Video Distribution Setup @ Stake Center, Need A/V Advice

Background
Our Stake Center is equipped with a Satellite and A/V distribution system. Normally we insert our camera feed into this A/V system (channel 3) so that we can broadcast throughout the building (projectors/screens in the gymnasium, tv's in the back rooms). Just behind the choir seats in chapel, there's a Sat. on/off switch and audio control.

Issue
We have a special request to pipe the camera feed during Stake Center to the same video output that runs to the pulpit (normally used for watch sat. feeds). I have my camera feed plugged into the A/V dist. amp and I can see the video feed throughout the building on channel 3. However, the sat. feed at pulpit (I assume) is on channel 6 and the feed to the pulpit must be "hard coded or wired" for channel 6. How would I get the camera feed to show up at the pulpit? I tried swapping video input wires at dist. amp but that didn't work.

I'd be careful about modifying the satellite rack. The FM group has responsibility to maintain it and changing things around is likely to break something.

In our stake center, there's also a RF feed to the pulpit. Your channel 6 should be found there as well.

When you set up your projector for a satellite feed, are you able to connect the projector's video input directly from the wall to the projector? If so, then the signal on that port is not a modulated signal (i.e. it doesn't have video from channel 6 and channel 3, it just has one single video source). This is a common setup when projectors are used in the chapel.

If you look closely at the rack, you'll probably see two (or 3) video amplifiers. They each have 1 input and several outputs. One is likely distributing the modulated video signal throughout the building, the other is likely distributing a single line-in source.

All you would need to do is trace which coax line is going to the pulipit/chapel connection and move it over to the modulated video amplifier output. This would give you both channels. OR if you need a line feed, move the source (input) on that amplifier to whatever source you want running into it.

Just make sure you label it (while you're at it, label all the connections you trace), and put it back how it was when you're done.

If you're not 100% sure what you're doing, call your FM to help. Like RussellHltn says, they are responsible for maintaining it and generally don't enjoy getting work created for them when something gets messed up.

sammythesm wrote:All you would need to do is trace which coax line is going to the pulipit/chapel connection and move it over to the modulated video amplifier output. This would give you both channels.

Depending in the setup, there may be no RF distribution amplifier, but a combiner that takes in a high-powered signal from the modulators. Which brings me to the next point - the direct out is frequently at fairly high power as it's intended to drive a line all the way to the other end of the building. One should add attenuators to drop it down to the level expected by a TV set.

sammythesm wrote:OR if you need a line feed, move the source (input) on that amplifier to whatever source you want running into it.

From what I've seen, there's only one video distribution amp that distributes the satellite feed. The coax from the back of the chapel goes directly to the modular. You can't split a video signal with a "Y" cable. You'd need to add a video distribution amp.

So this isn't a simple operation. I'd like to know what the "special request" is all about. There might be a better way to accomplish what is desired.