Teradek to Zoom

At our stake center, we plug the Church Webcast RTMP URL and Stream Name into the Teradek encoder and it feeds the Church webcast system.

Since we have been asked not to do this any longer for ward sacrament meetings, can we do the same thing through Zoom, i.e., go directly from the Teradek to the Zoom system? Or do we have to figure out how to break out the chapel video and audio signals into a laptop and use the Zoom client there to feed the Zoom distribution system?

In other words, for Zoom, can we still use the Teradek as our video/audio combiner and webcast source?

lajackson wrote:In other words, for Zoom, can we still use the Teradek as our video/audio combiner and webcast source?

I'm afraid not. I looked into this, but Zoom has no way of ingesting an RTMP feed.

I plan to explore the idea of using a client on a cell phone. Hopefully it will work not unlike the Larix Broadcaster setup. That would be the simplest.

It has been a while since this was asked. Is it still not possible for Zoom to ingest RTMP?

slloyd wrote: Sat Oct 28, 2023 7:50 pm It has been a while since this was asked. Is it still not possible for Zoom to ingest RTMP?

As far as I know, it still is not possible to send an RTMP feed directly to Zoom. I am certain that if this is not correct there will be additional post to follow.

I believe that Zoom can use a YouTube video as its source and then send it out over the Zoom meeting or webinar. I have not tried it personally, but have heard it can be done.

lajackson wrote: Mon Oct 30, 2023 3:19 pm I believe that Zoom can use a YouTube video as its source and then send it out over the Zoom meeting or webinar.

Unless it's done as a shared desktop, that would be news to me. The other direction is well-documented. Zoom can feed YouTube and transfer any overflow to there.

russellhltn wrote: Mon Oct 30, 2023 3:29 pm

lajackson wrote: Mon Oct 30, 2023 3:19 pm I believe that Zoom can use a YouTube video as its source and then send it out over the Zoom meeting or webinar.

Unless it's done as a shared desktop, that would be news to me. The other direction is well-documented. Zoom can feed YouTube and transfer any overflow to there.

Perhaps I should be a little more clear. Someone with a laptop somewhere in the world would use a web browser to receive the YouTube stream. They would start a Zoom webinar or meeting. In Zoom they would screen share the YouTube window to the webinar or meeting for others joining the Zoom event to see.

That is how YouTube would get its video and sound to share. Technically speaking, Zoom can only take as its source something the laptop is seeing or generating. Long live the laptop. I prefer to do it without, but then there would be no Zoom feed.

lajackson wrote: Mon Oct 30, 2023 3:42 pm Someone with a laptop somewhere in the world would use a web browser to receive the YouTube stream. They would start a Zoom webinar or meeting. In Zoom they would screen share the YouTube window to the webinar or meeting for others joining the Zoom event to see.

Possible, not not something that I'd think would be the preferred way in most situations. Mostly because webcasting to Zoom doesn't seem to offer that much in the way of additional benefits if you're already using YouTube.

I have been running our stake conference feed through YouTube for years now. It’s worked great and have had no issues. The church just sent a letter indicating that feeds should only be done through zoom. This requires a computer be introduced between my feed and viewers as opposed to just going direct to our stake YouTube channel.

We use a Teradek to feed to YouTube and am trying to understand why we are being asked to move these feeds to zoom when going direct to YouTube removes the computer and simplifies the feed? Anyone know?

Also is anyone aware of another device out there capable of sending our building feed directly to zoom?

1. The letter doesn't say that. Dozens of posts about this across the forum already.

2. No. Not simply plug and play anyway.

We are being encouraged to move to zoom. Not commanded. Not yet.

But as a precaution, I'd hold off on spending money for infrastructure if it doesn't support Zoom until things get clearer.

chrisbierman wrote: Tue Oct 31, 2023 3:39 am The church just sent a letter indicating that feeds should only be done through zoom.

We [are] trying to understand why we are being asked to move these feeds to zoom when going direct to YouTube removes the computer and simplifies the feed? Anyone know?

The Notice did not say that feeds should only be done through Zoom. The Notice said you should consider changing to Zoom. The reason is so that the event (using Zoom) will show up on the Church broadcasting page for members to find there, along with other Church broadcasts.

In our consideration, we have determined so far, as you have, that feeding the Teradek encoder directly to YouTube works just fine. The link is available at the stake YouTube channel, which is easy for the members to find. And there is no need for extra adapters, laptops, or other equipment, along with an operator to learn how to use them, that would be required to feed Zoom instead.

While there is a benefit to switching to Zoom, we have determined so far that the benefit does not outweigh the effort and cost of changing something that works very well for us at the present.

We also have been using YouTube for years without issues. I have/had the same concern. Does anyone know is Zoom feeds are searchable and findable on a smart TV, like YouTube feeds are? Moving to Zoom will surely complicate things for our stake.

slloyd wrote: Tue Oct 31, 2023 2:54 pm Does anyone know if Zoom feeds are searchable and findable on a smart TV, like YouTube feeds are? Moving to Zoom will surely complicate things for our stake.

I do not believe they are.

We webcast to five meetinghouses during our stake conference using YouTube. If we switch to Zoom, would they need to commandeer a laptop capable of running the Zoom client in order to receive the webcast?

Or could they just click on a button at the Church broadcast page and the Church would feed the webcast through the browser?

When I click on other Church broadcasts, the just send me a YouTube feed anyway.

Zoom heavily prefers their client side app to show a broadcast.

Zoom does have a browser portal in can use in case the receiver does not want to use the client side app. But it's a few clicks to get this up and running, and it isn't obvious.

The church's new broadcast page would simply give a Zoom link with the meeting code. From here, the client would still need to use their pre-installed app (most likely) or click around and get it working in their web portal. (This latter point is one of the reasons why we chose YouTube as our primary broadcast over Zoom, as we don't want to train 85 year old widows how to download, install, and launch Zoom. YouTube is designed to be click-and-go.)

brad_p wrote: Wed Nov 01, 2023 11:30 am Zoom heavily prefers their client side app to show a broadcast.

Zoom does have a browser portal in can use in case the receiver does not want to use the client side app. But it's a few clicks to get this up and running, and it isn't obvious.

The church's new broadcast page would simply give a Zoom link with the meeting code. From here, the client would still need to use their pre-installed app (most likely) or click around and get it working in their web portal. (This latter point is one of the reasons why we chose YouTube as our primary broadcast over Zoom, as we don't want to train 85 year old widows how to download, install, and launch Zoom. YouTube is designed to be click-and-go.)

I totally agree. Many in my stake are also older and do not know how to use a computer that well. Most smart TVs have a YouTube app so it is super easy. Does Zoom have an app for smart TVs?

this is a derect quote from the end of the second paragraph in the letter labeled "New Tools and Guidelines for Managing Local Broadcasts"

"YouTube and other services are currently being reviewed but are not approved as official tools
for broadcasting Church events"

so it sounds fairly strait forward that it's saying not to use youtube until it is approved. but i totally agree that with the teradek youtube is the best way. mainly because it has the least amount of failure points in the back end and the youtube app is widely available and easy to use for the members.

so it sounds fairly strait forward that it's saying not to use youtube until it is approved.

As already mentioned here and in many other similar Forum posts, a number of Forum members read that part of the letter differently. For example, this post (and entire thread) give a different perspective on how to read the letter:
YouTube is not a church approved broadcast service?

As others have expressed, while not officerly approved, there's no directive to discontinue non-approved methods.

I'll also point out that for large events (500+) Zoom cannot handle it and it would have to overflow to YouTube anyway.