Comments on: What do you need to live video stream your event?

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:12:21 +0000

Olatubi,

Unfortunately, if you ask 10 people what is “best” you will often get 10 different answers. It will depend greatly on 3 items:

* Your location (using a local streaming provider will be faster than something based elsewhere, such as the US, if you are not located there)

* You computer speed (you need that fastest computer you can and you need to dedicate it to streaming the video as much as you can. Sometimes you will have to run other software, but keep the processing load as light as possible)

* Your Internet connection (This is probably the most variable and it can change from moment to moment. As a backup, you should always try to shoot local video so that you can, at least, broadcast it at a later date if the live stream fails. Test the connection ahead of time, if possible. Also, try to maintain the entire connection for your video, if possible. If others are using the connection for bandwidth intensive activities, your stream will suffer.

I hope this helps!

Douglas

By: olatubi sola

olatubi sola — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:24:42 +0000

Hi would like to know about the best streaming service or software and technical equipment needed to acheive smooth live streaming and a recorded version in the archive

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:59:50 +0000

Pauline,

In order to have two camera feeding one stream you would need to connect them to a video switcher of some type. That would allow you to choose between the two video feeds or intermix them i.e. picture-in-picture, etc. The video and audio feed from this switcher could then be sent to whatever streaming site you choose to use i.e. uStream, Livestream, dedicated streaming server.

As for connectivity. If you don’t have an Internet connection at the site you would need to use some form of wireless broadband cards that use the cellular system to connect you to the Internet. You may need a router that allows you to connect multiple wireless broadband cards to increase your overall bandwidth.

I also recently highlighted 2 different devices on my New Media Interchange site which you can connect directly to the cameras and then stream live via built-in wireless broadband capabilities. This would not allow you to mix the videos but it would allow you simplify your setup a bit i.e. have one, wandering, handheld camera for the event. See these posts for more information:

http://newmediainterchange.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/product-dashboard-live-shell-live-streaming-without-pc/

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/livestream-broadcaster-hands-on/

By: Pauline

Pauline — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:37:04 +0000

I am wanting to live stream graduation ceremonies and banquets. I have two Canon GL2 video cameras. I have one laptop. Is it possible to hook up both to the laptop? I am looking for quality video and audio. What other equipment do I need to get started? Not sure what else to get in order to get started as I read in some of the other posts that good internet connection is a must. Is there a device that can provide good internet connection especially if the facility does not have internet connection and if the event is held out doors? Thanks in advance!

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:55:14 +0000

Bill,

Wow! Sounds like an amazing idea.

It doesn’t really matter what system is capturing the video itself, as long as you can connect the video output of the system to a computer, which can then stream that video out. This could be something as simple as a video security system that supports multiple cameras or a television switcher that can take input from all the cameras and allow you to mix them live.

For both of these scenarios, you would take the output of the security system or video switcher, run that into a video to Firewire or USB interface on the computer. This interface could then be selected as the input for whichever streaming service you might use.

For example, a typical use of these streaming services is to stream one webcam connected via USB. Replace that web cam with the Firewire or USB video interface which is receiving video from your cameras and you can now send video from any of the cameras to the stream. Video switchers can also allow you do picture-in-picture, and other effects to combine video from several cameras.

The Edirol V-4 4-Channel Video Mixer is one possibility for a small video mixer you could use in your installation.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002I6M02/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thewelchwritecom&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002I6M02

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:33:37 +0000

Doug,

Your advice on this post is great. Looking at setting up a skate park that I want to stream live, I want to be able to have like 8 cameras streaming live at the same time, possibly up to 16. I already am setup to have a T1 connection for stability. If I want the videos to stream to my own site, I need to know what streaming services I could utilize, and also what cameras are best. Quality is important. Also will each camera need its own computer? or can like 1 mac pro control a number of them? I have a really decent budget to get this started. any advice helps. Thanks.

By: Sheila Gray

Sheila Gray — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:45:13 +0000

I just found you, and appreciate that you so generously share your knowledge & experience. My son and I started a video production company 18 months ago focusing on Sustainability Issues, and this info will help us a lot. Thanks again!

