Live streaming has rapidly switched from being a somewhat niche way to use the internet and be entertained online to being very much mainstream now. In fact, some businesses looking to explore the arena of live streaming are even looking for people who are experienced in cultivating audiences and connecting to people through live streams. With live streaming still surging, there’s never been a better time to get the tech and dive in!
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For many people before 2020, live streaming was what you’d do to tap into live sports or was a hobby among gamers. Now, the scene has exploded to feature everything from being a social form of online engagement to getting a bump on ongoing political events. In the US, breaking news reports and sports became the biggest live streaming categories in early 2024, showcasing just how the scene is expanding even now.
In fact, the live streaming space has evolved tremendously beyond someone live streaming from their home to the internet for viewers to watch in real-time. Although, this is easily its most popular form, with Twitch stats showing over two million average viewers per day. With the application of a few specialist bits of tech – such as a GCU and OCR cameras – online entertainment platforms have made it possible to play physical games in real-time over the internet.
This is the world of live casino gaming, where luxury tables from land-based casinos are streamed from studios to online casinos for people around the world to play in real-time. Its become such a popular way to play table games and game shows that sites have had to go from free spins promos to bonus plus free spins casino offers to give the live players a bonus when they go to play. With it, they can try live roulette, Live Monopoly Big Baller, and Live Stock Market. Further, there’s even a British company, Condense, that’s bringing live streaming to the metaverse.
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To gain traction in the live streaming space, there’s a certain standard that your shows need to meet. The video quality needs to be high – whether it’s streaming your face or your screen – but perhaps more importantly, the audio needs to be crisp and clear. Viewers are often very put off by bad audio, especially because a good chunk will have the live stream on in the background, more as a podcast, or on a second screen.
So, for most live streamers, the microphone is the priority. For this, you’re looking at an expenditure of between $150 and $800 for one that’s between moderate and high quality. On the moderate side, consider the Blue Yeti X or Rode NT-USB, but if you’re looking to make a splash, the Neumann TLM 102 is the top of the line. For the camera, the 4K Osbot Tiny has a lot to like for the comparatively low price of $270.
With a camera and microphone at the ready, you’d then want to look into getting a light for your desk, perhaps a tripod for the camera, as well as a video encoder and audio mixing equipment – depending on what you plan on streaming.
