This guide covers the full chain for video & streaming infrastructure: FOH video system, stage/backstage cameras & feeds, switchers/routers, encoding/streaming, and network/latency management. It’s written for real-world setups from small clubs to mid-size venues. No frameworks required—just copy/paste.

1) Front of House (FOH) Video System

Core Components

• Input sources: cameras (PTZ, handheld, fixed), computers for playback/graphics, media servers, and capture cards.
• Console: vision mixer/switcher handling input standards, keying, M/Es, aux buses, and multiview.
• Signal distribution: SDI routers, distribution amps, scalers/frame syncs, and format converters (HDMI/SDI/NDI).
• Processing: color correction, LUTs, noise reduction, up/down/cross conversion.
• Displays: IMAG screens, LED walls, confidence monitors, and FOH preview/multiview.

Design & Coverage

• Audience area first: map screen sizes, viewing distances, and sightlines (avoid rigging/camera blocking).
• Camera placement: choose angles that cover lead vocal, drums/keys, and wide crowd; avoid harsh backlight.
• Lens selection: match throw and FOV (e.g., 24–70/70–200 for handheld; wider for FOH lock-off).
• IMAG timing: keep camera-to-screen latency low to prevent lip/gesture mismatch.
• Confidence displays: place for performers (lyrics/timecode/PGM), ensure brightness vs. stage wash.

System Setup (Order of Operations)

1. Physical placement of cameras, switcher, router, screens, and cable paths; secure and label.
2. Polarity check equivalent: verify color space (Rec.709), levels (legal/full), and RGB/YUV consistency.
3. Time alignment:
   • Genlock cameras and frame sync non-genlock sources; align to house reference.
   • Total latency budget: End-to-end (ms) ≈ camera + switcher + processing + encoder + display.
4. System EQ (picture, not audio):
   • White-balance cameras to the same CCT as stage lighting; load matching LUTs if needed.
   • Set exposure/gamma for highlight protection; avoid crushing blacks on LED backdrops.
5. Limiters: use safe-area/titles and broadcast-legalizers to prevent clipping/saturation on stream.

Signal Headroom & Reliability

• Target clean SDI runs (return loss within spec) and keep cable lengths within rated limits.
• Reserve bandwidth headroom on GPU/NDI/SRT links; avoid saturating a gigabit uplink.
• Keep encoders at ≤80% CPU with CBR/VBR headroom for motion spikes.

Typical Routing Starting Points

• PGM: to IMAG/LED and to encoder.
• PvW: to multiview; enable tally to cameras.
• Aux: clean feed for lobby/green room/record.

Noise, HDCP & Interference Prevention

• Use SDI for critical paths; avoid long unbalanced HDMI or use active/fiber extenders.
• Disable HDCP on playback devices or use compliant scalers; isolate from capture paths.
• Ground and separate power for LED processors to reduce hum/banding.

FOH Video Check Checklist

• Bars/tone or test pattern to validate every input/output path and screen.
• Walk the room; confirm sightlines, focus, exposure, and color match.
• Confirm latency within budget on IMAG and stream.

2) Stage & Backstage Video (Cameras & Feeds)

Choosing System Type

• PTZ: fast deploy, minimal footprint; use controllers or VISCA/NDI.
• Handheld/shoulder: best for energy and crowd shots; requires operators/clear zones.
• Fixed/wide: safety/wide angle for cutaways and reference.

Stage System Design

• Mix count: aim for 3–5 cameras (wide, FOH tele, stage L/R, roaming) for variety.
• Placement: keep operators out of aisles; mark pits and cable routes; protect trip hazards.
• Return/tally: provide PGM return and tally lights so ops know on-air status.
• Audio embed: send board mix + ambience to cameras or to encoder via embedder.

Picture Processing

• White balance to stage CCT; match matrix/saturation across bodies.
• Profiles/LUTs per mix (IMAG vs. stream) to maintain contrast under LED walls.
• NR/Sharpen: use lightly to avoid plastic skin or aliasing.

Operator Tips

• Prefer 180° shutter equivalent (1/50 @ 25p) for natural motion under concert lighting.
• Ride iris/ISO for strobes; avoid hunting AF—use manual focus with peaking.
• Communicate via comms; pre-call moves before songs drop.

Video Workflow

1. Confirm camera IDs & tally; label cables and positions.
2. Set base exposure/white balance; store scene files.
3. Rehearse cut order and featured solos; preset PTZ shots.

3) Switchers & Routers (SDI & IP)

Input Fundamentals

• Frame sync/scalers on all wildcard inputs to handle mismatched formats.
• Key/fill for lower-thirds/bugs; chroma/luma key for simple overlays.
• Multiview layout: label sources, safe areas, audio meters.

Bus Architecture & Routing

• Program/Preview with M/E for effects; macros for fast show ops.
• Aux: send clean feeds to LED processors, lobby, press, record.
• Router: centralize I/O; protect with tie-lines and salvos.

IP/Networked Advantages

• NDI/SRT sources over Ethernet reduce long SDI runs.
• Remote graphics & replay nodes on the same fabric.
• Control APIs for tally, macros, and automation.

Legacy/HDMI Considerations

• Use reliable EDID managers and scalers for laptops.
• Document patchbay and EDID/format settings.

Festival/Changeover Workflow

1. Advance inputs & screen map; build a generic show file.
2. Color-code buttons/pages; maintain clear source naming.
3. Line check fast: confirm sync, keyers, macros; refine during first song.

4) Encoding & Streaming (Codecs, Protocols, Platforms)

Codecs & Bitrates

• H.264 for broad compatibility; H.265 for efficiency if platform supports.
• 1080p25/30: start 6–8 Mbps (stream) and 12–20 Mbps (record mezzanine).
• Enable keyframe interval 2s; set lookahead for motion-heavy songs.

