Church live streaming gear list for under $2000

CONVID-19 has caused many organizations to consider stepping up or into the live streaming world. It’s honestly the best answer to the current situation and in reality, organizations should have been putting such efforts in place before the crisis.

Live streaming allows you to connect to an audience outside of your building walls. While you can use a phone to get the job done, it does not allow the best experience for your audience. Here is a list of gear to step up your live streaming game.

Computer

I am in the Apple camp and is what works the best for me. The main points to take away for what computer to get is to focus on specs including, processor, RAM, and GPU. I would go for at least an i7 processor, 16GBs of RAM, and a good graphics card. Gaming rigs tend to have nice specs for the PC side. If you have a dedicated spot for a computer, an iMac is great, otherwise go for a MacBook Pro, 2015 or higher.

Recommended Computer

Camera

The camera for a live stream is the next big piece of the puzzle. The main things to look for is 1080p video and an HDMI out port.

Sony camera does well in low light and why I will recommend a Sony camera for indoor environments.

Accessories

Elgato Cam Link (with a couple of alternatives) - This sells out FAST! If one of the links I here have it in stock, GET IT! Every church and organization is buying this and other streaming gear as soon as it hits the “shelf.”

Ebay | Amazon | Best Buy | B&H | Adorama

Mini HDMI to HDMI - Cable to connect the Elgato Cam Link to the camera.

Tripod - To hold the camera steady and have smooth motion if needing to pan.

Audio

Audio is a tricky element. If you have a sound system, look into using that audio source for your live stream. If you don’t have a sound system to connect to, I would recommend a shotgun mic or wireless mic that can connect to your camera.

Software

Ecamm has been a great app to use that has many features. The app is userfriendly and can be used right away. There are many options that you can dive into if needed. My favorite thing about Ecamm is the ability to use overlays, Skype calls for interviews, and broadcast to YouTube and Facebook. There are other platforms that can be broadcasted to, but YouTube and Facebook are my main focus networks.

Scheduling broadcasts work well with the native platforms. There’s not much that needs to happen to the native platform once everything is setup. Ecamm is a hub to operate everything from.

You can even monitor comments using Ecamm. I’ve tried to use OBS, but kept running into roadblocks. Ideally, OBS is the way to go, but if it would work properly it would be helpful. If you don’t want graphics, images, or custom options, broadcasting right from YouTube and Facebook works just fine.

Download a free Ecamm trial.

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If you already have a good computer that leaves a little more room for spending money towards a little better camera or lighting. Lighting is essential. Putting in day white 100w bulbs or LED lights are a great way to give a good visual experience.

Another pro-tip, make sure you plug the camera into a power source so your battery doesn’t run out :-)