Live-Stream – organisation & system Update, Oct 2021

October 2021 update to the elcg “hybrid” streaming installation (hybrid means we both stream on-line and provide loudspeaker sound to our congregations within the sanctuary). 

REMINDER as to why this latest update has been made:
a.  To obtain full quality from the altar and lectern microphones for our stream without passing though the sound system.
b.  In case the sound system doesn’t re-boot one Sunday morning, to at least continue our stream even if the sanctuary loudspeakers are not working. There is a dormant fault which has not shown up since weeks but we need to be ready.
 
1. For the technically-minded, the following diagram shows the wiring and physical changes. It is important to note that these do not change operation of the sound system, so our congregations – or anyone renting the sanctuary –  can still use it as before.

2. So this results in us having two additional inputs to the audio mixing desk (located in the organ gallery)

— Channel 5 is “ALTAR DIRECT”
— Channel 6 is “LECTERN DIRECT”

3. Channel 7 remains the output of the sound system. This channel is required if we want to stream the hand-held microphone of the pulpit microphone, neither of these have direct connections to the stream mixer.
4. Microphone power to Altar and Lectern is supplied by the sanctuary sound system as before.

MUSIC MICROPHONES
Altar/Lectern and Music3 and music 4 microphones are re-cabled to go behind the choir section and along the wall behind the piano. 
Music microphones 3 &4 are on a high stand just in front of the pulpit so that they capture the piano and the choir — the next step will be to place them inside the pulpit which is where they were always placed on Sundays for the last few years before Covid.
As we see, Music Microphones 1&2 remain mobile, with long cables for maximum flexibility.
 
NEXT STEPS

1. Covering the cables on the floor and behind the piano with plastic channel.

2. Hiding the vertical cables up to the balcony.

 
MICROPHONE CABLES in the balcony are correctly installed — they transit behind the panel covers which were removed for installation and replaced again afterwards.

BALCONY LIGHTING — ready for return to opening and using of the balconies.
This lighting provides a good level of sanctuary lighting and is critical for decent video capture — a major contributor to the quality of recording and of streaming.  The lights have been simply placed during Covid times (two photos below), now they are re-wired to conformity and each lamp secured safely (second two photos).