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What kind of setup do people have for livestreaming?

#1

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

I thought about putting this in tech or gaming, but figured this might get more answers here.

I am trying to get a sense of what people actually use in terms of hardware/software-wise for *capture* and publishing of livestreams (as opposed to what platform you're livestreaming to). The world of tech solutions for livestreaming is of course enormous, but I'm curious what people *actually* use (barring like, real consumer research).

Do you use OBS or XSplit or some other studio software, even with platforms that support at-home streaming capture directly like Facebook?

Anyone use a capture card of some kind for streaming from a second PC/hardware box?

Does anyone use any cloud-based support systems like Wowza or some other?

Does anyone livestream only from mobile, and if so, do you use the native social media apps, or use some kind of capture app that then publishes to the appropriate social media? Anyone use that hardcore IRL mobile setup that some big influencers use which is basically a GoPro connected to a smartphone via bluetooth/WAN mounted on a gimble/selfie-stick?

Etc., etc.


#2

GasBandit

GasBandit

Dei, Myself, Terrik, and Dave all use OBS (though they use OBS Studio, and I still like original OBS, though it doesn't work with everything). I don't remember all their hardware stuff (though I know Terrik has a 1080TI), but as for me, I have an I5-4670 with 16 gigs of ram and a 1060 3 gig. No capture card is necessary. OBS will even let you overlay a webcam or other footage however you want, it's got a really good "scene construction" aspect.

Having at least 16 gigs of ram is very important for streaming, especially if you're using the replay buffer. I find having a second monitor also helps so I can keep an eye on the OBS preview while I play, watching for problems, and also so I can keep my twitch channel's chat window up where I can see it, in case someone says something that I want to respond to.

Also, you're going to need more upstream bandwidth than most average consumers. I wouldn't want to stream with less than 5, but I pay for 20 mbit up specifically so streaming works. These days, the common upstream seems to be around 2mbit or so, which is definitely not enough.


#3

Dave

Dave

What he said.


#4

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

I stream to facebook a lot. I'm not much of a twitch guy. I mostly stream live music, and don't really ever stream games. (Though, I thought about making a joke twitch page where I just live stream me playing game after mediocre game of minesweeper)

I use OBS Studio and a Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920. I thought I might have to dig out the pre-amp and the Shure mic to get good sound on the tinwhistle, but the webcam mic and the software compressor in OBS does a fine job.

I would love to direct-stream to Facebook and cut out the OBS middle man, but every time I try, the webcam comes on, I start talking, and 30 seconds later Facebook says "oops! we are have trouble connecting to your feed." and cuts off. Works just fine when I push it through OBS


#5

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Tinwhistler said:
I would love to direct-stream to Facebook and cut out the OBS middle man, but every time I try, the webcam comes on, I start talking, and 30 seconds later Facebook says "oops! we are have trouble connecting to your feed." and cuts off. Works just fine when I push it through OBS
Click to expand...
Interesting. I've guessing OBS simply has superior/more stable encoding capabilities that the FB Live web interface, since from what I understand, OBS would need to use the same network protocol to stream on FB Live at all.

Huh.[DOUBLEPOST=1516039467,1516039363][/DOUBLEPOST]
GasBandit said:
Dei, Myself, Terrik, and Dave all use OBS (though they use OBS Studio, and I still like original OBS, though it doesn't work with everything). I don't remember all their hardware stuff (though I know Terrik has a 1080TI), but as for me, I have an I5-4670 with 16 gigs of ram and a 1060 3 gig. No capture card is necessary. OBS will even let you overlay a webcam or other footage however you want, it's got a really good "scene construction" aspect.
Click to expand...
Funnily enough, had I bet on anyone using two PCs to stream (one to play, one to actually stream), you're the one I would have been willing to guess. :p

Clearly, this is why I don't bet on things.


#6

GasBandit

GasBandit

SpecialKO said:
Funnily enough, had I bet on anyone using two PCs to stream (one to play, one to actually stream), you're the one I would have been willing to guess. :p

Clearly, this is why I don't bet on things.
Click to expand...
Nah, don't need a second PC. Like I said, though, a second monitor does help :p


#7

Dei

Dei

You really don't need 2 PCs to stream. Especially when you aren't an affiliate, which none of us are. If you're looking for a setup of someone who can actually stream in super high quality on Twitch or the like, you won't find that here (Unless someone is more famous than they are willing to let on :O ).


#8

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

I am trying, for work reasons, to get a more complete picture of what normal folks actually use to stream. I'm talking to some people who have gotten it into their heads that the individual streaming market (not the pros) is the same kind of wild west of technology that the enterprise streaming market is, but I'm not particularly convinced. On the other hand, I'm also not comfortable telling them that there is nothing going on outside of OBS, XSplit, and the YouTube/Facebook web interfaces without doing some more looking around.


#9

GasBandit

GasBandit

And really, the higher the "quality" of your stream, the less computer power you need (but the bandwidth requirements goes waaay up real fast), because your computer isn't having to work as hard to compress and encode the source. It takes more horsepower to squish a 1080p source down to 720p in a way that looks good than it would be just to encode it and send it in native resolution. But that also requires more than twice the upstream bandwidth, and Twitch doesn't like you to use more than 3mbit unless you are an affiliate/partner. Though, I get away with squeezing 3.5 through, and I think it makes a difference.

