Pretty cool huh?
And easier to do than you think!
Let’s get you streaming!
Hey everyone!
Welcome to DIY in 5 - the show where we make tech simple for the everyday user.
I’m Trisha Hershberger and this episode is near and dear to my heart because we are
talking all about streaming.
Live streaming content - whether it be gaming, creative, informational or just hanging out
- is a ton of fun and can be a great way to connect with others in real time.
But I often hear people say that the only reason they aren’t streaming is because
they don’t have the setup and don’t know where to start.
I assure you, getting a streaming setup is much easier and more affordable than one might think,
and I’m here to walk you through it!
First, let’s look at your hardware.
Some people stream straight from their consoles and while this will serve to share your gameplay,
it is extremely limited in terms of features and customization.
For a truly professional look to your stream, you’ll want to stream from a PC.
Surprisingly, you can get a fairly mid-range PC and still stream at decent settings depending
on what type of content you create.
If you are hoping to stream a hardware intensive PC game and broadcast from the same computer,
that’s where you’ll have to invest more in your hardware.
Check out this previous DIY in 5 we did on streaming PC hardware
to find the right fit for your needs.
Next up, after your PC, I’d look at your capture card.
A capture card allows you to capture content from another device
and stream it on your current device.
If you want to stream console gameplay or from another PC this is how you feed your
video and audio to your streaming PC without affecting your PC’s performance.
There are a wide variety of cards out there with various quality, inputs
and customer support options across various price points.
Some are external some are internal.
For most people, an external capture card with HDMI input output that records HD quality
will do just fine, like the Razer Ripsaw HD which I personally use in my home setup.
For the pros out there looking at fancier cards like the Elgato 4K60 Pro, keep in mind
you’ll need a beefy computer to handle what cards like that are throwing down.
If you invest in one, you’ll need to do the same with the other.
As far as displays go, I recommend at least two although you can 100% do a budget setup with one.
If you are operating off one monitor, you’ll just need to arrange your windows so that
you have your broadcasting software, notification window, chat and game or program you are streaming
all on one monitor.
Totally doable just a little crowded.
With two monitors, most streamers prefer to put their primary broadcast program or game
on one monitor and all the technical aspects of their stream on another.
If you want to have a facecam in your stream, there are many options out there including
some with built in lighting specifically for streamers like the Razer Kiyo or you can invest
in lights and a webcam separately.
Basic 720 or 1080p webcams will do the trick for most streamers and usually cost under $100.
You’ll want to make sure you frame your shot so that you are close to the camera
to easily be seen.
And when it comes to lighting, a basic ring light, LED panel or softbox lighting kit can give you
the flexibility to stream anytime of day or night and still have a professional look.
However, if just starting out, you can improvise with home lighting
or setup right in front of a sunny window.
Now, if you want that ‘green screen’ background keyed out look, there are some cameras and
software alternatives that try to get that look, but in my experience, none are as successful
as setting up an actual green screen behind you.
It’s a pain to setup, properly light and tear down, but a cool look if you can pull it off.
Your microphone is just as, if not more important, than your camera since some viewers spend
more time listening to streams than watching them and while poor video quality can be forgiven,
poor audio is the worst!
Depending on the content of your stream, you may want to use a headset microphone, desktop
microphone or even off camera microphone.
Most streamers use a USB microphone that connects directly to their computer and there are a
variety of options built specifically for live streamers, like the HyperX Quadcast Mic
with a tap to mute button right on the top of the mic so your “MOM, THE MEATLOAF!”
moments stay your little secret.
As always with sound you’ll want to think about the echo in your room.
Generally carpets and curtains are better than bare walls and hard floors.
Think about throwing a run down, hanging some curtains or hanging up some
sound dampening panels if this prooves to be an issue.
Other hardware considerations include gaming controllers, keyboard/mice setup and these
are more a matter of personal preference.
If you do a lot of typing on stream, you may want to consider a quiet keyboard
with dampening rings or key switches built for silence.
Another very popular hardware option is a Stream Deck, a panel of buttons you can use
to switch settings, scenes or load sound effects on the fly.
A recent addition to my setup has been a silent USB fan for myself because it’s hard to
keep cool under pressure and under lights in a 4+ hour stream!
It’s the little things!
From a software standpoint, there are many different tools you can use to customize your
stream exactly how you want it.
OBS Studio, XSplit & SLObs are some of the more popular broadcasting software options
and they all have a free version to get you started.
I’ve done an in depth XSplit tutorial on my personal youtube channel you can check
out but most of them have a similar setup of ‘scenes’ and ‘sources’ that you
can setup and live switch between on the fly.
Sites like Streamlabs and Streamelements allow you to even further personalize your streams
by providing notifications, chatbots, loyalty point & donation systems and more
and these are free as well.
If you are streaming to a site like Twitch, there are Twitch extensions again, free of charge,
that can add more pizazz like viewer driven music playlists, face filters or mini-games.
It’s all about running your show how you see fit.
Ok, there’s one final thing I’ll mention and that’s your chair.
Livestreams can go on for hours so finding an ergonomic chair, gaming chair or otherwise
comfy supportive place to put your butt will help reduce both stream breaks and naptime.
So there we have it!
If you want a closer look at my personal streaming setup, you can find that linked in the
description below, and if you have any questions not answered in this video, please leave it in a comment
and we’ll do our best to get back to you or maybe even do a deep dive just for your question.
Thanks for watching everyone and happy streaming!
Oh yeah, please put your Twitch or Mixer or Facebook or YouTube channel that you stream to
in the comments so that we can all check out what each other are up to.
Ok then, see ya next time!