This page is for help in using tools to provide a broadcast for your sacrament services from 2026 forward
This page is for help in using tools to provide a broadcast for your sacrament services from 2026 forward
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Information below is old information that was used when coming out of Covid
Information below is old information that was used when coming out of Covid
February 13, 2021
We will be moving to 2nd hour all virtual meetings in March 2021. The stake techs are here to help and are planning on helping in anyway we can. We can help with setup and preparation for your ward tech.
If you are the ward tech, and we don't have your info, please reach out to Don Brooksby - don.brooksby@gmail.com - to get your info in the communication stream we provide. Your job is invaluable to your ward as well as the stake techs. You have a unique calling that you are not alone in. Just because we are Stake Techs and you are "Just" the Ward tech - LOL - that just isn't the case. We all have unique backgrounds and you may know more than one of us, we are all here to help. We are planning on some training videos to help you, but also if we need to pull a quick training session to help others out, maybe you know what our subject is, but you could be a help to other wards, so please come and spend a little time to help provide large rewards.
Some items to keep in mind
It is smart to have a ward technology specialist - If you are new please make sure Don has your information so we can communicate to you as things come up and changes are needed. (don.brooksby@gmail.com)
CSV upload file (from a spreadsheet) - You need to put together a master list of breakout room numbers and assign members to those rooms by using the email address they will use to log in to the meeting. If that email address doesn't match, they won't be allowed in the room - they won't know where to go to get the correct lesson
If you need training on what a CSV file is, how to get data into it, and what to do with it when you have the info in there, reach out to the stake techs for help - qcnstech@googlegroups.com
Make up a master list of classroom assignments. Zoom lets you name a Breakout Room whatever you want - so the CSV room naming could be class names like
Gospel Doctrine
Young Women - 12 - 13 Yrs
Deacons
Relief Society
Emails - this will be tricky. You could go by what we get in Tools or the ward list, but some people don't update that info or want to use a different email address to get into class. It may be better to pull together a web form for people to fill out. Google and Microsoft have easy ways of creating forms, if you need help, the Stake techs can setup a web form to capture into into a spreadsheet you can access and see as people are adding their data, then you can send out the link for all ward members to add their info into to help you build the CSV spreadsheet
No 2nd hour broadcast at the building while another ward is having sacrament - plan all teachers to broadcast from their home - the reason is that the broadcast takes up so much amount of bandwidth, if more than a few classes broadcast over the wireless at the building your broadcasts will be less than what you expected and the ward broadcasting their sacrament meeting may get a little upset that their quality went down
Everyone should know not to put a window behind them so the phone or camera is pointed to the brightness of the window, of they have no choice, drape the window with a dark sheet
A good thing is to put yourself facing a window - the natural light is good for the picture
Keep light in front of them and not behind
If you are the last ward in the building, if you are planning on using the building to broadcast you are good for 2 to 3 classes being broadcast, otherwise you will fight against each other on the wifi of the building.
People can use their phones or if they have a laptop with a camera, just use those items. If using a phone, have a mount for it. Don't hold the phone to teach
Prop up the phone or laptop on books to bring it up, don't have the phone or laptop sitting lower than your face
January 3, 2021 Announcement of "building broadcast" equipment to standardize and make the process of Sacrament Meeting broadcasts to be simple
Note - 11/22/2020
Note - 11/22/2020
A good way of getting audio into a broadcast is by using a 3.5mm cable from a hearing device receiver and plug the other end of the cable to a laptop or other device you may be using to broadcast the audio. These are called "Assisted Listening Devices" that in the Meridian Building and the Heritage Stake Building are found in the Library on a rack as you see here, in the North Stake building each ward has devices and some are in the library. Each building has antennas in the attic that are setup to get into the chapel only and per FCC regulations are tuned down to not go outside the building.
By way of how the pandemic is looking, Sacrament service broadcasts may look like a longer needed solution.
Note - 10/11/2020
Note - 10/11/2020
First Sunday of broadcasting - send us an email at qcnstech@gmail.com to share what you worked out today
Note - 10/8/2020
Note - 10/8/2020
Solution that could help:
Solution that could help:
Equipment:
Computer
Webcam
Wireless Keyboard/Mouse
Each podium has a Network cable jack (Stake Center - inside the podium - please see the stake techs for help there please. (WiFi will work but cable connection is more stable)
Possible: Use a Mic Stand arm to tape or clip a webcam close to the podium perhaps the mic on the webcam will provide the best audio. But if you have a Mic input into the computer, a USB or 3.5mm microphone clipped right up by the Podium mic will give you really good audio.
