You might have noticed by now that many businesses and brands are live streaming their events to their target audience. Be it a new product launch or a panel discussion on product specifications, live streaming of events has become commonplace these days. There are even many websites which are related to streaming videos online, live and/or recorded. However, your purpose of live streaming might be different. You might be completely new to making a live stream and might want to know more about how to make a live stream and the purposes it can serve. Here are few things that might help you on how to broadcast live.
You might be thinking that live streaming would involve a difficult procedure and would need you to have technical knowledge of the equipment to be used. Yes, it is the case. Nevertheless, it is not so difficult to learn things about how to live stream because here we would be discussing everything – right from what is live streaming to the point of how to start streaming along with the tools to be used. Let us start with getting to know about what live streaming is.
LIVE STREAMING:
Live streaming is the process by which videos are broadcasted in real time making use of the internet. Thanks to the internet, live streaming of events can be done from any part of the world which can be viewed from anywhere. With the increase in speed and reliability of internet, it is now possible to broadcast videos without any delay or lag in transmission. Live streaming has come a long way and is now a technology that is accessible to anybody. There are many websites like LiveStream and UStream that enable the users to live stream their content. Also with the advent of these sites and various apps which provide live streaming services for low-cost, live streaming which was once a tedious process, has now become a simple task. With even social media like Facebook and Instagram allowing its users to go live, almost every person is able to create content and broadcast live to his / her audience. Today events related to sports, music, conferences, political discussions and religious meetings etc. are being broadcasted live.
HOW TO START A LIVESTREAM:
Here comes the big question. How to you stream live events? To put in simple words, you can stream live events with StreamNow, a scalable live streaming turnkey script that streams videos with low latency. It is optimized for multiple monetization channels and is priced at cost-effective rates.
Another question to be answered is- what all do you need to take care of before you actually start? Though it is as simple as using an internet-connected smart phone with apps like YouNow and Periscope, it is not recommended to do so, if you want good video and audio quality. If your purpose is not to deliver any professional content, then using the above resources would be sufficient. But if you want to live stream content for professional purposes with high-quality video and audio, then you should be using turnkey scripts such as StreamNow.
Below is the list of live streaming equipment you should be using to ensure that you go live in a conventional way:
1. CAMERA:
Having a camera is compulsory as it is the device that is going to shoot content. It could even be a smart phone or a tablet that can be used to shoot the content, but you are not recommended to use them as they would reduce your options in subsequent steps. Instead, a web camera with USB connection will be a good choice. USB will allow you to easily connect the camera to your laptop or PC making it easy to stream video using the internet. However, if you require higher quality videos, using a DSLR or a digital video camera is recommended. There are many models of DSLRs available in the market with different precisions in capturing. Depending on your budget, you might choose a convenient model. Cameras which can shoot HD videos cost around $1700 dollars with various other features included in them.
2. DEVICE TO CAPTURE THE VIDEO:
While the camera is used just to shoot the video, we need a device that can capture this video to make it visible to the audience as and when it is being shot. A web camera with USB can be connected to the computer directly, so there is no need of a separate device to capture in this case. But if you are using any other camera, then we definitely need a capture device. Hardware encoding devices can function as capture devices and are available on a large scale in markets. We have them available in the form of external devices that work as plug-ins to connect the camera and the computer. Apart from them, we can even install cards in our computers to serve the purpose. BoxCast, AVerMedia and many other companies manufacture these hardware encoding devices and can be purchased from eCommerce sites also. Other than a hardware encoder, you might also need a software encoder that will be used to import video from USB input or capture device. Also, as most of the cameras record videos in various formats which are not suitable for streaming, you might find it necessary to use a software encoder. Software encoders are available for free but if you wish to use professional encoders you can purchase them. Depending on the amount you choose to spend on streaming live videos and your specifications, you can make a choice between hardware encoder and software encoder.
3. HOST TO STREAM YOUR VIDEO:
Once you are equipped with the above-mentioned resources, depending on the estimated number of viewers your video would have (hundreds, thousands or more), you’ll have to search for a video streaming host. This video streaming host would serve as an online platform to deliver content to your audience and it should meet your server configuration and bandwidth specifications. There are many video streaming hosts like Livestream, UStream etc. available online. Before you start with broadcasting your video, you’ll have to establish a connection between your software or hardware encoder and the video streaming host. This can be done by logging in to your host account directly or by providing the password and URL or using the XML file downloaded to setup the encoder. The instructions required will anyhow be mentioned in your video streaming host website.
Once you ensure that all the above things are done, you are ready to start your live stream. Make sure that you have proper and strong internet connectivity before you start, as the internet is key to stream live without any interruptions. You can share the URL mentioned in your host website with your audience, which upon clicking would lead them to your live video. You can even access other settings of the video like restricting access to some users etc. With all this being done correctly, you will be able to successfully live stream your content.
Quality, synchronization of audio and video, delivery of content without any lag in transmission are three important things that have to be concentrated on if you choose to live stream. And all these factors are dependent on the standard of equipment you use and the internet connectivity. The greater the accuracy and precision of your equipment, the higher is the quality of your content.
If you are looking to start a Ustream clone or a Twitch clone, it is recommended to use StreamNow. To know more about StreamNow and its sister products, visit Streamhash. For any other queries on how to do live streaming and how to start a live stream using StreamNow, please contact the support staff.
If you have any doubts or concerns, feel free to drop a line or two in the comments section. I shall reply in a day or two. My best wishes are with you and your live streaming venture. Keep watching this space for insights on live streaming. Cheers!
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