GlobeStream Media is a full-service production company delivering innovative and engaging livestreaming, event AV, and video production services to companies and organizations of all sizes. When GlobeStream Media collaborated with USA Softball to live-stream its GOLD National Championships, they sought to produce high-quality visual content that would make at-home viewers and recruiters feel as if they were present at the games in person. 

For the preliminary games held in Mustang, Oklahoma, GlobeStream set up four Panasonic Connect AW-UE40 4K/30P Ultra Quiet PTZ Cameras across four fields—each camera set up behind home plate and remotely managed. During the preliminaries, there was a single production tech on-site to set up the cameras and manage any technical issues. Cameras were connected to a bonded-cellular router, with the video streamed via SRT back to their control room in Dallas, where they added a score bug and then streamed the games live through USA Softball’s website. 

The IP Platform

During the 16U and 18U tournament finals at OGE Field at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Sports Complex in Oklahoma City, GlobeStream set up three Panasonic Connect AG-CX350 4K Handheld Camcorders (high-home, first base, and third base), as well as three AW-UE40 4K/30P Ultra Quiet PTZ Cameras (center field and one for each dugout). They leveraged the SRT streaming capabilities of each camera to send high-quality video feeds from the stadium in Oklahoma City back to the Panasonic Connect KAIROS KC100 IP platform in their Dallas control room. When combined with KAIROS’ integrated support of camera tally and camera control over IP, this remote integrated production workflow allowed GlobeStream to streamline multi-camera event coverage. 

With the EasyIP Setup Tool Plus on the AW-UE40, they were also able to manage the cameras on each field with limited staff. This allowed their production team to devote their attention elsewhere, and it simplified the processes on the backend. The on-site camera operator connected the Panasonic cameras via Ethernet to send the feeds back to the control room, where they could live-switch the show using KAIROS.

[Introducing Panasonic Connect's Next Generation of Kairos Platform]

The biggest advantage of integrating KAIROS was being able to produce a high-quality live stream. This brought more visibility to the 16U and 18U athletes being recruited for college programs and gave coaches across the nation a platform to watch players compete. KAIROS also streamlined workflows tremendously. The platform is compatible with various input and output signals that make receiving and distributing feeds a breeze. The SRT protocol is supported for superior stability and security of transporting feeds, and KAIROS also supports Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP), Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), and Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). Each of these protocols work together to ensure audio and video transmission are achieved at low latency and in real-time.

Atlona announced a new interactive livestream series designed to bring AV professional together worldwide for discussions on the past, present, and future of the AV industry. The Hub debuts on August 23 at 10 a.m. ET with an episode focused on AV control and management. Hosted by Atlona director of marketing Garth Lobban, the episode will include three panelists whom viewers can interact with during the presentation via a live chat feature on YouTube. The episode will also stream live on Atlona’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

[On AV Control 2.0: Atlona]

As Lobban explained, the general purpose of The Hub is thought leadership and education from a customer perspective, and will include discussions of technologies used in AV projects from a system approach, not just a single black box. “By creating a forum that brings together integrators, consultants, end users and Atlona subject matter experts, we can create an environment where the viewer gains insight on the challenges and solutions that AV professionals address while implementing technology,” he said. “The challenges we face on all continents are similar, but with some unique flavors. We see The Hub as a valuable learning experience where AV professionals globally can share concepts and examples.”

Special guests for the August 23 debut will feature an Atlona technology specialist, an integration partner, and an end user in the Netherlands: 

• Justin Kennedy, product manager, control and management at Atlona
• Mike Moriarty, account/project manager at Connect Technology Group
• Jeroen den Dunnen, head of media, entertainment and technology at Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam

Atlona has more episodes planned for the fall, with the next episode focusing on how wireless presentation platforms are being implemented in the global corporate and education verticals. 

[AV Network's top stories, product news, and expert insights]

“We are looking to have some fun with the platform, and develop a voice that will help us grow our audience with each episode,” said Lobban. “That requires creating something that will resonate with viewers, engaging them through interaction and compelling panelists. The Hub will differentiate itself from similar initiatives by having the designers and end users provide most of the insights for the presentation, and then share ideas with our subject matter experts and viewers online. We intend to start conversations and let them run.”

In addition to the in-person InfoComm 2021 show on Oct. 27–29, 2021, in Orlando, FL, show producer AVIXA is hosting a virtual experience that includes livestreamed content from InfoComm.

“We’re very excited to bring elements of InfoComm 2021 beyond the walls of the convention center,” said Rochelle Richardson, CEM, AVIXA’s senior vice president of expositions and events. “The virtual experience will allow people from around the world to join us online to catch highlights of the products and solutions being showcased at InfoComm 2021.”

The InfoComm virtual experience on Oct. 27–29 will feature a livestreamed InfoComm Morning Show each day that includes interviews with key speakers and industry experts. There will also be a livestream of the Technology Innovation Stage, where 25 sessions will be presented covering pro AV solutions trends, a state of the industry presentation from AVIXA’s market intelligence team, and product announcements and demonstrations. The AVIXA Women’s Council Keynote presentation by Sara Potecha, author of West Point Woman: How Character Is Created and Leadership Is Learned, will also be broadcast live. Each day will wrap up with a highlight reel of the show’s events.

This year’s digital experience will include an InfoComm Virtual Post-Show Event Nov. 9–10, featuring interactive sessions and one-on-one appointment scheduling with InfoComm exhibitors.

As part of the InfoComm Virtual Post-Show Event, a select number of InfoComm 2021 conferencing and collaboration sessions and all of the D=SIGN sessions will be available to view on demand. These sessions explore topics like designing flexible collaboration spaces, interactivity and touchscreens in a post-pandemic world, security and privacy for digital signage networks, and much more.

For those who cannot attend the show in person, a virtual-only pass to InfoComm 2021 is $59 for AVIXA Premium and Elite Members and $89 for all others. The pass provides access to the InfoComm 2021 livestreamed content, the Virtual Post-Show Event, and on-demand content until Nov. 30. To register for the virtual-only InfoComm package, visit www.infocommshow.org/virtual.

In-person InfoComm 2021 attendees will have free access to the on-demand content from the virtual show from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, as well as the Virtual Post Show. To register for the in-person InfoComm show, visit www.infocommshow.org.

