Live streaming cameras and software provide easy-to-use streaming, control, and recording of events like church worship services, sporting events, government, military, broadcast news, corporate functions, telemedicine, online classes, distance learning, trainings, educational applications, and more.

Live streaming systems can include, network-connected SDI, NDI, and USB cameras and controllers with low-latency joysticks for remote control operators. Advanced USB audio interfaces and control software are compatible with any Mac, PC, Smartphone, tablet software for iOS, Android, and Kindle devices.

When looking for a camera for live streaming church or any live commercial event, you should consider using a PTZ camera. PTZ cameras are one of the best live stream cameras for churches designed to make broadcast-quality HD video affordable. These church PTZ cameras are robotic video cameras that allow an operator to control the camera remotely using monitoring software or a joystick.

If you have questions about the best live stream cameras for church services or any live commercial event, we’ve got answers for you. We are explaining what are PTZ cameras, how to use a video camera for live streaming, and how to connect and set up a PTZ streaming camera system with your computer.

What Is a PTZ Camera?
For those of you asking what is a PTZ camera, let's break down what PTZ camera stands for. PTZ stands for pan, tilt, and zoom. A robotic pan-tilt-zoom camera can pan and scroll across sideways. It can tilt up and down. It's able to zoom in up to 50 feet without any issues.

PTZ cameras are the most advanced, full HD live streaming and event recording cameras for capturing and broadcasting high-quality HD video and images over computer networks, uploading to the internet, and cloud-based applications. They are an ideal camera for live streaming, recording, or video conferencing high-definition video signals.

Is a PTZ Camera Basically a Webcam?
What makes these cameras stand apart from your typical webcam is 1. the features and 2. the quality. These are 100% HD quality out of the box. No question about whether or not your image is going to be crisp and clear and setting them up is fairly easy. They come with their own software. You can even integrate them with video software of your own if you’d rather. Some cameras include presets that allow you to store and recall settings to robotically move the camera to a saved position. So if you're doing a webcast every week, and you're using the same kind of setup, you don't have to go in and readjust your settings every time. For example, preset 1 could be set to zoom in on center stage while preset 2 could be set to a wide-angle view. This allows a single operator to control multiple cameras with ease.

Another advantage to a PTZ camera versus a standard webcam is because it has those adjustments, you don't have to worry about making adjustments or placing another camera somewhere to get the right shot. You can get multiple shots from a single camera and a single user can make those adjustments themselves. You can either use a keyboard that will have quick commands assigned to certain keys, or you can use a controller. This will allow you to make changes to the direction that the camera's facing, either moving it up or down, left or right.

church ptr live stream camera

You’ll find the best PTZ cameras and products from brands like Sony, PTZOptics, Logitech, Marshall, Vaddio, Shure, Sennheiser, and Presonus. PTZOptics offers some great kits with everything you need to make getting set up for live video streaming as easy as possible. PTZOptics offers some great kits with everything you need to make getting set up for live video streaming as easy as possible. PTZOptics kits are built to give anyone an easy camera control system to operate. They are easy to set up for your church or organization and used by hundreds of churches, small businesses, and live streamers around the world.

With a PTZ camera kit, you don't need a separate cameraman with a boom mic and portable mixer. Instead, you can route all of your audio into an audio interface. A typical system will include a simple PTZ camera controller with all of the connection cabling required for a complete system setup.

This kit could include:

The PTZOptics 20X-SDI is a 1080p camera with 20X optical zoom for capturing HD images at long distances. With support for 3G-SDI, HDMI, and IP streaming, this camera is ideal for broadcasting high-definition video signals.

