****i need some help**** live broadcasting equipment

[bamthemacman]

Hi guys,

I need to do some live broadcasting work on uStream, and I need to know what equipment I need.

I have some miniDV HDV camcorders, and a iMac. How do I get the footage from my cameras, to a switcher and final into my iMac to be broadcast?

Thanks a million!

Richard

[aedipuss]

for live HD you need a switcher like one of these.

http://www.datavideo.info/en/Mixer%20-%20Switchers/SE-2000

your cams have to have hd-sdi output.

then you need a way to get hd-sdi into your mac, like this.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/decklinkhdextreme/

and don't forget the data rate of hd-sdi is 3GB/s.


you might want to look into using the composite out of the cams and going SD.

[bamthemacman]

Thanks so much for your reply! Yes, I think I'll go SD. Could you give me the list needed for SD live broadcast?

Thanks so much!

[aedipuss]

tricaster makes nice SD switchers, check the product comparison at the bottom of the page to see which one you need. most likely you can use the standard tricaster. use the composite out from each of your cams to the tricaster. if you went with the tricaster pro you could use the higher quality component out if the cams have it.

http://www.newtek.com/tricaster/tricaster.php

from the tricaster to the mac you need to capture the composite/component out.

lots available if you don't have one. blackmagic makes good products like this.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/558914-REG/Blackmagic_Design_VIDREC_Video_Record...specifications

[bamthemacman]

Thanks so much!!! This'll do the trick!

[bamthemacman]

Hey just one more question: Is there any cheaper alternative to the tricaster? Thansks!

[aedipuss]

not that i know of. 4 cam switchers are broadcast equipment and it's not that big a market.

[subc]

there used to be a thing called videonics video mixer. 4 analog video/audio inputs. Probably still at ebay for cheap. Send the analog output to something like an ADS Pyro AV Link, and then send the result via firewire to the computer and onto uStream.

It could be a good idea to throw an audio mixer somewhere in there.. probably from each of your sources to the mixer, and from there to the Pyro AV Link audio input.

I just remembered, the videonics also has a monitor output for you to have a nice external view of your signal.

[bamthemacman]

Wow!! Thanks a lot! Yes, it looks like Videonics mixers are still on the market. Fantastic!

[olyteddy]

You might also check e-Bay for a used Panasonic MX series switcher.

[subc]

Ah yes, those Panasonic mixers used to be awesome for analog SD video switching.. much much better than videonics, but of course, higher quality = higher price. But these days all that old equipment goes for cheap.

[olyteddy]

Yeah, I just looked and they have a couple in the ~$500 range. A far cry from the $2000+ they used to sell for.

[bamthemacman]

Wow thats a GREAT price!!! Thanks so much for all the replys guys!