Just be aware that, due to the nature of h.264 compression, red on a black background is always going to be super smudgy/blurry. So, try to avoid red text on a black background. In fact, in general, all low-light environments (I'm looking at YOU, Killing Floor) will look very muddy.


#10

Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

SpecialKO said:
Interesting. I've guessing OBS simply has superior/more stable encoding capabilities that the FB Live web interface, since from what I understand, OBS would need to use the same network protocol to stream on FB Live at all.

Huh.[DOUBLEPOST=1516039467,1516039363][/DOUBLEPOST]

Funnily enough, had I bet on anyone using two PCs to stream (one to play, one to actually stream), you're the one I would have been willing to guess. :p

Clearly, this is why I don't bet on things.
Click to expand...
Well to be fair to Facebook, the FB live web interface has to work through a browser (which means it's probably javascript), whereas OBS is dedicated software written in C/C++ which gives it the advantage when interfacing with hardware.

Prior to getting OBS and the webcam, I would stream directly from my phone or kindle. It was a PITA.


#11

PatrThom

PatrThom

I don't stream anything.
Nobody out there needs to see how I live/listen to my kid whine for a solid hour about how bedtime is unfair, etc.

--Patrick


#12

strawman

strawman

PatrThom said:
I don't stream anything.
Nobody out there needs to see how I live/listen to my kid whine for a solid hour about how bedtime is unfair, etc.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
If you’d said “wants” I’d have pointed out that you might be surprised.


#13

PatrThom

PatrThom

stienman said:
If you’d said “wants” I’d have pointed out that you might be surprised.
Click to expand...
Watching @Dave ’s “I’m not here” channel would probably be more rewarding than most of my game time.

—Patrick


#14

fade

fade

An antisocial personality.


#15

PatrThom

PatrThom

PatrThom said:
Nobody out there needs to see how I live/listen to my kid whine for a solid hour about how bedtime is unfair, etc.
Click to expand...
Last night he tried to close the door to the living room to keep me out when I tried to put him back in bed.
He still had his fingers on the hinge side of the door when he did so.
Much wailing and lamentation did ensue.
And then he went to bed without issue.

--Patrick


#16

strawman

strawman

PatrThom said:
Last night he tried to close the door to the living room to keep me out when I tried to put him back in bed.
He still had his fingers on the hinge side of the door when he did so.
Much wailing and lamentation did ensue.
And then he went to bed without issue.

--Patrick
Click to expand...


#17

Dave

Dave

Bump.

Having nothing but issues with OBS and it drives me nuts. I can't get Game Capture to work consistently. I'll stream fine one day and then the next I get the black screen and nothing I do fixes it, and I haven't changed anything, nor has there been any updates to anything. I'm going to have to display capture again tonight, which drives me insane.

Fix your shit, OBS!


#18

GasBandit

GasBandit

Dave said:
Bump.

Having nothing but issues with OBS and it drives me nuts. I can't get Game Capture to work consistently. I'll stream fine one day and then the next I get the black screen and nothing I do fixes it, and I haven't changed anything, nor has there been any updates to anything. I'm going to have to display capture again tonight, which drives me insane.

Fix your shit, OBS!
Click to expand...
Did you try switching to a different version of your video drivers?


#19

Dave

Dave

I have not. I find it odd that it works one day and then the next it does not, and I haven't changed a thing. When it happens I just use display capture. It sucks but it works.


#20

GasBandit

GasBandit

Dave said:
I have not. I find it odd that it works one day and then the next it does not, and I haven't changed a thing. When it happens I just use display capture. It sucks but it works.
Click to expand...
I've also heard that some antivirus solutions screw with OBS's game capture. The only antivirus I'm using right now is windows defender, do you have something else?

And, like I've said in other threads, running the "latest" version of nvidia drivers had caused me nothing but heartache. I'm still running version 373.06, it seems to work best for me.


#21

Dave

Dave

I use BitDefender. Truthfully that's the only thing I can think of as well. The video driver makes no sense since it worked and then didn't when nothing changed.


#22

PatrThom

PatrThom

Dave said:
nothing changed.
Click to expand...
But if you're running Windows 10, then this is a thing you can never be sure of.

--Patrick


#23

GasBandit

GasBandit

Exactly. Even on windows 7 sometimes, your computer no longer needs to ask/notify you about things changing on your computer. Sometimes it's all done without/despite you.


#24

PatrThom

PatrThom

Yeah. Last night while playing Empyrion, my computer unexpectedly hesitated for about 3 seconds. Empyrion stuttered heavily, my voice chat stuttered heavily, my mouse got jerky. It was like my computer suddenly downshifted all 6 cores to 800MHz or something...and then it was gone, back to normal. I wish I'd ducked into Event Viewer right away to see what happened, but I was doing other things and so forgot, but checking this morning shows that Windows just HAD to install a Defender update last night at 9:30pm, so I wonder...

--Patrick


#25

Dave

Dave

PatrThom said:
But if you're running Windows 10, then this is a thing you can never be sure of.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
Good point.


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