How to Live-stream Like a Pro

 

• If you use a phone or tablet for your live-stream, orient the stream in landscape (horizontal) rather than portrait.  Many parishioners who watch Mass from home do so from a laptop or smart TV.  Streaming in landscape mode will allow the picture to fill the entire screen rather than having gaps on the sides.  NOTE: You need to start the stream in the orientation that you plan to use.  

This guide has been prepared by Avery Holt, Coordinator of Digital Evangelization.

Live-streaming is an effective way to reach parishioners and various groups, but can
seem like a daunting task to get started. The good news is once you are able to go live, there is
little upkeep needed to keep streaming on a regular basis. This guide will present options for how you can live-stream effectively and affordably.
 
Step 1 – Where can I stream to?

There are countless options of places to live-stream. Facebook, YouTube or even your 
website, if you have the capabilities already, are some of the most popular and most
common. Depending on your target viewer, you might want to decide between Facebook or
YouTube – or possibly both if you are able.

Facebook is able to reach people on Facebook and who have “liked” your page or if your page is public they can search for you every time. Usually when someone has “liked” your page, they will get a notification when
you go live. Most importantly: it’s FREE!

YouTube also is a free platform for streaming, but you also will need an account for this platform.
The difference in streaming to YouTube is that anyone can search for and view your stream
without needing an account. If someone has an account, they can subscribe to your channel and
opt-in to notifications every time you go live. Again, YouTube is free. 

Both have a lot of livestreaming functionality built into them, but can be used for different
audiences. So, depending on the population you are trying to reach, you might choose between
one or the other. 

For a fee, you can use a service like castr.io to stream to more than one place at a time, but that
will require additional setup. This will be required if you want to live-stream to the parish website.

Step 2 – What are the basics I need for livestreaming?

This might seem like a simple question, but like most things, the more you want to do with your
livestream, the more equipment it will take. 
 
If you just want to start broadcasting now, you can use a cell phone, laptop or tablet, really 
anything that can connect to the internet, has a microphone and a camera, and you can go
live. This is the easiest method, but probably the lowest quality, depending on what you’re
wanting. If you are trying to live-stream yourself talking, this can work very well. If you’re trying to stream an event, this method is not recommended as the audio will not be very clear, and the image will not be as clear at a distance. 

To dramatically improve the quality of your stream, you can use an external camera. This comes
with several hurdles, the first being budget. 

Here is a simple breakdown of what you will need to stream with an external camera:

1. A camera that is capable of video and putting out a “clean” HDMI signal. Clean HDMI means that when you plug in the HDMI, none of the menu options or anything appear on the screen, just the video feed of what you’re trying to capture. Not all cameras that have an HDMI port have a clean HDMI signal.
2. An HDMI/USB interface. This will allow you to be able to connect an HDMI cable to your computer. A lot of newer computers have an HDMI port on the computer, but this is not an input source, it is an output source. Meaning you will still need an HDMI to USB interface. 
3. Some kind of USB audio interface like a dedicated USB interface or a portable  recorder that has an interface function. You can use a dedicated set of microphones, preferably wireless for the greatest flexibility, or if you have an audio system where you will be streaming from, you can take a signal out of your house sound mixer and use it as a pre-mixed audio signal for your live-stream. This will depend on how the audio is setup at your location and where you will be streaming from. Sometimes physical location can make things like this possible or impossible. It will depend on your existing setup and location.  
4. A good, strong internet connection, along with fast download and upload speeds. A lot of internet usage is download usage. Meaning you are consuming something online, downloading it onto your device. Live-streaming is an upload usage, meaning you are taking something and uploading it to the internet. Internet speed actually has two ratings that matter: download speed and upload speed. If you have a fast download speed, but a slow upload speed, live-streaming will be a challenge. If you have a moderate to fast upload speed, live-streaming is more manageable. If you would like to test your internet speed, you can do so for free online at https://www.speedtest.net.
   •  Live-stream quality is based, usually, on kbps or mbps depending on the method you’re using to stream. Most internet speed is rated using mbps. Quality can be a bit subjective, but a good stream typically starts around 1,800 kbps. Doing a bit of math, that is 1.8 mbps. Example: if you have an internet upload speed of 5 mbps, assuming there is not a lot of other internet activity going on at the same time, you could support a live-stream at 1,800 kbps, or slightly higher. You will never want to use a majority of your internet upload speed to stream because that can introduce the danger of not having enough bandwidth to support the stream, and it can glitch, skip or crash all together.
   • Where is my stream quality located? Depending on how you are live-streaming, the program used to produce your stream, I recommend OBS because it is good and free, there will be options to set your quality. More on stream quality and settings later, but knowing your internet speeds is critical.  
5. A computer that can handle the streaming of video, preferably a newer laptop to allow
   for flexibility. If you choose to use OBS to stream, the minimum system requirements
   can be found HERE. 
6. A camera tripod.
7. Extension cables and power strips.
8. A Facebook account or a YouTube account, depending on your platform choice. 

This is by no means a comprehensive list of equipment you could have or could use, but at least
these will get you "on the air." 

Some training or research may be required on the part of whomever is going to be running a
live-stream for your parish or ministry. 

Here is an Amazon list called “Live-stream Basics” that we have created for you so you can
begin setting up your live-stream.  If you have any questions or would like some consultation or training on how to live-stream, please
contact us at the Office of Communications.