- The LDS Webcast software works with Windows 8 (at least the pre-release version). I'm told that SLC will be officially testing it down the road.
- We were able to get cable internet at the Stake Center this year. Unfortunately, the highest bandwidth available in that area is “up to 1MB Upstream”. We were able to use the 'high bandwidth' settings in the software which made a MAJOR difference in the picture quality at the receive site. Unfortunately we had some buffering issues and the webcast dropped out a few times, but always came back.
- We borrowed a PC again. The hardware was on the edge of the recommended minimum requirements. It did work just fine as long as no other services are running in the background.
- We used the same Logitech 910 webcam (USB) and it still amazes me of the picture quality.
- We used a different USB microphone. Last year we used the ClearOne Chat 50 USB. Nice little mic with an omni pickup pattern. We found it was a little too omni for our taste and had a lot of background noise being picked up (babies crying). This year we changed to a different USB mic, the Samson Go Mic. Very compact and great quality sound. It evens gives you an option of cardioid or omni pickup pattern. Using the cardioid pattern was perfect.
- We decided to place our 'control room' to the side of the chapel where the clerk sits instead of the front row of the chapel. To do this we required extensions for the USB camera and mic. USB extensions, especially for webcams can be hit or miss. After a lot of research we used: 32ft 10M USB 2.0 A Male to A Female Active Extension / Repeater Cable (Kinect & PS3 Move Compatible Extension). No problems at all, plus it was the least expensive of all extensions.
- Backup audio. Thought we would have it this year, but the plan fell apart as the EJ-8 and EJ-10 is not built to 'tranmit' but only receive a feed. (I read in the Wiki that it would work.) A last minute frantic call to the manufacturer Emtech Electronics is where I received the bad news that I needed the EJ-R to transmit over POTS. Since we were in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, we decided to use our cell phones as backup audio. Not the best quality, but at least it would work. Fortunately, we never had to go down that trail.
- Speaking of backup audio and phones, did you know that you must have an old style desk phone (dial NOT in the receiver) to transmit or receive (using the TTAIB to receive and EJ-R to transmit)? I did purchase those types of phones in advance from Coretelco.
As far as next year...Our first Stake Conference in 2013 will be a broadcast from SLC, so we have another 12 months to get ready. We are also getting a new Stake Center and I'm told that we will be getting the recommended video and audio equipment to do our stake conference webcasts.
Here are some links to the equipment I purchased. I used Amazon quite a bit since they had the best prices.
Backup telephones
Cortelco Kellogg 2500 Desk Mount Phone With Telephony Cords Rd with Vol Cntrl
http://www.amazon.com/Cortelco-Kellogg- ... 899&sr=1-5
Go Mic from Samson
http://www.samsontech.com/samson/produc ... nes/gomic/
USB Extensions
32ft 10M USB 2.0 A Male to A Female Active Extension / Repeater Cable (Kinect & PS3 Move Compatible Extension)
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2
Yours in webcasts,
Steve Widmann
STS Waco Texas Stake