Maybe I could find a way to bring the camera feed to the clerk computers and automate it there somehow.

[CalS201]

Have you figured out how to "not" stream the audio and video of the sacrament ordinance without human intervention?

Yep,
We detect a signal from the sacrament microphone and automatically cut the other feeds until we no longer detect signal from that microphone (i.e. it has returned to it's closed state).

How do you detect the microphone is being used?
Did you add your own switch to the microphone door or did you hack into the existing "door open" signal?
How do you send your "audio off" signal to the camera?

Please share a schematic of your circuit.

[garystroble]

The sacrament microphone door will be closed after the first prayer. Your proposed system will start broadcasting while the trays are given to the deacons and when the bread is being passed.

[kassah]

I am not the person in my stake who does the sound routing, just the software scheduling side of things. If you have more questions about the sound hardware side of the system, PM me and I can see about connecting you to the person who is responsible for that hardware.

I'm really hoping that someone might be able to help me specifically with the automation of the Zoom question of my original post so that I can work on solving the improvement I've been tasked with trying to achieve by my leaders.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[dave.swartz]

Have you looked at ZoomOSC?
https://www.liminalet.com/zoomosc

I have not run this software personally and I have no idea if it will work with the church provisioned Zoom accounts. But Bitfocus Companion can talk to this software and send it commands which can apparently be used to start up the Zoom session.

If this works please report back your findings. In my opinion, a forum like this works best if there is a mix of people asking for help as well as people putting forward solutions to common challenges.

[dave.swartz]

Rereading the previous postings and looking at the Touch Portal website I see that they have a plugin for Open Sound Control (OSC). This would allow (in theory) the touch portal software to use ZoomOSC to startup the Zoom session.

Related to the posting about using physical acts to start and stop a Zoom session. Yes opening the sacrament mic door could activate a physical switch to switch the session off. To re-enable the session I would tie into the podium position relays. I simple bump of the circuit could turn the session back on.

A second alternative that would involve no interfacing to the FM groups AV system would be a limit switch on the podium. All the way down turns off or switches the session, and a lift turns it back on. Sounds like you could simply put one of your Pi's in the podium and use the GPIO lines.

For our sessions we have a camera operator and it's easy for them to just turn things on and off. He likes running the webcast and does it each week.