Final Release Candidate For Meetinghouse Webcast 3.0 Software Now Available

Using the Church Webcasting System, YouTube, etc. Including cameras and mixers.
ksolsen
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 115
Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 4:06 pm

Communicator is still available

#11

Post by ksolsen »

flyboyscott wrote:We just did our webcast yesterday for Stake Conference. We are currently using the Communicator device to broadcast. We had some issues before the meeting started where the webcast failed and we had to reboot about 3 or 4 times. I forget, stress levels were through the roof at that point. I suspect that it failed because about 3 people were online on the same network trying to test the webcast receiving and we were all draining the internet bandwidth. Anyway, for next time I want to have a solution that is as solid as possible. Can we upgrade our Webcast Communicator device to the latest and greatest version of the software? I've heard that the Communicator is no longer being made available. Would we be better off to put together a dedicated computer with the webcast software installed? Do we get any added functionality with this solution over the Communicator hardware?

Contrary to some incorrect rumors that are somehow floating around, we are not discontinuing the Communicator. We just ordered 100 units several months ago and are consistently sending out multiple units per week. We are now putting together our next order and talking about some future options. One of those options would be to put the newer software on the Communicator; however, that would require a faster CPU on the motherboard than what is currently offered because of our move to Microsoft Expression as the underlying encoder/decoder. So that's still just a topic of conversation and nothing solid yet.

In the meantime, a reasonably current PC running Meetinghouse Webcast Software 3.0 should work well for you.
flyboyscott
New Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:00 am

#12

Post by flyboyscott »

Thanks for the reply and I'll do my part to dispel the rumors.

I guess I still have a question I am looking for an answer to: Is there any advantage to using a PC with the webcast software as opposed to the communicator hardware? We are using the communicator but have seen failures in the webcast.
Aczlan
Member
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:29 pm
Location: Upstate, NY, USA

#13

Post by Aczlan »

ksolsen wrote:Contrary to some incorrect rumors that are somehow floating around, we are not discontinuing the Communicator. We just ordered 100 units several months ago and are consistently sending out multiple units per week. We are now putting together our next order and talking about some future options.
I suspect that there are some who misread the announcement that the receiver was being discontinued and thought that the communicator was being discontinued.

Aaron Z
ksolsen
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 115
Joined: Tue May 24, 2011 4:06 pm

#14

Post by ksolsen »

flyboyscott wrote:Thanks for the reply and I'll do my part to dispel the rumors.

I guess I still have a question I am looking for an answer to: Is there any advantage to using a PC with the webcast software as opposed to the communicator hardware? We are using the communicator but have seen failures in the webcast.

Here are the advantages I see with both:

Meetinghouse Webcast 3.0 Software advantages over Communicator:
- Simple user interface with preview of video
- Rest images and videos
- Screen capture
- No cost for the software (obviously, you still need a PC, video/audio capture & devices)
- More flexibility to choose audio & video capture devices
- Ability to stream higher-definition webcasts

Communicator advantages over software:
- Fixed configuration that has been thoroughly tested and proven in the field (no variability in the audio & video capture hardware)
- Single-purpose device; no risk of conflicts from other drivers and applications (can be the case on a PC)

By far, our biggest challenge with the software has been the video & audio capture sources. Most of us would like to use a USB video capture device with a laptop and the software, but we have yet to find a really solid, reliable solution. My top recommendation, if it's possible, is to use a desktop PC with an Osprey 100, 230, or 240 capture card. This is a very solid solution. The USB capture devices can work, but are also prone to failure.

Kurt Olsen
Video & Streaming Product Manager
jbh001
Senior Member
Posts: 856
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:17 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV

#15

Post by jbh001 »

ksolsen wrote:[...] because of our move to Microsoft Expression as the underlying encoder/decoder.
Microsoft Expression appears to allow streaming to iOS devices. Does that mean that a future version of Meetinghouse Webcast will allow streaming to iOS devices without having to use a 3rd party app like VLC?
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