Here at CAV, we are experiencing a new wave of churches looking to upgrade their camera systems. Whether it be for live streaming, recording, video distribution, or just overhead projection, we have the solution you’re looking for. I am always excited to see ministries utilizing new technologies to reach more people, and having a good camera system will open up several different avenues to do just that.

Avenues for ministry

Online streaming!

This is probably may favorite way right now to expand a church’s reach. There are numerous different categories of people this appeals to:

  • Handicapped Christians – having excellent handicapped access to your building is important; but it only helps a certain percentage of people. There are plenty of Christians that just feel stuck at home on Sunday mornings due to the pain and inconvenience associated with getting out. Imagine combining a live online stream of your service with community outreach efforts to draw people to your congregation in this digital age!
  • People Curious about God – I heard a pastor once ask his church members to save the best seats in the house for newcomers. He went on to explain that the best seats in the house were in the back close to the doors so they could make a quick getaway if things got weird. Let’s face it, church can seem intimidating to someone never exposed to it. Allow people to see what your Sunday mornings look like from the safety of their own home.
  • ‘Church-Shoppers’ – It’s really not my favorite term, but it seems to be universally recognized. Streaming can allow your ministry to be further exposed to Christians trying to find a church to call home.
  • Absent Congregation – Very few people can make it EVERY Sunday. Allow your members and attendees to view service even when life keeps them home.

Recording

Recording your services has plenty of potential applications. I’ve seen it used for personal analysis by pastors and praise bands. I’ve seen recordings of special performances sold as a fundraiser. I visited one church that was stretched so thin for volunteers that they had teams of people that NEVER got to attend service. Video recording allowed them to provide each volunteer with a DVD every Sunday so they could watch the service later at home.

Video Distribution

The ability to have the service showing in multiple rooms is increasing in popularity. Here are some of the most beneficial applications I have seen:

  • Overflow Rooms
  • Family or Nursing Mother Rooms
  • Volunteer locations
  • Discussion Classrooms
  • Social Areas

Overhead Projection

This may be the most common use for a camera system. The fact is, the room does not have to get very large before it is difficult for the people further back to see what’s going on. While a good audio system is probably most important, why not increase immersion by allowing your entire congregation to see what’s happening. Besides, if you already have video in the room, you are only a step or two away from having a live camera feed added to it.

Reasons to Call Us

  • You are ready to make the leap and add a camera system.
  • You want more information on what it would take to add a system.
  • You are working with outdated technology: poor resolution, full screen instead of widescreen, or old integration standards.
  • You would like to upgrade beyond a single camera view (invest in a good mixer and open a plethora of professional looking features and effects).
  • You are overwhelmed with adapters. Without a professionally planned system, you may find yourself dealing with more resolutions, cable types, display ratios, and connection standards than you knew existed.

 

Things to consider

  • A single camera system may be less expensive than you think. Don’t be intimidated by all the talk about integrated technologies. Depending on what you already have, you can often achieve most of the applications listed above with a very minimal investment.
  • One rule of thumb when it comes to most integrated systems is that your system will only be as good as the worst piece of equipment. We don’t want to sell you a fancy new P/T/Z cam if your recorder can barely handle the input. Consult with us so we can recommend the best solution for your budget.
  • A video mixer changes the game. While a single camera can tie into an existing system to achieve all sorts of goals, getting into more professional videography will require a video mixer; which is not something that you want to just buy cheap at an electronics retailer. Let us find the right mixer for you; so you can: add text to video, utilize multiple camera angles, and display professional looking effects and transitions.

 

Whatever your needs are, we are here to help. We do it all; and can work with all kinds of budgets. Let me stress the fact that we do single-cam setups all the time and they don’t typically cost that much. Whether your church and budget are big or small, we provide excellence!

Call Church Audio Video today! (817) 369-8993