Video live streaming has become increasingly integral in everyday society. So if you’re reading this to get familiar with how to stream, welcome to the club! We are eager to help you become a live video streamer whether you’re a beginner, an organization looking to offer livestream services, or looking to improve your workflow. The following will take you through all the things you need to consider before you take your video live.
While the most basic way to live stream a video consists of taking out your phone or laptop and hitting the go live button on your social media page, this convenient method has its drawbacks. Reliability can be an issue when using a device such as a phone or laptop due to its need to share CPU across all its apps and programs. Streamers and professional streaming companies are also looking for workflows that easily connect to professional cameras, switchers, and microphones to give their output a polished look. If you're ready to take your live streams to the next level, here's what you'll need:
Video and Audio Sources - If you’re looking for video and audio improvements, the first thing you’ll need to do is upgrade your video and audio sources.
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- Camera - Look for a good camera that has 1080p resolution and a zoom lens. Camcorders such as the Canon Vixia series are great for automated functions like focusing and exposure. For those looking to create a more artistic image, a DSLR such as the Canon series or Sony Alpha would be more beneficial as your live streaming video camera.
- Microphone - A compact directional mic such as this one can work well for most of your needs. Alternatively, if you’re streaming a presenter or your stream consists mainly of dialogue, a lavalier mic, such as this one, will better serve you.
Encoder - Once your video and audio sources are ready, you’ll need to encode your video and audio to get the signal online without interruption. An encoder will compress video and audio from camera and audio sources and convert that into a web-friendly format. Using an encoder will give you a more reliable stream since encoding is what it was made to do. Teradek’s Vidiu Go is a great option since its sole purpose is to encode for the purpose of video live streaming.
A strong internet connection is also critical to a seamless live stream. Many of Teradek’s encoders, including the Vidiu Go, provide bonding capabilities. Bonding is when the encoder combines the bandwidth from multiple network sources, such as WiFi, ethernet, cellular data, and hotspots to create one big, reliable pipeline for you to stream over. If any of your networks go down for any reason, your live video stream will be uninterrupted.
Multiple Streaming Destinations - Online video platforms, also known as OVPs, are essentially the social media platform or website where you want to stream to. Some of the most popular OVPs include YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Periscope. Many people have preferred platforms for consuming content so streaming to multiple locations simultaneously helps you build a larger audience.