Streaming is a great source of revenue, provided you have the right direction and the right equipment for it. Sure, you’ll find many established people online who are going to tell you that streaming is a piece of cake and can be done even with your current phone. We call that a bogus claim. To stream means to engage your audience in more than one capacity.
If you’re gaming, which the majority of streamers are, you need a good mic to effectively communicate with your viewers, a good headset to block out distractions, and a couple of solid hardware to get you on your merry way to dishing out quality content. We’re going to be detailing the best equipment for live streaming but before we get on with it, it’s a good rule to have a viable internet connection at the ready.
Why you ask? An internet connection is your gateway to not only upload your streamed content on the fly but also to download and play all the games that are going to be bringing in the views. Consider setting yourself up with AT&T, an internet service provider that puts gamers, streamers, and heavy internet users at the very top. Give the AT&T Customer Service Number a holler and set yourself up in capable hands.
Now, without further ado, let’s get listing our chosen equipment.
Video Camera
Starting off with one of the essentials, we have the video camera. Streaming is an activity that is best done with a video camera showing off your expressions and surrounding area as you take on your next boss fight. Viewers especially love watching reactions and reaction videos of streamers who show themselves when going live.
This increases engagement and also helps the viewer relate to the streamer. For example, if you were playing a multiplayer game such as Call of Duty as a streamer and had your video camera on, your viewers would be able to capture your expressions live as you decimated your opponents or went on a losing streak. Either way, this may sound strange, but your wins or losses both contribute to adding spice to the content streamed. Show them those emotions!
Microphone
Alright, consider spending a good amount of your hard-earned money on a microphone. Trust us, the investment will pay off in the long run provided you stay consistent with your efforts. A mic helps you talk and play. Talk to him, you ask? To your viewers of course. Sites like Twitch encourage viewer engagement by letting your viewers comment, donate, and send emojis when you’re going live.
By having a mic you can comment on questions or feedback sent forth by viewers. Alternatively, you can also ask questions mid-game about what you’re playing or what viewers would have you do differently and then watch them comment their mind for you.
Good Lighting
Didn’t expect this one, did you? We often tend to skip over this part when planning our streaming setup because it’s not something that seems like a big deal in person. But when you’ve got your camera on but viewers can’t see your expressions properly or even your face properly for that matter, then it becomes a big problem. Because dark lighting is a huge deal breaker and we don’t want that for you.
Invest in lights that combine studio lighting and natural light to bring the best picture to your viewers. All in all, the lighting setup should be such that it highlights you and adds a vignette effect for the rest. Tweak around with your setup and find the best setting that gets this done.
Video Switcher
A video switcher is imperative for those who need multiple cameras for their setup. By having this equipment at the ready, with the flick or tap of a thumb, you can change the primary camera in your setup and have it record the respective activity you’d like the attention of your viewers at. Switching camera angles when streaming a podcast or when holding an interview with someone is something that will pop up frequently so keep the switcher at hand.
Keyboard
You probably already have a keyboard but we’re talking about one that can sustain your streaming activities. Usually, a gaming keyboard is too clicky and can distort your streaming experience with its own sounds. Our recommendation is to get a keyboard that doesn’t produce any noise and works in a low profile. This way, you can enjoy talking to your viewers and get those gaming hours in without the occasional clickety-clackety coming from the device.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on all the stuff you’ll be needing for streaming your next live session. There’s still a lot that can add more oomph to streaming but with our aforementioned devices, at least you’ll have the basics in check. Good luck!
