When looking to share messaging with a faith-based congregation, houses of worship have grown their reach thanks to the ease of live streaming and multi-camera setups. With so many choices in cameras and gear to fit your streaming needs, it may be daunting to start setting up your video space. PTZ cameras are a great addition to a limited space because they are small and discreet, don’t need an in-person operator, can be remotely controlled, and are compatible with a wide range of connections. These cameras can also do double-duty as security cameras for off hours with remote monitoring to further stretch a limited budget.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to setting up a house of worship with video streaming, so let’s go through practical setup ideas for small, medium, and large venues to find out what the best options are for setting up a house of worship such as a small church, a temple, a mosque, a cathedral, or an arena with PTZ cameras.
Why PTZ Cameras for House of Worship?
There are many benefits of using PTZ cameras for a house of worship:
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Ideal for live streaming with many connectivity options
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The ability to stay within smaller budgets
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Easy to learn controls for volunteers
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Compact, all-in-one form factor (i.e., no lenses to change)
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A wide lens and high resolution to capture all the details
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A decent zoom on the lens to capture the speaker
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The ability to output video to a computer or device for recording and streaming
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Many extension and mounting options for larger spaces with the ability to blend in
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Endless expansion and integration possibilities
Before adding gear to your list, ask yourself a few basic questions about what your venue needs and how it will be set up:
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What is the budget for your full setup? (be sure to leave room for unforeseen contingencies!)
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How many cameras will you need to cover all aspects of your services?
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Do you need HD or 4K video? 4K can be handy to crop images later, but can clog your Internet bandwidth.
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How far will your cameras be from the controls/Internet connection?
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Do your cameras need to be mounted on walls, ceilings, or tripods?
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What types of physical connections do you require? This will depend on resolution, existing gear, size of venue (e.g. Ethernet, HDMI, SDI, USB, or HDBaseT)
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Will you have a fixed setup, one operator, or require multiple operators for many cameras?
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Do you need audio, graphics, and/or scheduling integration?
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Will you be live streaming, recording, or both?
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Do you plan to expand your setup in the future?
With the advantages and basic answers in mind, below are some PTZ camera setup options for small, mid-size, and large-scale workflows for house of worship installations.
Small Single- or Dual-Camera Workflows
Camera Coverage: Basic
Number of Cameras: 1-2
For small venues, only one or two cameras in a small room should be needed to cover wide and/or closeup views of the speaker, a band/choir, or a pulpit. Cameras such as OBSBOT’s Tail Air, HuddlecamHD’s SimplTrack3, or BZBGear’s 1080p 10x PTZ cameraare great budget options for small venue use because they provide a decent zoom lens, capture a wide angle of view, feature multiple video output options, and they can live stream directly from the camera.
Workflow Features:
It is easiest to utilize a camera with USB support, so video can be output to a computer by connecting the USB output of your camera to the computer’s USB port(s) for streaming with standard streaming software like Facebook, YouTube, or Zoom. Cameras with 1080p HD capture is great quality for your live streams.
If you have more than one camera, it is recommended to output from both cameras to a small video switcher via HDMI or SDI to maintain quality, and from there you can connect to the Internet directly or through a computer. A video switcher is a versatile option allowing you to choose which camera will be broadcast, and it is also scalable if you wish to add more cameras in the future.
Remote Control:
You can remotely control your camera(s) using the IR remote that typically comes with the PTZ camera, or you can utilize the camera’s management software on a connected computer to control settings if it offers IP-based management. USB cameras that support UVC can be controlled using software on a computer, such as OBS or vMix.
Serial protocol is a popular method of communicating with PTZ cameras for remote control over long distances, as it doesn’t need an Ethernet network, and it is commonly supported on many camera and controller models. If you have more than one camera, you may want to invest in some Cat 5/6 cabling for RS-232/422 control and utilize a serial controller. There are also powerful IP-based controllers that can be used over an existing Ethernet network if your cameras support IP control.
Gear Checklist for Small Venues:
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PTZ camera(s)
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Mounting for cameras
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Cables for power, video, and control
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Audio mixer/audio feed
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Computer with Internet and software
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Camera controller (IP or serial)
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Video switcher option
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Programmable streaming connection device such as the Elgato Stream Deck Mini
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Monitor(s)
Starter Kit Ideas:
These starter kits below are examples of what you need to get up and running with your cameras and a controller:
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Datavideo EPB-1340 Educator's Production Bundle with PTZ Cameras & Rolling Case (1080p)
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OBSBOT Tail 2 3-camera NDI kit
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Expand the OBSBOT kit with their 10-camera NDI kit
Mid-Size Multi-Camera Workflows
Camera Coverage: Advanced
Number of Cameras: 2-10
Mid-size workflows may require multiple PTZ cameras for different angles on a pulpit, alter/front of house, organ/band/choir, congregation shots, and more. Larger workflows benefit from IP and HDBaseT setups that extend your cameras farther from your controllers, one or more controller to control more cameras, single-cable installs, and cameras with longer zoom lenses.
Workflow Features:
Larger venues and budgets open up more options to expand your installation. In larger areas, cameras will be installed father away from controllers, switches, and Internet connections, so IP, HDBaseT, NDI, and SDI are preferable connections to connect your camera back to your switcher and controller. When choosing an IP camera, PoE (Power-over-Ethernet, with a compatible LAN switch) is also a great benefit to installs that need to limit cable runs to keep power, control, and video over the same cable.