(Please be patient and try, we are here to help)
As of today, the email that Bro. Smith sent out from the stake, the instruction from the Church also provides an opportunity to really work well with Zoom and the 45 minute limitation, put Sacrament at the end and you can end the zoom broadcast just before the Sacrament.
Remembering this is a Temporary Solution, we advise you not to spend any money on equipment, everything should be done with equipment that members have already. Because this is not a typical process, and the Church will not allow broadcasting of Sacrament Meetings forever, the equipment should be with what a member has and not purchasing any broadcast equipment. This should be a simple setup and, according to the church, it should not distract from the purpose of the meeting for anyone in attendance as well as at home. Please don't do anything more than setting up and casting a meeting as if the member was sitting there.
Remembering this is a Temporary Solution, we advise you not to spend any money on equipment, everything should be done with equipment that members have already. Because this is not a typical process, and the Church will not allow broadcasting of Sacrament Meetings forever, the equipment should be with what a member has and not purchasing any broadcast equipment. This should be a simple setup and, according to the church, it should not distract from the purpose of the meeting for anyone in attendance as well as at home. Please don't do anything more than setting up and casting a meeting as if the member was sitting there.
TEST, Test, test - before you do the first broadcast for your ward, test your setup - do a test broadcast and see what happens and what you need to change before you go live. If you need special training on any of this, please let us know at: qcnstech@gmail.com we will either do a video to help or pull small groups together for some training.
TEST, Test, test - before you do the first broadcast for your ward, test your setup - do a test broadcast and see what happens and what you need to change before you go live. If you need special training on any of this, please let us know at: qcnstech@gmail.com we will either do a video to help or pull small groups together for some training.
Just remember, these are our guidelines based on what the Church has asked us to prepare for and allow as well as based on equipment we have in each of the buildings. The Stake Presidency wants these meetings to be a simple cast, this is not a production, it is a Simple, Single Camera/phone setup and the Church doesn't want it to distract from the meeting.
Just remember, these are our guidelines based on what the Church has asked us to prepare for and allow as well as based on equipment we have in each of the buildings. The Stake Presidency wants these meetings to be a simple cast, this is not a production, it is a Simple, Single Camera/phone setup and the Church doesn't want it to distract from the meeting.
Please, don't get into equipment or locations where the stake has equipment setup, like the podium at the stake center - equipment in there is setup for specific reasons and please do not touch. If you feel you need to do something more than what we have in this web page, and If you need to do "something" please involve the stake techs to make sure you can do this with the old or new technology at these buildings.
Please, don't get into equipment or locations where the stake has equipment setup, like the podium at the stake center - equipment in there is setup for specific reasons and please do not touch. If you feel you need to do something more than what we have in this web page, and If you need to do "something" please involve the stake techs to make sure you can do this with the old or new technology at these buildings.
if you have any questions or even if you have some solutions you have found to work, please let us know at qcnstech@gmail.com
if you have any questions or even if you have some solutions you have found to work, please let us know at qcnstech@gmail.com
Please Click on the question or the arrow to drop down the information you should read
Please Click on the question or the arrow to drop down the information you should read
See Video tests at the bottom of this page - new ones will be posed as I get them finalized
See Video tests at the bottom of this page - new ones will be posed as I get them finalized
What equipment do I need? (updated 10-11-2020)
What equipment do I need? (updated 10-11-2020)
Computer, Cell phone, or Tablet
See videos below: Best solution is probably a cell phone up at the front pew . Using Google Meet (see casting info and change as of Oct 1, 2020. A google Meet app is available on both the Android and iPhone platform.
