If you want to improve the quality of you live streaming, you need to use CAMCORDER, DSLR or some good quality camera. The process to do it is actually super simple, and to show you how simple it is, in this article, we are going to run you through step by step exactly how to use a video camera for live streaming. In this tutorial, we will find the ways to improve video quality for growing our business and brand. In this precious article, we have going to be stepping you through how to use your DSLR, your camcorder, or any other video camera next time you go live. The process works even if you are not live streaming and you just want to use that camera or DSLR as a webcam for an interview or for a presentation, or pretty much any other online video.
Which Tolls you are using?
While we are stepping through the process, I’ll also touch on some of my favorite software for live streaming. But I want to hear from you guys. What software do you use the most and why? Drop a note in the comments below and take a look at what some of the other people are commenting as well, because you might find some cool new tools. All right, so step number one, or the first thing you’re going to need is an HDMI interface unit or an HDMI capture card. Sometimes we need video feeds to our computer. Now, we will have links down in the description to everything that we are going to mention in this tutorial.
UltranStudio Mini Recorder
Blackmagic is a company that makes some really great gear for doing exactly this. I am a big fan of the UltraStudio Mini Recorder, which sells for around the $145 price point. This one is Thunderbolt only and Mac only, but it will let you plug in both HDMI and SDI cameras. Now, another great option by Blackmagic if you’re on Windows or you’re looking for a USB 3 equivalent if you doesn’t have Thunderbolt, and then you can check out the Intensity Shuttle. You can pick these up for around the $199 price point.
Epiphan HDMI Interface
Another company that makes really great HDMI interface units is called Epiphan. There are two main ones that they sell. One of them is a 1080p version, and the other one is a 4K version, selling for around 399 and 499. The biggest advantage with these ones is that whether you are a Mac or PC, there are no drivers or software or anything that you need to install to get them up and running. They are probably the easiest to get running, but they are a little bit more expensive.
Now there are lots of other options out there as well, but these ones are really my go-to recommendations. We have also used a few devices from Elgato and while they work well for the live streaming side. Lot of them can not easily be used to mimic a webcam or to be used as a webcam inside of apps like Skype. Check out the Blackmagic or the Epiphan. You have got your HDMI interface unit sorted. The next thing you are going to need is a camera with clean HDMI output. The video feed that is coming out of your camera through HDMI is clean. It does not have all of your camera status and display and battery level and record time and all that information. Some cameras actually output that through HDMI with no way of turning it off.
Now this can be the case with all different brands of cameras. There are a lot of Canon cameras specifically that do not give you that clean HDMI output or the video feed without all your camera data on it. This is not the case for most cameras, but you will want to do a quick Google search for your camera make and model with the words clean HDMI afterwards to see if your camera actually has clean HDMI output. Otherwise the video feed or the video footage you are going to get out of that camera while you are live streaming will have all of your camera data on it too.
Which Tolls you are using?
The next step then is to connect everything up, so plug your camera into your interface unit, then connect the interface unit into your Mac or PC, and then open up either your live streaming app, things like OBS, Wirecast, vMix, Ecamm, whatever it is you are using to live stream, or whatever it is you are using for video communication, whether it’s Skype or Zoom or any other platform. Then it is just a matter of selecting your webcam or your video source to be that interface unit, which is your camera.
Depending on your computer, which camera you are using and which interface you are using. There can be some delay between the audio and the video. If you are using a microphone that is not connected to the camera itself. So if you are using a podcast-style microphone directly into the computer. You can sometimes have delay between the audio going directly into your computer and the video coming through the HDMI interface unit.
Now there’s a couple of ways that you can overcome this. If you have the ability to plug in your microphones or your audio directly into your camera itself, then that HDMI feed from your camera into your computer is going to have the audio perfectly in sync. Because it’s all coming from the camera itself. Another way that you can fix this if your video and audio are slightly out of sync is, if you’re using software for live streaming like vMix or Wirecast, you actually have the option to adjust the delay on the audio so that it can match your camera and stay in sync while people are watching.
So that’s how easy it is to use your DSLR, your mirrorless, or your video cameras for live streaming or for things like Skype calls or Zoom calls as well. If you are interested in finding out how you can live stream on YouTube with more than person on the stream with you, then check out the video linked on screen.
