What to charge for Web Streaming Option

[Raji Ahmed]

Hey Guys - I have been asked a few times if we can do Live Streaming. A lot of of our clients are from India and other countries overseas and they have family or elderlies that cannot travel to events all the way here. And they're happy to just have a live feed available of just the ceremony or of certain events. I'm happy to do it and think it would great to offer that as an option. I've read posts already on what people think of live streaming, but if anyone out there is doing it, any idea what I should charge? I dont want to make it part of my package and increase that cost for those who don't want it. I want to offer it as an option. Any thoughts on what would be fair?

Thanks Guys
-Raji

[Chris Sgaraglino]

I stream a lot of my events to Southern Calofornia, here is what I do.

I stream one camera, a Sony NX5u (it also records at the same time). I only stream SD, it's much cheaper, and for the web works awesome.

I have a laptop in the main event room connected via wifi with a USB video capture cord (amazon $50) and a wireless video transmitter/receiver (eBay $75). You can get the cheaper on eBay, but cheaper means less power and less power means you have to be closer to the laptop. I am good for about 300ft before I start seeing issues.

I use WebEx for the streaming... It's $20/mo but I get much better quality and reialiability over Skype.

Typically, the receiving end will have a projector in a room of some sort so that many people can watch the event, vs. piping it to each individual home or device.

This works very well, and there are fixed costs involved... The ony real variable is the cost of the wifi at the event center... But this is typically only $25 or so...

Hope this helps...

[Raji Ahmed]

Thanks a bunch Chris. On The NX5u, what output port do you use to connect to the USB capture card? And from there, can you connect directly to the laptopor does the card only work on a desktop? My camera doesn't have a Firewire port, but it has an HDMI and a USB. I was looking at purchasing BlackMagix to connect via HDMI. I heard that works.

Do you by any chance have model names of the USB Card you use and also the wireless transmitter/receiver? If only my cam had firewire, this would be much simpler.

Thanks for much for your help

[Chris Sgaraglino]

Come out of the NX5u via standard composite to the transmitter.
You will then be wireless on the camera side.

Something like - Transmitter/Receiver - eBay:
1500MW 1.5M Audio/Video AV Wireless Transmitter & Receiver kit,up to 1000M | eBay

On the laptop side - connect the receiver to a USB Capture device - something like:

Amazon.com: Elgato Video Capture Device 10020840: Electronics

 

Amazon.com: Elgato Video Capture Device 10020840: Electronics

This will pick up the signal and send it out to the internet.

If you don't need wireless - just come out of the NX5u's Composite port straight into the USB Capture device.


(Note: The items suggested above are similar to what I have - my exact models are no longer available)

[Raji Ahmed]

Chris, this helps a lot. Thank you so much

[Warren Kawamoto]

I have a very similar wireless transmitter/receiver system from ebay....but it's black and white only! I use it for my teleprompter, so black and white is fine for me. Be careful, make sure it transmits in color before buying. I believe the set pictured above is for B/W CCTV security monitor systems.

[Raji Ahmed]

Thanks for that tip. I will make sure its color.

Now if I'm streaming using the composite cables, that's Standard Def. Is that how it will record on my cam that is HD??

[Justin Molush]

You will need a production program that is able to take in HD, and downconvert on output. If your using something like a Newtek Tricaster, thats very easy, but very expensive...

On the other hand, there are programs like Vidblaster that Im sure you could setup some kind of HD master capture as well.

[Warren Kawamoto]

I don't have an NX5u, but there is an RCA video composite out on it. Or an AV out. Either way, I'm quite sure you can change the output resolution via the menu.

[Rickey Brillantes]

Raj, this is what you need.

Livestream Store — Livestream Broadcaster

[Raji Ahmed]

This looks very convenient...a bit out of my budget at the moment. If there is more of a demand for live streaming, I will definitely consider it. Thanks

[Raji Ahmed]

I wanted to give an update for anyone who might be interested. After trying out several different methods to live stream video, here's what didn't work: I tried the Pinnacle MovieStudio Plus Box - that allowed me to capture video but not do a live stream. After researching online, I found some who said it worked for them and others said that this box did not let them do live streaming. Then I got a cheap Canon HV30 that had firewire and was going to make that my dedicated cam for streaming, and connected that directly to my laptop. But because I have Windows 7 64Bit, HV30 is not compatible. There were many out there who had similar issues and some had fixes, but nothing worked for me. My laptop, a Sony VAIO, would not even recognize the device. Then I got a Canopus ADVC110. I said heck with the HV30 and connected the Canopus on one end to the laptop via Firewire and the HMC150 to the input of the Canopus through Component (RCA) cables and that finally worked. I was able to live stream using ustream.tv, although not in HD, but it was good enough. I might try the BlackMagic Intensity Pro for HD in the future. But for now, I'm just happy this worked on time for the event.

Thanks to all those who helped in my efforts. I always learn so much from this forum. Hopefully this can ease some heartache to someone out there reading this.

-Raji