How I got time-shifted HD Video to simulcast our sermons to another building.

[Joe Ferreira]

First off, I'm not a shill for any company. I just see this question posted quite a bit, so I thought I'd share my solution.

We do multi-cam IMAG in our main, blended service. The goal was to start a "modern" worship center in our new youth building. The challenge was that the youth building is a separate building several hundred feet away. Also, timing would be an issue, so a DVR with simultaneous record/playback capabilities was needed.

I decided on the voLANte (svsi-volanteDOTcom) to facilitate the DVR and video transmission. The system consists of a receiver, transmitter, and DVR and is capable of sending 1080P video and sound over Cat5e...extended by gigabit switches. Without the DVR, I could send live video over ethernet, nothing earth-shattering in terms of innovation, but it works. I think it's a little different because you can use network switches to extend it further than the limitations of typical video-over-cat5 extenders or baluns (this is an assumption on my part).

While you can run the voLANte on your existing gigabit network using vlans, for the sake of simplicity and separation, I installed dedicated Cisco SG300-10 (~$240) switches and used an available fiber channel that they had run underground when they built the building (yay, foresight).

We start the modern service five minutes after the blended service. When the choir begins their special, we start the record on the DVR (from a PC with the software client) and notify the volunteers in the other service. From there, they are able to use a PC in that building to begin playback. They can then use the preview to cue up the beginning of the service and pause it until the modern worship band has completed their set. As they finish their last song, they switch the Extron video switcher from the ProPresenter output to the sermon, and hit play. The DVR continues to record the sermon video while simultaneously playing back the video in the other building.

Finally, we use the DVR to convert the video to a video file that we can edit and throw on Vimeo or DVDs. Granted, we only have the live mix on camera angles, but we record two identical services so we can use the other as a backup in case of an awkward camera angle or bad switch.

Now we are using the voLANte for only one part of what it can do. Also, I left out my signal flow, and just started this with HD video and audio into the receiver. We do stuff like downstream keying on a Mac Pro, into a Gefen HDMI distribution amp before it gets to the voLANte receiver. I'd be glad to answer any questions regarding this setup. Hope that helps.

[[Admin] osborn4]

Thanks for sharing. Love to hear sucess stories.

[petereit]

Awesome!! And great timing too! Planetshakers is doing a concert at our church October 30th and I have a feeling we're going to need to use our youth building (200 yards away) for overflow.

I'm forwarding this to my media director!!

[tdangelo]

I had never heard of voLANte so this really peaked my interest. I ran right to their website, which is not so easy to find, Google sent me on a wild goose chase. The correct URL is:

http://svsi-volante.com/

My first comment after reading the specs is that the transmitters and receivers are capable of uncompressed 1080p HD at 400-880 Mbps ... which is very cool and much more than most churches will need. At that setting however all sorts of network bottlenecks will occur even when running fiber channel IF you are using the network to move multiple streams around simultaneously (isos and line cuts, off-stage and on-stage screens, multiple programs to multiple destinations).

Their normal transmitter receiver devices default as JPEG2000 at 25 Mbps. Again. more than adequate for most churches (although I would not build a broadcast facility based on that).

The recorders are spec'd at JPEG200 (only) between 1-100 Mbps (25 Mbps default).

Joe, what type of edit system you using? Are you going through a log & capture process? Are you importing the JPEG2000 or reading it natively? At what bit rate?

Thanks.

[petereit]

Tom, I woudn't think that video over IP system is intended for ingest or editing -- only for streaming live video, and most likely not more than one full-HD stream. But it does present an interesting routing alternative, especially if you already have a quality gigabit Ethernet system wired throughout your facility.

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by petereit

I woudn't think that video over IP system is intended for ingest or editing -- only for streaming live video, and most likely not more than one full-HD stream. But it does present an interesting routing alternative, especially if you already have a quality gigabit Ethernet system wired throughout your facility.

Some like their Ice Tea sweet. Others don't.

The fact that the manufacturer offers a "recorder" positions the device well as a network based VTR replacement solution.

As HD VTR prices have not fallen much recently, tape stock has become more and more difficult and expensive to purchase and end-users have become more comfortable with tapeless workflows, it begs the question, "Why not use it as a VTR replacement?" "Why not use it as a network based and connected edit or pre-edit storage device?"

I would venture to say that the uncompressed capability of the box was not intended for streaming ...

[Arlin]

voLante & JAP are very similar, competing products.
Here is a thread I started a while ago comparing them a bit... I was (still am) evaluating them for our new facility. It probably won't happen right away, but maybe later.

Another plus for voLante, I think they have a box now that will accept a VGA signal through DVI-I interface. No separate VGA->DVI-D/HDMI converter box needed anymore.

