Hardware
If you're in charge of this then you're in for quite a wild ride. It'll help you if you're willing to dive deep and learn the terminology used below along with getting an idea of how things work underneath the surface.
Video system
To start, the video system is composed of the following elements:
- Live switcher & control panel
- 3 cameras
- 1 media playout system
- Stream encoder
- SDI-to-HDMI converters
Most of these systems are connected using two types of connection. The video layer is wired up using SDI and the control layer is implemented out-of-band via Ethernet.
The currently installed switcher is the BMD ATEM Constellation 8K. These were used for IMAG (image magnification) for Billie Eilish's tour in 2022, and the ATEM line is a popular choice for setups in churches and other budget-conscious environments. This is the heart of the production. Video sources, audio devices, control data, and more all converge here. If you're setting up the switcher from a blank state and need help, use this house startup guide to help you.
Media playout is handled by the BMD HyperDeck Studio 4K Pros. They can take two 2.5" SSDs, two SD cards, or a mix of them. I/O is present for both SDI and HDMI workflows, so you have access to basically any video source or display. You also get scrubbing and playback controls on the front, so they're pretty capable machines—even standalone. These are pick about file formats, so ensure you are using the house standard
// TODO : Add stream encoder documentation
Audio system
Audio routing is accomplished through a mixture of TRS and XLR from input to output. Generally simple.
Ancilliary systems
In addition, to complement the main system, a few other ancilliaries are included: