Video Production Setup at Church

[VideoMan]

I work in the video production industry. My church has offered to hire me part time to install and operate a live video setup to record and upload sermons to their website. I eagerly obliged. I have experience with live video (td, master control, camera op, etc.), but the engineering side is newer to me.

So, here's my plan as it stands:
-Pick up a small Canon HV40 (or similar) to mount high up in the back of the room.
-Get a larger HD camera (shoulder mount style) that will be more durable and use it with a tripod.
-Pick up some more cameras later on as the budget allows.
-Use the new Black Magic ATEM 1 M/E switcher as a good quality, budget production switcher.
-Run cables
-Install (or build) a cheap intercom/communication system

So, that's a general idea of what I have in mind. Now for the questions.
The ATEM switcher needs to have all of the same quality of video in. (HD1080 59.98) from each camera. It has 4 HDMI, 4 SD/HD-SDI, and one component video that is shared with the first HDMI.

So, I would probably connect the HV40 to the Component input (it outputs 1080i). Question becomes how to run that. From the back of the hall to the control booth location is about 50' (through wall, plug to plug) from that camera. Question is, what cable to use? I was thinking RG6 Dual or Quad shield (3 runs each with BNC ends). Anybody have experience with this? What's the upper range of length for component cable?

For the other camera, I would need to run wire about 75'. Too long for HDMI, and camera doesn't have SDI. So, I need to do one of the following (considering that I will likely have to add other cameras with the same setup).
-HDMI to HD-SDI converter at the camera to take camera's HDMI output and run it as SDI back to the switcher.
-Run camera's component signal back to the switcher and use a component to HDMI converter (cheaper than the sdi converter).
-Use a balun over ethernet

Which is best?

Thanks!

 

[BillESC]

You didn't mention budget, but a matched pair of Sony PTZ HD cameras would give you a lot more flexibility and production value.

 

[Esoteric]

Keep in mind that PTZ cameras (or at least any I have ever seen) are not really very good for moving during speaking (think more shot, cut away, move, take).

As to the OP, I tend to run SDI.

Mike

 

[VideoMan]

Well, budget for the whole thing is about $7000. I would love to use SDI, it's just so dang expensive! We will probably pick up a RC camera in a few years, but the budget is too tight for now.

 

[cw4u]

You wouldn't want to invest in anything other than SDI. The Atem series is just one of a few switchers that has HDMI inputs which might work well for a computer. But, I'd always stick with SDI for cameras...budget permitting. One thing you don't want to do is invest in lower grade stuff now just to replace it a few years away.

You could probably search in the used market and get two HD-SDI ENG cameras. The issues that will occur with lower level cameras is that you won't have any remote control capabilities of the camera. No iris, gain, paint, phasing adjustments, etc. I'm not saying you can't do it without remote capabilities, but it sure does help!

Your component to BNC can work, but you'd have to make sure that the bnc>rca adapter and the rca>multipin or 3.5 is really tight and secure on your camera. They generally can be pretty loose and if you lose one link in the chain, you're camera is dead for a few moments. Probably a mini hdmi would lock in better than some of the rca.

Also, these cameras will probably not have genlock on them so expect additional latency in the video. You still can probably use it for IMAG. While you're running cable to these locations, run a couple spare rg6 lines and a mic line or two for future stuff.

These cameras don't have tally capabilities so you'll have to remind your ops when they're on and when they're off.

You're budget is going to be tight but I'd use the HV40 for now (if you already own it) and purchase a used HD camera that can output HD-SDI and has genlock reference. Remote control (paint, white balance, iris, etc) is a major plus if you can find one.

 

[cpf]

Is the $7K budget one-off, or do you see more money becoming available later? If there's more money coming (in <10 years) then you should definitely go for top-quality equipment now so you don't regret buying a boatload of also-ran kit. If that's not the case and the future funding looks uncertain: is [Full] HD essential? Picking 720p or 480p instead of 1080p would open up a whole range of cheaper cameras that have just as good optical & sensor quality but lower resolution, not to mention cheaper cables, switchers, and capture cards.

