Live streaming via Youtube Live, Facebook Live or Zoom is getting increasingly ubiquitous and easy. It seems anybody with a smartphone these days can start a live channel.
The quality of video live streaming can vary greatly depending on the equipment used.
Here are 5 ways you can improve the overall viewer experience.
1. Use a camcorder
The sensor in your smartphone is a mere fraction of the size of your smallest fingernail.
Small sensors have inherent limitations such muddy images in dimly lit settings.
The footage undergoes further degradation as compression is applied during the live streaming encoding process.
By comparison, professional camcorders begin with a much better image hence retaining more quality as it moves down the live stream pipeline.
Camcorders also have much a better zoom range, optics and audio preamps.
2.Use a fast computer instead of your phone
A smartphone's processor has a limited throughput for encoding and streaming. By using a notebook or PC, reliability of encoding can be improved, ensuring a smoother live stream.
Live streaming applications such OBS (Online Broadcast Software) allow for a more polished look with the insertion of graphics, multiple windows and lowerthirds.
3. Wear a microphone
The secret to good audio for live streaming is mic placement. By placing the microphone close to the subject, audio clarity is improved and the noise floor is reduced. Headsets and lavalier microphones are convenient options for webinar presenters and can be used for both smartphones, camcorders or PCs.
4. Vary your angles
Imagine watching a TV programme that has just one angle. Today's audiences are spoiled for choice when it comes to entertainment and they expect your live streaming to be informative as well as engaging
By combining views from different positions in your venue, you can add pacing and rhythm to almost any sort of live stream.
By covering your live stream with several camcorders at the same time, you can show close-ups, wide-angle perspectives as well as the enthusiasm of your live participants.
Switching between different cameras can be done either with a video mixer or software such as OBS.
5. Screencast your slides
You can improve retention and recall of your webcast by using Powerpoint slides during live streaming. Screen sharing can be achieved using hardware mixers or services such as Zoom, Meet and OBS.