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Broadcast two cameras
Help please. I am trying to to broadcast a two camera set up. My question is how can I toggle between camera A and camera B. We are broadcasting a sporting event live, streaming through NEULION. I need to know if there is a software out there, some kind of switch box, or any other means. Also how would I get the camera feed into what ever it is I need.
Any advice would help
Thank you
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10 Replies
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You need a video switcher. You didn’t mention what cameras you are using or what computer hardware or software.
You could use something as simple as a mechanical switch. That would produce a significant ugly glitch in the video every time you switch cameras. There are simple video switchers that take two cameras and internally synchronize the video to make smooth transitions. There is also software that can switch between video inputs, assuming you have two video inputs on your computer, and you have enough horsepower in your computer to handle the video switching AND the video streaming.
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Hardware-based video switchers can be found new at B&H for just under a grand, and they go up in price as you add features. Used ones are also available thru places like ebay or the like. If you have a good laptop, there are software-based switcher simulating applications out there. Look at something like channel storm or avtake. Those might be “good enough” if your 2-camera footage is just for local access or whatever, depends on your specific budget and needs.
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I still like the good ole GVG100.
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Thanks everything is helpful. I have two HVX 200 and this guy approached me trying to broadcast a sporting event over the web. I was just trying to find a way to toggle between the two cameras. They don’t have a big budget but I would love to give them something. Is there anything I can rent that is simple and low cost.
Thanks
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Well, one common way to tackle this would be if you can rent a Newtek Tricaster, which is basically a TV station in a box; your switcher, special effects, graphics, plus a hard-drive disk recorder and the stuff for sending out a live stream to the web. But of course, nothing is ever really that easy, in the sense that that streaming video output from the tricaster can only be seen by a handful of people at a time, unless the stream is first sent to another location that will act as a repeater to many more viewers.
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good luck getting HD cameras into a GVG100.
Let me translate this gentlemen’s question –
“I have 2 HD P2 cameras, and I have been hired to do a two camera live switched shoot of a sporting event, but I am getting paid practically nothing to do this, but I will get at least a little, as long as I can SWITCH the two HD cameras, and then stream the output to the web. Isn’t there a free piece of software I can use to switch these two cameras, and if there is, how can I get both cameras into my computer at the same time – can I switch between two firewire ports ?”.
This is the answer sonny boy – you don’t get to chaufer someone to a location unless you own a car (yes, you can rent a car). And you don’t get to do a complex video shoot unless you OWN or RENT the correct equipment to do this. You tell your client “sir, I can’t do this job properly for you unless you PAY ME MORE MONEY”. And if he says to himself “heck, I will find some other stupid kid to do this for me for 100 bucks” – then SCREW HIM – let him ROT. He needs to increase your rate so you can RENT a small video switcher (like a Tricaster, or other SD-SDI or HD-SDI switcher) so you can cut and dissolve between the two cameras. I still have no idea of how you will take the output of this switcher and get it encoded in real time for web streaming (but the Tricaster does exactly this function for you).
Bob Zelin
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I’ve been anxiously awaiting Bob’s response to this question; totally worth the wait!
“That’s a really fair price; now can you do it any cheaper?”
Enjoy the long weekend guys (in case you get one)
Chuck
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I was upset at this post, because the employer of this kid figures he can get “some idiot” do to an expensive job for “dirt cheap” because “the kid wants an opportunity”. I see a@#holes like this all the time. They feel that they can take advantage of young or desperate people in our business, and keep all the profits for themselves. I mean this quite literally – I know a guy who has a magnificent 10,000 sq ft home (I am not making this up), who seeks out kids like this to do his jobs, so he can live in luxury, while he pays peanuts.
All I can say, is read Ron Lindeboom’s classis article on Grinders. But I understand that when you are desperate for any work, you will try to do anything.
Bob Zelin
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Bob, if you haven’t been thanked for your eye-opening candor lately, let me be the first to convey my heart felt thanks from every “newbie” who’s been tasked with an impossible mission such as taking a couple of Best Buy “HD” cameras and figuring out how to switch them to stream live for free or some of the other crazy issues that pop up on this column.
The scary part is that how long do you think it will be before you can use an iPad to switch a couple of iPhones and do a live stream? Hell Broadcast Pix already has a “switching” app. for the iPad, can something more advanced be far behind? I am sure we can all appreciate the enthusiasm from every young go-getter just starting in this business, but we also have a responsibility as Bob often points out to make sure these people understand the true value of their product, and what they are getting themselves into or potential exposing themselves to some serious repercussions if they fail, or someone is injured during a production for instance.
On a side note, I had my own “Bob Zelin moment” last week when I met when and old acquaintance who is thinking of getting into the wedding videography business. Well this guy has shot a grand total of one wedding (for a friend) has one “pro-sumer” camera, and he has already put down a deposit to rent office space from a wedding center in our area. Well I tried to be nice, I really did, but he and his wife got up and left half way through the meal, and I have not heard from them since. I had a couple of “veterans” of the video/photography business with me at the dinner for support, and they all agreed this boy was in a heap of trouble, and didn’t even know it yet!
Chuck
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You can use this software app.
avtake.com
I have used for streaming sports and tape live for broadcast.
Works great and not expensive at all.
richard
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