{"id":3446,"date":"2021-07-27T10:37:16","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T10:37:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/?p=3446"},"modified":"2021-08-01T07:33:21","modified_gmt":"2021-08-01T07:33:21","slug":"streaming-setup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/streaming-setup\/","title":{"rendered":"Streaming Setup | New to streaming &#8211; top 3 items to build a good streaming setup!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re setting up your streaming equipment for the first time, it\u2019s important to get everything right. Here is an article exclusively for you. Read on!<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Fortunately, <em>getting it right<\/em> doesn\u2019t have to cost an arm and a leg. It never hurts to have high-quality equipment, but that isn\u2019t the only way to make sure your streams look great. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People start streaming for all kinds of reasons. Some of them want to share their epic gaming experiences with their friends or fans. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Others want to webcam chat on a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/chatrandom.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free video chat<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> site like Camsurf. Unfortunately, a lot of people think that streaming just isn\u2019t for them because the necessary equipment is so expensive. The good news is, you can get decent-quality streaming gear with almost any budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to equipment, you should make sure to get a few environmental factors right, like the lighting and background. Plus, you can even use common household items to improve the way you look and sound on-screen. Curious to find out more? Here are a few tips that will help you get the stream quality you always wanted \u2013 without breaking the bank.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/home-office-setup-remote-work\/\">Home office set up | Everything you must know<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>1. Webcam Quality<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where you could potentially spend the most money; it\u2019s also where you could save the most money! You don\u2019t have to spend hundreds on a fancy webcam by any means. Instead, you could probably find one that does the job for the price of a chill date night. There isn\u2019t any way you can dispense with a webcam, but at least there are plenty of budget options.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many computers come with their own webcams, but that won\u2019t really cut it if you want to have good-quality streams. This is why a webcam is a must \u2013 but don\u2019t worry! You should be able to find a pretty decent webcam at most price points. Now let\u2019s get into the specifics.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What you need<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your webcam should be able to record at least 30 fps (frames per second).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure the webcam has some kind of universal clip or stand. This will allow you to set it up at eye level, which is the best angle for streaming.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t need a 4k webcam for great stream quality; shoot for at least 720p resolution for high-resolution streaming.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>What you want<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Auto-focus is a good extra feature to have, but not strictly necessary for streaming. If you\u2019re sitting at your computer, you probably won\u2019t be moving around enough to mess with the webcam\u2019s focus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More important than auto-focus is how the webcam can pick up an image when it\u2019s very dark or very bright. Not everyone can have an ideal lighting setup, so you want a webcam that\u2019ll work with what you\u2019ve got.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/distributed-teams\/\">Distributed teams | A complete guide<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>2. Audio Quality<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having good audio quality isn\u2019t as important as having a decent webcam, but it\u2019s still something to pay attention to. This is the part where you can start introducing the DIY hacks, since sound quality also depends on your environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have some wiggle room in your budget, you could even get a webcam with a built-in mic. However, this will probably only give you the bare minimum where audio quality is concerned. If you want that sharp sound that the professionals have, having a separate mic is the way to go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/voice-echoing\/\">Voice echoing | A complete guide<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>What you need<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good audio quality isn\u2019t just about the mic; you also need a keyboard that won\u2019t accidentally steal the limelight. A loud keyboard can easily drown out your voice, so make sure the one you\u2019re using is quieter than average.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A condenser mic is better for small spaces, like whatever place you use for streaming. Getting a condenser mic is the best option since you want your audience to hear your real-time responses accurately.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>What you want<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The walls, floor, and ceiling will affect your audio quality, but you can change them if you need to. Not by remodeling, but by using blankets, towels, or rugs to \u201csoften\u201d the surfaces and reduce reverberations. <\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you feel like your audio is too harsh, it might not be the mic\u2019s fault. Some strategically placed materials (off-camera, of course) could make all the difference.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/video-conferencing-etiquette\/\">Video conferencing etiquette | A how-to guide for everyone<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>3. Lighting Quality<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can spend hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars on your lighting setup \u2013 or you could spend nothing at all. Why? Because light is light, and you probably have plenty of light sources in your own house. Sunlight looks the most natural, but you can\u2019t depend on it to give you the right angle every time. That\u2019s why it\u2019s best to have your own lighting setup, so you can stream any time you want.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What you need<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re using a light fixture, a lamp, or the sun, the light itself needs to be diffuse. A direct beam will wash you out and make everything else in the frame look too dark.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The color of the light is important too. Even the most high-end webcams have a hard time with fluorescent light bulbs, so you definitely want to avoid them. Use incandescent or halogen bulbs for more neutral tones.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>What you want<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to get flattering lighting with lamps. Point one or two at the wall in front of you, and the light will bounce back onto your face.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid being backlit, as this makes it hard for your audience to see anything besides the light source behind you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A darker setup is preferred by gamers. If this is what you want, simply use smaller lamps and don\u2019t turn on the light fixtures you\u2019d usually use.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/virtual-icebreakers-for-remote-teams\/\">Virtual ice breakers | Everything you must know<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Takeaway<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t need to have the budget of a pro streamer in order to look like one on-camera. There are plenty of affordable webcams and microphones available online that will give the quality you want. You can even take advantage of sales or coupons if you have your heart set on a more expensive option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The point is, don\u2019t let price tags get in the way of your streaming. Who cares if you have old blankets hanging on the walls? Your shiny new streaming setup doesn\u2019t have to cost much in order to provide loads of fun!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re setting up your streaming equipment for the first time, it\u2019s important to get everything right. Here is an article exclusively for you. Read on! Fortunately, getting it right doesn\u2019t have to cost an arm and a leg. It never hurts to have high-quality equipment, but that isn\u2019t the only way to make sure [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3446","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-remote-work","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3446"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3466,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3446\/revisions\/3466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unremot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}