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I need streaming video technical advice

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I need a bit of technical direction from those of you who are more experienced with streaming video. My dad’s funeral service is Sunday morning and many of his family and friends who live outside of the US have asked if there was a way to stream the service live. The abbot has no objections, but I have a couple technical hurdles to overcome. I know many of you web cartoonists do live streaming video at your drawing board – so hopefully you can give me some pointers on what you’ve found to work.

The end result is family and friends around the world can go to a website and watch the service live on their computer. If I can make this happen, it would make a lot of people happy.

Challenges:

  1. Audio – what is the best way to capture the audio? I don’t believe there will be a lectern with a microphone so I need a good way to capture audio – especially from a distance.
  2. Streaming – I’m planning on using ustream – but if there is a better service (free, or low cost) that works well with Apple products – please let me know.

Here’s what I have to work with:

  1. I have one or more iPhones (4, 4S) and an iPad 2.
  2. I’ve downloaded the ustream video streaming app and it worked fine for a 3-minute test. I worry about it working for an hour.
  3. I have a Macbook Pro.

Any other equipment will have to be purchased at a national chain electronic store. No time for online shopping/shipping.

If you have hands-on experience, I’d love to hear from you. Please respond in the comments or email me

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Comments 3

  1. I’d go with the MacBook and its built in cam and mic. In a perfect world with a good wireless connection you could place it somewhere unobtrusive and get a good shot of the proceedings. The iPad 2 might work if you have a strong wireless signal. Either Ustream or Justin tv have pretty easy interfaces, and it would allow you to be mobile, but you also want to be apart of this important service, not worrying about filming so much. If you can do a fast test of the wireless, or plug your MacBook into their Internet then set it up and let it run. If there’s going to be a mic and speakers involved, don’t be TOO near the speakers. The built in mics are pretty darn good.

  2. I once used UStream to do a three-hour webcast and it worked very well except for the one time I kicked out the camera cable. I agree with Tom: an integrated system with a built-in camera and mic would be easiest to set up and get working at a time you will have many more important things on your mind. On the other hand, I bought a little inexpensive webcam with a camera and mic that plugged right into a USB port, and it worked great.

    If possible, it would be ideal to actually try it out at the site ahead of time. Check wireless signal strength, find the ideal angle, be sure there’s a power outlet for the computer (not the time to trust the battery, I think), all that nitty-gritty. Set it up, run it for an hour, see how it goes.

  3. Also: verify that UStream detects both your camera and microphone. I recall having to reset the mic input, which was easy to do but would have yielded a silent film if I hadn’t.

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