  • 60.7-degree wide-angle lens

  • High performance in low light scenarios with Wide Dynamic Range

  • Full 1920x1080p HD Resolutions up to 60 frames per second

  • 2D and 3D noise reduction with our latest "low noise CMOS sensor"

  • RS232 and RS485 (Serial), and IP (LAN/WAN) control

  • HDMI, 3G-SDI, and IP streaming (all 3 simultaneously)

  • PoE (Power over Ethernet) or 12VDC

  • RTMP and RTSP IP streaming

  • Photobooth capable

Control the PTZ camera with a joystick controller. Once connected to your LAN (Local Area Network) you can also control this camera with their free PTZ control applications for Mac and PC OR with compatible video production software such as vMix, Wirecast, OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), NewTek Tricasters, MimoLive, and more.

Camera systems also feature a remote that can control the camera. It will have multiple presets already programmed such as zoom in, slow down, or speed up. With the remote, you can set presets and select which camera you're using. So if you have up to four cameras, you can select which camera you're controlling with the press of a button.

How To Connect Your Camera To A Computer For Live Streaming
For this, you’ll want an audio interface, like the Shure MVi or Presonus Studio 24c that comes in a PTZOptics kit. You’ll route your audio signal from your existing audio mix into the audio interface and then send the signal over USB to your computer. This will hook up your audio right into your video broadcasting software. If you have an SDI connection, it will take your SDI signal from your camera and then transfer that into a USB signal that can be easily sent to your computer.

How To Connect Your PTZ Camera To A Controller
Finally, one of the most useful accessories for live streaming with a PTZ camera will be a joystick controller. This allows you to connect to your camera over RS-232, RS-485, or RS-422 and control it as far as 3,937′ (via RS-422) away from the camera. 

joystick controller for ptr live stream camera

How To Live Stream with a PTZ Camera System
So once you’ve got all the equipment, how does it work? With PTZOptics there's an included software for controlling the camera. But you'll also likely want to use broadcasting software. You can use something like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. If one of those is not in the budget, we usually just recommend OSB (Online Broadcast System). It's a free software and very easy to use.

Whichever you choose however you won't be able to control the camera in the broadcasting software, so you'll need to have the camera control software running at the same time. It’s important to make sure your computer can handle that. Having the additional broadcasting software will make it extremely easy to upload your finished product onto a webpage, such as YouTube or Facebook, or a blog page.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing the best PTZ camera for live streaming your church or live event venue.

How Many Cameras Do You Need?
The number of cameras you need will depend on the size and layout of your space. A smaller space may only need one or two cameras. While larger areas may require more in order to capture everything you want.

app for PTZ live stream camera

How To Connect Your PTZ Cameras?
You can connect your camera with HDMI, SDI, USB, NDI, or IP. You’ll need to consider the rest of the equipment you have as well as the distance to and between your cameras when deciding which connection to use. This connection type will also determine your signal quality.

How To Mount Your Camera?
There are several different ways that you might consider mounting your cameras.

  • Wall Shelf Mount

  • Wall Inverted Shelf Mount

  • Wall Articulating Mount

  • Wall Inverted Articulating Mount

  • Ceiling/Under Balcony Inverted Surface Mount

  • Ceiling /Under Balcony Pole Shelf Mount

  • Ceiling /Under Balcony Pole Inverted Shelf Mount

  • Lighting Truss (Clamp) Mount

  • Moving Gantry Mount

  • Temporary/Mobile Tripod Mount

What Quality Of Camera Do You Need?
PTZ cameras come in 3 levels of lens quality settings: SD, (standard definition), HD (high definition, 1920 pixels across), and 4K (4,000 pixels across). You have your SD, which is a standard definition. It really depends on what you're shooting - is video quality the most important thing to you? Then you might want a 4k camera. If you just need to get the image out there, and it's more important that they're able to hear and make a relation to who's speaking, then the HD or SD camera setting might work for you.

What is your budget?
This may be one of the most important determining factors for you. You want to find a cost-effective solution. We all know cheaper is not always better but it’s also not always necessary to spend more.

If you have more questions about PTZ cameras or a PTZOptics system, give us a call at (888)-256-4112, or email us at [email protected]. Our commercial audio experts are here to help!