laptop and a Web cam - most wards who have been doing this outside of our stake, have been using an HD Web Cam that connects via USB port on the computer. The webcam typically comes with an HD - Compressed Microphone built in and so the Video and Audio sync's up perfectly. However, after testing (see video below) the Mic compresses ambient sounds around and gives a directional audio capture straight on from the camera but the compressing has a hard time because it gets confused with the large room echoing and thinks the audio coming over the speakers is ambient noise yet not. We used it in the High Council room at one end and you could hear people at the far opposite end of that room, clearly. If you use a Laptop, I would suggest using an Audio input on your laptop with a 3.5mm cable coming from the 3.5mm jack Output of system audio that is built in at the rostrum or sacrament table. At the Stake Center the 3.5mm plug is under the sacrament table closest to the door to the stake offices. At the Meridian Building and the Heritage Stake building, the 3.5mm audio out is on the side of the podium and is marked as OUT - just don't make cables a tripping hazard and should be tested to make sure your Input on your laptop and phone will work with this.
Laptops may have fan noise because taking videos and streaming them live require a lot of power and processing speed. It will generate heat and the laptop fan will probably run full speed for some of the time
Cell phones have good audio and video quality if they are close enough to the subject. Don't place a phone on the podium - nobody wants to look up a person's nose as they talk (see video below).
The stake has a Projector stand that can be used in helping prop up a phone or laptop, but it still will be below the speaker - so if you are on the side, it is fine to be below the speaker at the pulpit because you aren't inches away from them, perhaps to the side of the Second Center Pew where you are sitting right next to it to control.
Use a tripod for cameras that you may have. There are cell phone holders that will mount to a tripod. NOTE: that would be the only, and cheap enough expense that someone should be willing to donate to the cause, but that would be all you need.
Internet Speeds:
Stake Center - Cox Internet - 50G down and 10G up
Meridian - Cox Internet - 25G down and 5G up (try to cast in 720p for best solution)
Heritage Stake center - 100G down and 20G up
Security Concerns
Security Concerns
The location where you broadcast must be secure and not open to the entire world - Use passcodes and special event codes that everyone needs to use in order to get into the broadcast
The use of Facebook and Instagram for live broadcasting has some dangers as well as can exclude people, as well as start some things that an older person who isn't on Facebook or Instagram may not want on their phone - even security issues.
If you have a GMail account, you can broadcast to YouTube - but you MUST do the broadcast in UNLISTED mode - which requires the web address to that broadcast to be sent out and that is the only way people can see the broadcast - see info about YouTube below
In the Church Tech forums, early on, people were experiencing Bombing when not using a secure way of broadcasting - basically using an open forum - Zoom was one that took a hit, but also if you don't turn off comments, people get a hold of the links and start typing horrible things in the "Chat" Lock it down and shut it off
General Tips
General Tips
A video will be "Washed" out if the camera has a light shining directly into the camera of the laptop or phone - Avoid the angle of the device to have light directly shining into the lens
USB Web Cams are able to minimize that washing affect
Try to avoid having the curtains on the sides of the chapel in the camera angle - the lens will focus and adjust on the brightness coming through - use the blinders in the curtains to minimize light.
It is Okay not to turn on 100% of the lights - especially on the rostrum - Don't make it dark and don't turn off all the lights, but notice there are the speaker spot lights - they don't do anything when every other light is turned on, but they do put a nice light on the person at the pulpit if some of the can or larger lights are off - test and see what the Bishop is comfortable with. Don't have too many lights off, your camera will adjust and you will see a "noisy" or grainy video on broadcast.
The stake provided a broadcast for 2 wards whose bishopric's were reorganized just before our stake conference. During that time we put a picture of Christ on the screen and muted the audio. So it was silent but the picture was there so they knew the broadcast didn't stop or they thought there were problems - less of a headache for you.
If you use a Bluetooth microphone, please test to make sure it syncs up with you video you broadcast
Cell phone / Tablet - TIPS
Cell phone / Tablet - TIPS
Put your phone on Airplane Mode - so you don't get texts or phone calls that will show up on the feed during your broadcast
Make sure your phone is fully charged
The Church suggests if a phone is used, put it on a tripod and as close to the height of the person speaking as possible and off to the side, not directly on where the phone or tripod can get bumped or causes a problem with passing the sacrament or gaining access to the phone while trying to block the video and audio of the Blessing and passing of the sacrament.
