You can see them on your television, but also on your mobile and on your computer . They broadcast practically daily, for hours . The same thing they play the latest fashion video game that they comment on an old movie or series or they tell you about their life. His technical name is streamer and his star platform is Twitch . And, to give you an idea, each of their broadcasts or streams can reach have more audience than many television programs in prime time. Ibai, for example, has an average of more than 102,000 viewers, although its record is more than 1.5 million.
But, without a doubt, the best of all is that anyone can be a streamer . All you need is a computer, a microphone, a camera, an internet connection and that's it. You create a Twitch account , which is free, and you can now make your own channel and start broadcasting. The thing about reaching the numbers of viewers of streamers like Auronplay, Rubius or Elmariana, that is something else.
Twitch is a perfect platform to broadcast everything , as long as it complies with minimum standards. Live games, beer discussions with friends, question and answer sessions, tutorials or live advice. Another advantage of Twitch is that you can communicate with the streamer through chat and they can read and respond to you during the broadcast. You can even support your favorite streamers financially.
But, let us start at the beginning. What do you need to start broadcasting on your Twitch channel? Let's see what hardware and what applications you will need and they will help you to broadcast, from a simple broadcast in which only you go out to more elaborate broadcasts with effects, transitions, a green background and various input sources .
Author: FOX
Hardware to stream on Twitch
The Twitch managers themselves advise us on what equipment you need to be a streamer. For starters, a computer . So far so good. What kind of computer? Some streamers take the opportunity to show you their gaming computers , very colorful and expensive. But to stream on Twitch, a standard computer is enough.
According to Twitch, “you will need a computer with stable performance, capable of quickly encoding the audio and video signal and sending it to us so that we can broadcast it to your community.” A relatively new computer is more than enough. What's more, Twitch mentions $ 999- $ 1999 gaming laptops and a $ 1,299 MacBook Pro as an example. Before throwing the house out the window, do your first tests with your computer. It is going well? Then go ahead.
Another important element is to have a good internet connection . Fiber optics is practically essential. Most coincide in the range of 2.5 to 4.5 Mbps to broadcast live video. In that range we cover streaming in HD (720p) and in Full HD (1080p). For audio, 160 Kbps will suffice. If you have bandwidths of 100 MB or more, you have more than enough.
Computer and internet. What else do you need? Microphone and camera . Your computer may incorporate both. For starters, not bad. In the future, if you professionalize, you can opt for more ambitious options. There are USB microphones for all tastes. Twitch's recommendations range from $ 99 to $ 399. It can be condenser or cardioid and a range of ranges depending on the quality you are looking for and the budget you have. In addition, you can incorporate a arm or support .
As for the camera , you can use the one on your computer or even a professional camera connected by USB. There are also those specialized in streaming, in ranges between US $ 79 and US $ 199 according to Twitch recommendations.
Hardware for the most demanding
If you are going to get serious about streaming, another recommended element is the capture card and a USB interface or mixing console . The first one will help you with the professional camera. The mixer will make it easier for you to connect audio and video to your computer. And with the USB interface you can launch effects or change input channels comfortably. Twitch's recommendations for mixing consoles range from $ 150 to $ 290. A high-end USB interface as recommended by Twitch can cost $ 299.
Another important element in a professional streaming set is lighting. As Twitch puts it, “digital cameras don't get along with dimly lit spaces.” Many streamers use light rings . You can also use strategically placed classic spotlights. Depending on the quality range, they can range between US $ 40 for the mid-range and US $ 199 for the high-range.
Finally, if you want to customize the background of your room or broadcast room you can choose the options offered by some streaming programs to blur the image or use digital backgrounds with the help of chromas or green screens . Depending on the size and quality we can move in ranges between € 20 and € 150.
Software and apps for the good streamer
We already have the list of basic and advanced hardware to start broadcasting on Twitch. But that team won't do anything without software. What streamer tools are there to broadcast live video from various sources?
The official app for streaming on Twitch is Twitch Studio . It is free and you have it on Windows and Mac. Otherwise it is very complete. From a single window you can control what you broadcast, from which sources, view the chat and technical information about the broadcast.
But the most popular software for Twitch is OBS or OBS Studio . It is the acronym for Open Broadcaster Software , it is available for Windows, Mac and Linux and it is free and open source. In this application you will find everything you need to record and broadcast live . It admits any source of audio and video, it allows to control everything in detail … And it is sponsored by YouTube , Twitch and Facebook .
More applications to control the live broadcast:
Streamlabs OBS . For Windows, Mac and Linux. Free. Xsplit For Windows. Free + Paid version. Vmix . For Windows and Mac. Paid. Elgato Game Capture . For Windows and Mac. Free but tied to Elgato hardware.
