I'm helping set up a livestream for a local church and would appreciate a second opinion before buying equipment. We have a Windows 11 PC running the latest version of ProPresenter for the service visuals, a Sony camera with an SDI cable routed to the tech booth, and Resi handling distribution to Facebook and YouTube. I'm considering a Magewell Plus SDI-to-USB capture device. My understanding is that I could connect the camera's SDI cable to the Magewell, connect the Magewell to the PC by USB, and then select the camera as a video input in ProPresenter while the computer handles the encoding. Does that workflow sound reasonable, or are there compatibility or configuration issues I should check first? Our audio comes from a Behringer X32 mixer. Can the livestream combine the camera video with audio from the X32, and would that need to be routed through ProPresenter, Resi, or another input? The goal is to replace a more complicated setup involving a separate encoder and a failed internal capture card.
4 Answers
You may also want to compare the current Resi workflow with OBS or another dedicated streaming application. OBS can accept a capture-card video source and a separate mixer input, combine them, and encode the result, although changing platforms may not fit your church’s existing setup. If Resi is already established, first confirm whether it accepts the ProPresenter output directly or requires a particular encoder or software configuration.
The audio will usually need to be sent from the X32 into the computer or capture/streaming system as a separate audio source. ProPresenter or the streaming application can then combine that audio with the camera video, depending on how your Resi integration is configured. The X32 itself won’t automatically be included just because the camera is connected, so confirm that you have a suitable USB, network, or analog connection from the mixer to the computer and that the correct input is selected in the streaming software.
An SDI-to-USB capture device should generally let the computer see the camera as a standard video source, so the basic connection you described is sensible. Before purchasing, verify the camera’s SDI format and resolution are supported by the capture device, and check whether ProPresenter and your streaming workflow can select that device directly. Also make sure the camera is outputting a compatible frame rate and that the USB connection has enough bandwidth. Testing the complete setup before a service would be important.
The current system uses a separate encoder box and an internal DeckLink card, which is no longer working. I’m mainly trying to simplify the signal path and reduce the number of failure points.
A simpler arrangement is possible, but the exact result depends on whether ProPresenter is being used only for visuals or also as the production and streaming source. A capture device can replace the internal capture card for bringing in the camera, but you’ll still need a defined path for the X32 audio and a reliable way to send the finished program feed to Resi. Document the signal flow and test video, audio, sync, and failover before using it during a live service.
Resi was already in place before I started helping, so I’ll check how its current encoder setup works before suggesting a change. I’m still interested in confirming that the SDI-to-USB approach can replace the failed card and encoder.