PROS: Easy to set up, simple to use, straightforward interface, great condition reporting, “broadcast style” layout and (of course) great integration with Livestream.com streaming service
CONS: Price, limited input devices, no live keying, writes file to disk in AVI (really?), dongle usage, compatibility with external audio devices and strange install.
I had a non-profit client who was interested in streaming a large event recently – and so I showed them both Ustream & Livestream figuring they could save money on bandwidth costs by using a free streaming service. The client agreed that this was a good way to go – so I chose Livestream.com as I had just gotten my hands on a copy of Livestream Studio, the Livestream.com answer to Telestream’s Wirecast.
For those of you who know me (and those who don’t) – I have an extensive broadcast, cable and online video background spanning over 20 years. You can check out my credentials at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jmirow - so I’ve been around this stuff for a bit now. I started streaming live video on AOL in 1997, and haven’t stopped since. But enough about me, I just want you (dear reader) to be comfortable with my background. Let’s talk streaming video live using the Livestream Studio.
First off, I had to upgrade my mobile streaming box (I use rack mounted PCs as opposed to laptops because I find the i/o issues in laptops to be too restrictive) from Vista 64 to Windows 7, but it was really about time. It’s a bit tough to find a copy of Windows 7 these days as Microsoft has removed them all from the shelves in light of the release of Windows 8 which is compatible with, hmmm – let’s see – nothing, so be aware that your streamer has to have Windows 7. I checked out all the other hardware requirements and I met most, not all. My motherboard and video card weren’t quite up to snuff for the Livestream Studio specs, but they were close. I figured as long as I wasn’t doing a 4 camera switch to 3 different services at the same time I would probably be OK. Heck, I could always install it and if it didn’t work I could do my hardware upgrades then.
The install was both good and bad – it was good in the fact that once I hit “install” it pretty much took care of itself, updating frameworks and services as needed and humming along happily. Then, just as it got to the point where it should’ve said “Your software is now installed and ready for use” (I’ve done a few software installs in my time) it started all over again! Yup, right from the top. I started panicking thinking I’d done something wrong – but then I looked on the PDF-only instruction manual and sure enough, it says something about going through the whole thing twice. Second time around was the charmer – there it was!
I’m using a Core i7 box with three BlackMagic Intensity Pro PCI cards – and for this product, that’s a good thing – because ALL it guarantees to recognize is BlackMagic cards. This is one spot where the Livestream Studio software really excelled: because it only uses these cards, it saw them right away. I had one camera hooked up via HDMI to one of the cards and with NO CONFIGURATION at all – there was video in one of my Livestream Studio monitors. This is a radical departure from Wirecast – where you have to go into Windows Control Panel, set the video parameters of each card, test with the BlackMagic software to make sure you have a signal and THEN fire Wirecast and do additional desktop configuring to get everything matched up. For the novices in video formats – Livestream Studio clearly wins this round. Oh, and additional cameras were just as easy: plug ‘em in and LS (Livestream Studio) sees them no problem.
Audio, however – was another issue. While Wirecast will “see” all your standard computer audio inputs (via cards or motherboard) LS doesn’t “see” anything except your BlackMagic cards. For me, this was a bit of an issue: my rack has a 12 channel audio mixer because I’ve found that the more inputs you can have on location – the better off you are. Often we’ll be taking a board feed from a band or podium microphone plus some mics for Q&A in the crowd plus a wireless lav from the Master of Ceremonies – all at the same time, so mixing is a must. Normally, I just run the board out to my PC audio line-in, and regardless what encoder or switching software I’m using, my PC audio card shows up on the list and I use that. My cameras are the eyes of the system and my mixer is the ears – all of a sudden I was struck deaf!
A quick call to the responsive folks at Livestream Studio tech support confirmed that, in fact, LS would not recognize my internal PC audio as a source – but they volunteered a workaround: use the BlackMagic Intensity Pro breakout cable on one of my live cards and switch the audio over to “analog” from “embedded”. This comes with a warning: you must use one of your cards that has live video – I first thought I could do a two camera shoot and bring the audio in via breakout cable on the third card, but no such luck. Once I connected the breakout cable to one of my live cards, switched the settings on the camera / card to “analog” I was all set – my mixer showed up just fine. There’s a handy “air” switch on the LS audio controller that stops audio from following the cameras and just keeps that audio channel going out as your primary audio feed.
In relatively short order, I had switchable video (2 cameras) and a stable, synced audio source!
Next Up: Hooking up with Livestream.com (the website, that is).
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