 

[VideoMan]

Thanks. I couldn't seem to find any SDI cameras on ebay, what term should I search for other than that? I figure the HV40 mounted high up could be set (zoom, exposure, WB, focus, etc.) and left alone. Also, it wouldn't be touched, so I would think the connections would hold up fine. I could run component to that or use a SDI adapter and run that.

I will try to find a used SDI camera.

Funding *should* be available yearly. I have no idea how much, but that's the idea. Tally will be one of the things on that list. Blackmagic has a $500 adapter for it, and I am well-versed in electronics, so I will certainly devise a system regardless of if the camera supports it.

 

[SHARYNF]

Set it and forget it never works, the exposure varies, and in consumer camcorders the WB is reset every time the camera is re powered on.
Sharyn

 

[VideoMan]

Well I didn't exactly mean totally forget it. My HV40 retains all settings including WB. That room doesn't change too much lighting wise, but I'd be there a few hours early to check everything over. I could get a ladder if need be.

Not ideal, I know. But I need to get it set up, with two cameras, wiring, switcher, control room stuff, and communication for 7k. It's tight.

 

[SHARYNF]

On the HV40 I have worked with, you have the option to start in auto mode, and then switch to program mode to select wb, so you would be looking at, in my experience a need to power on first in auto, then physically switch to program mode. IMO the fixed camera in multi camera shoots tends to be come useless quickly, the image detail tends to get so small as to loose any relevance. I have found that three cameras each controllable give you the better options Personally I would go with remote control PZT cameras

Sharyn

 

[FACTplayers]

I work in the video production industry. My church has offered to hire me part time to install and operate a live video setup to record and upload sermons to their website. I eagerly obliged. I have experience with live video (td, master control, camera op, etc.), but the engineering side is newer to me.

I hate to be this guy, but you need to make sure the church has the appropriate licensing agreement which allows the service to be uploaded onto the internet or sold. If it is ONLY the sermon, I don't see any issues, but I would hate to hear about your church battling a lawsuit.

With that being said, my friend was recently hired by a local church as the media director and this is one of his responsibilities.

Contact him at this page, tell him Garrett referred you. He will be more than willing to help you out.

Appleton Alliance Church

 

[cw4u]

CCLI just released a webcast license. It's worth looking into.

 

[VideoMan]

Thanks everybody. It's good to cover all bases. We have a music director which I figured I'd be working with on that. She would know the scoop on that. Right now, they upload the sermon audio only. I assume I would only be taping the sermon (unless we get licensing or something), but that's not really my thing in this situation.

 

[museav]

Well, budget for the whole thing is about $7000. I would love to use SDI, it's just so dang expensive! We will probably pick up a RC camera in a few years, but the budget is too tight for now.

The usual warning to not forget all the costs that may be associated with cabling paths, power, cabling itself, hardware, etc. And if you are installing yourself then also include any tools and learning curve (i.e. how many terminations may have to be done more than once to get a good one) that may be required.

The ATEM is a good example of some of the potential challenges and things that are easy to overlook. For one thing, the $2,495 list price is for the 1 M/E version is for computer based control, if you want the control surface the cost almost triples. For another, while the switcher has HDMI inputs that are very limited in terms of resolutions and scan rates. I bring this up as one thing you did not seem to mention was a way to possibly bring graphics direct into the switcher or interface between any existing presentation system and the production system.

On a very general basis, I agree with the suggestion to think long term. Could potentially interfacing with a presentation system, I-Mag, post production, etc. be possibilities that should be considered in what you do know?

One the other end of the spectrum are details such as whether the cable needs to have any specific rating that may be associated with the path used. Keeping in mind that I don't know you or your experience and capabilities, production experience can be an invaluable knowledge in relation to design and installation, however it does not necessarily translate directly to those aspects. You may not want someone who can run a switcher installing it any more than you necessarily want someone who can wire the switcher trying to run it, they are complementary but different skill sets. If you don't have the associated knowledge, tools and skills, it might benefit everyone for you to get someone involved who can bring those and allow you to expand your knowledge through them.