InfoComm 2021 is sponsored by Presenting Show Partner Samsung and Strategic Show Partners Blackmagic Design and Crestron.

Health and Safety at InfoComm 2021

AVIXA is committed to the health and safety of exhibitors, attendees, partners, and staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The team continues to monitor recommendations from local health authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for essential large group meetings and events. For the most up-to-date information on InfoComm 2021’s health and safety guidelines, visit www.infocommshow.org/health-safety.

Free Exhibit Hall Pass

Future is giving our readers a free Exhibit Hall pass to the show! Use VIP Code “FUTURE” to redeem your free pass. Visit www.infocommshow.org to learn more and register.

For the latest show updates, visit our InfoComm 2021 hub.

The What: Haivision is launching Haivision Connect, an all-new cloud platform designed for churches. The livestreaming solution opens new possibilities for churches to easily connect and engage with audiences from anywhere.

The What Else: Built for churches and ministries of all sizes, Haivision Connect is an easy-to-use live and simulated-live streaming platform that helps these organizations reach viewers online simultaneously with embeddable web players, mobile and OTT apps, and through social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, and more. With the all-new Connect, users can schedule livestreams, manage devices, and monitor events, all from a single browser window. Connect's user-friendly interface enables anyone, even non-technical volunteers, to quickly set up a high-quality reliable livestream.

Haivision Connect simplifies the complexities of video streaming by giving ministries the ability to: Engage audiences on the platforms they love (reach viewers anywhere and simultaneously stream to embedded web players, mobile apps and social media including YouTube and Facebook); rebroadcast with sim-live (maximize the reach of content by leveraging previously recorded or uploaded media for scheduled sim-live events); better understand viewers (access meaningful insights into what content is resonating with audiences with advanced analytics that track audience views, engagement time and more in real time); manage it all from a browser or tablet.

The Bottom Line: Haivision Connect uses the same reliable broadcast-quality technology trusted by thousands of organizations worldwide including major broadcasters, corporations, and government agencies for their mission-critical video applications. Backed by dedicated, experienced support experts available 24/7, Haivision Connect allows users to stream with complete confidence.

Life is nothing if not a constant series of transitions. I’m currently watching it with my young children, who are moving between life stages faster than I can believe. When my oldest was born, it seemed to me like he’d be a baby forever. It wasn’t long before he became a toddler ... and then he began to talk and our lives changed. A few short years later and he’s a 6 year old who can easily convince you he’s a young man.

He made the transition from toddler to boy right in front of my eyes, yet it still surprises me daily. I often still think of him as an adorable baby, or an entertaining toddler who kept us on our toes. I’m told that the next 10 years will go by even faster, and I’ll hardly notice as he transitions from pre-teen to teenager to driving age incredibly fast. I don’t think I’m alone as a parent hoping time will slow down a touch so I can enjoy every moment.

[ The Integration Guide to Houses of Worship ] 

If you’ve stuck with me this long, you’ll be wondering what this has to do with technology. I’ve been reflecting on transitions recently as we’ve watched so many of our house of worship clients struggle with evolving their businesses in the face of a world-upending pandemic. That’s really what transitions are: the changes that happen as a situation evolves.

Last year, like businesses in every other industry, houses of worship had to navigate the transition to providing services virtually via online platforms. And then they had to figure out how to accommodate the needs of parishioners gathering in person without slighting those worshiping virtually. Many struggled, some failed, and a select few downright excelled.

[ Getting Started in House of Worship Integration ] 

It was the most exciting time I’ve seen in the house of worship market in years.

Facilities that didn’t already have a broadcast or digital platform had to build one from scratch in a time when both virtual worship expertise and inventory were scarce. Delivery systems evolved from simple iPhone video to “legit solutions.” You’ll notice the air quotes, and I really want you to image my face as I say “legit solution.” That look I’m giving you is extreme doubt about the quality of the aforementioned “legit solution.” Let’s go with “workable solutions” instead.

Most of these solutions were expected to be temporary. Heck, most of the solutions that even professional integration firms provided were hamstrung by product scarcity and limited budgets with expedited timelines. It’s sounds like I’m throwing the industry under the bus—and I might be, but only a little. The COVID-19 pandemic created a just-make-it-work situation for most, but the ingenuity of most integrators was something to behold.

[ Streaming Helps Houses of Worship Reach Congregants at Home ] 

But if we’re being honest, there are a bunch of facilities that are still trying to work with the temporary solutions they cobbled together in April of 2020. And that’s not necessarily terrible, but by now most facilities have transitioned to servicing both in-person and remote congregations, often simultaneously. And they’ve made this transition using those temporary solutions. They certainly don’t want to give up on their remote congregation, but they can’t have a camera in the center aisle 15 feet away from the speaker while there are people in the pews.

So where has our industry been? Many church executives finally realize the value of supporting digital environments for their congregations, and we haven’t been there to help them plan the transition that will allow them to supply a better streaming product. MacGyver or not, at some point you have to move past chewing gum and dental floss.

[ What Streaming and Spacing Means for Audio in Houses of Worship ] 

Every HoW facility I’ve talked with in the last few months has been discussing boosting production value and/or upgrading to a more volunteer-friendly production solution that can help them grow their digital congregation. When I ask who they’ve talked to or if their integrator has reached out, I’m hearing what I expected—crickets.

Integrators have an opportunity to really prove our value to the HoW community—and other markets—by helping them transition to permanent installed options. But we’ve got to reach out and talk to our clients in this space and not assume they are satisfied with the ad hoc solutions they put together more than a very long year ago. This market is ripe with opportunity—even more than in the SD-to-HD transition decades ago. We can help, but we’ve got to get back to church.

Click here to read more stories from the September 2021 issue of SCN.

More by Matt D. Scott

My Experience: Evolve or Languish • If you don’t learn to evolve into this new experience-focused space, you’ll slowly lose your market share.

Goals • Matt D. Scott discusses setting—and achieving—goals for the new year.

