Funeral streaming has been one of the hottest topics in the industry for the past few years. During that time there have been several different webcasting providers that have all come up with similar product offerings. The purpose of this article is to explain the technology, equipment, costs, and design of the different options available.
First, let’s take a look at the tech piece.
The technology is quite simple in today’s world. The goal is to capture what is seen and heard at the funeral and broadcast it LIVE over the Internet. This is done by capturing video with a camera and audio with a microphone, channeling those signals to a computer and the web. Some of the basic features that almost all webcast providers offer are a LIVE stream, password-protected viewer pages, and on-demand recording of the webcast, making the video available to watch even after of the end of the service. The length of time that it is available varies depending on the company you choose to go with. Different providers in this industry have slightly different software mechanisms for webcasting. Some use a desktop application that is installed on your computer, while others have completely web-based applications. Either way, the piece of software is used to capture the audio and video, and then encode it, which compresses the video and makes it more web-friendly. The way the video is encoded will have an impact on the number of people who can view the stream. For example, you might work with a provider that uses Windows Media Encoder, which works well if most of your viewers use Windows-based computers. The fact is that Apple is the largest company in the world right now and owns a very significant slice of the personal computer market. Now, there are plugins that allow Mac users to view Windows Media files, but this is a third-party application that not all users have installed. The other options used in the industry are Microsoft Silverlight and Adobe Flash. Rather than break down all the details of each of these technologies, let’s look at the facts.
Global market penetration of each video transmission technology. In simple terms, the percentage of your audience that will be able to watch your webcast without any problem.
Adobe Flash – 95.95%
Windows Media – 65.28%
Quicktime Player – 58.96%
Microsoft Silverlight – 60.32%
The clear winner right now is Adobe Flash. There is nothing to say that these statistics will not change in the next 5 years being replaced by newer technologies like HTML5, but currently the most supported option is Flash and this has been the case ever since funeral webcasting has been a topic of conversation. So you may wonder why a vendor would choose any of these other technologies. Is it the quality of the video stream? No, Flash has the ability to stream in high definition. Is it easier to use? No, the simplicity of the user experience is based on the software written to control these technologies. Is it cost? Flash is possibly a more expensive infrastructure on the server side.
now the team
With a webcast there are two high level options when selecting what equipment you will need, stationary or portable. Stationary equipment is wired and installed inside your funeral home.
* At least one camera mounted on the ceiling or wall of your chapel
* Controller for camera (if pan/tilt/zoom capable)
* Computer with internet connection
* Feed from your sound system
* Capture device/card connected to your computer to receive the audio and video
Pros: You don’t have to set up your equipment before every funeral service. The camera is mounted so that it will not fall on the tripod. Audio transmission is direct, so there is no interference from a wireless signal. The camera can be controlled remotely.
Cons: A bit more expensive to set things up. You can only stream funerals from your funeral home. It requires installation which can sometimes be a bit expensive depending on how easy it is to run the wires through your funeral home.
Laptop consists of basically the same items, you just guessed it, laptop.
* Video camera (ability to record to SD card or hard drive preferred)
*Tripod
* Wireless microphone
* capture device
* Laptop
Pros: You can stream your funeral services from anywhere there is an internet connection. If there is no internet connection, you can simply record the funeral on the camera and upload it later. It costs a little less.
Cons: Requires installation before each funeral service. The camera can only be controlled by walking towards it and moving it on the tripod. Wireless microphones have a limited range (usually around 150 feet) and can occasionally pick up interference from cell phones or other devices.
costs
You can pretty much spend any amount of money you want on funeral webcasts. There are unlimited monthly internet streaming plans ranging from $99 to $1500. Equipment can be purchased or leased. A good stationary setup can cost a few thousand dollars, while a portable setup costs around $1,500 or less. Equipment leasing options provide a bit of security, should any of your equipment fail most internet streaming companies will replace it for you.
effective implementation
Once the webcast is offered at your funeral home, the sales process is simple. When meeting with a family during the arrangement conference, simply ask the question, “Is there a family member or friend who can’t make it to the funeral?” The answer to this question in most cases will be yes. This opens the door for you to explain that you offer LIVE webcasting for those who are unable to attend the service. This should not be a threatening sales pitch in any way. If the client wants it, they will pay for it, but they will not come to request this type of service if they do not know that you offer them. As with any type of memorial technology, all you need to do is let the family know it’s available so they have the option to purchase it.