Use PROCASTER For Higher Quality Encoding
For higher quality encoding and the ability to specify the bitrate and other settings we recommend using Procaster.
Instructions on configuring PROCASTER can be found here
Running Flash Media Encoder On an Intel Mac Pro
To Setup your Mac Pro to run Flash Media Encoder with BootCamp:
1. Update the operating system of the Intel Mac Pro to Leopard
2. Use Boot Camp to set up a partition for the XP operating system. NOTE: Users will need a large hard drive to allow for the partition. (You should have space on your hard drive for at least a 20-gigabyte partition and 2 gigabytes of RAM)
3. Buy an XP license to run on the partitioned operating system.
4. Once the XP OS is booted, downloaded the proper drivers allowing access to your camera, and any other external devices.
5. Download Flash Media Encoder software to the XP operating system and launch the application
Acknowledgment : We would like to thank the Gannett Newspaper the Journal News (www.lohud.com) for performing the original R&D and providing the base document to this help page.
Use Procaster To Stream From World of Warcraft
With our Procaster Application, Livestream Producers can stream their game sessions easily and fluidly!
1. To begin, download Procaster and install it onto your Windows-based system. At this time, Procaster is only compatible with Vista and XP, however, a Mac version is in development.
2. Log in with your Livestream Username and Password. Select your channel and edit your settings.
3. Start World of Warcraft. You'll see a Green Livestream Logo on the top left of the screen (or wherever configured). Press Ctrl + F1 (or configured hotkey) to begin broadcasting from within your game. The logo should then change to Red. This indicates that you are streaming.
How We Created the Livestream Premium Launch Video
The Livestream Premium Launch Video was filmed and broadcast Live from our Studio at Livestream Headquarters in New York. This guide is a step-by-step walkthrough of how you can replicate this broadcast on your own Livestream Premium Channel!
Camera and Audio
We began by using a Standard Definition Panasonic DV Camcorder set to broadcast at a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Livestream CEO Max Haot, was filmed in front of a green screen to showcase the features of Livestream Premium. The cameras DV Output is converted to an SVideo Output, which is then sent directly to our Chroma Key Device.
Max's audio was captured by using a standard lapel microphone. The audio from the microphone was sent directly to our audio mixer, where it was adjusted and fed into a PC running Adobe Flash Media Encoder
Chroma Key Hardware
In order to display the Livestream Premium Feature Set in the background, we utilized Chroma Key Hardware and a green screen. We use a Reflecmedia Ultimatte DV Chroma Key device in our studio though there are a number of Chroma Key devices you can use. The background was created with Powerpoint and was controlled by a PC connected to the Chroma Key Device via SVideo. The Chroma Key Device is then connected to a PC running Adobe Flash Media Encoder through a firewire cable and recognized as the input. Please note, Chroma Key Hardware is optional and is not required to take advantage of Livestream Premium Features.
Adobe Flash Media Encoder
The image above shows the Adobe Flash Media Encoder video and audio settings used for the Livestream Premium Launch Video. We encoded using VP6 format while streaming at a bitrate of 700Kbps. Livestream Premium enables producers to broadcast live at bitrates up to 1.7mbps (comparable bandwidth required).
To achieve the cinema format we used the advanced FME option to set the Aspect Ratio (/aspectWidth=40/aspectHeight=17) in the FMS URL.
Set your FMS URL for Flash Media Encoder as:
rtmp://publish.livestream.com/mogulus/channelname/username=user/password=pass/isAutoLive=false/aspectWidth=40/aspectHeight=17
We configured Flash Media encoder to convert from 16:9 input from the camera/chroma key to 40:17 cinema. Please be sure to set the resolution to 720x480 (if your resolution is different you will need a different crop setting).
Use the following crop settings for 40:17 cinema: Top: 70 Bottom: 70 Left: 18 Right: 26
You can change the crop dimensions to optimize what is seen depending on your video input.
Audio
Audio options may vary, but for the Premium Showcase Broadcast we set the device to receive the incoming audio from our Audio Mixer. Set the format to Mp3, Mono, and a sample rate of 44100 Hz. The audio was broadcast at a bit rate of 80 kbps, but you may choose to lower or raise the bit rate depending on your bandwidth.
Livestream Studio Premium
Finally, be sure to set your Livestream Premium Channel's video settings in the "configure channel" tab to a cinema size 40:17 aspect ratio so the player displays video in native resolution. If you are broadcasting in 16:9, be sure to select the 16:9 aspect ratio option.
Broadcast a Phone Line
We unfortunately don't provide simple live audio streaming, however one of our producers has offered the following advice for streaming a radio show with hosts in two different locations:
Behringer B-1 Mic plugged via XLR connector to a Mackie 1402 VLZ Pro Mixer. Mixer Tape Out to line in of desktop (this is for the audio stream and audio archive of the show)
Phone Calls"': We use a Comrex Stac 6 phone interface mated with 2 Vonage IP phone lines plus a transparent 877 number from Vonage. This allows our viewers to call in toll free! We use a standard handset phone that hooks into the Stac 6 handset hardware. I answer calls as the lines light up. The Stac 6 controls caller levels.
