How would you change the Meetinghouse Webcast software?

Aczlan · #11

harddrive wrote:Aaron, for me this sounds great. I don't work for the church or have any say in the matter, but with multiple cameras, why not get a $1,000 video switcher that is already on the market? For me, to do what you are asking, would require multiple capture cards in the web casting server and I believe that would be a nightmare to handle.

For $120-$170 I can get a pair of USB capture cards or an Osprey 100 multichannel video capture card.
If it costs $20k in development time to add this feature and 60 units worldwide use it (instead of spending $1k on a video switcher and the associated accessories), it would more than pay for itself.
In our case, the stake is thinking of being able to broadcast from one of several locations. It would be nice to reduce the amount of equipment needed.
With a software switch you eliminate the need for:

3 TV monitors (Camera 1, Camera 2 and Output)
A video mixer
A whole bunch of cables

It would also (IMO) be LESS complicated for someone who is marginally tech savvy to plug 2 cameras into a computer than to hook up and run a video mixer.

Aaron Z

Aczlan · #12

Thinking a little more, one area where a video mixer would be better is to mix video for use inside the building as the delay in running through a computer could make the audio and video not in sync...

Aaron Z

russellhltn · #13

Another concern I'd have is putting too many functions on one computer. Then you end up with one person trying to do it all. That could be overwhelming.

Aczlan · #14

RussellHltn wrote:Another concern I'd have is putting too many functions on one computer. Then you end up with one person trying to do it all. That could be overwhelming.

True, I did sound, broadcasting and a controlled the video camera for the last stake conference and it was a little too much.

I could see the following setup for two cameras:

Cameraman 1*
Cameraman 2*
Video Mixer/Broadcast person
Sound mixing person+

For one remote controlled camera I could see:

Cameraman 1*
Broadcast person*
Sound mixing person+

The positions with a * next to them could be combined if using remote controlled cameras (such as the EVI-D70).
The positions with a + next to them would only be needed if using extra microphones (such as for a choir)

Aaron Z

russellhltn · #15

Aczlan wrote:True, I did sound, broadcasting and a controlled the video camera for the last stake conference and it was a little too much.

I was only "broadcasting" to our overflow area, but I found working the camera and the sound a bit much. At the start of any musical number, I had to pot down the podium mic and bring up the choir mics with one hand and manually reposition our one camera with another. I quickly decided this was a two person job. If I had a remote camera with presets, that might be workable.

starkjs · #16

This feedback is great. Please keep it coming!

Aczlan · #17

RussellHltn wrote:I was only "broadcasting" to our overflow area, but I found working the camera and the sound a bit much. At the start of any musical number, I had to pot down the podium mic and bring up the choir mics with one hand and manually reposition our one camera with another. I quickly decided this was a two person job. If I had a remote camera with presets, that might be workable.

I had a Canon camera (similar to a Sony EVI-D30) and I was using the presets on it. I wouldn't do it alone without the presets.
On the sound end, I had the 3 choir mics and the piano mics going through an external box (Expander/Noisegate), then coming back in on a single fader. That made it much easier to run them by myself.

Aaron Z

ChizhovkaIN · #18

starkjs wrote:
What additional features would you add?

It would be not bad to have controls for output audio level. With indicators. As well as working for the input ones. In current version it doesn't provide real control.
And also agree that the bandwith speed options from v.2.0 would be helpfull. Possibility for 2nd audio channel would be a great bonus

.

Thanks for the product, by the way. is very useful.

russellhltn · #19

Indicators are always welcome, but I'd be cautious about too many level controls. It creates another control that needs to be set and could be mis-set. In this situation, I'd rather not have an output level control. The levels would be set by the sending end. If the level is wrong, it needs to be fixed by the origination point and the damage is already done (distortion/noise) by the time it gets to the receiver.

It's up to the next piece of equipment (crab box?) to adjust the level into the sound system. If the level coming out of the computer is "too hot" then it's going into the wrong kind of input.

That said, how about a limiter on the transmitting side? Sooner or later, you're going to get someone who likes to yell into the microphone.

MattWorley · #20

It would be great if every building that handled multi-camera webcasts just had a Tri-Caster. I use one at work and it's brilliant!
It does much of the stuff that is being asked for.