Professional live streamers have to go through immense preparation before broadcasting. If a live streamer’s setup is inadequate, whether it’s a hardware issue or a software one, the result will be a poor viewing experience for the audience. These easy ways to make live streams run smoothly will help you prevent some avoidable technical issues from plaguing your content.
Know Your Software
Professional live-streaming calls for the assistance of the right software, such as OBS. Make some time to learn how your software works inside and out before your first stream. That way, if you run into technical problems, you can potentially find a solution very quickly. Plus, doing a deep dive into your software gives you a chance to learn the hidden benefits of certain software.
For instance, OBS has a hardware encoding setting that allows you to encode through your graphics card instead of your CPU. Putting too much strain on your CPU will result in a slower performance from your streaming device, which certainly isn’t ideal when you’re live.
Close Unnecessary Windows
During streams, the apps and windows you have open on your device should all be relevant to the broadcast. If you were watching a show on Netflix before streaming, don’t just minimize the window when going live—close the window entirely. The more windows and apps you have open, the harder your CPU will have to work to balance them all. The only thing your CPU should be prioritizing is your stream, not your stream and iTunes.
Before going live, double-check that all unnecessary windows are definitely closed. Closing out of pointless windows puts less pressure on your CPU, making this easy step one of the best ways to make live streams run smoothly.
Use High-Quality Equipment
Even if your streaming software is good to go, using poor hardware will lead to lackluster streaming results. If you want the audience to see you as a professional instead of some random person with access to the internet, you have to reflect that in the stream’s quality, which you can do with the right hardware.
Before you buy the cheapest options on the market, remember that there are key factors to look for when shopping for live streaming cameras. Buying professional-grade equipment from reliable brands will send the right message to your audience instead of sending them a messy blur of pixels. Keep this in mind when shopping for computers, microphones, and anything else you’ll use for streaming.
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