New AV System

[tmilne]

So we have a brand spanking new AV system in our stake center (installed Nov 2020), and it has a new pedestal controller with an LCD display. The system includes a PTZ camera mounted in the chapel for Sacrament broadcasts with all audio/video/controller feeds routed to an AV room next to the Stake Clerk's office.

We've automated everything about our broadcast setup, and can control everything from the control room now (camera, video switcher, audio channel). The only thing we can't automate is switching from the Chapel Mix to the Extron Selection (video switcher in the control room), which is done manually via these new LCD control panels. Does anyone have any information on these control panels (one on the pulpit, one in the AV room, and one in the Cultural Hall)? I would like to be able to hit an API over the building's network and switch this selection with my Elgato Stream deck or BitFocus Companion emulator. Then the whole broadcast could be automated and simplified.

Here's a list of the equipment we have in our new system:

• Extron IN1808 Video switcher (for the building)
  Extron DTP HD DA 8 Distribution Amplifier (all feeds in the building are now HDMI)
  Extron BALUN HDMI ins from the pulpit and overflow (for connecting extra cameras/notebooks/input devices, HDMI over Cat6)
  Extron BALUN HDMI outs in the High Council room, YW room, RS room, Primary room, pulpit, and cultural hall (shows whatever is selected on the Extron IN1808, HDMI over Cat6)
  ATEM Mini Video Switcher (to switch between the PTZ, laptop computer, Pulpit and Overflow feeds for broadcasts, acts like a webcam for a connected laptop)
  Yamaha MG10XU Sound mixer
  Chapel Mix XLR to the AV room (Pulpit and XLR microphone connectors in the chapel in a mixed signal)
  Dedicated Organ XLR to the AV room (not part of the chapel mix)
  Dedicated Choir Mic XLRs to the AV room (not part of the chapel mix)
  PTZ Optics 30x NDI/HZ Pan/Tilt/Zoom Camera
  HuddleCamHD HC-JOY-G3 Camera Controller

Here's what the units in our building are doing for the Sunday broadcasts:

Unit 1:

• Zoom Webinar from a personal laptop
  Uses a blue tooth dongle connected to the podium so the choir director can play hymns from a connected smart phone
  This comes to the AV room through the chapel mix - no switching necessary - and hymns go out with the broadcast, but they are audio only

Unit 2:

• Zoom Webinar from a personal laptop
  Also uses the personal laptop to play hymns back into the chapel (audio) and over the internet broadcast (audio and video) (our state does not allow singing in large groups)
  The only difficulty is switching the sound settings when you flip from chapel mix to laptop sound to play the hymns

Unit 3:

• YouTube Live from a personal laptop using XSplit (similar to OBS)
  Uses the personal laptop to play hymns back into the chapel (audio) and over the internet broadcast (audio and video)
  Again the difficulty of switching the sound settings when you flip from chapel mix to laptop sound to play the hymns

So you can see, the system is very versatile, and can be tailored to the skill levels of the technology specialists in the various units.

But the Stake Technology Specialist and I are working to consolidate the way they all do this to make is simpler for them all. Part of that is showing them out to leverage OBS and BitFocus Companion or a stream deck to play pre recorded scenes and macros. We have all that working but need a way to switch the audio selection.

Ping me if you want to see a detailed write up of our system and the ways we've configured it. And do let me know if anyone knows anything about these new LCD controllers.

[ElderMarkClark@pm.me]

For Stake Conferences, we take all the XLR outputs off the rack> pipe them to a mixer> then take HDMI Out> shoot through a video inserter to add mixed sound > HDMI inserter to HDMI In with CH-Mix In on Rack to Encoder. We do this again for Spanish translation > video inserter to another encoder for separate broadcast.

We also pipe the sound off another mixer back to the Chapel using a separate powered speaker so the Covid few in the chapel can hear canned video music while we turn off the mixer inside the podium that feeds the "covid" encoders or Raspberry Pi computers for Sacrament services. Lots of other stuff happening, very fluid depending on the cameras and building set ups.

[jamiep39]

Is the new sound system QSC? That's what we have in one of our buildings. Usually those live on the Facilities network and don't really have exposed APIs unless the integrator sets them up, which they likely didn't. The other touch screen systems I've seen are by Ivie, which I don't know as much about.

Could the laptops be connected to the chapel mix with an interface/crab box rather than HDMI audio via the Extron? I might not be getting a full vision of the setup. It would be interesting to see a write up though.

[tmilne]

The touch screens are Ivies... https://www.ivie.com/index.php/itc-1

We are getting wonderful audio and video outputs from the new system, so no need to go back to the old Crabbox. What I really need is programmatic access to the Ivie, so I can set it programmatically...

And for an update, we have figured out a way to configure the system so all sound routes through our sound board, so we avoid any nasty feedback loops, and can leave the Ivie set to Extron Selection. This also gives the sound engineer full control of all audio from the AV room.

I've prepared a detailed system layout and attached it.

I've also done extensive testing with many broadcast setup and streaming options, also attached.

[tmilne]

What I really need is programmatic access to the iVie

in particular the iVie iFlex 1280, so I can set it programmatically... I would like to mimic the call that the iVie touch screen sends to the controller in the rack for a selection change. And my endgame here is to figure out a way to do that with Bitfocus Companion so I can add this to the macros on my Elgato Stream Deck (one button push to control everything).