Church on the Rock in St. Peters, MO, considers its online community a distinct campus, with distinct needs that go beyond the church’s physical space. With its emphasis on high-quality streamed services, the church places a high priority on having the right digital tools. The team there chose the Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer to mix and stream the church’s services

Mixer, producer, and audio consultant Yamil Martinez consulted Church on the Rock on this project. His recommendation to adopt the eMotion LV1 was based on the LV1’s ability to deliver precision sound for live events and streams: “LV1 is based on integrated Waves plug-ins, so it helps me tailor the sound to any requirement in ways that most regular consoles can’t,” he said. “Because Waves’ precision plug-ins are so accessible from within the mixer, eMotion LV1 enables us to achieve an extremely polished studio sound in a live situation. We’ve been able to accomplish processing chains that make miracles happen, especially when dealing with unwanted noise. To me, the LV1 is a chameleon-like console that I can personalize to achieve any coloring palette needed.

“Our decision to adopt the LV1 was driven, first of all, by our need to improve the church’s online experience,” Martinez continued. “Before the LV1, the church’s broadcast system was quite convoluted. It was based on a combination of groups and direct outputs from the Avid Venue D-Show console at FOH, plus a few direct analog splits that fed an analog Midas Heritage mixer. Drums were fed from a premix, as were the brass and half of the vocals. Lead vocals were received individually from a processed direct-out feed. Secondary sources, or sources that aren’t used every day, derived from a split of a split, out of the main splitter. But the biggest drawback prior to adopting the LV1 was that not all the decisions made for the FOH mix translated properly in broadcast. This was both because of the physical sound of instruments in the auditorium, and because each of the church’s mix engineers or mix volunteers had different criteria. Just imagine all the inconsistencies that the former system had. This is why our big LV1 project was born.”

One Mixer Turns to Three

“Our initial idea was to extract unprocessed individual audio channels from the FOH console to a dedicated TV mix in a single eMotion LV1 mixer, but we quickly discovered that interfacing with the existing consoles just wasn’t cost-effective, nor did it provide the flexibility needed or the necessary channel counts. Neither did we want to replace the analog splitter with another one with a third output, or to invest in connectivity for outdated consoles. These were not viable solutions,” Martinez explained.

[ Streaming Audio in Houses of Worship ]

“In the end, we simply replaced our Midas Pro digital console at monitors with an eMotion LV1 mixer and shared its inputs with broadcast. But that was just the start! Eventually, three high-end consoles got replaced with eMotion LV1 mixers: two Midas consoles, one analog and one digital, which reached their limits; and a Yamaha PM1D that was stuck in outdated technology. Those consoles had to be replaced because they couldn’t adapt to our new circumstances and needs.”

Freedom of Movement

“With the Waves eMotion LV1, we are able to have full console control from different locations at the same time,” Martinez said. “This has been absolutely crucial to the church’s TV broadcast, 2D streaming and 360° VR operations. To provide a better online experience, Church on the Rock has content variations that include online hosts who interact with the online campus community and inform them of COTR’s wide variety of activities. Those hosts move around the facilities, depending on where the activities are being held. No matter where you are within Church on the Rock’s facilities, if there is a network connection, all you have to do is assign the specific port to the proper subnet to send and receive audio.”

“One huge advantage of the Waves LV1 is that it’s based on Waves SoundGrid technology, which is an Ethernet network-based system with minimum operator interaction. It does away with all the messy networking challenges, and it eliminates the hassle out of the crew hands,” Martinez explained. “You just assign the network ports and then select, update and enable the devices, assign the clock master, and you’re done. Your network is ready. Church on the Rock already had in place a solid Ethernet network infrastructure that allowed a dedicated network for SoundGrid. This made it easy to implement SoundGrid as the central hub for all the audio connections from anywhere in the buildings. All this has been a big plus for COTR’s Creative Arts team. Now they can generate content without boundaries within the buildings, or anywhere an Ethernet cable can reach. Our network covers two physical campuses across a street, with ten audio working areas. Any corner can be a creative spot!”

Modular Setup

Martinez continued, “Our designed system consists of an audio network that covers two different buildings across a street. It includes three LV1s, one Avid VENUE D-Show, one Pro Tools HDX, two Behringer X32 mixers, one Zilia 3D ambience microphone, and 14 Waves SoundGrid devices (excluding various DAW computers), including four DSPRO StageGrid 4000 stageboxes, three DiGiGrid IOC audio interfaces, one DiGiGrid IOX high-count interface, two DiGiGrid DLI interfaces, two DN32-WSG cards for Behringer, one Waves DMI interface and one DiGiGrid D portable desktop interface. The compact DiGiGrid D interface moves all over both buildings, depending on where the TV hosts are. The latest addition to the system is a 3D immersive audio mixing system that complements a 360° video content destined to COTR VR campus. Virtual reality is the best way to remotely be part of the COTR experience.”

[ How Audio Helps Houses of Worship Regather with Confidence ]

“This setup is wonderfully modular and expandable,” Martinez said. “As your audio needs evolve, the system can grow, too. Our project is proof: we started with a single LV1 as a simple broadcast mixer, and evolved to an entire audio network that covers two multistory buildings.”

Communication

About the facility’s monitor system, Martinez said, “At Church on the Rock, we don’t have a dedicated person for monitor mixing. Each musician controls their own mix wirelessly with an iPad running the Waves MyMon personal mixing app, which ‘communicates’ with the LV1. Having the MyMon app was indispensable in the selection of the LV1. The monitor LV1 can be fully mixed and cued from the stage, FOH and broadcast positions, with the latter two having absolute control over the monitor console. The more experienced FOH and broadcast engineers can assist musicians from their own position.”

He added, “The LV1/SoundGrid system allows us to have an elaborate internal communication system through a dedicated matrixing system that receives 15 talkback/communication inputs and distributes to seven destinations throughout both buildings. Before the LV1, there was no way of getting completely rid of the sinful mono IEM mix. Now, every IEM mix is stereo. Any instrument can have its own stereo reverb without complicated routing or mixing procedures. Having the reverb as part of the channel signal flow keeps the proper relation between dry and wet at every monitor mix.”

