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If you’re considering live-streaming at your church, YouTube and Facebook immediately spring to mind as options. Perhaps you’ve even opened one of those apps to start a live-stream. Maybe you don’t even know of other options or why you’d want to move.
That’s the purpose of this article, to talk about the pluses and minuses of each, and maybe introduce you to options that could be better for your church.
1-YouTube
Let’s start with the biggies. YouTube (iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/youtube-watch-listen-stream/id544007664?mt=8 or Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.youtube) is owned by Google and has been doing time-shifted streaming for quite some time. A few years ago, they added live-streaming and, as such, became one of the premier destinations for live-streamers.
A big advantage of this app is that you probably already have it. In both the iOS and Android versions, you can get started just by clicking on the camera icon in the top of the app, giving permission to the app to use the camera, and then tapping “Go live.”
Another advantage is that it’s a free app. Some of the others in this list have one-time or even monthly charges, or they might require equipment that you may or may not want to or be able to buy.
Since YouTube is already a popular site, there is an advantage to being live there. The algorithm likes live-streaming and you might get a fair amount of traffic that you wouldn’t normally get.
The algorithm likes live-streaming and you might get a fair amount of traffic that you wouldn’t normally get.... There are problems though.
There are problems, though. First, there’s copyright. Assuming that you have the appropriate licenses, there’s really no one to tell, so certain songs could cause you trouble, even if you’re legally allowed to play them on your live-stream.
Secondly, along with the recent “adocalypse” creators have seen a rise in claims that their videos don’t meet “community guidelines.” As you might be aware, some of this is accurate (YouTube and the church don’t totally agree on all social issues), but often, it’s not. As a result, you could have your live-stream blocked right when you need to go live.
2-Facebook
The second big player in the space is Facebook (iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook/id284882215?mt=8 or Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Facebook&hl=en). Like the YouTube app, it’s both likely already on your phone and free. Unlike YouTube, it isn’t likely to drive new people to your live-stream, but it will engage those who already like your church’s page.
Unlike YouTube, it isn’t likely to drive new people to your live-stream, but it will engage those who already like your church’s page.
Adding a live-video is pretty simple, as well. Just create a new post (on your profile, page, or in a group) and click on the live video icon. Then, it’s just a matter of naming it and starting.
Like YouTube there are issues with their enforcement of copyright claims, which you might face despite having a license or even despite the fact that you’re not using copyright content (several churches recently had their countdown videos claimed by a large international sports organization, through an algorithmic mistake).
Both Facebook and YouTube make live-streaming easy, but do so at the cost of features, too. You won’t be cutting between real (or virtual) camera angles or even putting in lower thirds and full-screen graphics with these two. Your live-stream is mostly relegated to what your smart phone can shoot and, in most cases, that might be beautiful video within a limited focal length, but without the ability to zoom.
YouTube and Facebook just don’t offer much beyond the absolute basics. That could send your church looking for more.
So that leaves smaller apps. Let’s start with some that are supported by larger companies in the live-streaming space, but which may or may not offer what your church needs.
3-Mevo
The one that’s gotten the most buzz in recent years is the Mevo app (iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mevo-the-live-event-camera/id1125502073?mt=8 or Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livestream.mevo). Unlike YouTube and Facebook, it’s not limited to your phone’s camera, but uses an external camera that you control with the app. The camera boasts 4k resolution, but you’re not likely going to be live-streaming in 4k. Instead, you’ll be showing different parts of the frame at different times to simulate using multiple cameras, when you only have one.
The original Mevo was designed with the small producer in mind and so the focal length was wider than churches with medium to large worship spaces could use … unless they moved the Mevo closer to the front of the room, something many are hard-pressed to do.
Since the Mevo is a product created for livestream.com, it shines best when used with that service, which is itself a premium service.
Since the Mevo is a product created for livestream.com, it shines best when used with that service, which is itself a premium service.
While paid services have their cost as a disadvantage, some of the problems with YouTube and Facebook are missing. They don’t make as much money from ads, so they are less motivated to placate advertisers and since they’re a much smaller service, they don’t have as much trouble with big media companies breathing down their necks, claiming copyright infringement (when none exists).
4-Teradek apps
Next, we have an app (or two) from Teradek. As you might know, Teradek makes hardware encoders like the Vidiu and Cube. What you might not know is that the Vidiu can be both an encoder and a capture device that can enable any camera to joined by an app called Live: Air Action on a virtual network of other cameras onsite. With Live: Air Action you can have multiple cameras that you can switch to, using a switcher-like interface. You can also go to prerecorded videos and even add lower thirds and other graphical elements, while live-streaming to YouTube, Facebook, or any RTMP server.
What you might not know is that the Vidiu can be both an encoder and a capture device that can enable any camera to join a virtual network of other cameras onsite.
If your church is looking to simply take a step up from just a single shot of what’s going on in the room and adding other simple graphic elements, Live:Air Solo (iOS only: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/live-air-solo/id1051147032?mt=8), is another Teradek app that works with the Teradek Vidiu encoder. You don’t even need to purchase the Vidiu encoder right away if one camera angle is sufficient (and you’re just using it to add graphical elements). The basic app is free, but does have in-app purchases that add features like comments and live-stream recording.
As mentioned earlier, the Live:Air Action app (iOS on iPad only: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/live-air-action/id1257953585?mt=8) takes what the Live:Air Solo app does and builds on it. It’s an iPad app which takes advantage of the additional screen real estate to make control easier and can add additional features like ChromaKey and more sources, with additional in-app purchases.
5-Switcher Studio
Similarly, Switcher Studio (iOS only: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/switcher-studio/id908386221?mt=8) turns your smart phone into a video switcher that can live-stream and also add graphics and prerecorded elements as well. Unlike the Teradek apps, you can’t use external cameras unless they’re smartphones or tablets with the Switcher Studio app installed.
... you can’t use external cameras unless they’re smartphones or tablets with the Switcher Studio app installed.
The biggest downside of this app is that it isn’t a one-time purchase, but a recurring subscription.
Other than that, it’s similar to Live:air Solo or Action in its capabilities.
6-SlingStudio
Finally, SlingStudio capture (iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slingstudio-capture/id1079348159?mt=8 or Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slingmedia.stcapture&hl=en_US) allows you to do some similar things to what the Teradek apps do. You can either use smart phones and tablets as cameras or add in third-party cameras when using their hardware.
The UI seems similar and it would be a great choice for many churches, but there is a drawback. The hardware has an MSRP of about $999. For more than a couple of cameras, this isn’t a horrible price, but if you just want to add in one more camera, a single Vidiu is a better choice.
When it comes down to it, though, compare them all and don’t choose based solely on price.
As apps go, there are a lot of choices to fit various needs. Some are free and limited, others are pricier or require more expensive hardware. But when it comes down to it, compare them all and don’t choose based solely on price. It’s better to “buy once and cry once” than to go down several paths, finding that you waste money each time.
