Inexpensive video capture for our church

[Majorxx]

Are there any recommendations that might help us. We wish to capture Sunday service videos on a computer using a remote camera so we could make them available to those members who are physically unable to attend the event. We are a small church and need to do this as inexpensively as practical. Can it be done and what equipment might be recommended.

 

[bp2008]

What do you mean by "remote camera"?

An IP camera plus recording software could technically do the job, but audio quality is probably terrible no matter what you do. You may want to investigate an HDMI capture card and a camera that outputs video over HDMI. I don't know. I've never bought such a camera before.

 

[LittleBrother]

A security camera is not suitable for this. The good news is this is super easy to do if you are okay putting it out later that day:

1) Get any consumer grade video camera
2) Film the service
3) Later that day rip the video from the camera, place it on dropbox, and give the dropbox link to people (they don't need dropbox to download it).

Now they can watch the service through a browser remotely.

Real-time high def feed will increase cost and complexity.

 

[zero-degrees]

@LittleBrother, that isn't exactly a fair statement... People have used HIKvision cameras to broadcast to youtube and other streaming sources live in native 1080p, the only difficult part would be a quality sound link which would require an additional microphone.
@Majorxx At any rate.. If you want to broadcast live services as well as save them for later viewing you can do this a number of ways, below is one option.

1. Look for a high quality HD web camera - Professional ones designed for Web Conferences in business/conference room environments rooms will work best - typically $200 - $300.
2. Connect that camera to a PC and assure you have a quality video and audio connection.
3. Apply to Youtube to be a channel partner - you're a non-profit church, so you will not be required to have views and minimums like a normal person trying to live stream for $$$ would.
4. Once approved you will be able to live stream your services to those at home, and also record and save them for later viewing.

Littlebrothers options will also work but that will require someone to physically connect the camera, pull the video down, rip it, upload it, etc etc. The Youtube option allows those at home to participate live and all you do is click a single button at the start of the service "Broadcast now" and click "stop" at the end. Those at home can watch live, those not awake or available at that time can watch the recorded session in an hour or two ones it saves over.

one last note - the unstated obvious is you and your viewers will need high speed internet.

 

[Majorxx]

Thanks to all for the prompt answers.

Littlebrothers recommendation is basically what we do currently with my GoPro.

This requires manual intervention that causes issues when I can't be there.


We do not wish to do a live broadcast.

If possible, we would like for it to automatically record from 11:45 to 12:15 on Sunday and save the video file on a computer.

{ zero-degrees } Thanks, I can swing the cost of the Conference Camera in that price range.

What about a software program that will handle the automatic function needed to record and save the video?

 

[LittleBrother]

I had thought about youtube, streaming up and then having people watch it there as multiple streams from church wouldn't be a good idea. I didn't realize it was that cheap, though