The phone will need to be closer than a laptop because the mic isn't as good as a USB web cam
Look at the Streaming services tab below for some good videos
A 1080p webcast takes a minimum of 5Mbps - which is most of the available bandwidth at a church house - which is also being used by all members connected to the WiFi in the building. 720 takes just under 2Mbps and is still considered a great picture. The church should not reimburse for data used on cell phones - put the phone into Airplane Mode and use the WiFi in the building
If the phone screen is facing the audience, put some paper over the screen so it doesn't distract from the meeting to members in the pews. The phone Camera on the back of the phone is much better than the camera facing the person if you are looking at the screen.
Laptop - Tips
Laptop - Tips
Use a Web Cam. Logitech has 720p and 1080p cameras (if you have them already - don't go buying any) but most of your online HD content should be at 720p to not require too much web bandwidth to broadcast. Logitech is just one brand, we are not saying you Must have a Logitech - that brand has been a solid brand in the past. Many, if not most, "Off Brands" or many of the available cameras you find on Amazon like Wansview, Ehome, Aukey, Nexigo - and many more - there is no experience with these and many people complain about the mic or quality of the camera, be careful - but don't go out and buy one. The Logitech, Microsoft and brands that don't have cut up names that "sound" like a function or webcam are much better to use. We used a Logitech C615 1080p webcam - USB camera in the High Council room at one end and it picked up audio at the other end of the room perfectly - that is an awesome webcam. Again, Zero cost, someone should have a camera to use.
Use a laptop with as much memory - no less than 8GB - preferably 16Gigabytes with an Intel i5 or i7 or equivalent Mac laptop.
Depending on the length of the USB cable to the Webcam, put your laptop at a different location and use a tripod to hold the web cam up. This will give you better control over starting and stopping without disruption to the members in the chapel.
Use a USB extension cable - USB A Extension - a 6 foot cable should give you plenty of distance.
Streaming takes a lot of processing power - meaning battery life, when streaming, is nothing like real life use of your laptop. You had better plug it in to power. A fully charged laptop that with normal use would last up to 7 hours, just may not make a 1 hour streaming broadcast. But you know your laptop, if you feel comfortable using it on battery for the 1 hour broadcast, that is your decision.
Casting Services (updated 10-11-2020)
Casting Services (updated 10-11-2020)
In all casting services, you typically have to start the broadcast or set up the broadcast in order to get a web address to send out for the stream - meaning someone needs to start and send out the link to the cast moments before the meeting starts - so you need to be prepared with lists for people and an email. Think about what technology people have and don't assume they know how to use it. You need to apply the KISS method and then add another KISS level to it as well (KISS - Keep it simple stupid, some are a bit more "PC" and say Keep it simple silly - an acronym used across many business environments). In the Church and Professional environments for the Tech Team, we use all but Facebook to broadcast different things from time to time, but for Official Church broadcasts like Stake Conference we use the Church's Webcast system. This is not available for ward broadcasts. Depending on your skill level and familiarity with the platform, will probably depend on what you want to use, but remember make it easy for those at home.
Zoom will be a great service
Google Meet is a great and can schedule before Sunday
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YouTube: When broadcasting, Select Web Cam Stream when you go into Live broadcasting. You won't need a streaming computer or a really expensive encoding device with an RTMP stream URL and stream code (way above your pay grade) Select Web Cam stream for both phone and laptop use. YouTube will save all videos streamed, please go into the creators studio and "Delete forever" selection to remove the video - Videos are completely wiped and no longer stored in YouTube or in your channel. I would suggest if you don't have a Gmail account for the person who is in charge of this in your ward, to create a generic one - remember - this is temporary and you can delete the account when the church tells us that we no longer can broadcast sacrament services.
YouTube: Unlimited broadcast time
How To video: https://youtu.be/Xka4OLgzW9Q Note: it is referenced that you need 1000 subscribers to the channel - that is a requirement to be able to use your phone, you don't need 1 single subscriber to stream from a computer. Encourage for members to NOT subscribe and reiterate many times that this is a temporary situation and should not be subscribed to.
