Dish Removal and streaming device question

Discussions around the satellite system and video distribution.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
Posts: 34422
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#11

Post by russellhltn »

Biggles wrote:1. Where has the official information about satellite receivers being withdrawn been published?
In a email to STS and stake presidents.
Biggles wrote:2. Or is it on a country by country basis?
The trigger for this is the reallocation of C-band satellite frequencies for 5G cell service in the US and some of the bargaining that goes along with that. Depending on what band you're on and how your country handles finding frequencies for 5G, this may completely miss countries outside of North America for the foreseeable future.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
User avatar
Mikerowaved
Community Moderators
Posts: 4734
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:56 am
Location: Layton, UT

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#12

Post by Mikerowaved »

Biggles wrote:2. Or is it on a country by country basis?
More of a continent kind of thing, at least for now. Here's a quote from the email explaining why it's being done:
Finally, the satellite spectrum used by the Church in North America has been reallocated. Therefore, the Church needs to either reinvest in the satellite network or begin to decommission it.
So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
User avatar
Biggles
Senior Member
Posts: 1608
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 5:14 am
Location: Watford, England

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#13

Post by Biggles »

Thank you both for your answers. They have helped me understand what may be happening, over here, in the near future.
Interestingly I've just received a survey request, from our Area office, as to what technology we've been using during lockdown. May have nothing to do with satellite receivers, but who knows!
bphilli7
New Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:28 pm

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#14

Post by bphilli7 »

russellhltn wrote:
bphilli7 wrote:I guess this means the different modulators in our a/v rack are now unnecessary...
The operative word being "different". I'm hard pressed to think of a use for multiple modulators. But I'd want at least one, and perhaps a spare for transmitting stake conference to the different rooms.
That’s true.

My rack has three SD modulators from the church, with the ability to modulate English Satellite feed, Spanish satellite feed, and local camera input for stake conferences.

Last year we purchased an ATSC HD modulator since all the overflow rooms use TVs less than 15 years old and have that built in.

I suppose I’ll keep the HD modulator and remove the other three, in time.

But this begs the question: the email suggests that a “streaming device” is a roku, fire tv, laptop, etc. I would be interested to know what the new North American building standards will be without the satellite equipment and then adopt that.

One challenge I see with using one streaming device in the library and modulating is that viewers in the remote room will lose the ability to remote control it with the included remote. The upside to this is you’ll have multiple rooms synced up in the broadcast and the required bandwidth will be one streams worth.

Having multiple rooms with multiple stream devices means multiple streams of required bandwidth but they’ll also have the ability to easily use their remote to control the streaming device.
lajackson
Community Moderators
Posts: 11460
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:27 pm
Location: US

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#15

Post by lajackson »

stephendoud wrote:So the streaming device is a web stream receiver, not a streaming web-caster.
Correct. The purpose of the device is to receive the webcast when the satellite system is no longer available.

In our stake, we have always used personal laptops as a backup to satellite broadcasts. If the satellite went down, the laptop was used. In some other stakes, they purchased a streaming device so that they would not need to rely on member laptops.

Since the satellite system is being taken away, we now will need a method to receive webcasts and do not wish to rely on the generosity of members with laptops every time. It was one thing to use donated machines as a backup, but quite another to expect to use them every time.
bartj
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 4:00 pm

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#16

Post by bartj »

Several quick points of clarification. Most of these have been resolved but want to make sure....

- The removal of satellite message sent out last week is for US and Canada only right now.
- Many already stream broadcasts in their buildings using laptops, Roku, AppleTV, Android TV, etc. They can continue using these devices.
- The device that will likely be provided for those that need one is an Android device. Something like a Mi Box, Nvidia Shield, or Google Chromebox. Only request the number of units needed based on the stakes broadcast plans moving forward. For example, in my stake we don't open the stake center for broadcasts like general conference. Our stake simply encourages members to just watch from home. I am not saying this is what stakes should do, that is up to the stake president, but we will not be requesting a streaming device because we won't need one.
- The existing distribution system can be used. However, most systems are still analog so your video quality will be improved if you are able to bypass that system and connect directly to a projector/monitor.
NOTE - you will need the distribution system for local events like stake conference if you send the signal to alternative rooms.
- The streaming device referenced here is a receive device and not a transmit. So, the Teradek or other encoder used for sending a stake/ward originated broadcast (webcast) will still be required.

Thanks!
lajackson
Community Moderators
Posts: 11460
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:27 pm
Location: US

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#17

Post by lajackson »

bartj wrote:The device that will likely be provided for those that need one is an Android device. Something like a Mi Box, Nvidia Shield, or Google Chromebox. Only request the number of units needed based on the stakes broadcast plans moving forward.
We requested units for our stake. Has a preferred unit been selected? Is it available yet?

The satellite system at our stake center failed this week. It will not be repaired because of the satellite removal program this year. So I am ready for the first one of our requested replacement streaming devices.

Or if that is not going to happen, I need to know so that I can wire the stake clerks office administrative computer into the audiovisual system instead.
lajackson
Community Moderators
Posts: 11460
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:27 pm
Location: US

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#18

Post by lajackson »

lajackson wrote:
bartj wrote:The device that will likely be provided for those that need one is an Android device. Something like a Mi Box, Nvidia Shield, or Google Chromebox.
Has a preferred unit been selected? Is it available yet?
. . .
Or if that is not going to happen, . . . I can wire the stake clerks office administrative computer into the audiovisual system instead.
I have learned that, for a variety of reasons, there are no longer plans for the Church to provide receiving devices when the satellite systems are removed. I suspect that the variety of circumstances and setups would have made it difficult to select any type of preferred or standardized device. I am sure that cost is always an issue with these decisions. And, of course, quite a few stakes were no longer actively showing satellite broadcasts on the big screen, even before the pandemic struck.

So if you still plan to show Church broadcasts at the stake center after your satellite dish disappears, it is likely you will need to depend on a member laptop, or procure one of the devices mentioned in this or other Forum topics. From what I can see, they all appear to do the job, some better than others, and at different price points for your budget pleasure.
rmrichesjr
Community Moderators
Posts: 3829
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:32 am
Location: Dundee, Oregon, USA

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#19

Post by rmrichesjr »

In case it might help anyone looking for a fairly low-cost streaming device, a current Raspberry Pi computer works very well for receiving video streams. A complete setup with a model 4 with 4G RAM in a case with a small (and quiet) fan can be purchased for around US$100 and is sufficiently performant. For comparison, a few years ago, a model 3 in an unventilated plastic case had performance issues doing the "Be One" fireside. Ventilation is fairly important.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
Posts: 34422
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: Dish Removal and streaming device question

#20

Post by russellhltn »

lajackson wrote:I have learned that, for a variety of reasons, there are no longer plans for the Church to provide receiving devices when the satellite systems are removed.
On the flip side, about a month or so back, I got a request to take photos of the dish including any obstacles that might be an issue.

I know when I filled out the form, I indicated a need for a number of languages. That may be driving a different decision in my case.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
Post Reply

Return to “Satellite”