Basic Funeral Livestream: A Starting Point
A growing number of families expect funeral homes provide much of the same technology they use at home - think plug-and-play televisions to display family photos. With the fast advance of technology and today’s travel uncertainty, soon many will expect livestreaming services.
The funeral director looking to offer a publicly-viewable, one-way livestreams on short order can follow this basic project plan. With this plan you’ll be able to setup a single device, in a fixed position, and stream video to a single social media property.
Here’s my list of the things, the people and the approach you’ll need to get started livestreaming:
This plan assumes you have dedicated WiFi or strong 5G wireless data signal, and that you understand the licenses required for streaming funeral services. See NFDA resource article here.
Streaming Device & Accessories
This can be a late-model mobile phone or tablet capable of capturing HD video and audio. Something like this tablet.
Protective Case: I would also recommend a high-quality case to protect against accidental drops or impact. Additionally, cases with handles can make it safer to transport the device for grave-side service. Something like this case.
Security Cables: You should consider installing a securing cable on the device to reduce the risk of theft or at least minimize the chances that an unsupervised child relocates the device. Consider these cables and this anti-theft security base.
Power Cables: Depending on your site, you might need power cables sufficiently long enough to ensure your device is fully powered for the duration of the livestream. Something like these cables.
Battery Packs: Should you use this device for grave-side service, you’ll need at least two backup batteries on hand. Few devices can livestreaming video over wireless data for very long before requiring additional power. Try something like this portable charger.
Device Stand/Mounting Bracket
For In-Chapel Streaming: You’ll want a floor-stand with a small footprint to reduce the risk of accidents - like a guests tripping on the extended legs of a tripod. You’ll want to be sure the stand includes an adapter suitable for the Streaming Device you’re using. Consider something like this stand and this adapter.
For chapels where furniture and setup is consistently the same position, you could consider a wall mounting bracket like this one. Be sure not to mount the bracket too high for your operator. Also consider occupying the floor space underneath with a small table or other non-seating object to avoid guests accidentally hitting their heads on the wall -mounted bracket.
For Grave-Side Streaming: You’ll want a high-quality, weighted tri-pod, to be well footed on a variety of cemetery lawns. Consider this tripod and these weights.
Stream Destination
For a simple, straight-forward approach, you’ll set your Streaming Device to send audio and video to one single destination. Typically a business social media property such as a business Facebook page or a YouTube channel setup in the name of your business is used.
Links to the video can be posted on your website in advance of the livestream broadcast by taking advantage of scheduling capability available with Facebook and YouTube.
As of the date of this post: Streaming to YouTube from a mobile device or tablet will require an additional app or a minimum of 1,000 channel subscribers.
Stream Operator
This is you, or a member of your staff, who is equipped with necessary credentials to access the Streaming Device and to access the Stream Destination.
Broadcast Operation Plan
At the start of the funeral/memorial service, the operator will log onto the device, verify internet connections, initiate the livestream broadcast, and inform in-person guests to avoid watching the stream on their mobile devices risking disruption of the livestream audio.
For the first few minutes, I would recommend that the operator monitor the live stream to ensure the audio and video are successfully streaming.
During the service, the operator should periodically check the stream using a separate device, from a separate room to avoid the squeal of audio feedback loop.
At the end of the funeral/memorial service, the operator should close the livestream on the Stream Destination site - not merely shut-off the device.
I hope my explanations were clear and you found this information helpful to get started with livestreaming at your funeral home. You can click here to check out my complete Amazon shopping list.
