Today, I’m excited to share a cost-effective solution for implementing tally lights in your church’s livestream setup. Tally lights are invaluable tools for keeping camera operators informed about live shots, and I’m here to show you how to make them for less than $5 each. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Tally Lights:

  • Tally lights visually indicate which camera is currently live during a broadcast.
  • They aid camera operators and talent by providing real-time feedback on the active camera.
  • Tally lights can be customized to suit different needs, such as indicating preview vs. live shots or signaling specific camera statuses.

Materials Needed: (all links can be found on the gear page)

  • Development boards (pack of 6 for $15)
  • Tri-color LEDs (100 pack for $9)
  • Micro-USB cables
  • Soldering iron and solder
  • Electrical tape or heat-shrink tubing (optional)
  • Helping hands tool (optional)

Building the Tally Lights:

  • Begin by assembling the components: development boards and tri-color LEDs.
  • Follow the instructions provided by Aaron Hetlam on GitHub for detailed guidance.
  • Solder the LEDs to the development boards, ensuring proper connections.
  • Program the tally lights using the provided instructions, configuring them to communicate with your ATEM switcher over Wi-Fi.

Connecting to the ATEM Switcher:

  • Power on the tally lights and wait for the LED indicator to turn white.
  • Connect to the tally light’s Wi-Fi network and access the setup page via the provided IP address.
  • Configure the tally light settings, including assigning a number corresponding to the input number on your ATEM switcher.
  • Enter your network name, password, and static IP settings for seamless connectivity.
  • Save the changes and reboot the tally lights to apply the new settings.

Expanding Tally Light Setup:

  • Replicate the setup process for each camera, ensuring unique tally numbers for identification.
  • Consider connecting some tally lights to other tally lights to avoid overwhelming connections on the ATEM switcher.
  • Designate a “master” tally light that serves as the central hub for connecting other tally lights.

Mounting Tally Lights:

  • Utilize 3D-printed cases or simple electrical tape to attach tally lights to cameras.
  • Power tally lights via USB ports on V-Mount battery plates for convenience.
  • Customize the setup to fit your specific camera rig and preferences.

By following these steps, you can create and integrate budget-friendly tally lights into your church’s livestream setup, enhancing communication and coordination among your production team. Whether you’re using an ATEM switcher or another system, these DIY tally lights offer versatility and affordability.

Until next time!


Got questions? Drop me a line through the contact form or reach out on Instagram!