We just purchased FullHD-only equipment (PTZ camera, video projector, NDI Encoder/Decoder), so for the next years it won’t be 4K.
This notebook will be dedicated for creating an internal full ndi source and internet live streaming. No sound effects, no other software than OBS.
Understood. We did similar. The nice part with an NDI PTZ camera is the ability to upgrade to a 4K camera later, and keep/move the 1080p camera for additional camera angles
Unfortunately it has to be a notebook, as in summer we'll have Service outside.
That's why I need Thunderbolt to connect an external monitor etc.
I'll definetely go for a next business day onsite hardware service and extended warranty.
Again, understood, but I setup up our desktop outside for night time Christmas Eve service, Easter, etc. If you are getting a dock, and extra monitor, realistically making it a Tower vs a laptop really isn't going to make that much difference. You still need to run power and Ethernet (and possibly network PoE switch), so you'll need a table for the monitor. So what difference does it make it is a laptop with its own screen, keyboard and mouse, or you've got a PC? Your table setup is going to be about the same size
Oh, and after first time a choir member assumed ok to unplug long extension power cord, I also use a 1000VA battery UPS at the table... just in case ;^)
I found the i7-11800H to be the sweet spot. After comes i9 resulting in price jump about 500-1000 €. Also couldn’t find cheaper laptops with a lower GPU than RTX 3050.
Makes sense, RTX 3050 is lowest end of latest gen, and matches nicely with decent CPU. Agreed i9 is not a good value, and probably complete overkill in this use case
PS: USB-HDMI capture card is just a workaround, as we currently only have one PTZ camera. I don't like viewers to see rapid camera movements. So I'm switching to an old camcorder filming bird's eye :D
It will be an NDI-only environment ;)
Totally understand about camera movement. We currently have only a single NDI PTZ camera, as mentioned. So our viewers do see camera movement (camera is on the entire service, just the amount of 'service bulletin' screen space varies). So after experimenting, a slow camera movement speed works fine. I set presets up wide angle for Pulpit,. Altar and Lectern. Then closer in presets. We go from closer in, to wide-angle preset, over to other position (wide-angle) then zoom in. The one thing not good is our Zoom speed is a little high, I just haven't gotten around to figuring out how to slow it down as Zoom speed is not in the GUI PTZ controls.
Different camera manufactures' have different capabilities (like diagonal movement) and ability to set up a sequence of moves. Even with using Panasonic's free PTZ Control Center software, folks comment that our camera movement looks professional (took time to figure out right speeds and movements, but entirely doable)
Then, don't ignore audio. We have a wireless lavalier microphone for priest, handled mic as spare/misc, and some wired mics for Pulpit and Lectern. These are amplified (a little) in Sanctuary with house speakers (more amplification when outdoors to overcome any traffic noise). I've then set up mics for Pipe Organ/Choir and in a separate area a piano (hand bell choir use same area). These mics are livestreamed (AUX mix) but not amplified in-house. And some mics benefit from using Compression and other audio processing, to sound better when livestreamed to (what is typically) tiny, terrible speakers, not to mention overcoming really high audio compression used by main CDNs.
So my recommendation is to recognize that audio setup for in-person attendance, and for broadcast/livestream will most likely need to be different. And you have to get audio signal into PC. Will that be an analog or digital connection for Audio Input? And if you have a mixer (vs say a wired mic) will you want to be able to control different mic channels (ex Mute a mic when not in use) directly on the streaming PC?
For us, when we are outdoors, our Organist moves the piano outdoors, and has his own small mixer to connect mics for priest, piano, and a couple for singers (choir). Then I grab an analog output and input into OBS PC. I'm using analog connection in the Sanctuary at the moment, as I haven't gotten around to figuring out how to take USB Digital signal from our Presonus mixer, run Presonus' Studio One software (DAW) and get Audio Out to OBS. Then I/we can tweak each mic as desired (and more importantly Mute choir when they forget its a live mic during the service, as they were used to NOT being Mic'ed up until this year).
