A Quick Guide on Using Video Switchers for Worship

If you're going to be producing live video for worship, youneed to undersatnd video switchers / mixers. This simple primer form Church Production Magazine is a great place to start!

Church Production by Mark Hanna Twenty years ago the concept of a church having or even needing a video switcher was ludicrous. As the only tech volunteer at my church at the time, all I had was a small soundboard and a cassette tape deck. Now, video switchers are common staples in churches of all sizes. Even small churches often have simple A/B switchers. Video switchers are relatively simple pieces of technology. All they really do is allow you to connect multiple sources, usually cameras or computers, to a single output, and change between them. Higher-end switchers allow you to layer multiple inputs on top of one another. Achieving high quality video is a struggle for many churches for a number of reasons. Senior leaders recognize the need for high quality audio very early in the life of a church, though. Therefore, most church techs are audio people. The point at which a church needs a technical video professional is much later in the life of the church—and many churches won’t admit they need help in this area until it’s too late and they’ve already spent a bunch of money. The choice of a video switcher is critical in this process. read more...