Waves Plug-Ins

About using Waves plug-ins, Martinez said, “Church of the Rock has always invested in top-notch gear since the analog days, but the results we’ve achieved with the LV1 are unprecedented. The wide selection of plug-ins from the Waves Mercury, Abbey Road, SSL, Dugan Automixer and DTS Neural Surround bundles gives us precise solutions for every need. We use many plug-ins; however, there are what I like to call ‘MVPs’—most valuable plug-ins—that make an especially huge impact on the final result. First, the Waves Playlist Rider plug-in is great for content that alternates between music and speech and has a broad dynamic range. We don’t want people constantly adjusting their volume and getting bothered by level inconsistency. Playlist Rider stabilizes all pre-recorded material, speech microphones and broadcast master output, providing smooth transitions without distraction.”

He continued, “Another situation where Waves plug-ins are life-savers is stage mic bleed. Having many instruments and numerous vocal mics open at the same time can result in a lot of stage bleed that clutters the mix and compromises intelligibility. Waves’ Primary Source Expander (PSE) plug-in eliminates stage bleed, especially when using automatic pitch correction for broadcast. With its sidechaining capabilities, PSE can be placed after a few layers of EQ, saturation and compression and still track properly. We replaced all the filters and EQ that we used to use with the extremely flexible and low-latency F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ. With its different slopes, the F6 filters are more adaptable. The dynamic low- and high-shelf bands allow you to expand those frequencies as needed instead of using fixed gain, reducing bleed when a direct source is not present enough. The narrow parametric bands, with a Q of 60, make the F6 perfect for surgical needs. It’s like a crossbreed between a Swiss Army knife and a scalpel.”

He added, “When it comes to reverbs, the OneKnob Wetter and GTR Reverb plug-ins are great for mixing with simplicity and consistency. We need good-sounding, low-latency and CPU-friendly reverbs to insert on a great deal of individual channels. With these two plug-ins, we cover all our bases for channel-inserted reverbs on instruments, and even on vocals in monitoring duties. Another plug-in that deserves special mention is the eMo D5 Dynamics , which is part of the eMotion LV1’s channel strip. It’s a wonderful-sounding dynamics plug-in with extensive side chain capacity—the only plug-in inserted on every single input and output of all three LV1 consoles. It handles beautifully all the heavy lifting in terms of dynamics. The church’s latest plug-in addition has been the Waves Dugan Automixer for auto-balancing multiple talkback mics. We throw at it constantly changing combinations of 15 possible inputs, and it keeps them all totally balanced, automatically. Talkback screamers are welcome since the Dugan will take care of them—easy.”

[ The Next Wave of Virtual Events ]

“The consistently great sound quality we’ve achieved with the LV1 exceeded our expectations,” Martinez noted. “With Waves’ eMotion LV1 mixer, Waves plug-ins and Waves SoundGrid real-time processing and networking technology, we’ve been able to achieve more polished results, faster and more easily, delivering better broadcast services to Church on the Rock’s online campus community.”

More on Audio in Houses of Worship

Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer Enhances Michigan Church Streaming Services • In order to keep parishioners connected while in quarantine, Mount Hope Church in Lansing, MI, has been presenting its services via livestream to the community, with the help of a Waves eMotion LV1 mixer.

Streaming Audio in Houses of Worship • There's no question that the ways people come together to worship have changed dramatically this year. That has also meant a lot of changes to the way services sound—and what they may sound like in the future.

A New Way to Worship • During the pandemic, houses of worship often held virtual service, which in turn has meant an increase in requests to systems contractors and integrators to facilitate streaming services.

Getting Started in House of Worship Integration • Just Add Power’s Ed Qualls shares best practices to limit project hiccups and help integrators deliver the perfect solution for house of worship customers.

How Audio Helps Houses of Worship Regather with Confidence • The new normal has proven to be particularly challenging for church leaders who are tasked with bringing parishioners together across a variety of locations, whether in-person or attending virtually from home.

More on Livestreaming

Going Live: Planning an Engaging Livestream • Your organization has asked you to livestream an upcoming event. Now what? Industry experts provide their advice on how to plan and execute a livestream that looks great and boosts engagement.

The Next Wave of Virtual Events • When the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined live events, out-of-the-box thinkers came to the table with solutions to keep the events industry alive by connecting people virtually.

What’s Next for Streaming? • During the pandemic, streaming services kept businesses running, friends connected and entertainment rolling out to fans. Now that streaming has become indispensable, what else can it do?

Earlier this month, NDI announced NDI 5, the latest release in the software standard that aims to make it possible for users to connect to any device, in any location, anywhere in the world, allowing it to work with almost any video application. We caught up with company president Michael Namatinia to learn more about what he calls a “quantum leap” forward in functionality, as well as plans for future development. 

According to Namatinia, NDI 5 was in development for two years. “We really wanted to create a release that would change the way NDI is seen within the world,” he said. “We are very close to our clients. We’re lucky that we have so many end users that we could have a back and forth, and most of these features are what our end users and our SDK users have been waiting for.”

[NDI Unveils NDI Version 5]

This process yielded three chief features that set NDI 5 apart. The first is the expansion of the technology from local area networks to wide area networks. “NDI 5 breaks the limits of the local area network,” Namatinia said. “So that means that contribution can be not only within your small organization, but universities to universities, and corporations to corporations. It’s not just bringing in one guest like we’re doing here on Zoom, but it’s bringing in assets—all the assets from one area to another area to be able to combine them.”

The second chief feature is the incorporation of audio into the standard. “[Users] now have full control of the audio within the IP, which before they maybe would have to have a separate system,” Namatinia said. “Audio is kind of like this side problem in the production that you have to have separate equipment that has its own standard; it doesn’t fall into the regular standard. We’re also open to the rest of the IP audio platforms, so we can bring them in, but we can do all the work within NDI, and that’s another huge leap if you’re trying to do a production that’s always been separate.”

Third, NDI 5 can run on devices with ARM processors. “That means mobile assembly now has become a part of the assembly chain,” Namatinia said. “Suddenly devices that did not have accessibility to NDI now can become an NDI device. It brings the price from thousands or hundreds of dollars down to dollars on the development side.” Going forward, Namatinia expects to see a wave of new NDI-capable products coming out that enable more comprehensive production at a lower price.

What’s next for the standard? “We’re working on widening some of the hardware that’s available, so we’re going into the signage market,” Namatinia said. The plan is for manufacturer partners to eventually release NDI-native displays that can be connected with a single network cable.

Another future development is to make NDI run natively on mobile device browsers. “Just opening a browser and having NDI there would really simplify the workflow,” Namatinia said. “That will be another game changer in how IP video is seen and used throughout the world.”

