Setting up my Video Streaming Rig
I’ve recently updated my streaming rig to support three major use cases:
I’ve recently updated my streaming rig to support three major use cases:
Simulcasting Clubhouse talks on Twitch, Facebook Live and Twitch. (note: if you do this, be aware that you need to make it clear to your audience that you’re recording, such as including it in the room name and letting people know before they speak)
Virtual company operation: at Beamable we started working on remote at the onset of the pandemic, but we’re going to continue doing so even after we’re all vaccinated. I wanted to appear clearer (both visually and aurally) with my team.
Preparing video content for my community: I’m creating an increasing amount of streamed as well as produced videos to share information of interest to my community.
The basic setup for streaming Clubhouse (or any application or game on iPhone) includes:
Open Broadcasting Software (OBS) to organize the screen layout (after my first attempt at this, people really wanted to see what was on the iPhone screen so they could tell who was speaking)
A capture card connected to my iPhone to receive the audio and visual information
Use of Loopback, which is software that solves the problem of routing audio inputs/ouputs within my MacBook. This spares you from needing a hardware-based mixer. It works fine with USB microphones, which is great.
If you want to replicate my Clubhouse streaming, the above is the minimum you’d likely need to pull it off. I make use of all of the above software for my other use cases as well — virtual company work and general video production. Depending on your situation, you may also want to have a good audio sytsem, lighting and camera.
Below, I provide a buying guide to the hardware you’ll need to replicate my setup (these use Amazon affiliate links).
Microphone
Did you know that academic studies have found that audiences care a lot more about audio quality than picture quality? If you’re going to invest in one thing, get a better microphone. I went with the combination of a Yeti USB microphone with a shock mount and boom.
Blue Yeticaster Professional Broadcast Bundle with Yeti USB Microphone, Radius III Shockmount, and Compass Boom Arm
Camera
I started out with the built-in camera on my MacBook Pro, but wasn’t getting great results — and it is difficult to position the exact why I need for most situations. You don’t need to buy an expensive videocamera. I went with the Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam, which is a $125 external camera that supports 1080p streaming.
Capture Card
I use an ElGato Cam Link 4K to capture high-res video and audio from an external devices. It is overkill for showing Clubhouse on an iPhone, but I wanted one that could also work well with game graphics on all my other devices (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC) from time to time.
Lighting
Without decent lighting you’ll be dark and shadowy, and at night it will look terrible. There are two main types of lights you’ll need: a “key light” that points at you directly, and a “fill light” to smooth out the lighting conditions in your general area.
The above photo is the Mount Dog fill light system. I use the an ElGato key light.
Conclusion
With the above setup you’ll be well-equipped to turn your home office into a basic video production and livestreaming studio. You’ll be able to create videos, stream your iPhone and gaming devices, or have a polished quality to any of your virtual-office interactions.