[shanedyork]

So we have a brand spanking new AV system in our stake center (installed Nov 2020), and it has a new pedestal controller with an LCD display. The system includes a PTZ camera mounted in the chapel for Sacrament broadcasts with all audio/video/controller feeds routed to an AV room next to the Stake Clerk's office.

We've automated everything about our broadcast setup, and can control everything from the control room now (camera, video switcher, audio channel). The only thing we can't automate is switching from the Chapel Mix to the Extron Selection (video switcher in the control room), which is done manually via these new LCD control panels. Does anyone have any information on these control panels (one on the pulpit, one in the AV room, and one in the Cultural Hall)? I would like to be able to hit an API over the building's network and switch this selection with my Elgato Stream deck or BitFocus Companion emulator. Then the whole broadcast could be automated and simplified.

Here's a list of the equipment we have in our new system:

• Extron IN1808 Video switcher (for the building)
  Extron DTP HD DA 8 Distribution Amplifier (all feeds in the building are now HDMI)
  Extron BALUN HDMI ins from the pulpit and overflow (for connecting extra cameras/notebooks/input devices, HDMI over Cat6)
  Extron BALUN HDMI outs in the High Council room, YW room, RS room, Primary room, pulpit, and cultural hall (shows whatever is selected on the Extron IN1808, HDMI over Cat6)
  ATEM Mini Video Switcher (to switch between the PTZ, laptop computer, Pulpit and Overflow feeds for broadcasts, acts like a webcam for a connected laptop)
  Yamaha MG10XU Sound mixer
  Chapel Mix XLR to the AV room (Pulpit and XLR microphone connectors in the chapel in a mixed signal)
  Dedicated Organ XLR to the AV room (not part of the chapel mix)
  Dedicated Choir Mic XLRs to the AV room (not part of the chapel mix)
  PTZ Optics 30x NDI/HZ Pan/Tilt/Zoom Camera
  HuddleCamHD HC-JOY-G3 Camera Controller

Here's what the units in our building are doing for the Sunday broadcasts:

Unit 1:

• Zoom Webinar from a personal laptop
  Uses a blue tooth dongle connected to the podium so the choir director can play hymns from a connected smart phone
  This comes to the AV room through the chapel mix - no switching necessary - and hymns go out with the broadcast, but they are audio only

Unit 2:

• Zoom Webinar from a personal laptop
  Also uses the personal laptop to play hymns back into the chapel (audio) and over the internet broadcast (audio and video) (our state does not allow singing in large groups)
  The only difficulty is switching the sound settings when you flip from chapel mix to laptop sound to play the hymns

Unit 3:

• YouTube Live from a personal laptop using XSplit (similar to OBS)
  Uses the personal laptop to play hymns back into the chapel (audio) and over the internet broadcast (audio and video)
  Again the difficulty of switching the sound settings when you flip from chapel mix to laptop sound to play the hymns

So you can see, the system is very versatile, and can be tailored to the skill levels of the technology specialists in the various units.

But the Stake Technology Specialist and I are working to consolidate the way they all do this to make is simpler for them all. Part of that is showing them out to leverage OBS and BitFocus Companion or a stream deck to play pre recorded scenes and macros. We have all that working but need a way to switch the audio selection.

Ping me if you want to see a detailed write up of our system and the ways we've configured it. And do let me know if anyone knows anything about these new LCD controllers.

Hey @tmilne. I am just seeing you post. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers? I am trying to take the audio feed from the iflex 1280 into the line in on PC to be using with OBS. I have been using a 3.5 mm audio cable direct line and just connecting the red and black cables to the back of the iflex (have tried multiple input and outputs) but I just do not get audio at all. I am pretty new to this so I am sure I am missing something. I just want to patch the chapel audio into the PC so we have audio along with video for the broadcast from OBS to YouTube. I appreciate any help!

[tmilne]

@shanedyork, you will want to get a sound mixer. We used that to control the chapel mics, organ and chapel mix and we can reverse direction to either send it to the PC for OBS, or from the PC and OBS to play hymns back in the chapel.

[shanedyork]

Thanks @tmilne, we have 3 different mixers but we only use them for big conferences. I just want to go directly from the iflex to the PC. Essentially, I just want a copy of the chapel audio into OBS for Sunday OBS to youtube broadcasts. We don't need a mixer in there for regular Sunday sessions.

[Wattsuk]

The iflex 1280 is a digital mixer with balanced outputs. Your PC will not accept a balanced signal.

There are workarounds but the best way is to use a signal converter.

A very small mixer could be wired in quickly. There are also USB audio interfaces that would accept a balanced signal.

I'd wire an XLR female socket or a cable with a male XLR plug to the iflex 1280 and then find a suitable converter that meets your needs.

[russellhltn]

Looking up the model, an iflex 1280 appears to be a programable mixer. Unless the program routes a signal to an unused output, you'll get nothing.

If the output is typical of many electronic gear, it's balanced and not floating - meaning you can get a workable signal just taking the plus and ground and ignoring the minus. You'll get only half the signal strength, but that's probably a good thing as professional line out tends to be too hot for consumer line in.