Livestream Tips / Help

MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I do a bit of amateur local FaceBook streaming. Silly stuff like playing Bowlliards with a friend. I looking for tips on equipment and setup to enhance my production.

Do you use OBS or StreamLabs OBS?

Do you use a stream deck?

How do you get a good overhead view?

Do you have some other wireless camera technology to connect into your laptop?

Or do you run a really long HDMI/USB cable around your ceiling, walls, or across your floor?

Are cables just a fact of life?

Do you have an IP camera streaming to an RTSP server that OBS ties into?

Do you end up with a 3-4 second lag from the camera to OBS?

Or is there some other kind of wireless camera that easily connects to your PC more directly via WIFI/Bluetooth and acts like a webcam on your PC?​

That last question is something I'm really curious about.
 
MattPoland said:
I do a bit of amateur local FaceBook streaming. Silly stuff like playing Bowlliards with a friend. I looking for tips on equipment and setup to enhance my production.
Click to expand...

Do you use OBS or StreamLabs OBS?
OBS

Do you use a stream deck?
No, the only add-on is the free version of Restream

How do you get a good overhead view?
I use a down-angle view as I have lights directly over my table

Do you have some other wireless camera technology to connect into your laptop?
I have 2 HDMI cameras, the onboard camera, and a Logitech C922x

Or do you run a really long HDMI/USB cable around your ceiling, walls, or across your floor?
Unfortunately yes. They will be put inside the walls this summer, hopefully.

Are cables just a fact of life?
You can be creative in hiding them, but wireless cameras don't capture at 30fps. Just look at a wireless camera on a security system for an example.

Do you have an IP camera streaming to an RTSP server that OBS ties into?
No, but I can send you a link for building a server out of a Pi if you like.

Do you end up with a 3-4 second lag from the camera to OBS?
You can adjust this in the settings, along with audio timing. It may also be a performance issue in the computer. Try lowering your output resolution to 720p.

Or is there some other kind of wireless camera that easily connects to your PC more directly via WIFI/Bluetooth and acts like a webcam on your PC?
Answered above.
 
Ghosst said:
Do you use OBS or StreamLabs OBS?

OBS



Do you use a stream deck?

No, the only add-on is the free version of Restream



How do you get a good overhead view?

I use a down-angle view as I have lights directly over my table



Do you have some other wireless camera technology to connect into your laptop?

I have 2 HDMI cameras, the onboard camera, and a Logitech C922x



Or do you run a really long HDMI/USB cable around your ceiling, walls, or across your floor?

Unfortunately yes. They will be put inside the walls this summer, hopefully.



Are cables just a fact of life?

You can be creative in hiding them, but wireless cameras don't capture at 30fps. Just look at a wireless camera on a security system for an example.



Do you have an IP camera streaming to an RTSP server that OBS ties into?

No, but I can send you a link for building a server out of a Pi if you like.



Do you end up with a 3-4 second lag from the camera to OBS?

You can adjust this in the settings, along with audio timing. It may also be a performance issue in the computer. Try lowering your output resolution to 720p.



Or is there some other kind of wireless camera that easily connects to your PC more directly via WIFI/Bluetooth and acts like a webcam on your PC?

Answered above.
Click to expand...


That helps a lot. I started out streaming with a cell phone. Then graduated to a Mevo. I don’t like how closed their platform is. But it still worked for raw solo streaming.

Then I started playing Bowliards matches over FB Messenger and streaming those. At first I just used my webcam and OBS (with a VirtualCam plugin to send my OBS output to the FB Messenger call). I also setup a few different scenes for when I was shooting vs my opponent. I switched between them on my iPad/iPhone using the Elgato Mobile Stream Deck plugin...for now.

Next I found a way to host a Mist RTSP server and have my Mevo push to it and OBS capture the feed. The upside was that I had an wireless overhead view. The downside was it had a 4 second lag that mismatched my real-time audio. Specifically with the Mevo, I don’t think you can configure around it. I fixed that in the stream with an intentional audio lag, but my FB Messenger call still had the mismatch as the audio there wasn’t delayed.

