What does it take to livestream?
What people think it takes:
Someone to run a device with a camera that uses a network connection to a service to send your event live.
What it actually requires:
Someone to run a device with a camera that uses a network connection to a service to send your event live. Plus…
Dialog in advance with your proposed venue to determine physical, technical, and logistics requirements. Dialog, also in advance, with you for pre-production of graphics for your event. Custom-built computer hardware with proprietary software designed for broadcast. Multiple remote-controlled cameras. Microphone(s), mixer(s) and speaker(s) for audio; or consulting to integrate with the available house audio system. Professionally trained staff to set up and handle technical issues before, produce and direct during, and strike after, your event.
Network Requirements
If you’ve chosen to livestream your event, there are some specific network requirements that need to be in place in order to connect to your chosen streaming service* reliably, and so that we don’t disrupt the venue’s existing network.
We need an wired internet connection that is separate (or electronically isolated) from the venue’s internal network, and not filtered, throttled, or capped by any firewall limitations on streaming.
It’s also important that all of our connected equipment be assigned addressing on the same network. (If address assignment [DHCP] isn’t available, our equipment can provide it, but we have had that “feature” conflict with some network configurations in the past.)
For acceptable throughput for streaming, an upload speedtest should be a preferred minimum of 10Mbps. We will normally test streaming capability during our site visit if network access is available.
If there are any concerns, we’re happy to participate in a dialog with IT services to determine the best possible options. Please contact us at engineering@mctv.tv .
* Streaming services we have experience with currently include YouTube and Facebook. If you’re using a different one, let us know, and we’ll learn about it!
Physical Requirements
A pre-event site visit (sometimes more than one) also orients us about where we park to unload/load equipment, ease of transporting our equipment to your designated room, and where in the room we locate our studio, and place cameras and microphones to cover your event. Our “studio” is normally set up on a standard 8’x2.5′ table, though that may get altered depending on what equipment we will need.
Zoom Teleconference Integration
We can integrate a Zoom Call or Webinar into your livestream event. Please notify us ahead of time of the Meeting ID and any passcode that may be assigned. If you are using a Zoom Webinar [recommended, as they offer much greater control] our logged-in account will need to be assigned as, or promoted to be, a panelist (confirm with the lead MCTV operator before your event). We also recommend since we normally have a wired network connection that, in case of network difficulties, you also promote us to be a co-host.
Configuring/Managing Streaming Services
YouTube
In order to properly manage streaming to your existing YouTube Channel, some pre-work (more than 24-hours in advance of your event) and account verification needs to be accomplished. MCTV, using the info@mctv.tv email address, should be added as a Manager to your YouTube account. Please keep us informed about the status of your steps in the process so we’re able to promptly accept the invitation and confirm it was successful.
Once we’re a manager, we will be able to create a stream key for your live event to configure our equipment with, and match any future events with that key.