Building a Church Media and Livestream Setup from Scratch: Cameras, Switching, and ProPresenter Integration
Summary:
Church Launch helped Living Word Christian Church in New Rochelle, New York, establish a full media and livestream setup from scratch in one day.
- The project began with Joelle Santiago's vision to enhance the church's online presence.
- Equipment unboxed included Verizoom tripods, Canon Vixia HFG50 4K cameras, Blackmagic HDMI to SDI converters, and a Blackmagic ATEM Television Studio HD switcher.
- A new, sturdier media booth table was set up to accommodate audio boards and two Macs for streaming and ProPresenter.
- SDI cables were run throughout the building, converting HDMI camera outputs to SDI for longer runs without quality degradation.
- Two Canon cameras were strategically positioned: one for tight center tracking and a second for a wider shot, adjustable for worship or sermon.
- ProPresenter was configured with two outputs: one for audience monitors and another for a stage confidence monitor displaying lyrics, timers, and sermon points.
- Troubleshooting involved identifying and resolving minor issues like a disconnected power strip and an unfully plugged-in SDI cable, emphasizing basic checks.
- The team successfully built a robust, scalable system for the church's first Sunday service.
Two team members installing and configuring the new church media equipment. [ 00:08:58 ]
Introduction [0:00]
The video documents Church Launch's efforts in New Rochelle, New York, to build a complete media setup for Living Word Christian Church, focusing on cameras, switchers, monitors, and cabling for livestreaming.
Media Director's Vision [0:33]
Joelle Santiago, the media director, shares his vision for the upcoming year, which emphasizes enhancing the church's online presence to impact lives, aligning with the bishop's goals. He acknowledges the challenge of balancing ministry work with a full-time job and expresses a desire to dedicate more effort to the Lord's work.
Unboxing Equipment: Gear & Cameras [1:07]
The team unboxes and inspects the equipment for the setup:
- Tripods: Two Verizoom professional tripods, specifically the Pro Vista 6510 model, are shown.
- Cameras: Two Canon Vixia HFG50 4K cameras are used, chosen for their capability and availability.
- Converters: Blackmagic HDMI to SDI 3G converters are essential components, converting the HDMI output from the cameras to SDI for longer cable runs without signal degradation.
- Cables: Power cables and HDMI cables are also part of the initial unboxing.
- Camera Layout & Shot List:
- Camera one is designated for a tight, center tracking shot, manned by an operator to follow the lead or pastor.
- Camera two is planned as a wider shot, positioned to the right side, considering space constraints and movement within the pews.
The Church Booth Setup [2:18]
- Table Upgrade: The old media table was replaced with a new, sturdier, and more spacious table.
- Functionality: This new table comfortably fits the audio board and two Macs, one for streaming and one for ProPresenter, improving functionality for multiple operators.
- Central Switcher: The Blackmagic ATEM Television Studio HD video switcher is introduced as the central hub for connecting cameras.
Unwrapping Cables and Initial Connections [2:40]
- SDI Cabling Strategy [3:05]:
- SDI cables are chosen for longer runs because they maintain signal quality better than HDMI over distance.
- HDMI outputs from the Canon cameras are converted to SDI using Blackmagic converters to facilitate these longer runs to the ATEM switcher.
- Camera One Setup [2:46]:
- Positioning: Camera one is set up for a tight center tracking shot, requiring a manned operator.
- Connections: HDMI from the camera plugs into the Blackmagic converter, which then outputs SDI to the ATEM switcher.
- Cable Management: Emphasis is placed on organizing cables and leaving enough slack for repositioning.
Camera Two Setup [4:52]
- Second Camera Placement: Camera two is set up, typically as a wider shot, and might be repositioned depending on whether the service involves worship or sermon.
- Connections: Similar to camera one, it uses a Blackmagic HDMI to SDI converter to feed into the ATEM switcher.
- Remote Zoom (Not Used): A small zoom controller is noted but not used for this unmanned camera.
Organization of the Booth [5:45]
The team focuses on tidying up and organizing the numerous cables and equipment in the media booth, ensuring a clean and efficient workspace.
ProPresenter Setup [6:03]
- Mac Integration: Two Macs are utilized, with one specifically dedicated to ProPresenter.
- Dual Output Configuration [6:14]:
- Main Output: Connected to audience monitors (TVs) for congregation viewing.
- Confidence Monitor Output: Connected to a stage monitor for the worship team and speakers.
- Confidence Monitor Functionality [6:25]: The stage monitor displays:
- Lyrics for the band and worship team.
- Slides for sermons.
- Timers and countdowns.
- References and key points.
- ProPresenter Power: ProPresenter is highlighted as a powerful tool for managing multiple outputs and content types simultaneously.
The ProPresenter interface showing multiple media elements on a MacBook. [ 00:06:53 ]
Stage Editor Configuration [7:15]
- Timer Implementation: A 15-minute timer is set up in the stage editor.
- Lyric Display Strategy: The display shows the current lyric and the next lyric, helping the worship team stay on track.
- "Allow Overruns" Feature: This setting allows the timer to continue counting even after reaching zero, indicating to performers that they are exceeding their allotted time.
Troubleshooting [7:37]
- Initial Signal Issue: The team encounters a problem where camera signals are not reaching the ATEM switcher.
- Systematic Checking: The troubleshooting process involves systematically checking each connection and power source.
Solution [8:27]
- Identified Problems:
- A power strip for one camera was disconnected.
- An SDI cable for another camera was not fully plugged into its converter.
- Resolution: Reconnecting the unplugged power strip and fully inserting the loose SDI cable resolved the signal issues. The speaker notes that often, simple disconnections are the cause of problems, not complex technical failures.
Outro [8:48]
The team successfully completes the entire setup, moving from an empty space to a fully functional livestream system. The speaker expresses gratitude for the collaborative effort and the opportunity to help Living Word Christian Church enhance its ministry.