Capture · Record · Stream · Encode · DecodeWhy churches and places of worship choose Magewell
A small parish streaming its Sunday service for the first time needs very different equipment from a large congregation running several cameras. Magewell makes hardware for both, and as the authorised UK distributor ForeFront Imaging can help you specify it correctly.
The most common challenge we hear from houses of worship: "We want broadcast quality, but we don't have a broadcast engineer." That is where this hardware helps. The capture devices install without drivers, and the standalone encoders are set up once in a web browser, so the weekly routine can be kept simple for volunteers.
Common worship streaming setups
One camera, one operator, YouTube Live or Facebook. The lowest-cost way to start if you already have a laptop.
No laptop in the sanctuary. The encoder does the streaming itself, which suits volunteer-run services.
Several cameras around the building, each sent over a Gigabit network as NDI, with one network cable per camera carrying video and power.
Recommended products for houses of worship
Questions we hear from houses of worship
Do we need a dedicated streaming PC?
Not necessarily. The Ultra Encode AIO streams on its own. Plug in a camera or mixer, set up the destinations once in a web browser, and start the stream. That suits volunteer-operated services with no IT support.
Can we stream to YouTube and Facebook at the same time?
Yes. The Ultra Encode AIO streams to up to six destinations at once, so YouTube Live and Facebook Live can run together from one device.
Our cameras are spread around the building — what do we do?
Use a Pro Convert HDMI TX at each camera to convert it to NDI on your Ethernet network. Each camera then appears as a source in vMix or OBS, with no long HDMI runs. It sends full NDI, so use Gigabit switches, and a PoE switch can power the converters.
We have a tight budget — where should we start?
Start with USB Capture HDMI Plus (£175–200) and OBS (free). With a camera and a laptop you already own, that is enough to stream 1080p to YouTube. Move to the Ultra Encode AIO when you want to stream without a PC.
Talk to us before you buy anything
We've helped dozens of houses of worship build their streaming setups. Tell us your building, your cameras and your budget — we'll design the right system, free of charge.
It depends on how you want to work. For standalone streaming with no PC, choose the Ultra Encode AIO or the Ultra Encode HDMI Plus. Connect the HDMI output of your camera or switcher, set it up once in the browser interface, and it streams to YouTube and Facebook together. For a two-camera production run by one person, the Director Mini has two HDMI inputs and a 5.44-inch touchscreen, and handles switching, graphics, streaming and recording in one device. Contact us and we will specify the right setup for your venue.
Yes. The Ultra Encode AIO streams to up to six destinations simultaneously, so YouTube Live and Facebook Live can run at the same time. A third destination can feed your church website through an RTMP server. It also records to an SD card, a USB drive or a NAS, so you keep a copy of each service to upload or edit afterwards.
The Ultra Encode AIO has a 3.5 mm line input. Connect a line-level output from your sound desk, such as an auxiliary send, to this input. If your desk only has balanced outputs you will need a suitable adapter cable. Alternatively, if your camera or video switcher already carries the sound, the encoder takes the audio embedded in the HDMI or SDI signal and no separate audio connection is needed.
Your upload speed must comfortably exceed the total bitrate you send. As a worked example, one stream set to 6 Mbps needs a steady upload well above 6 Mbps, and sending 6 Mbps to each of two platforms needs well above 12 Mbps. Measure the upload speed in the building at service time, then set the bitrate to leave headroom. The Ultra Encode AIO can encode at up to 32 Mbps, far more than most church connections need, so choose a bitrate your line can sustain. A wired Ethernet connection is more dependable than Wi-Fi.