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral has installed Panasonic’s PTZ camera system to live stream Sunday Mass to its audience of 5,000 per week. With the coronavirus pandemic and continued social distancing restricting worshippers attending mass, Panasonic AW-HN40 PTZ cameras with optical zoom capability and NDI/HX output have been installed to provide worshippers with an innovative live streaming solution.

Panasonic partner Adlib, an audiovisual solutions company with a longstanding relationship with the cathedral, initially provided a temporary solution to address the aftermath of the lockdown but after a successful pilot recommended Panasonic AW-HN40 PTZ cameras to be permanently installed as a discreet, professional-quality system. The optical zoom capability of the cameras was particularly important for the installation. A single Panasonic PTZ camera has the flexibility to be used for a wide shot that shows off the entire cathedral, or an extreme close up of the priest or readers, using a selection of pre-set camera movements. The second camera is similarly versatile, being used for wide shots of the choir, close-ups of the organist, and a variety of shots looking into the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Distance Learning and Streaming

“Initially, there was some concern that the cameras would be too conspicuous but a demo quickly showed that the cameras were very discreet and their availability in both white and black to suit different parts of the cathedral made them blend in even better,” said Tim Robinson, Adlib installation project manager. “Ultimately, the dean and his staff were so taken with the shots we could get from a central position, they asked that the camera be installed in an ideal location that we never would have thought possible.”

Panasonic PTZ cameras provided the correct combination of cost-efficiency and for the cathedral’s needs and the new system has been so successful that the cathedral now plans to live stream more services to its socially distanced congregation.

Primestream, provider of asset management and automation software solutions for media production, has joined the SRT Alliance.

The SRT Alliance, founded by Haivision in April 2017, is focused on overcoming the challenges of low-latency live streaming by supporting the collaborative development of the SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) protocol. SRT is a free, open-source video transport protocol and technology stack originally developed and pioneered by Haivision that enables the delivery of high-quality, secure, low-latency video across the public internet. With more than 400 members in the SRT Alliance and widespread industry adoption, SRT is the fastest-growing open-source streaming project.

Related: How IT Departments Really View Networked AV: Part I

With its Media IO live ingest, playout, and transcoding solution, Primestream has delivered a solution that enables operators to integrate SRT streams into live production and distribution workflows without having to touch baseband video. With Media IO, operators can ingest multiple SRT streams from IP encoders, remote surveillance cameras, or drones and monitor the sources without the use of video monitors or a routing switcher. Each stream can be transcoded in real time into house formats such as AVC, H.264, XDCAM, DNxHD, or ProRes, enabling editors to preview and edit live sources on the spot. 

“IP-based stream production workflows are the wave of the future for all types of media enterprises, but a critical success factor is the ability to transport high-quality, low-latency video in a secure and reliable manner,” said Claudio Lisman, president and CEO, Primestream. “That’s why we are happy to be working with the SRT Alliance in its groundbreaking efforts to create an open-source video transport protocol and to introduce SRT solutions like Media IO.”

“We’re excited that Primestream is joining the SRT Alliance,” said Jesús Carrillo, director SRT Alliance at Haivision. “By adding SRT into their suite of products, Primestream is providing its customers with flexible, robust, and easy-to-use tools to manage multiple streams from capture through to distribution.” 

With spectators currently not allowed in the stands of major sporting events as they resume around the world, live streaming has become essential to keeping fans connected. This is especially true for cricket, which ranks as the second most popular sport worldwide. 

Earlier this summer, Cricket South Africa debuted a new Three-Team Cricket (3TC) format, with PT SportSuite—AWS (Amazon Web Services) partners and developers of a modular digital media ecosystem for sports organizations—bringing coverage of the historic event to remote audiences. Providing their technological expertise, three AJA HELO H.264 streamers/recorders, and other services, PT SportSuite delivered a live feed of the first-ever 3TC match to a fan microsite that its team developed for the event.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Distance Learning and Streaming

Held at SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa on Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18, 2020), the event provided a launchpad for the new 3TC format, which includes three teams, playing two halves in one match. Drawing in a number of South African cricket heavyweights, the match attracted a broad audience, who were encouraged to donate to the Hardship Fund, an initiative to help those in the cricket community affected by the pandemic. 

To facilitate a live event stream, PT SportSuite connected two HELO units to an on-site OB truck via SDI and streamed footage over IP to the AWS-cloud based media processing and content distribution infrastructure. Given the production was mobile and lacking network infrastructure, the PT SportSuite team configured the HELOs for redundant inputs, assigning each to a different cellular broadband provider. A third HELO was positioned at the PT SportSuite Cape Town office for automatic failover in the case of an emergency.

“HELO was so easy to use and incredibly reliable,” said Clinton Bosch, PT SportSuite’s chief technology officer. “Our team hadn’t ever set up an encoder before but was able to get all three HELOs up and running quickly and without complication, and throughout the stream, the devices never skipped a beat. The UI is so straightforward, and we love how HELO also gives us the ability to set up, configure, and control each device and monitor the stream from a standard web browser if we want, which will be useful for projects moving forward.” 

Looking ahead, PT SportSuite expects the demand for similar applications in sports to grow in the coming years. “We’ve entered into a new era of sports consumption, in which fans—for the immediate future—can no longer be physically present during matches,” Bosch said. “To adapt, sports organizations are looking to find new ways to connect with fans and monetize content across various consumer viewing platforms from OTT to broadcast and digital. With tools like HELO, helping them deliver will be easier, more affordable, and less time consuming.”  

As a company specializing in staging large-scale, AV-driven special events for corporations, conferences, trade shows, concerts, and high-level training, Emergency Production (EPAV) was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. In early March 2020, the many video-rich stage events that EPAV was contracted to produce had either been cancelled or postponed amid concerns that having large indoor gatherings—in venues like ballrooms, convention centers, and arenas—risked spreading the virus.

While this unfortunate turn of events might have sidelined any other business, EPAV demonstrated resilience, flexibility, and resourcefulness by successfully adapting to these challenging times. In fact, this Cranston, RI-based full-service AV company has developed tenacity and a real knack for problem-solving over their many years spent producing shows that must go on no matter what.

