Live streaming

[docko4]

Hi everybodyIs anybody out there that can tell me when it comes to live streaming which way to go.
Built a dedicated server
OR
Using existing streaming provider like,USTREAM or LIVESTREAM or some other providers.
Thank you very much

[sempei13]

We started with Ustream, but quickly went to a paid service (to get rid of the ads).

Paul

[riafekim]

Originally Posted by sempei13

We started with Ustream, but quickly went to a paid service (to get rid of the ads).

Paul

Which service did you guys use?

[sempei13]

I'll have to ask. We just changed and out IT guy heads that up now.

Paul

[timato]

I would say it really depends on how much time you're willing to dedicate to upkeep of a dedicated DIY streaming computer. Short of spending the thousands of dollars on a streaming appliance, like a Touchstream (or the one Microboards recently came out with), you're looking at building and maintaining yourself, or using a solution like UStream.

The other, VERY important component to realize is that while you can provide a stream out to the Internet, you will NOT be able to support more than 2-5 people off your connection (unless you have some huge bandwidth). You'll need a streaming host that can support lots of viewers because you never know how many people will latch onto your stream on a given day and the last thing you want to have happen is your server gets overloaded and the stream crashes.

Invest some time and research into content delivery networks. A church I know of here in the area is using a place called hiwinds (sp.?) and there are other places out there, too. If you buy lots of Gigabytes of transfer at a time, you can literally pay pennies for each GB you purchase. You won't necessarily get the glitz and glamor of Ustream, but you also won't be shelling out $300+ every month for it, either.

[gnilsen]

Check out ucstreaming.net. A friend of mine has started this:
ucstreaming.net

It is very reasonable.

[tedanderson]

I've started using Amazon S3.

From what I understand, they provide wholesale streaming video services for some of the larger commercialized providers. And all it really takes is a good capture card and roughly 1GB of uploading capability on a P4 desktop PC.

It's relatively cheap and easy to use and the costs are scalable.. so you are only paying based on the amount of people who connect and watch.

[genepensiero]

we're using mediaserve.com

streams to flash, ios and more. always been very happy with their service.

[Mustangnaz]

We have been using Sermon.net for about a year and have been pleased with it.

[petereit]

We just started using the Livestream Broadcaster and it's working BRILLIANTLY!! Plug it in, configure Livestream credentials, hit go -- we're broadcasting!

Here's a link to the service we streamed last night. We had some audio issues back at the sound board in the studio, but the live-stream worked flawlessly. Not bad for our first ever attempt!

We're streaming live again tonight at 7:00 eastern. http://new.livestream.com/fwc/spiritconf

[JoshGuerette]

Originally Posted by petereit

We just started using the Livestream Broadcaster and it's working BRILLIANTLY!! Plug it in, configure Livestream credentials, hit go -- we're broadcasting!

Here's a link to the service we streamed last night. We had some audio issues back at the sound board in the studio, but the live-stream worked flawlessly. Not bad for our first ever attempt!

We're streaming live again tonight at 7:00 eastern. http://new.livestream.com/fwc/spiritconf

Wow, great result for your first attempt! The one hiccup I have with Livestream is their new pricing structure. For $49 /month, you get pretty much everything except embedding.

Is this an issue for you guys who use Livestream? Or is sending someone to livestream.com/mychurchhere easy enough for people?

[petereit]

Yeah, for us that's an issue, because we have a pretty cool web site and we'd love to embed the live stream right in that big window on our home page. But since we JUST started live-streaming, we're OK with redirecting to our channel on LiveStream's site.

Our bigger issue is that there seems to be a real problem with their mobile streaming. I didn't have any luck at all viewing our live stream on my Android phone or my iPad, and on mobile devices our archived services are stamped with "Sorry, we're working on it."

But we know that their "new" services are still "new." They'll get the kinks worked out. For us, it was all about going from NO streaming of any kind (not even THINKING about streaming) to plugging in one little magical box three days later and instantly streaming flawless full-HD video. I mean, I want to pop the screws on that little box and see if Steve Jobs is hiding in there.