Game streaming is the last popular entertainment of hundreds of thousands or maybe millions of Internet users, which consists in showing in real time what they do on their computers. And in most cases it’s playing your favorite game. How to stream on Twitch?
Streaming – what is it
Speaking in the simplest possible way, it is transferring image and sound from one computer in a way that allows recipients to watch it live, i.e. without having to first save to disk as a separate file. It can be streaming on demand, i.e. one in which the recipient decides about the time of commencement of the transmission – examples of this are Internet TV and VOD services.
Another variation is live streaming, i.e. one in which the broadcaster decides on the time to start transmission. This streaming can be compared to television broadcasts, e.g. sports events. The start time is specified, and viewers only decide whether to turn on the TV during this time. The simplest examples of live streaming are video calling on Skype and streaming of games.
Stream on Twitch
Basically, to start broadcasting to Twitch, you need to have your account and streaming software, e.g. Mirillis Action. enabling easy recording and streaming directly to Twitch.tv. After setting up a Twitch account and downloading the streaming software, visit Twitch.tv again and log in to your account. Go to the top right corner to display the menu list and select “Dashboard”. Go to the left side of the screen and select the Settings tab. Then click the Stream Key button. Click the Show Key button to display the stream key. Copy and paste the streaming key into the streaming program.
Remember not to share your key with others.
Now you know how to start LIVE broadcasts on Twitch.tv, but before you start broadcasting, you should optimize and configure your stream and equip yourself with the right equipment.
How to choose a camera for streaming?
Most streamers showing their face during the game minimize the size of the window, so it’s difficult to talk about using the full potential of the connected camera. You should also remember that it is the game that is more important – that’s why a webcam should be enough. Of course, I am not talking about the cheapest products, here it is also worth buying equipment with good or very good quality of the recorded image – it will last for years.
How to choose a microphone for streaming?
Contrary to what one might think – the microphone is one of the most important elements when streaming games, more important than the camera recording the streamer. Poor audio will scare away potential viewers, so it’s worth investing in good equipment.
Before buying an external microphone, however, check to see if one of your gaming headphones is enough to start. In many cases, the sound quality will be too poor, some streamers claim that they are enough to start. Unfortunately, microphones are not the cheapest, but the final sound quality justifies the price.