Live-Stream Tech

For our live-streaming and video recording, we use a wirelesss system called SlingStudio, and a separate encoder called "Boxcaster Pro." The SlingStudiio serves as a video switcher, allowing us to switch views from camera to camera, and our projector's video for worship lyrics. It works well for what we do and is wirelessly controlled with an Ipad. SlingStudio has several tutorial videos on their site, but we have included links to the one’s that best fit our application. Most of them are only a few minutes long.  Watching the videos below will prepare you to better understand the particulars of how we use SlingStudio in our Sunday morning services.


In addition to the SlingStudio, we use an additional device called the "Boxcaster Pro."  This device is connected to the SlingStudio hub at the sound booth and encodes our live program and uploads it to the internet.  The Boxcaster Pro has a touchscreen that allows you to monitor the video and audio of the live program as it's being sent to the internet.   


The bold video titles below are our own tutorials with specific information on how we use the following equipment. Think of those as essential tutorials. The non-bold titles are manufacturer videos that are helpful in understanding the bigger picture of how the equipment works. 

SlingStudio

Tutorial videos

Introduction:

SlingStudio in Churches (This is a promotional video but also a good introduction)

System overview in church setting

 

Using the system:

Starting up SlingStudio (a CCFP tutorial)


Start Up - Main Camera (a CCFP tutorial)


Start Up - iPhone Cameras (a CCFP tutorial)


Setting up a project

 

Audio mixer tutorial (within the Ipad app)

 

Auto-switching tutorial (settings for auto-changing camera views)


Closing - Powering Down iPhones (a CCFP tutorial)


* NOTE: With  our use of the Boxcaster Pro encoder, we do not use the SlingStudio for any internet connectivity or live-stream settings. While we no longer use the "Live" button on the iPad, we still use the "Record" button to record each service. 


The above videos apply to how we use SlingStudio, but feel free to browse their other tutorials at myslingstudio.com.

Boxcaster Pro

We use the Boxcaster Pro as our encoder to upload the livestream program to the internet. This encoder allows us to encode using HEVC compression which requires half as much data as the SlingStudio while providing superior audio and video quality.  We connect the Boxcaster online via a wi-fi connection to one of our two iPhones. Below are links to tutorials of the Boxcaster Pro.


Overview video of the Boxcaster Pro


Boxcaster Pro User Interface


Understanding the Color Ring Lights


Configuring Wi-Fi for an iPhone (1x only)


Using Boxcaster Pro (a CCFP tutorial)


Connecting to Wi-Fi (a CCFP tutorial)


Troubleshooting the orange "lost HDMI signal" error. (a CCFP tutorial)


A few tips: 

The Boxcaster does not have an on/off feature. When it's plugged in, it's on. To turn it off, you need to unplug it. The power plug is a threaded cable to prevent it from accidentally being pulled out.


Wi-fi connections (in our case, iPhone hot  spots) must be preconfigured. Both iPhones have been pre-configured to work.


The easiest way to connect an iPhone to the Boxcaster is to have the unit powered off/unplugged. Turn on the iPhone hotspot. Plug in the Boxcaster. It will typically recognize a preconfigured IPhone hotspot upon start up.


The Boxcaster Pro can not start or end a broadcast, but will show the countdown of a prescheduled broadcast. To stop a broadcast before it's scheduled end time, the broadcast must be ended using the Broadcaster app on the other iPhone (not being  used as a hot spot.) 

Broadcaster App

The Broadcaster app allows a scheduled broadcast to be stopped, using the app on the iPhone that is not being used as a hot spot.


The Broadcaster app can also start a broadcast "on the fly" should it be needed.