Auto-tracking, multiple preset storage, high-quality video, and longer zoom lenses (20x and 30x) are essential for mid-size setups, allowing you to zoom into speakers and follow them as they walk back and forth, without much operator intervention. Another great feature to look for is tally lights to signal which camera is live so your speaker can directly address a remote congregation.
Remote Control:
A mid-size setup will require a controller with enough capacity to cover all your cameras, and multiple controllers may be required, depending on the complexity of your design and number of cameras. Control systems such as modular ones from SKAARHOJ are expandable, and there are numerous large-scale broadcast-quality controllers available that integrate PTZ camera control. You can set up an RS-232 serial controller using Cat 6 (or better) cabling or use IP controllers over an Ethernet network if your cameras support IP control.
Setting up an NDI network may also be advantageous, especially if you are using 4K cameras on a 100 Mb/s network, since the NDI|HX streaming codec uses a low-bandwidth codec while maintaining high-quality 4K resolution. This setup requires NDI-compatible cameras, controllers, and streaming software for an optimal workflow. When deciding on 4K, it is recommended to use Gigabit (or faster) network for video applications, especially when using 4K video and expand the number of cameras later.
Additional considerations include adding graphics and logos with hardware or software solutions, and integration with existing audio systems will also be key to your live streams, so considering how the cameras will sync with your audio mixer for streaming is essential.
Gear Checklist for Mid-Size Venue:
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Camera controller
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Video switcher such as Blackmagic ATEM Mini
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Ethernet switch (Gigabit recommended for 4K/many cameras)
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Cables for power, control, and video
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Extender/converter units such as HDBaseT, IP, NDI
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Wireless extension option (such as a Ubiquiti Mesh or DVDO’s Air 2K)
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Mounts and/or pedestals
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Monitor
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Audio mixer
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Programmable streaming connection device such as the Elgato Stream Deck MK2 or XL
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Computer or turnkey system with software such as OBS or vMix if you want to add graphics, logos, overlays, and recording
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A budget hardware character generator such as the Lumantek ez-CGer mini to add graphics fills and keys to your streams
Kit Ideas for Mid-Size and Large Venues:
The kits below are examples of what can get you up and running with your cameras and a controller, with expansion options to larger camera setups and venues:
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PTZCam CamKit3 HD Streaming Kit with 3 PTZ Cameras, Controller, Switches + Audio Interface
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PTZOptics Producer-4K Camera & Controller Bundle
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AIDA Imaging Camera, Controller + Production System Bundle
Cathedrals, Large-Scale Temples, or Worship Arenas
Camera Coverage: Very Advanced
Number of Cameras: 5-10+
When considering a large-scale workflow, bandwidth and cabling will be the most challenging, but control of more cameras may also require additional controllers and operators. This will depend on the number of cameras needed for multiple angles, longer cable runs, as well as integration with larger audio systems and mixers. If you want to use a mix of high-definition broadcast/cinema cameras along with PTZ cameras, many PTZ cameras from manufacturers such as Panasonic, Canon, and Sony feature SDI connectivity with genlock to ensure your cameras are in sync.
Workflow Features:
A large-scale house of worship has the same requirements of as midsize workflows, but with scaled up bandwidth, cabling, and distance from your subjects. NDI or Dante AV protocols via Ethernet/IP are recommended for larger spaces that require longer cable runs, as they utilize high-quality, low-latency codecs. A combination of Ethernet, HDBaseT, and wireless devices with a secure wireless mesh network may be advantageous, if some cameras are in remote areas that can’t be cabled. A high bandwidth network such as Gigabit or 10G will best accommodate a large number of cameras streaming high-quality video.
All-in-one recording/broadcast/streaming hardware/software turnkey systems are a great fit for large spaces, like the TriCaster from Vizrt, Blackmagic ATEM broadcast devices, Datavideo streaming systems, or Wirecast or vMix software preinstalled on hardware systems from Switchblade, JVC, or ACME.
Gear Checklist for Large Venue:
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Controller or multiple controllers to control a large number of cameras
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Video switcher to switch and stream to the Internet and/or record (Blackmagic ATEM, YoloBox Pro, among others)
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A large monitor or multiple monitors for your central operator locations to support multiview
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Ethernet switches (Gigabit or even 10G fiber, depending on number of cameras simultaneously streaming, video resolution, and uncompressed vs. compressed)
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If bandwidth is an issue, you may want to explore SDI/HDBaseT connection options
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Extender/converter units such as HDBaseT, NDI, or Wireless (DVDO Air 4K)
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Plenty of fast, video-grade Cat 5e/6/7 cable
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Large audio mixer/board
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Durable, versatile camera mounts to mount onto walls, corners, ceilings, floors, and grids
House of Worship PTZ Install Case Studies
Below are a couple of case studies from PTZOptics and BirdDog that examine different methods to set up PTZ cameras in a house of worship:
BirdDog examines a house of worship install with NDI
PTZ Optics is used in the setup of a small church for live streaming
Canon discusses how the Salvation Army serves house of worship events
For more information about setting up PTZ cameras in a house of worship, feel free to give us a call, start a chat, or come visit us at the NYC SuperStore.
