How to live stream: A beginner’s survival guide

“Live streaming: where do I even begin?” Without having a basic understanding of how live streaming works, getting started can be intimidating.

If you want to:

• Start streaming using something more than just your webcam or smartphone
• Understand the fundamental components of online video streaming
• Learn the basics of live streaming quickly

Then you’ve landed on the right page.

How to capture audio and video sources

In order to start streaming online, you will need to capture the signal from your audio and video sources. Most video sources today use HDMI™ or SDI outs for external connection. Both HDMI™ and SDI cables are able to carry embedded audio along with video. If you are using a computer with a software encoder to stream, then simply connecting a camera to a computer using an HDMI™ or a SDI cable will not work. You will need an intermediary device called a capture card. A capture card (like AV.io HD for example) connects to the camera on one side, and to the computer over USB on the other, capturing exactly what the camera “sees.” Most hardware encoders, on the other hand, come with internal capture cards, so you can connect video sources directly. We will talk more about streaming software and hardware below.

If you are using a USB camera or microphone, however, you can expect to capture these signals by simply connecting them directly to a computer.

2. Video encoder

What is a video encoder and why do I need one?

An encoder “translates” the video signal for the Internet. An encoder is a piece of software that compresses and converts the incoming audio-video signal into a digital, web-friendly format. You need an encoder because most video sources don’t come ready for live streaming: video cameras are made for recording large and bulky video files, not intended for streaming in real time.

Types of encoders

Essentially, today you have the choice of going live from three types of encoding devices: mobile phone/tablet, a computer with streaming software installed, or a dedicated hardware encoder. While a mobile phone may be an all-in-one video source and encoding device, the live production capabilities offered by a mobile device are extremely limited. Let’s focus on the encoding tools that are able to handle more professional live streams, with the ability to add multiple cameras and layouts.

Software encoders

A software encoder is an installed application that uses your computer’s resources (CPU) to neatly pack up the video and send it online. As previously mentioned, a capture card is necessary to capture the video signal from your source to your computer.

There is a wide variety of free and paid streaming software available, including Wirecast, vMix, Streamlabs OBS, the ever-popular OBS Studio, and many more. You can learn all about the differences between them in our best streaming software article. OBS Studio is a good way to start learning about encoding because it’s free to download and install, all settings are easily accessible, and there are many online tutorials to help you along.

It’s important to remember that streaming software always takes a toll on the computer’s CPU. This means that if your computer is not powerful enough to handle it, your viewers may experience buffering and dropped frames while you experience a very laggy computer. We recommend having a machine no lower than an Intel Core i5 2.8 GHz with 8GB memory for a good live streaming experience.

Hardware encoders

A hardware encoder (i.e., streaming hardware) is a dedicated device that handles all the encoding. Audio and video sources are connected directly to the hardware encoder, no capture cards required. Modern encoders are capable of taking in multiple video input formats, including HDMI™, SDI, VGA, and DVI, as well as XLR and 3.5 mm analog audio. Naturally, hardware encoders need to be connected to the network (via Ethernet, or Wi-Fi, or cellular) in order to stream.

Hardware encoders can come in different shapes, sizes, functionality, and price points. Some are small and portable, with the ability to take in only one or two video sources (e.g., Webcaster X2). Some are designed to be taken on the road: these use a bonded cellular signal for an Internet connection. Examples include Teradek VidiU and LiveU encoders. Others are much more complex and powerful, able to take in many video and audio sources, record, mix, scale, and switch between them. For example, Epiphan’s Pearl-2 and Pearl Mini are professional all-in-one live production studios with incredibly vast functionality.

Pearl-2 and Pearl Mini, examples of hardware encoders

In many ways, hardware encoders are more convenient and reliable than using a personal computer with streaming software. Hardware encoders are specifically designed for live streaming. They also free up your computer for other tasks.

Be sure to check out our streaming hardware vs software article if you want to learn more about choosing the right encoder for you.

