Unity of Michiana, South Bend, IN
Basic Audio Setup
On our in-house, analog soundboard, we have a monitor channel dedicated to the Livestream allowing us to mix the audio separately for live stream from the house audio. The ATRUSB converts the analog signal from the soundboard into a USB 2 input to our Livestream laptop. Everything from the soundboard to the mics existed before we started Livestreaming.
Basic Video Setup
We have 3 basic camcorders, one for the minister, two for the musicians. The HDMI outputs from the camcorders go to USB capture cards that convert the video to USB 3 inputs into our Livestream laptop which does software video switching with OBS. We also have the HDMI output from the Powerpoint laptop split between the sanctuary projector and a USB capture card taking the Powerpoint video into the Livestream laptop. Occasionally, when we need an additional, wireless camera for crowd views or a side shot of congregants coming to the stage for communion or some other participatory activity, we use a Samsung phone running IP Webcam. The video is then captured by the Livestream laptop. We regularly have 4 video feeds and the 5th only for special activities.
None of our cameras have remote control (a fact I would like to change). We generally set the camera positions before service and rarely change them during service. This is driven by the fact that two people run Powerpoint, the Livestream laptop and handle some of the audio
Livestream Laptop
As you can see, we put quite a burden on our Livestream laptop. It is handling the video and audio inputs, doing video switching (OBS), doing scene transitions (OBS), recording the video for later uploading to Youtube (OBS) and of course Livestreaming to Facebook Live (OBS). We run Chrome to setup and monitor the Livestream on Facebook. We run Touch Portal to a Samsung tablet to control OBSlike a streamdeck.
Hybrid Church Meetings
Since we now have active members out of state and local members who cannot come in person for health reasons, most of our church meetings are hybrid Zoom meetings. We use the Livestream laptop to put the active video on Zoom. We have one or more phones running Zoom placed around the sanctuary to cover audience response. We feed the audio from Zoom on the Livestream laptop back into the soundboard so that activity on Zoom can be heard in the sanctuary. We have a handheld wireless mic for hearing responses from the audience. We set up a large screen TV hooked to a laptop on Zoom to display the Zoom room and Zoom speakers to the in-house audience. Lastly, our Powerpoint laptop is also on Zoom so we can display materials being discussed on Zoom as well as in-house.
Guest Speakers
At this point, we do not handle guest speakers live, partly due to our Internet bandwidth limits (only 15MB upload). We have them record a video for us or record them via Zoom and present their videos from the Powerpoint or Livestream laptop. We also do videos of members who cannot attend in person, allowing them to do readings, perform musical numbers or participate in the service presentation in some way.
Changes We Would Liketo Make
In the spirit of full disclosure, I need to say I would not recommend someone use USBcapture cards and a laptop like we did. Although it is great to be able to take the livestream laptop home for working on video and testing things during the week, USBis just not stable enough for our video feeds.
Early on I learned that I could never move a camera input to another USBport or to a USBhub without needing to reconfigure that camera in OBS.Later I found that sometimes, after a larger Windows update, something about the USBconnections changed and I had to reconfigure one or more USBcamera inputs in OBS.Needless to say that led to some nervous Sunday mornings trying to figure out why none of the camera inputs worked in OBSwhen they had worked fine the previous week.
I think I know most of what it will throw at me now but all the possibilities make it impossible to turn it over to a backup operator who doesn't have great troubleshooting skills. That has meant I haven't missed a Sunday since Covid started. Hopefully that can change if we can upgrade to a desktop with an internal video input card and maybe some commercial livestreaming software.
I would like to also add at least one camera with remote Zoom for use with the minister and main stage area. Since we don't have enough staff to have someone at each camera, remote Zoom would allow the Livestream operator to Zoom out if suddenly the action area expands and Zoom back in when the focus narrows again.