The key to EPAV’s reinvention is Wirecast Pro from Telestream. While the company has long used this streaming production software for occasional encoding and streaming, today Wirecast is the reason they can reposition their services and keep their business moving forward during the pandemic.

In lieu of staged events, EPAV now produces and delivers engaging, broadcast-quality web video conferences, panel discussions, and other large-scale presentations on behalf of their clients. Wirecast Pro is used for the following kinds of production tasks:

• Bringing live video of presenters at remote locations into the program
• Switching multiple, remote cameras
• Mixing digital audio
• Rolling program opens, b-roll videos, and other preproduced video
• Adding lower-third supers, full-screen graphics, and fly-in title keys
• Bringing in logos and other branding elements as well as speakers’ slides
• Creating split-screens, picture-in-picture boxes and other screen layouts

The Challenge

In pivoting from major venues to online presentations, the biggest technical and logistical challenges stem from the need to produce a fairly complex, multilayered video program remotely, while directing on-camera sources at multiple locations.

Prior to the health and travel restrictions posed by COVID-19, EPAV was able to deploy video crews and stagehands to work at the arena, stadium, ballroom, or other venue where the event was taking place. When they were on site, they could manage all aspects of the event production, including:

• Wheeling in road cases of select broadcast video equipment
• Setting up and running multiple cameras
• Switching cameras for video displays
• Mic’ing presenters and checking their audio levels
• Prepping and queuing presenters waiting in the green room
• Playing out slides and other video collateral on behalf of speakers and panelists
• Controlling the quality of the staging, backdrops, lighting, and house sound
  
  

However, with this new “virtual” web production model, it’s far more difficult to ensure quality control because it’s not possible to visit each presenter’s remote location and double-check that their video production setup is good to go. And given the logistical complexity of managing a broadcast-quality video conference involving multiple sites and sources, the streaming production platform itself needs to be ready and able to deliver a rock-solid, cohesive show.

The Solution

With its robust streaming capabilities, integrated production feature set, and compelling price to performance ratio, Wirecast Pro is proving to be the ideal solution for Emergency Production. While EPAV has used Wirecast for over a decade, until now it had only been used occasionally, whenever a particular customer wanted to distribute a live video stream of an event that would be accessible by those who couldn’t attend in person.

EPAV owns two licenses of Wirecast, which is a cross-platform solution; however, they choose to run both licenses on Apple Mac Pro systems.

During production, Wirecast Pro allows intricate video shows to be built up in layers, and even sublayers, filled with a mix of video, audio, graphics, text, music, video clips, and more. And tools integrated within Wirecast software—such as digital audio mixing/monitoring and the NewBlue Titler Live Complete for designing rich, animated title designs—further enrich the look and production value of the online video presentations.

EPAV’s events typically feature subject matter experts, corporate executives, and other noteworthy people with something important to convey to an invited audience. While the structure of the streamed event is hosted and script-driven, the speakers come on to share their expertise about trends, technological advances, marketing plans, and other interesting topics. They underscore their talks by showing PowerPoint slides or sharing their computer screens.

Typically, these presenters take the stage one after another, but at other times, they may appear together as panelists. According to Chris Hubbard, his company produces online conferences where well-crafted, broadcast-quality video programs are pushed out one way to viewers, which is significantly different from the interactive group meetings that are increasingly popular on platforms like Zoom or Teams.

When EPAV video crews were able to work on site at big events, they could stage manage the featured guests and presenters in the following ways:

• Attach wireless microphones to their clothing
• Check their audio levels
• Give them last-minute stage directions
• Make sure the graphics operator backstage had their slides in good order
• Cue presenters when it’s their turn to take the stage

Since there is no green room in the remote production world, a conferencing management system built into Wirecast, called Rendezvous, fills this need. It allows people in remote locations to click on an email or text link and have their webcam or video camera instantly become a video production source available to Wirecast.

The Workflow

The biggest impact of COVID-19 on EPAV’s workflow is the need for social distancing to prevent spread of the disease. Not only are presenters in their own respective homes or offices worldwide, the EPAV crew must also keep a safe distance from each other at their Cranston, RI, offices that serve as the production control facility.

Chris Hubbard serves as the technical director from an ad-hoc video production control room set up in a conference room that is equipped with the following gear:

• A large display showing the entire Wirecast production environment, including program switching, keying, lower-thirds, music
• A smaller display with the seven Rendezvous windows
• A third display for digital audio mixing and creating New Blue Titler CG text
• A Midas M-Series digital audio mixing console that connects via USB to the Wirecast laptop. While Wirecast features 16-channel mixing and mix-minus capabilities, Midas Auto-Mix is used to automatically manage volume levels whenever multiple speakers are conversing, such as during panel or group discussions
• Several Fostex nearfield audio monitors
• Three additional MacBook Pros devoted to running full-screen and looping slideshows, sponsor logos, and more
• Video capture cards, converter cards, and other peripherals

In a nearby office, EPAV senior project manager Ross Davidson serves as the graphics operator. He uses his computer and monitor to contribute to the production, while following production cues from Hubbard. Jesse Bastos, EPAV head audio engineer, also has a workspace in Cranston for managing and QC’ing production audio. While Hubbard, Davidson, and Bastos constitute the production control crew, there’s also a “show caller” who calls in via Rendezvous from his own remote location. While his Rendezvous video is never taken live, the show caller can view all the presenters and stage manage them within this workflow.

As a Wirecast switcher function, one or more Rendezvous sources can be brought into one of show’s five video layers, which can be further broken out into sublayers. While Rendezvous callers wait to “go on” in their respective Rendezvous video windows, they must remain silent or mute their microphones so they don’t distract the live speaker; and then remember to turn their audio back on when it’s their turn to speak live.