Our AV contractor has used voLante & really liked it. They had not heard of JAP until I informed them. They dismissed JAP as a cheap rebranded foreign (Chinese) product without ever seeing JAP... they are arrogant that way and it frustrates me a lot....
It seems to me voLante has an edge in ease of use & installation as well as quality.
But JAP is ~1/3 the cost, especially the receivers which are quite expensive from voLante.

[Gracetech]

Very cool setup you have there.

We just finished our detached building and i used JAP boxes and a 12 pair fiber between the buildings to shuttle data around. I have to say the JAP boxes are tough to beat.

It would be interesting to hear more about you DVR setup.

crt

[Joe Ferreira]

Tom,

Regarding network bottlenecks: if you plan on using an existing gigabit network, you most likely need to create a VLAN (virtual local area network). This is a network inside a network, using the same switches as your existing network, but designating certain ports to this network. This happens at Layer 2, so you need a L2 switch just to handle VLAN traffic. The other thing to avoid bottlenecks is Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). Your switches have to be capable of IGMP snooping which is basically grabbing all the flagged video data and trunking it through o the destination. However, for simplicity and to reduce network configuration, I went with a standalone network using switches dedicated to the voLANte. Now I haven't added additional receivers (nursing rooms, overflow, etc.) yet, but I don't think that there should be that much more traffic on the network by adding these. Their site seems to suggest that several receivers can be used. Again, I am reducing the chance that our sermon will get interrupted by using it in the simplest way possible.

Regarding editing workflow: yes it captures in JPEG2000, which I imagine is how they are able to stream this @1080p. The DVR has a conversion feature that converts this to MPEG4 .mov that can be downloaded from the DVR to the PC with the voLANte client installed. From there we pull it into Premiere, set the in and out points, do some mild color correction, and render it to Vimeo, DVD, and archive qualities. Because the DVR captures the live video mix and ProPresenter overlays, if there is a production issue, you're kind of stuck with it. That's why we record both identical blended services, to have a backup in case a cameraman sneezes or something. In some instances we have dropped tapes into the cameras just to make sure we get the right video, but only for things where it's absolutely necessary to get the best video possible. You're welcome to look up our Vimeo channel for Spring Baptist Church. I have to discuss with my intern why the colors are so off for the latest sermon Kindly forgive that the videos are of varying quality as we have only very recently started into the video foray.

VTR Replacement: the DVR is capable of capturing two video stream sync to the same audio file. I could see using this to take the raw footage from two cameras to disk, but I would think that you'd lose the time shifting playback capabilities that I'm using it for. Also I wouldn't be able to overlay lower thirds in the feed to the other building. I could see using several DVRs to capture more than two feeds, but I think that you'd need a transmitter for each camera, and I can't answer as to how much traffic we are talking at that point. Which brings me to my next point.

Customer Service: I've spent some time on the phone with these guys, troubleshooting dropped packets (bad switch on my end) and a DVR software issue (sent back overnight, and got it back before the next Sunday). They are very knowledgable and helpful. I have no idea what their support policy is. As far as I know, right now it's " if you have a voLANte, we'll support it". But I have no doubt that they can help you dream up your system and discuss how to accomplish it on your network. Call them up and ask!

I'm glad this was helpful. Two years ago, I left my corporate IT job to become the Media Director at this church, and this site has been so helpful to me, getting dropped into the world of church media. It's nice to give something back, as little as it might be.

[Joe Ferreira]

Originally Posted by Gracetech

Very cool setup you have there.

We just finished our detached building and i used JAP boxes and a 12 pair fiber between the buildings to shuttle data around. I have to say the JAP boxes are tough to beat.

It would be interesting to hear more about you DVR setup.

crt

Just looked at the JAP solution...those receivers are much cheaper. I may consider this to replace our CCTV coax network so we can have HD all over the campus. However, I didn't see a DVR solution or time shift capabilities. This was critical in our application for the simultaneous services. Would something like a residential DVR work for that?

[Gracetech]

The only out of box devices that will do what your DVR will do cost almost 20k and up. I simplified our setup and it is simply a h.264 recorder and then the file is streamed to next door the next service. It puts alot of pressure on our guys to get it right the first hour though. I have been looking for a more frugal fix with timeshifting. About how much did the VoLANte dvr cost? I wouldn't mind picking up a couple of VoLante Transmitters and a couple of receivers if the dvr is priced right. You haven't talked stability yet so i assume it's stable?

crt

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by Joe Ferreira

Regarding network bottlenecks...Regarding editing workflow... You're welcome to look up our Vimeo channel...VTR Replacement... Customer Service.

What great answers. Thanks for all the time, thought and effort.