Most important encoder settings

Both software and hardware encoders have similar variable settings that affect your live stream. Here are the most important ones to know:

Frame rate: How many frames per second are displayed, in frames per second (fps). Common inputs: 10fps (outrageously low, infuriating to the human eye frame rate), 24 fps, 30 fps (standard for digital video), 60 fps (beautiful and lifelike).

Output resolution: Size of video frame, width x height, in pixels.

Here are some common resolution names and their aliases:

The most common resolution sizes used today are 720p and 1080p. These numbers refer to to number of pixels measured vertically. The “p” stands for “progressive scanning,” and not for “pixel.”

Bitrate: How much video data you are uploading, per second. Generally expressed in kilobits per second (Kbps), although megabits per second (Mbps) are also sometimes used. That’s Kbps divided by roughly 1000.

General value range is 1000-8000 Kbps. Common values are 1000 Kbps (absolute minimum for live streaming) 2500 Kbps, 3000 Kbps, 5000 Kbps. This number depends on frame rate and resolution: the higher the frame rate and resolution, the higher the bitrate needs to be for a smooth, high-quality live stream.

Codec: Refers to the method of compressing (encoding) audio and video data for faster transmission. H.264 is the most common one.

Keeping a fine balance between bitrate, frame rate, and output resolution is what makes a good stream. How high you can go depends largely on the type of encoder you use and your Internet bandwidth. For example, with sufficient bandwidth, a hardware encoder like Pearl-2 is able to stream 1080p resolution at 60 fps without skipping a beat, whereas an older computer with streaming software may really struggle, dropping frames and causing buffering even with sufficient bandwidth.

3. Streaming destination

A streaming destination is the online site, platform, or app where your live video becomes available to others. These destinations are more commonly referred to as content delivery networks, or CDNs. Popular free CDNs include platforms like Youtube, Facebook Live, Twitch, and more.

There are paid streaming platforms as well. These offer much more control over where and how your live stream is presented, who sees it, and whether and how the stream is monetized. CDNs like Vimeo, Vimeo Livestream, Dacast, StreamShark, and others offer different monthly plans. Costs depend on the amount of data in gigabytes you upload.

Free or paid, you will need to sign up and log into the CDN of your choice. Some platforms (YouTube) require you to go through a few additional steps and wait for 24 hours before you can start live streaming.

Choosing a CDN (streaming destination)

Naturally, each CDN caters to a specific audience. As soon as you figure out what you are live streaming and who your main audience is, you can begin choosing a fitting CDN. Here are some examples:

• Twitch is mainly for gaming. Twitch is free to start, with additional tiers if you need them.
• Youtube (free) is for many things: personal, lifestyle, shows.
• Facebook (free) is for connecting with your community, sharing immediate news, as well as growing your brand.
• More specialized paid CDNs like Dacast, StreamShark, and Vimeo Livestream are good for large events such as concerts and sports.
• Special platforms like Streamingchurch.tv (paid) are intended for live streaming church services and include many peripheral services.

Our advice would be to start with a free CDN, figure out all the ins and outs, and then move on to a paid one, if you need to. So yes, you could potentially start live streaming for free right now! Be sure to check out this how to choose a CDN article for more detailed information about the differences between content delivery networks.

Set up an event and fill out the description

A standard feature of an overwhelming majority of CDNs is letting you decide between going live right now or scheduling to go live in the future. In either case, you will need to fill out the live stream description, perhaps choose a category for your stream, and add some tags. Using hashtags is a great way to bring viewers to your stream.

4. Stable Internet connection

Getting a steady network connection is often the trickiest part of live streaming. We found that the most reliable connection is a hardwired, dedicated Ethernet line. You can, of course, go live using Wi-Fi or cellular (4G/LTE) Internet, but these types of signal tend to fluctuate.

We can’t stress how important it is to perform a speed test beforehand. We recommend to always have approximately 1.5x your stream’s bitrate available to account for these possible network fluctuations. For example, if your live stream has a bit rate of 5 Mbps, then ensure you have at least 7.5 Mbps upload bandwidth available to ensure a reliable live stream.

We go into much more detail about the required Internet bandwidth for live streaming in a separate article. Be sure to check it out.