Livestream

How to Livestream an Event: Understand the Tools of the Trade

3 min read
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When you learn how to livestream an event, many factors such as how to create the perfect gear set will come up. This is especially true for professional event streaming that targets a vast audience. If your content involves large conferences, the key to retaining viewers is how you present the event. It goes the same for other, similar content like live TV or town hall meetings.

But what are the factors you need to learn when streaming large-scale, professional events? Let’s start from the very basic.

Basic Event Livestreaming: The Encoder

You can livestream your event to Facebook, YouTube, Periscope, and many other channels. If you’re unfamiliar with setting up a livestream, then the first tools you need are your camera and an encoder. Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is a simple encoding software, but it’s also quite versatile. Many new content creators started out using this free program.

But if your event requires more editing options, vMix is a tool that can enhance your streaming capabilities. It connects to a wide range of cameras and capture cards. 4K streaming is available on their higher-tier packages. Its Pro version, which comes in at a hefty $1,200, can turn your PC into a tiny studio.

It supports up to 4 camera inputs, and lets you switch between every angle. Picture-in-picture is another tool that lets you capture every important detail during the stream. You can also add alternate sources like media files or replay reels for sports events.

They also have a new call package which has multi-camera and call functions, which is great for interviews, debate, or discussion streams.

To learn how to set up a live streaming station on OBS and Castr, refer to this blog.

The Cameras You’ll Need to Livestream Events

The next tool you’ll need is a good camera. A television-grade camera is excellent, but those are prohibitively expensive. On the other hand, professional cameras are plentiful and exist at almost every price range. Assuming you can spare $500 to $2,000 on the hardware, many DSLRs and camcorders can suit your needs.

The Canon Vixia and XA11, both of which are mountable camcorders, are great for 1080p 60fps videos and have 20x optical zoom. But this is where the similarities end. The Vixia is great because of its portability and features such á wifi connectivity. It’s also budget-friendly, which is suitable for people who are serious about streaming but work on a limited budget.

The XA11 is a step closer to a TV station’s camera. Its features include better autofocus on faces, two-mic channels, and better battery life.

Event Livestreaming with Castr

Streaming events is stressful when you don’t have the right services. First off, you have to look for servers to host your stream, and then creating a website is next on the list. Streamlining these issues is much easier when you have a pre-built host and video player.

Castr provides both for potential live streamers who want to broadcast unique events. On top of streaming through Castr’s embedded player, you can add on social sites such as Facebook or Twitter. All you need to start are the same tools provided above and a Castr subscription.

There are always new ways you can improve event streaming. But the tools are varied and sometimes expensive. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, though; look for the right combination of cameras, mics, and encoders, then you’ll be live streaming right away.

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