Studio cohost: We use 2 Comrex Access units. These devices connect my co-host and I together through the internet WITHOUT TYING UP A PHONE LINE! The Comrex Access connects to a static IP port in my cable modem. Even though we are 2000 miles apart, we sound like we are in the studio together. The Comrex Access utilizes low latency audio codecs so we have virtually no lag, as well as high fidelity. This is important because it enables us to send one high quality audio signal to the Livestream Studio, containing both of us, as well as our phone callers.
Livestream Studio: Next we run from the Main Out of our Mackie Console to the Line In of a laptop that is ethernet connected to my cable modem. We have a 15Mbps download, 2Mbps upload broadband connection. This sends all of our show audio to the Livestream Studio, so everyone can be heard. Finally, we connect the laptop USB out to our Mackie Channel strip, using a USB sound card. This enables viewers to hear all audio from the videos we pull from the internet and create ourselves. All we do is "un-mute" the channel whenever we run a video that originates from the Livestream Studio.
Video: I use a Canon GL1 3 CCD camera plugged into the laptop via firewire. This camera can be manually adjusted for low light performance. My co-host uses a standard high end webcam!
The end result is a program with sound quality that equals FM radio at its best.
Add Real Time Video Effects (for PC Users)
PC users can purchase WebcamMax to add videos, screens, pictures, flash and video effects to virtual or real webcam broadcasts:
- Add real-time video effects to your live Livestream broadcasts, including fire, water, mosaic, distorting mirrors, camera zoom, do-it-yourself, and magic mask effects that move automatically with your head.
- Substitute videos, movies, flash, desktop screen, pictures, and floating text to create “virtual” webcam feeds.
- Record webcam videos or snapshots.
- Inset separate video streams for a picture-in-picture (PIP) display.
- Access more than 1800 free effects online.
WebcamMax is compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista 32-bit OS. It runs with all instant messenger programs, no matter if you have a real webcam or if you want to use the virtual webcam feature. (There’s a fast switch between virtual and real webcam.) To download Webcam Max go here.
Add Real Time Video Effects (for Mac OS X users)
CamTwist
CamTwist is Mac freeware that lets you:
- Add real-time effects to your live video broadcasts, including RSS tickers, spotlights, halos, zooms, or countdowns.
- Stream still images or animated gifs.
- Stage an effect chain and preview it before pushing it live.
- Move objects around using fine-grained controls.
- Inset separate video streams for a picture-in-picture (PIP) display.
- Use multiple video chat programs or multiple video screens at the same time, with easy camera selection. (Note that CamTwist does not work with iChat.)
Using CamTwist with Livestream is incredibly easy. Follow these quick steps:
1. Download and install CamTwist, you can find it here.
2. Open CamTwist. You'll see three separate sections within the application. First, select the video source you would like to stream to your Livestream Channel.
- Webcam: Stream your traditional webcam, or add additional effects to your stream.
- Desktop: This feature will allow you to stream your desktop to your Livestream Channel. The default setting will stream your entire desktop, but you can enable a capture area and resize the selection to stream specific areas.
- Movie: Although Livestream allows you to mix video files in real time, you can also stream video files within CamTwist. Please note, you will only be streaming video when selecting this option.
- Slideshow: Stream pictures to your Livestream channel by dragging them from your desktop or iPhoto.
- Flickr: A feature similar to a Slideshow, but will broadcast your Flickr Feed.
3. Select an effect for use with your video source. Please note that this feature is optional. Double click on an effect to add it to your broadcast. One notable feature includes a Picture In Picture feature, allowing you to add a separate source to be placed within your stream.
4. Log in to your Livestream Studio. Within the "Sources" section of the "Broadcast Live" tab, you'll notice a camera drop down option.
Select the "CamTwist" video source.
5. Cue your camera and you're done! You can select and stream different sources with alternate effects in real time by changing the options within the CamTwist application.
Please note: CamTwist runs on Mac OS X 10.4 (Intel or PPC). It can be quite resource intensive, so the more CPU processing power the better. The more interesting effects also require Quartz Extreme support. (To find out if your Mac supports Quartz Extreme, go to this article.)
CamCamX
(From Wesley Clouden, Mobile Media Content Producer)
CamCamX is a 6x2 video mixer you can use to create live TV webcasts using only your Mac, iSight, pictures and movie files.
- Virtualizes the webcam (iSight camera) in your Mac so you can use all your favorite webcam applications at the same time. CamCamX also makes non-Apple webcams iSight compatible (via emulation).
- Works with DotMatrix, Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, PhotoBooth, QuickTime Pro, Stickam, Flash Chat-enabled web sites, iRecord, and many more...
- Record live video mixes directly with iRecord or QuickTime Pro, or VJ live out over Yahoo Messenger, webchat or Skype.
- Adjust the incoming camera picture for very low light environments, so you can chat in almost total darkness.
- Spice up your webcam broadcasts by sending movie clips or still pictures.
- Pause your camera feed when you step away.
To download CamCamX, go here.
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Source: http://www.livestream.com/userguide/index.php?title=Tips
