Feb 2, 2020 | 7 min read
Live streaming enables participants to join your event from remote locations. They can view the event as it happens and interact with each other in real-time. With the tools avaialbe today live event streaming is easier then ever.
Live streaming - Capture, Encode, Distribute, Play
Live streaming has 4 parts
- Video Capture
- You need to capture the content you want to broadcast. Use a camera to capture motion and sounds and screen capture to capture presentations.
- Video Encoding
- Also known as video trancoding. The process of converting and packaging a video source to a format that can be distributed over the internet and played in video players in web browsers. The most common video encdoing format is H.264. The most popular protocol to deliver video over the internet is called HLS.
- Video Distribution
- Distributing large amount of data to aassive audience requires resources. Sometimes one server can not handle it alone. The solution is a network of servers that share the load of delivering the video content to ends users. Physically locating those servers in proximily to the end user may improve performance and reduce latency.
- Video Players
- Video player runs on the event user device, as a plug-in in the user browser for example. Video players read the video stream and display it on the end user device.
For example, if a user has abandoned the process during the payment stage, we can use the contact information captured in the previous stage to follow-up and perhaps offer an incentive to complete the registration (coupon?).
Controling live video
To create a interesting and engaging video you may want to use a live brodcast video editor. Live video editors allows you to capture live video from multiple sources, mutiple cameras, screen captures, presentations and recorded video. Create a video stream composed of mutiple video source streams and switch between stream. You can also add titles, custom graphics, virtual studio backgrounds, live background image and other video effects that can make your video brodcast more intersting and engaging.
Some of the most common live video tools available are
- OBS Studio
- Open Broadcaster Software. Free, open source and cross-platform software for capturing and editing live video brodcasts
- vMix
- Video mixer, live production sofware for Windows with free to $1200 versions. With vMix Call it allow to bring in live video of remote guests
- Wirecast
- A popular live production sofware for Mac and Windows available for $599 to $799.
Audio quality
With focus on video quailty sometimes audio quiality does not get enough attention but for most live events good audio quaility is critical. Clear audio make it easier to understand speakers and enjoy live music.
4 ways to improve audio quality
- Test the microphone and audio quality before going live
- Use a external microphone (like Lavalier microphone) if possible.
- Reduce background sounds. Close the windows
Video bandwidth requirements
The actual broadcasting or distrubution of the video to viewers is done by a server (See Video Distribution) so it does not relay or use your local network bandwidth. You need to make sure your local can send a quiality video to the encoding server . How much bandwidth is required to transmit viideo to the encoding server depends on video resolution and quality but also on how dynamic the video itself is (video of static images requires less bandwidth, moving the camera takes more bandwidth)
| Resolution | Resolution | Bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360p | 640x360 | 1 Mbps | Good for smartphones |
| 480p | 854x480 | 2 Mbps | Standard definition widescreen |
| 720p 30fps | 1280x720 | 4 Mbps | HD minimum |
| 1080p 30fps | 1920x1080 | 6 Mbps | Full HD |
| 4K 30fps | 3840x2160 | 34 Mbps | UHD |
Always ensure you have extra bandwidth above the minimum required. Avilable upload bandwidth is affected by all the local network users. Some internet providers do not guarantee they will provide the specifced bandwidth all the time. A 5MB upload link sometimes means 5MB maximum. The actual upload bandwidth is not guaranteed.
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