How to stream like a pro? 2020
so what do you need How to stream like a pro? You already know how to do it on your phone or your computer, but the real goal is to get these shows on your TV.
And, if you already have a smart TV, then you’re set. If you have something that can play Netflix or Hulu or has an app store that lets you download those apps, you’re good to go.
Also Read: How Do I Make My Stream Better Quality? In 2020
And if your smart TV is confusing, then don’t worry about it. Everybody who doesn’t have a smart TV, like me, will have to buy a streaming box. And, that box will probably have a better, easier interface.
I’ve got a Samsung TV from 2012 with absolutely no smart features. And so to get streaming, I have two boxes hooked up to it. I have an Apple TV and a Chromecast. You don’t need both. I’m just a nerd.
The Chromecast is super cheap. It’s like $35, but it doesn’t have an interface. Seriously, you turn it on, and there’ just nothing. You control it all through your phone. So, it’s a little confusing, and I really wouldn’t recommend it for most people.
My favorite is the Apple TV. I don’t even have the newest one. My model is from 2012, and it still works fine. If you have a 4K TV, though, make sure you get the newest model. And if you’re not a big Apple fan, Roku also makes some nice streaming boxes.
All of these devices will stream whatever service you want; you’ll have to go and look for it. You’ll usually have to browse app by app to see what’s available, which can be a little slow and frustrating if you’re used to living channel surfing. But I prefer it.
It’s certainly quieter. And that’s pretty much it. The next step is to pick which services you want to pay for. Before we get into that, let’s talk for second about why streaming services are so complicated.
Because they’re supposed to be a dream. Where you pay for just what you wanted and nothing you didn’t. It’s not that at all. Sure, you can subscribe to Netflix and Hulu on their own, but that just like HBO and Starz.
They’re premium cable channels, that stand on their own. And, yeah, you can rent anything you want from iTunes, but that’s just a new DVD store. If you want to stream traditional live TV, you’re still going to be stuck with a bundle.
Why is that? The problem is TV is expensive, and TV networks know they can make more money by selling channels together. So, Viacom might require your cable provider to offer MTV, BET, and VH1 together.
Even if it just wants MTV. Do that over and over and over again, and suddenly, you’re at the 200 some channel cable package you have today. Streaming TV isn’t that bad.
It still has bundles, but streaming services know that consumers are looking for smaller packages, and so they don’t get too out of hand. But it gets tricky when you bring in sports. Sports are prevalent and expensive, and rights for them usually end up spread across a bunch of different networks.
That means streaming services have to get certain games out of their way, and you’ll have to go out of your way to make sure you pick the services that have what you want. Alright.
So what services should you subscribe to? What’s too much, and what’s too little? Right now, I’m subscribed to Amazon, Hulu, and HBO, and I’m mooching off of Netflix’s account. Between those, I have access to most of the TV shows people are talking about, and some huge back catalogs to watch.
I don’t think anyone’s service is amazing for movies, so I like to rent them off iTunes. They’re like three to five bucks apiece, and just doing that once a week is still going to be cheaper than subscribing to another service.
so that works for me, but what about you? What if you’re watching a ton of TV shows on a bunch of different channels? Are you still going to be able to go the streaming route and save money? The answer is, probably, as long as you’re watching stuff on major networks.
Hulu has a live TV service with 50 some channels for $40 a month. Sling TV offers even smaller packages. One starts at $20 and comes with a bunch of major channels you might not be missing out on a lot, including AMC, ESPN, and CNN. AT& T says it’s going to start an even cheaper service at $15 a month.
Being able to choose from smaller plans is a great opportunity to figure out which channels need, and pare down on the ones that you don’t. All of these streaming services are available on the streaming boxes I was talking about earlier.
They’re going to be more expensive than just paying for Netflix or Hulu, but the point is that you don’t have to limit yourself to just these newer streaming services. You can still get old fashioned TV, and you can do that while spending less than you would on cable.
but the big question is sports, and yeah, with steaming services, that can get complicated. It’s going to depend on what sports you care about, which teams you’re following, and where you live.
If you’re fine with just watching some primetime and playoff games, then any streaming service that provides the major broadcast networks and ESPN will probably get the job done.
Most sports leagues offer their streaming services, so if you’re serious about catching everything, you should check those out. But, keep in mind, they’re pretty expensive, and they have a lot of restrictions on them, like game blackouts.
So, be sure to read up on that before you sign up. Remember, if you get a digital antenna, as I mentioned earlier, you’ll probably have the network that is broadcasting your local team. That covers TV, movies, sports, and the streaming boxes to watch it all on.
There might be a little bit of a learning curve at first, but it’s not that hard. And in the long run, you’re going to be saving money. You won’t miss out on any of the seasons biggest shows.
How do I make my stream look professional?
The two main ways to go live are mobile or desktop.
Each format offers different benefits and requires a separate setup.
It would help if you had a mobile device and an Internet connection, and you can be streaming in seconds.