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Zoom:
Zoom:
When broadcasting you use a Web Cam or phone to send your video. Make sure as the presenter of the meeting you set the settings to MUTE All Microphones and video cameras. This puts it in a Webcast mode rather than a meeting mode. Experience shows that if you don't, someone coughs all of the sudden EVERYONE sees that person sitting there looking at themselves for a few seconds. In another ward in the valley tried doing a Fast and Testimony meeting in a Zoom meeting early on in the Covid lock down and the older people would say "I can't hear anything," and didn't know how to turn up their volume and be talking to someone in the room to help them turn up the volume, all the time they are being seen because their microphone was on which puts them to the front of the pictures for everyone there to see and watch - a Complete disaster and the spirit of the meeting was not close to being there - that ward has yet to attempt to do another broadcast.
Do not turn on "record meeting"
Zoom: Free version of Zoom is limited to 45 minutes total - plan on how you will do this broadcast
How to video: https://youtu.be/s5VU8cmEnTs
Another that the Church uses as an example: https://youtu.be/bTSJ0YDoF7o
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Facebook: Suggestion is to use the Facebook Business page - otherwise everyone needs to be friends of the person who this is broadcasting through and then all of their friends will get a notice that your ward is going live , they may get bothered. If you don't already have a ward Facebook Business Page, set one up and use that account to broadcast, ward members can search and follow - be careful, anyone can search out your business page for the ward and attach into them. Turn off any comments - people should not be commenting during a broadcast. You can have people "Turn On Notifications" so they will be automatically notified that you are live. Remember, ALL of your people in your ward who are at home and allowed to see these, need to be in Facebook. Plus if a member of the ward who should be at the building decides to go to the Facebook page, they can stay home and watch Church from there. This is the least controlled way of broadcasting.
When you are finished, DELETE the broadcasted video - forever. However, in Facebook, if you delete something, they still have it. Use the Facebook Manager App to set this up on your phone
Facebook: approx 90 minute broadcast time
How to video: https://youtu.be/fUUIzNJ2BA8
Another Video about how other church's set up on Facebook with tips: https://youtu.be/aNcIFnx67ys
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Google Meet (Meet.google.com) - ***This Platform is the Best one to use for this need - Unlimited time and real easy to click on a link and get into for the users***
Google Meet (Meet.google.com) - ***This Platform is the Best one to use for this need - Unlimited time and real easy to click on a link and get into for the users***
Update: October 1, 2020 - Google announced they will not limit Meet meetings until March 31, 2021 - so Google Meet is still unlimited in time and meetings one can use on the free and paid versions that would have been affected by this change. After September 30, 2020 Google will be dialing back the free access to Meet to be better than Zoom but not too much. Google Meet is a simple way of getting a broadcast up and even scheduling in advance. You will just need to do a Group or a set of contacts that are for home-bound people, where it is easy for you to go to the Google Calendar and setup a Meet broadcast - even setup reoccurring scheduled Sunday meetings and the code to access will be sent out in your Invite to those members through the calendar. You have the ability then to stop the cast so everyone sits there waiting for you to come back in while the Sacrament is being passed and then resume the broadcast when it is time to start back up. Google Meet is a simple and nice way of setting up a broadcast. I would suggest if you don't have a Gmail account for the person who is in charge of this in your ward, to create a generic one - remember - this would be a temporary and you can delete the account when the church tells us that we no longer can broadcast sacrament services.
Google Meet: 60 Minute broadcast time UNLIMITED Broadcast Time
How to video: https://youtu.be/CY_oyeg5UXk
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The church put out a letter about casting other meetings at the ward level
The church put out a letter about casting other meetings at the ward level
In that letter they mention the use of the Church's Webcast system and this is assuming the special casting equipment that is required to encrypt the broadcast in a way they can decrypt it to send to members is as if how they build buildings today. Stake Centers today have the wiring and capabilities in place that allow for access to equipment much easier than we have in the Stake Center and Meridian Buildings. However, the Stake Presidency does not want the use of that equipment in part because then it basically will require the need to be close to the equipment and since your phone or laptop isn't close enough and there is a limitation on the length of HDMI cable connectivity, the use of much more expensive and the non-use of your laptop or phone then gets us into using the full stake broadcast system for broadcasting your services. I refer the Bishops back to the instruction they were given by the Stake Presidency on how they wish these broadcasts to work.
9/28/2020 - Test 1 with Cell phone
9/28/2020 - Test 1 with Cell phone
a few different angles and examples
9/28/2020 - Laptop testing with Webcam
9/28/2020 - Laptop testing with Webcam
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