Not the end of the world but I’m ready to replace my wall mounted Mevo with a better solution that more directly connects to my laptop. So you can see why I’m looking for advice before purchasing a camera.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Ghosst said:
Do you use OBS or StreamLabs OBS?
OBS

Do you use a stream deck?
No, the only add-on is the free version of Restream

How do you get a good overhead view?
I use a down-angle view as I have lights directly over my table

Do you have some other wireless camera technology to connect into your laptop?
I have 2 HDMI cameras, the onboard camera, and a Logitech C922x

Or do you run a really long HDMI/USB cable around your ceiling, walls, or across your floor?
Unfortunately yes. They will be put inside the walls this summer, hopefully.

Are cables just a fact of life?
You can be creative in hiding them, but wireless cameras don't capture at 30fps. Just look at a wireless camera on a security system for an example.

Do you have an IP camera streaming to an RTSP server that OBS ties into?
No, but I can send you a link for building a server out of a Pi if you like.

Do you end up with a 3-4 second lag from the camera to OBS?
You can adjust this in the settings, along with audio timing. It may also be a performance issue in the computer. Try lowering your output resolution to 720p.

Or is there some other kind of wireless camera that easily connects to your PC more directly via WIFI/Bluetooth and acts like a webcam on your PC?
Answered above.
Click to expand...

Any advice on a camera near the $500 range? I'm assuming for my needs that DSLR and Mirrorless will be equivalent. I'm assuming I want something that can record in 4K but steam in 1080p so that I have good digital zoom quality. I also assume 4K streaming would simply push me outside my price range.

I'm getting tripped up on which models have clean HDMI output, whether that means I need to do manual focus (to not have auto focus face/eye boxes in the output, and whether the camera will sleep thinking its idle after 30 minutes. Some warn the camera sensor could overheat after some duration. Every time I find a model that looks good, some obscure forum post seems to point out some pretty big dealbreakers.

Starting to wonder if the Logitech C922x will work best for me but I was willing to pay to have a real camera do the job if it looks better. The research just seems daunting.
 
MattPoland said:
Any advice on a camera near the $500 range? I'm assuming for my needs that DSLR and Mirrorless will be equivalent. I'm assuming I want something that can record in 4K but steam in 1080p so that I have good digital zoom quality. I also assume 4K streaming would simply push me outside my price range.

I'm getting tripped up on which models have clean HDMI output, whether that means I need to do manual focus (to not have auto focus face/eye boxes in the output, and whether the camera will sleep thinking its idle after 30 minutes. Some warn the camera sensor could overheat after some duration. Every time I find a model that looks good, some obscure forum post seems to point out some pretty big dealbreakers.

Starting to wonder if the Logitech C922x will work best for me but I was willing to pay to have a real camera do the job if it looks better. The research just seems daunting.
Click to expand...

SHRUG. I decided to give the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 a try.
 
MattPoland said:
SHRUG. I decided to give the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 a try.
Click to expand...
Note re cameras vs camcorders. 1) Cameras are limited to 30 minutes of recording, although there are ways around that for live streaming. For Canon, you need the EOS Utility 3 to override the 30 minute limit, but you have to be connected to the camera. 2) you may need a capture device for OBS, like CamLink. Although, I think Canon has a USB utility now.

Refurbished m50 with kit lens is on sale right now for 399. It's a great camera.

-td
 
Matt,

I've been off the forums for the past few days so sorry about the late reply. I will make a tour of where I stream for you as soon as I can, maybe tomorrow if possible.

As far as the camera, you did say you had bought one already but for anyone else, a simple camcorder is sufficient. You just connect their HDMI output to your capture device and keep them plugged in. I can't speak for every brand out there but my Everio has been running for about 18 months straight so it's safe to say it's not overheating. You just have make sure it turns off the On-Screen Display before you mount it anywhere. Mine is sitting on a mini tripod on a high shelf.

As for the rest of it, yes, there is an intentional stream delay within Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube. OBS can add its own as well. On YT, I've seen a delay of up to 45 seconds if you miss the latency time setting when you're starting your stream.

Also, depending on the interfaces, different cameras will have different lag and you will have to adjust the timing of the microphone for each scene if you swap cameras.

As I said, I will post a quick room tour for you and link it here. It might help to see the setup with different devices attached.
 
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