Protocols

• RTMP: common to platforms; stable over good links.
• SRT: robust over bad networks; set latency 120–250 ms.
• NDI: low-latency on LAN for internal paths; avoid WAN.

Audio Strategy

• Board mix + crowd mics to encoder; aim integrated loudness around -16 to -14 LUFS for platforms.
• Sample rate 48 kHz; 256–384 kbps AAC for stereo.
• Provide broadcast limiter to prevent overload on loud passages.

Redundancy & Records

• Dual encoders (A/B) to primary & backup ingest URLs.
• Local ISO and PGM records; verify media speed and remaining time.
• Record clean feed for edits; log timecode for later sync.

5) Network & Latency Management

Network Essentials

• VLANs for production vs. guest Wi-Fi; QoS for NDI/SRT control/data.
• Wired first: fiber or copper to cameras/encoders when possible.
• Uplink: reserve upload bandwidth; avoid competing POS/guest traffic.

Signal Transport

• Prefer SDI for IMAG; IP for non-critical or long-haul contribution.
• Use fiber SDI for long runs; power cameras locally to avoid voltage drop.

Security & Stability

• Stream keys stored securely; rotate after events.
• UPS on switcher/routers/encoders; generator or second feed for long shows.
• Monitor packet loss, jitter, and CPU; alarm on thresholds.

Noise Management & Regulations

• Monitor EMI near LED processors; reroute SDI if banding appears.
• Establish content rights and platform compliance (music licensing, VOD rules).

6) Practical Workflows & Quick Recipes

Fast Festival Video Check (5–10 min)

1. Verify input patch and formats; label clearly.
2. White-balance/exposure; align cameras to chart.
3. Test keys/DSK, graphics, and macros.
4. Confirm stream ingest & backup; start local records.
5. PGM to IMAG/LED; verify latency on stage.

IMAG Clarity Recipe

1. Protect highlights; mid-tone contrast for faces.
2. Subtle sharpening; reduce color noise in shadows.
3. Cut rhythm: wide → tight → reaction → wide.

Stream Stability Recipe

1. Set conservative bitrate; enable SRT with 200 ms latency.
2. Lock FPS/format; fixed keyframe every 2s.
3. Monitor RTMP/SRT stats; failover to backup ingest if drops > 1%.

7) Safety, Redundancy & Best Practices

• Cable safety: protect SDI/AC with ramps; avoid compression and tight bends.
• Redundancy: spare cameras, converters, SDI paths; dual encoders and records.
• Power: balanced distro; UPS for switcher, routers, storage, and encoders.
• Documentation: input map, router salvos, stream endpoints, and versioned show files.

8) Minimal Video Input List Template

1 Cam FOH    | 2 Cam Roam | 3 Cam Stage L | 4 Cam Stage R | 5 PTZ Drum
6 PTZ Keys   | 7 Playback | 8 Graphics    | 9 LED Proc    | 10 Record Return
11 Aux Comp  | 12 Spare   | 13 Spare      | 14 SRT In     | 15 NDI In
16 Multiview | 17 ISO Rec | 18 PGM Rec    | 19 Stream Enc | 20 Confidence Out

Add/trim inputs to fit the rig. Color-code and group to M/Es/auxes.

9) Quick Troubleshooting

• No video: wrong format/EDID, cable, or input mapping; check frame sync.
• Banding/rolling: LED refresh mismatch; adjust shutter or genlock.
• Color mismatch: re-white-balance; verify LUT/profile.
• Drop frames: encoder CPU/network saturated; lower bitrate/resolution.
• Audio out of sync: align with delay at encoder or embedder; measure and correct.

10) Pre-Show & Post-Show Checklists

Pre-Show

• Power-up sequence: routers/switches → cameras/converters → switcher → encoders/recorders.
• Connectivity test to platform; verify primary/backup ingest.
• Load show file; check graphics, lower-thirds, and macros.
• Spare media, batteries, cards, and labeled cables staged.

Post-Show

• Stop stream and records; verify file integrity and offload.
• Power-down reverse order: encoders → switcher → cameras → routers.
• Coil and test cables; note fixes and color matching adjustments for next show.

11) Reducing Costs & Finding the Best Suppliers with AI

Smart Purchasing Strategies

• Use AI-driven procurement tools to compare cameras, switchers, converters, and encoder prices across multiple distributors in real time.
• Analyze historical pricing—AI can predict sale cycles for capture cards, PTZs, and storage.
• Leverage chat-based AI to automate quote requests for rental flypacks and LED walls.
• Bundle purchases (e.g., SDI/fiber, converters, batteries) to unlock bulk discounts—AI can recommend optimal kits based on your input list.

Supplier Evaluation

• AI can assess supplier reliability by scraping reviews, RMA rates, and delivery history.
• Use sentiment analysis to identify vendors with consistent firmware/support quality.
• Track supply chain stability—AI alerts can warn of encoder/PTZ shortages or shipping delays before show day.
• Cross-reference suppliers for counterfeit risk detection, especially when buying capture cards, SDI converters, and lenses.

Operational Optimization

• Integrate AI inventory tracking to predict when to service lenses, heads, and encoders—reducing downtime.
• AI budgeting tools can simulate ROI: buy vs. rent camera chains, leasing options for switchers, or cross-venue flypack sharing.
• Predictive maintenance models reduce repair costs by identifying failing cables, fans, or SSDs before the next tour leg.
• Use AI to schedule crew roles (director/TD/ops) and stream windows—minimizing overtime while maintaining coverage.