VPN option to broadcast cabinet

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
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gibblove3
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:59 am

VPN option to broadcast cabinet

#1

Post by gibblove3 »

Hello - Has anyone been able to port forward to a hardware VPN device? We need a VPN to manage the broadcast cabinet so we don’t have to drive up to reset the webcasting Vidiu devices.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
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Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: VPN option to broadcast cabinet

#2

Post by russellhltn »

The firewall is under the control of Church Headquarters. They haven't been open to making changes.
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.
craigkehl
New Member
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:49 pm

Re: VPN option to broadcast cabinet

#3

Post by craigkehl »

We moved from Webcast to Zoom for all of our meetings and have a basic computer on which the Zoom Client application runs. When needed, it can be controlled remotely through Chrome Remote Desktop. I assume Team Viewer and other remote desktop software also work to allow remote access for starting and stopping meetings.

If your building has a PTZ camera installed, you might consider using a setup similar to what we have implemented. Custom software (GitHub Repos: https://github.com/craigkehl/ts-cam-app, and https://github.com/craigkehl/CamCtrlServer) you are welcome to use allows a member of the Bishopric or an assigned priest to control the needed functions of the meeting from a mobile phone. Open Source Broadcaster (also free to use: https://obsproject.com), OBS allows us to easily set scenes for presenting the meeting and switching to either a picture of Christ and pre-recorded hymns or a video of Christ's Atonement during the Sacrament portion of the meeting. A capture device (check Amazon: ours were ~$20) gets the video into the computer. Finally, an RS-232 to RS-422 converter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CGXBSTF, ~$10) carries the control signal from the computer to the PTZ camera. If your PTZ camera has an IP interface and IP-VISCA control, you don't need that converter. However, that's pretty much all you need. You don't need to be a developer to set it up, and I would be happy to help you with the details.

Currently, the person controlling the meeting needs to be in the building. But, it's been simple enough for a Bishopric member to start and stop, and it's helped through a few pinches. I once ran a Sacrament meeting while simultaneously teaching my Primary class, when that ward's tech missed church due to a family emergency. When I get a chance, I plan to implement a proxy server through which the computer in the building can establish a WebSocket. This could allow remote control from outside the building, but the main goal is to provide user accounts for the different wards in the building to save customer camera presets.
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