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:50:40 +0000

From the mixer you would take the mixed video and audio feed into a analog to digital video convertor. Something like this from Grass Valley.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TMWVUS/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=thewelchwritecom&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B003TMWVUS&adid=06R67C6JKFWKRJ2WNYQQ&

This would then allow you to use that video as input for any of the online streaming sites, such as uStream TV, Livestream et al

By: Sanjay

Sanjay — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:33:28 +0000

we do smaller motorsport events and have LED screens/Jumbotrons for the spectators. In total, 4 x camera, 1x graphics laptop into a video mixer. I would like to live stream these events. What equipment do i need from the mixer onwards?

much thanks for all your help

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:59:36 +0000

I would recommend a camcorder with Firewire output which you can connect to the computer connected to a streaming server. This allows you to pan and zoom for a better experience for remote viewers. To get the best sound, you would want to take an audio feed of of your sound mixing board and connect that to the streaming computer, too. When using services like uStream.tv you can tell the software to take the video from the camera and the audio from the Line In port of the computer (i.e. the feed from the mixing board) You can also use a web cam for the video, although that would probably only provide a wide angle shot without any ability to pan or zoom.

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:56:31 +0000

You might be able to use USB, if the camcorder supports that. You might be able to find an older camcorder that does support Firewire or use a midrange web cam to show the floor. That would be a wide angle shot, though and not allow you to zoom, which is one big advantage to the camcorder.

By: Becky

Becky — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:01:43 +0000

My husband is a high school basketball coach and we would like to broadcast the games live online. He has a laptap and an HD video camera and a firewire. But the HD camcorder doesn’t have a firewire plug on it … any ideas on how to connect the camcorder to the laptop via firewire? Or is there another way we could be doing this? He is working through a website called http://www.ihigh.com. Thanks!

By: Dennis allen

Dennis allen — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:44:45 +0000

We are looking to expand our worship services by live streaming the preaching portion of our services to one other location. We want the off-site location to have a good experience and not be “punished” with poor quality video and sound.
We would have a live band for the music portion, a pastor their to MC and be available and when the preaching starts, the streaming would start.
What would you recommend for this type of setup?

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:57:19 +0000

LOL! Wow, you are far above my knowledge level on this one. I tend to help individuals and small businesses, but you taking this to an entirely different level.

I have posted your comment in hopes that someone else will be able to offer some information.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:53:02 +0000

I work for a large corporation and have a $100,000 budget to produce and stream live events on our website (think small scale X-Games). Content will be delivered to our users through our CDN via satellite communication with the production team on the ground. I’ve done a lot of research and have the process down but not having a production let alone a video background, I’m basically throwing a darts at a wall hoping to hit quality equipment based on how expensive it is relative to other decent/well marketed products out there. I would love some feedback from someone in the industry that knows a little more than I do in this area. As far as cameras, I’ve selected the Sony XDCAM EX PMW-EX1 not sure if this is overkill or if there are better cameras out there?? I’ve narrowed it down to a couple different switchers, the NewTek Tricaster and the Sony Anycast. The Tricaster looks far more robust but is about twice the price. Do you know anyone who has used either of these with or without success? Are there better ones out there? The 3rd piece to the puzzle is the encoder. I’ve looked at both the Viewcast 7550 and the Digital Rapods StreamEz live ABR but again not sure if there is something better in the market place. And last but not least, how are you supposed to power all this? What size generator would be needed?

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:58:05 +0000

I am thinking something like an iPhone might be better. It would be more difficult to try and wirelessly send the camera signal and the phone would be much more mobile. You can use a service/app like Qik.com to provide the web page for the stream.

By: Mark S

Mark S — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:05:31 +0000

I would like to stream my wedding.
I want to know if it is possible to stream the camcorder from the photographer?
If it is what kind of device or devices do i need?
It will be a handheld cam so i assume the device will need wireless connection?

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:50:54 +0000

You could use a smartphone, iPhone, Android, etc) to stream live directly from the phone. The quality will be poorer, but you gain the ability to move wherever you need. There are also WiFi web cams that broadcast back to the laptop without wires. You could position several of them and then switch between them. With multiple camera, though, you are rapidly approaching the level where some dedicated wired video cameras and a video switcher hooked to the laptop would be the next step up in flexibility and quality.

By: musoni julius bob

musoni julius bob — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:47:36 +0000

thak you very much to the answer you have been providing above.i ask my self if there is a camera that can stream live with out getting wired to the laptop? since i need to be moving the camera and hence its hard to move with the laptop beside a camera?

By: Douglas E. Welch

Douglas E. Welch — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:20:59 +0000

You only need to go the route of a video capture card if you want to have mutliple streams or other advanced features. Routing the output of your video camera(s) or video switcher to a computer via Firewire or USB would allow you to start streaming that video.