You might need to do some tinkering with streaming software to get set up.
The upside to desktop streaming includes advanced options like support for higher resolution, multiple cameras, and even 360 videos.
Now you’ve got a basic idea of your options, here’s a list of pre-stream ideas to make everything look great.
For many videos, it’ll help to frame your shot beforehand and pick your best angle.
On mobile, make sure you know where your camera and microphone are.
It’s easy to cover up the lens with your finger.
If you’re on the go, avoid shaky video with a selfie stick, tripod, or gimbal.
Check-in advance that your mic isn’t giving you quiet or scratchy audio.
Find a location with minimal background noise like wind or traffic.
If you’re in a more chaotic location like a concert or convention, think about updating your equipment.
Help prevent interruptions by putting nearby devices in silent mode.
Make sure you’re filming from a location with a clear signal.
If there’s a rough connection, your stream might still work.
YouTube will adjust the bit rate accordingly.
To get the most explicit video, check your Internet connection beforehand.
If you’re running behind schedule or experiencing technical difficulties, maybe use a title card.
Write out a message or sign and place it in front of the camera.
To add additional information to your stream, position a monitor or phone in the shot to display things like the subscriber count or current poll question.
Run tests ahead of time by setting up an unlisted stream.
You can’t edit out mistakes when you live.
Can you switch cameras on Facebook live?
So it Is really easy to go live on Facebook, on YouTube,
But the challenge is you just have one camera angle, You can’t share your screen or do anything creative, Like lower trademarks or thirds and so Switcher Studio Has an awesome solution that solves that issue So with Switcher, you may use your iPhone Or iPad to perform TV-style productions,
No special hardware required. To begin, you go to our site SwitcherStudio.com And create an account, and as soon as you get set up, You can log in to one of those apparatus To put your logo on display, bring in pictures, Images, prerecorded videos, Therefore, in case you’ve got an intro, then B-roll, interviews.
It really ups the production worth And makes your content more engaging. – That’s really, really cool. So one of the things you can do And that might be your main source,
You might become your camera, and you set up that And you might plug your audio source into that, Like a little lav mic or something And you also, even if you only use one camera, As you said, what’s really cool here Is there are a couple of prerecorded videos,
So if you simply had videos on your camera roll, You could have maybe an advertisement or an intro video, Or perhaps an upcoming adventure doing, Or something that you want people to see That is a little more highly produced Which is nice because a lot of times Facebook reside is just talking venture.
– A very good use case we’ve seen With groups or businesses on Facebook, Get a shot of the storefront, Get B-roll of your products, you understand, If you are a bakery show some rolls, Get a meeting with the client And you’re able to take these tiny bits And intersperse them during your live broadcast.
It’s Much More engaging; you can switch things up. Also, it allows you to begin making better content. – Certainly, and what’s really cool. It is that the app is quite user friendly. There are a couple of other things you could do too.
Should you edit your emblem in Photoshop And bring it as a transparent file You can just put that along with your videos The entire time, right? You might have your branding On your videos for live streams. – Absolutely, it is possible to make lower thirds for names.
If you’ve got the logo that you need on the monitor Or a host, make that into your articles; It’s a great way to begin monetizing your videos. If you want to do over the one built-in camera, All you need to do is launch the program On another iPhone or even iPad. As long as it’s on Precisely the Same wi-fi or hot spot, It’s available as a source.
And even though we’re using iPhones and iPads, We’ve really advanced camera controllers So you could blur the foreground or the background So you can do a whole lot with these apparatus Using the Switcher Studio software.
Our next update, we are going to be incorporating Comments or reactions for Facebook and YouTube, So you’ll be able to see those coming in In the directing interface. And also, our big news for this series, here in NAB, Is integration with the DJI Osmo mobile.
we do not encourage drones, But DJI has a handheld gimbal you are able to utilize To get smooth, stable handheld shots. We’ve taken that piece of hardware And made it even better using it using Switcher Studio We can remotely control the device.
So we can move it left, right, Up, down from throughout the room. It makes your four or three cameras set up Begin to look like six or eight cameras.
That is awesome, and so how many Total resources can you put into it? iPhones or iPads it’s possible to earn as resources. We also have a display sharing tool You can install on your own Mac.
The whole display shows up as a source. If you are doing a Skype telephone, a demonstration, You wish to bring up a site, That could be part of your creation.
Shows just like one of those other cameras. You could even grab the webcam from your Mac And use this as a supply. There is definitely the free version.
What should you get with that? And if you go to advance, what can you get? – So there is a free version in the program shop. It’s Switcher Go. It Permits You to utilize the built-in camera And add up to four videos or photos.
So you can get a flavour of what’s possible With some basic video switching. Switcher Studio, you go to our website SwitcherStudio.com, That includes access to the program, desktop tools, Cloud solutions, and service.
Check us out online at SwitcherStudio.com. The first 14 days are on us. What’s your favourite area to go live? Let me know in the comments section.