In an effort to ensure a consistent, quality-controlled workflow, Hubbard’s team performs technical rehearsals with each of the presenters a few days prior to the web event. These rehearsals give the presenters a chance to get comfortable with Rendezvous, practice switching between their camera view and shared screen, mute and unmute their microphones, and run through their talk with their slides. It’s also an opportunity for EPAV to assess the quality and dependability of each presenter’s equipment. If there’s any concern about their setup, EPAV can rush them “care packages” with the following kinds of gear to use instead:

• Panel lights that can stand beside the desk or table
• Small LED lights that can sit on the tabletop
• A black velour fabric that can hang behind the chair to serve as a neutral background
• A broadcast-grade laptop
• HD webcam or video cameras/tripods
• USB microphone

Emergency Production | www.ep-av.com

Telestream Wirecast Pro | www.telestream.net/wirecast

The millions of employees working and networking from home during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that video is a powerful and successful tool for marketing, collaboration, training, and many other use cases for businesses across multiple industries. Evolving video delivery technologies, coupled with smart content management solutions, continue to provide benefits to enterprise video deployments. The enterprise video market is forecast to generate $18.7 billion in 2020, according to a new report from global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research.

Low-latency video streaming solutions allows livestreaming of corporate events to both internal and external viewers. “Artificial intelligent (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies enable enterprise video applications to be more efficient,” said Khin Sandi Lynn, Industry Analyst at ABI Research. “Facial and object recognition, scene detection, and speech-to-text capabilities are making video indexing and search functions easier, faster, and more accurate. AI-assisted content screening allows enterprises to make sure the videos are in line with regulations. Such features are driving more enterprise video deployments across different industries.”

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Distance Learning and Streaming 

Enterprise video deployments are increasingly implemented on the cloud, shortening the deployment time, and reducing costs since cloud-based solutions do not need a substantial CAPEX on hardware and software. “Cloud-based solutions are also highly scalable, providing flexibility to upgrade or downgrade the size of the deployment, as necessary,” Lynn said. “The expansion of fiber optic broadband networks and ongoing 5G network infrastructure will improve the content delivery process further and open more opportunities in enterprise video deployments.”

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) based video applications are emerging solutions for corporate training and retail and marketing purposes. AR/VR technologies offer immersive and realistic experiences for healthcare or industrial manufacturing training programs. In addition, AR/VR technologies enable powerful marketing tools for promoting products and services in automotive, retail, tourism, and many other verticals. The availability of high-capacity, low-latency networks will create more opportunities for cloud-based AR/VR video applications in the enterprise segment.

Video enables significant cost saving and business efficiency for all businesses, regardless of size. Companies have saved millions of dollars in travel expenses by deploying video for corporate communications and corporate training. “In these unprecedented times of the cancellation of large events, enterprise video applications became essential to connect with thousands of stakeholders across the world,” Lynn said. Low-latency and high-reliability delivery capability are essential for delivering live corporate events. Haivision and Wowza are among the vendors supporting low-latency streaming solutions while vendors such as Kollective and RAMP provide eCDN solutions, which efficiently manage bandwidth and delivery of video.  

The Novel Coronavirus outbreak has contributed a significant rise in enterprise video deployment in 2020. Technology advancements and benefits offered by enterprise video solutions will continue to drive the market in the years to come. “As the market continues to grow, video solution providers need to support efficient features for video searching tracking, video metrics, and meaningful analytics,” Lynn said. “The capability to integrate analytical solutions into marketing automation and customer relationship management systems will also be beneficial to businesses and organizations.”

These findings are from ABI Research’s Enterprise Video: ROI and Use Cases analysis report. This report is part of the company’s Video and Cloud research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights. Based on extensive primary interviews, Technology Analysis reports present in-depth analysis on key market trends and factors for a specific technology.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been forced into a new reality where we are all on our own private islands. Live audiences and in-person, face-to-face interactions are a thing of the past. As a result, pastors, educators, and event organizers have been forced to investigate alternate solutions, and livestreaming is among the most rapidly growing answers to the problem.

But, as with any newly adapted technology, livestreaming is not necessarily an easily implemented solution. Additionally, pastors and educators must maintain a professional image to their audience, and require a solution that’s better than bad mics, dead air, and technical difficulties.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Distance Learning and Streaming 

Getting into livestreaming can be difficult and painful. However, this doesn’t have to be an awkward mishap, full of technical glitches. Here are some best practices and tips to make sure your livestream is professional.

If time permits, set up a quick pre-show meeting with your camera crew, audio board, and video production team to talk about the production and crew responsibilities, figure out what the goals are for the show, who your audience is, and what is your message. Double check your equipment, connections, and any remote equipment batteries before the show starts, and if possible, set up a quick test stream to check your video and audio output.

Production quality is dependent on every piece of equipment. Your weakest link is going to make a negative impact. Everything effects your livestream’s look and feel.

Keep in mind you no longer have a captive audience. You are now presenting with a computer or phone with other distractions between you and your audience. Make sure you can seamlessly switch to the next visual seamlessly and easily. Don’t give your audience blank spaces or downtime where they might start to think about checking their email or social media pages.

Take a step beyond your laptop webcam and headphones. If you want to reach the next level of professionalism, for a small investment you can obtain products beyond what you have lying around. Look better, sound better, engage more.

Extend the life of your efforts by recording and posting videos of your stream. While you may not be able to offer the excitement of interaction with a recording, you can offer your audience the choice to view it when they want and drive anticipation for your next stream.

While these best practices may sound like they require a full staff and a ton of equipment, they don’t. There are a variety of solutions on the market today that allow you to livestream professional-looking content on a budget. Look for a solution that utilizes an easy-to-use interface that allows a user to seamlessly add overlays, switch between video and audio feeds, and record and enable streaming all from a one-box solution that can be controlled by a tablet.

YT Liang is a product manager at ATEN Technology, Inc.

Most of what we do in the pro AV industry today rests in that first word of the name: professional. In 2019, anyone with a smartphone can shoot HD footage, hold a videoconference with people around the world, and stream any kind of music they want, instantly. As a pro, you’re tasked with taking these kinds of ubiquitous experiences up a notch, with better equipment and production values.

There’s perhaps no better example of such a direct upgrade than what pro AV can bring to livestreaming. With a little know-how and a modest budget, you can take a practice that millions of people engage in—like streaming to Facebook from a smartphone—and turn it into a production worthy of broadcast TV. And if you’re not doing it yet, chances are you’ll be asked to do it soon.

“We’re seeing more and more live content, whether its livestreaming or OTT,” said Aubrey Russell, head of production at Live X, a New York City-based full service production and broadcast company, focused on live production, live streaming, and video production services. “Streaming is definitely where the industry is going and so people are starting to take it more seriously now.”

