The camera, graphics, and audio are fully handled by one person, allowing people to enjoy a concert by the Zemlinsky Quartet via a simple live stream

About the project

There are situations when people can’t go out and attend cultural events. For the second time now in 2020, artists and cultural institutions have had to cancel performances, concerts, exhibitions, etc. due to the coronavirus pandemic. This situation has also affected the Zemlinsky Quartet, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of its existence in October and decided to hold a concert for the occasion. Because of the measures and restrictions in place, only a limited number of viewers were allowed to attend. The quartet began to look for a simple and affordable solution to allow people to watch the event remotely and avoid canceling the event altogether. They decided to use the CamStreamer solution and, via a live stream, they were able to bring the concert to people live via the internet. Over the course of October, they used this solution for two concerts. “We were trying to find a solution to allow us to keep our activities going even during the Covid-19 crisis. We thought streaming would be a great and functional way to keep ourselves in the game and remind some people, especially abroad, that we’re still around,” says Petr Holman, a member of the Zemlinsky Quartet.

Technical solution

In the Municipal Library in Prague, where both concerts took place, the stream was provided via a new AXIS V5925 PTZ IP camera, which provides a high-quality image with HDTV 1080p resolution. It can zoom up to 30x and can move to cover various positions. The technician in the Municipal Library appreciated the fact that the camera could be controlled remotely from the same place that lights and audio are controlled.

The CamStreamer App, which automatically ensures video streaming to YouTube, was installed directly on the camera. Therefore, the technician did not need an extra computer with streaming software. The CamOverlay App was also used, making it possible to embed infographics directly into the video. All the texts were preset via the Custom Graphics service. After this, the technician was able to switch easily between these titles in the Control Room, which can also be opened on a mobile phone. Graphics can thus be changed from anywhere. This gave viewers an overview of various elements, such as what composition was being played by the quartet at the given moment. “It all seems to me like a great technical solution for a simple live stream. I also think the image quality is great,” says Holman.

Logos of the concert’s sponsors were also depicted in the corner of the live-stream, and QR codes were used for both concerts, redirecting viewers to a payment gateway allowing them to support the Zemlinsky Quartet. “The online concerts have several hundred views. Recordings with a payment method will remain saved in YouTube’s archive, so people can make a contribution not only during the concert and after it’s finished, but throughout the year. We were happy to see that viewers reacted immediately after the concert was over and made financial contributions. Several people called me to say they wouldn’t be able to stream the concert live and planned to watch it the next day,” Holman explains.

Conclusion

This solution is excellent not only for artists but for all concert halls or cultural institutions. It makes it possible to provide a high-quality video stream to various platforms (YouTube, Facebook, website) even when people can’t visit these places and events. This is all done at a minimal cost, as operating the camera, graphics and audio can be handled by one person. “We’re happy that the concert took place for a large number of people who couldn’t physically be in the library’s concert hall. The first live stream has 600 views, and that’s a success for a classical music concert. For example, even people in Hawaii were watching. I’m glad it worked and that prominent people abroad could see us – it was a reminder for them that we’re still playing. A woman called me after seeing our stream and invited us to play a concert,” said Petr Holzman.