With live stream technology flourishing and more platforms beginning to accommodate live streams, organizations big and small have joined the bandwagon. Churches are no exception to this, as places like Saddleback and Elevation have been expanding their online services for years.
Because there are so many variables involved in starting a livestream (type of microphone, encoders, cameras, etc.), it can be pretty a little perplexing as to where to start. While there isn’t a perfect way to begin live streaming, here is an example of how the church OC Grace First established their live streaming production department.
OC Grace Embraces Live Streaming from Teradek on Vimeo.
The church, OC Grace First, chose to start off with 2 VidiU encoders because of their affordability and how easy it is to stream with them. “It really made streaming simple” says Tyler Riddle, AV Director of the church.
An essential component of using the 2 VidiUs in conjunction was the Live:Air app. The Live:Air app for iPads helped Riddle and his team consolidate the different streams under the same wireless network, allowing his team to monitor the stream at all times and choose multiple destinations for the stream to broadcast on.
The church eventually upgraded to a Cube and CORE combination, which sends the stream from their video camera to the cloud-based servers. They could then control where certain streams will go such as Facebook, Livestream, and Youtube.
Live streaming services is an excellent way for churches to build community and the technology is expanding rapidly in this market. With Teradek products at OC Grace First’s disposal, they are able to reach a broader audience than without. “We’re inviting people to a community and inviting people to engage in a conversation.”