And to be taken seriously, you’ll need more than just a fancy camera. 

The Right Play

The technical aspects of the production should be the last thing on your mind when starting to plan a livestream. In fact, being such a popular medium, there’s the distinct possibility that the person requesting it hasn’t considered whether it’s actually necessary or appropriate for the situation. So, it’s important that you ask some questions out of the gate.

“The buzzword comes up, so we have a conversation with our clients, ‘OK, this is what livestreaming actually is. Are you sure this is what you want?’” said Joseph LeConte, audiovisual coordinator at Texas Christian University (TCU). “And most of the time the answer is actually, ‘No, that’s not what we want at all. We don’t want to go through the trouble of doing it properly, so we’re not going to do it.’”

LeConte stresses another crucial question to ask in the preliminary phase: whether your talent is okay with being livestreamed. “Sometimes the answer comes back ‘Oh, we didn’t even think to ask that,’” he said. “Then it becomes about talent releases and things like that. We make sure they know that’s on them, that they cover their bases, because we don’t want anybody to get in trouble.”

Russell and Live X also take a methodical approach to initiating the plans. “The biggest question that we’ll ask first is where you’re wanting to stream and why you’re wanting to stream,” she said. “Who’s your audience? Do you want to go on Facebook, do you want to go on YouTube? Where does your audience live?”

Know Your Audience

Answering that last question is perhaps the most crucial step in the equation. “Your livestream is only as good as your promotion of it,” LeConte said. “You can spend all the money in the world creating and producing this high-quality event, with all kinds of wonderful cameras, and sound, and great lighting, but if nobody knows you’re livestreaming it, then you’re kind of just making a recording.”

Simon Ball, senior vice president of product management, digital media solutions at West Digital Media Solutions, also puts paramount emphasis on the audience. His company, which produces more than 40,000 webcasts per year, starts out by having clients consider similar questions. “Streaming is one step of the equation, and you need to think of the whole workflow,” Ball said. “What’s my message, what am I trying to achieve with my message, and what’s my audience?

“If it’s an audience that’s middle aged and not very social media savvy, then probably the best way of getting to them is to send them an email, send them an invite. If it’s a younger audience, you may want to tweet it. Make sure you get into the right channels.”

Both Russell and Ball advise clients to capitalize on one of the advantages livestreaming over other kinds of broadcasts: the ability to cast a wide net. “A lot of times we’re pushing people to be on every platform now, so we’ll say we want to stream to all of your social media sites, whether that’s a [typical social platform] or whether that’s a white-label player that’s embedded on their website,” Russell said.

“We syndicate to multiple different outlets,” Ball said. “We can connect to OTT, we can connect to Facebook Live, we can connect to Twitter Periscope… But most importantly, do them all at the same time. If you want to get to an audience, that’s an important part of the equation.”

In the Moment

With a handle on acquiring viewers, it’s time to revisit the question of why you’re going live in the first place. “The whole point of live streaming is to bring the audience in,” LeConte said. “So if you’re going to do a live stream, understand the benefits that something like that gives you: you have the ability to have audience interaction. Are you planning on having somebody monitor the social media aspect of it? Are you going to have somebody in that monitoring role who really understands the social media platform that you’re presenting the live stream on?”

“Taking advantage of the fact that your video is live is very important,” Russell said. “What’s something you can do live that you couldn’t take advantage of if you were uploading a video? How you’re interacting with your audience is key, and that’s what brings live to life.”  

Russell said that Live X uses a Facebook application that allows their team to bring in audience questions and comments into a spreadsheet. They can then aggregate them for the sake of polling. “We’ll use that often and then make graphics that reflect that onscreen,” she said. “We had a show for a football brand that had graphics onscreen with a field and two helmets, and depending on who you thought would win, the helmets would go to one side of the field or the other. It made people want to stay engaged longer because they wanted to see who would win the poll at the end.”

Making it Happen

Obviously, the ideal scenario is to have a professional production environment, or to bring in a team like West or Live X to handle your livestream. But you can still produce an engaging and successful livestream on your own without emptying the bank. 

LeConte and TCU use Livestream Studio, a free software package from Livestream.com, that enables his team to hook up any kind of camera, run graphics and video content, and pull in live video. “We’re using an HD51 from Livestream, built by Blackmagic Design,” he said. “For audio, we have a hodgepodge system built on a Yamaha mixer, where we mix all the audio down for the space, then we run a parallel out to a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 XLR-to-USB interface and import the audio into Livestream Studio using that.

“[This kind of system] can be implemented easily, but again, there’s boxes that need to be checked, and things that need to be put together prior to spending the money. And once you spend the money, making sure that you have the appropriate staff to run it and the appropriate space to utilize it.”

Challenges

According to Russell, a successful livestream hinges on having enough bandwidth to stream to multiple platforms. “The difficulty is making sure you’re able to push a solid stream out individually to each place,” she said. “We use different encoders for different platforms, because they have different relationships with platforms.” For example, the Wowza ClearCaster is the preferred encoder for Facebook Live, so they have four of these devices ready to deploy in the field. 

“A lot of times we’ll have multiple encoders onsite, which then means we obviously need a certain amount of bandwidth for each stream,” Russell said. “Ideally, you should have a hardline internet feed, and if you don’t have a hardline, having a solid bonded service [is crucial].”

Parting Wisdom

What’s the key to maintaining a handle on livestreaming? “Always be adapting,” Russell said. “Streaming is changing all the time; social media platforms are changing their API constantly. There’s always updates with gear, there’s always new enhancements, so you always have to be adapting to what the environment wants in the moment, because streaming is the Wild West still in that way.”

Russell recommends being active in forums, like vMix’s and Blackmagic Design’s, following certain brands on Twitter, and participating in Reddit threads and Facebook groups. These communities will help you navigate the ever-changing nature of the category. “I think that’s what the exciting thing about streaming is, it’s unpredictable,” she said. “It’s just been here for a long time and people are finally catching up to it, and now it’s not going anywhere.”

Streaming with a combination of hardware and off-the-shelf software (which allows one to effectively do a live switch for streaming from multiple cameras), or from a dedicated streaming device from a single source, is now more affordable than ever. And the results are better, if you use the right hardware/software tools.

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