video on demand for worship key advantages and technology requirements
TRANSCRIPT
November 2014 tfwm.com 25
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In the house of worship market, the ability to communicate a message
to as many people as possible is invaluable. Given the recent explosion
in connected devices and how ubiquitous video has become, it’s no
surprise that video has become an effective communication tool
for churches. Many of today’s churches have multiple campuses,
some of which may be located far away from one another. Through
video, churches can broadcast their message to all locations in
order to reach more people. In addition, video enables churches to
connect with viewers all over the world. The challenge is delivering
the message in a manner that is both cost-effective and efficient,
while guaranteeing an exceptional video quality.
for Worship
by Andrew Lemert
Key Advantages and Technology Requirements
IPTV systems – in particular those that support video-on-demand – have emerged as the best solution for
video distribution in the house of worship market. This article explores the benefits of deploying an IPTV
system that is capable of distributing stored video files, such as recorded sermons and curriculum, to a
wide range of devices. In addition, it examines the key requirements one should take into consideration
when setting up an IPTV system.
What is VOD?Video on demand is a feature of digital television that gives users the freedom to choose what they want
to watch from a wide selection of A/V content and view that content whenever it is convenient for them,
rather than being tied down to watching it at a specific broadcast time. Another unique capability of VOD
is that users can pause, fast forward, and rewind the content.
Organizations that offer VOD content often select IPTV technology as their distribution method. Why?
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First and foremost, with an IPTV
system, users can deliver video from
a variety of sources over an existing
IP network. They don’t need a
separate A/V network for distributing
live or video-on-demand content.
In addition, IPTV systems are more
flexible, scalable, and affordable
compared with traditional coax-based
broadcast systems. Using an IPTV
system, organizations can deliver a
high-quality SD and HD video to a
wide range of display types.
A house of worship can set up
their IPTV system to stream content
through a set-top box, a computer, or
other IP-connected device for real-
time viewing. Alternatively, audio and
video content can be downloaded to
a device such as a computer, digital
video recorder, or mobile device
equipped with a media player for
viewing at any time.
Benefits of VOD for Houses of Worship
Increasingly, churches are offering
video on demand content over the
Internet. The biggest benefit is the
ability to reach faithful audiences
anytime, anywhere, on any device.
For example, let’s say a congregation
member can’t make it to a church
service. Perhaps they are sick, or
traveling. For whatever reason, they
can’t be present physically, but they
still want to receive the worship
message. By making VOD content
available online, a church can provide
the ultimate multimedia experience to
these members.
VOD also allows houses of worship
to support satellite campuses. As
churches grow, many choose to
add other buildings –— sometimes
located in a different geographical
location –— to accommodate an
abundance of church members. Using
an IPTV system with VOD capability,
churches can stream video content,
in real time, to multiple locations in
order to provide a universal worship
experience to all followers.
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Another benefit of VOD is that
it enables churches to expand their
reach without making an investment
in physical infrastructure (e.g., extra
buildings). A house of worship can
simply and affordably put VOD content
online and can connect with an
unlimited amount of followers from all
the around the world. It’s not just limited
to communicating with people within
a certain zip code. Anyone with an
Internet connection can access archived
sermons and events.
Key Technology Requirements
Before they can begin distributing
VOD content, churches need to deploy
an end-to-end IPTV system. While there
are many solutions available, here are
some key requirements one should
look for in an IPTV system for house of
worship applications.
Choosing an IPTV system that is
based on a scalable, modular architecture
enables churches to make a small
investment upfront and add features
as their needs change. For instance,
a church may decide to deliver VOD
content initially. Then as the popularity
of the service increases and its budget
allows, the church can very affordably
add other robust capabilities such as
network video record, which would
allow recording of live sermons and
events.
Ease of use and implementation are
also critical in an IPTV system. Often, the
A/V operators in the house of worship
market do not have professional training.
Choosing a system with a user-friendly
Web-based interface will simplify the
selection and playback of live and on-
demand content. In addition, an IPTV
system with an open-standard design
will ensure compatibility with third-
party equipment for quick and easy
deployment.
Flexibility is another important feature
in an IPTV system. Multiscreen video
distribution can be extremely complex,
given the number of different devices
and networks that one needs to support.
Churches should pick an IPTV system
that can deliver high-quality video
content to any screen, (e.g., TVs, set-top
boxes, PCs, tablets, and smartphones)
over any network (e.g., LAN, WAN, WiFi,
cellular, and the public Internet).
ConclusionAfter deploying an end-to-end IPTV
system with VOD capabilities, a church
can dramatically expand its global reach
and enhance the worship experience for
followers.
Andrew Lemert is the Executive
Vice President, Visionary Solutions
Understanding the workflow goes a long way to setting up an effective VOD system. Image courtesy of Visionary Solutions