Which camera would you get today? webcasting too?

L

luyos

New member
Knowing what you know about the cameras what camera would you choose? To help preface that, I am going to be doing webcasting. Streaming mostly through Ustream but will be doing prerecorded work, and a high quality camera is best. I have been looking at a few cameras on ebay to local craigslist. From the DVX 100B to the HVX 200A. I find it hard to get a good features breakdown of the cameras on a chart. Not staying with these two models but am trying to learn as much as I can.

Cameras need to be able to output in firewire. I am using WIRECAST to produce the event live. I plan on doing mobile pre-recorded shows too.

It is for my client she has a show on TLC, but this is something that she wants to do on the side for herself. The web page is www.LittleBIGTalk.com some people may of heard of them. Currently we are using some HD Web Cameras.

I am looking for some input and it would be greatly appreciated. This is an awesome resource. I am new to this and would like to share my experiences as I learn them myself.
 
I'm not sure that you're going to get that much better quality from a full video camera than you are from an HD web camera, at least depending on what model you have.

Is the camera going to be solely used for webcasting? Where do you think the HD Web Cameras could be improved? What's the make/model of these cameras?
 
Gary,

Thanks for the reply...

When webcasting we come across some limitations. For example, USB (HD Pro Webcam C910) conflicts come up. Multiple cams, usually have to be on a different BUS to prevent issues. Also running a USB Snowball mic, again can cause a conflict. Thus USB items also seem to be a resource hog on the processor. USB also gives us limitations on distance on USB cable lengths (10' - 15'). Even including proper USB extenders. Have tried a few and sometimes with success but still conflicts arrise.

Running a Firewire system, hopefully will resolve many of these issues. USTREAM highly suggests using the DVX100B but Im willing to step it up to a better cam if it makes sense.

We would really like to pre-record some episodes also and then upload those to the Youtube channels etc.. So being able to go on scene and shoot with a mobile camera will help take things to another level.


Current Equipment:
HD Pro Webcam C910 (2)
Grass Valley ADVC 110 (Quality isn't great imho)
BLUE Snowball Mic (Great quality but processor hog it seems)
PC - Quadcore Processor, unsure of VideoCard at the moment but its quite strong.

Recently Purchased (last week)
Mackie ONYX-1220I (Firewire mixer) (want to add lapel mics and more audio sources analog then converts to firewire)
 
I started a video channel for the small town that I live in and staarted broadcasting live and recorded events using Ustream for a while now.. and Although we have went through many differant cameras.. the DVX100a that we used seemed to work great, but the only limitation that I had was needing an external power source for long shoots but anything can be worked out... but I agree the firewire for me was a huge selling point doing this type of thing..
 
The tricaster is a great studio in a box solution,

however the challenge is going to be that using USB cameras for a multicam broadcast will probably not work.

time to step up to cameras with SDI or HDSDI out and future proof yourself.

Just a thought.
 
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