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Streaming has already emerged as a popular and lucrative way for content creators to share their work with a large audience. It's not just YouTube or Twitch, as several streamers are creating various content on platforms like Facebook Live, DLive, Mixer, Periscope, and more.
The first step to streaming is to build a capable setup (PC, camera, lighting, green screen, and more) that can stream content smoothly.
But hardware isn't everything. One must also optimize their PC at a software level to stream content seamlessly. The optimization of a PC for livestreaming depends on the individual hardware configuration, the process can be complex and may vary significantly from one setup to another.
From tweaking software to optimizing network connections, this article will provide enough information to help anyone start their journey as a streamer.
5 steps to optimize your PC for streaming
1) Upgrading PC hardware
To optimize a PC for stream sessions, one needs to upgrade his PC according to the needs. Different types of games require distinct hardware. If someone plans to stream esports titles, they won't need much heavy configuration. On the other hand, they need a more powerful PC to stream AAA titles in high settings.
For example, a PC with 24GB of RAM, Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel i5 11600K CPU, NVIDIA 3060 or RX 6700XT GPU will be able to stream modern AAA titles (med-high, 60FPS, 1080p) and esports titles (high-very high, 60+FPS, 1080p).
If someone has equivalent or higher specs, there is no need to upgrade.
2) Getting other accessories
Like a well-equipped PC, other streaming accessories are also required to start livestreaming content. This includes lighting, a green screen, a proper camera, a stream deck (for ease of livestreaming), a capture card (for high quality, low latency streaming), and a good microphone.
Many brands like Corsair Elgato, Logitech, Blue, Sennheiser, and Shure are renowned for offering good accessories. But, after all, it depends on the streamer if they want to show their face or need a green screen. Starting with a basic setup and upgrading is always recommended.
3) Getting and setting up a software
The next step is to get the proper software to stream content on. There are several options in the market, like OBS, vMix, Xsplit, and Wirecast. Some of them feature an easy user interface for beginners. Some provide more control over streams and extra features but are complicated to use. One can choose any software depending on their preference.
Setting up streaming software is also a pretty hefty job. One has to set the video resolution, audio output, and more. But for beginners, there are tons of tutorials online, and some software automatically customizes its settings based on the available hardware.
4) Optimizing network connection
Seamless streaming sessions are not possible without a fast and stable internet connection. Whether someone is using Wi-Fi or broadband, there are different ways to optimize their internet connection for livestreams.
In this modern age of gigabit internet, one can upgrade their internet plan for faster connectivity. If someone faces bad Wi-Fi coverage, they can upgrade to a mesh Wi-Fi system. If the issue still persists, they should seek the help of networking professionals or contact their ISP for help.
5) Setting up a stream monitoring system
Setting up a stream monitoring system will help streamers keep track of their stats (number of likes, subscribers, comments, and more) and diagnose any issues in the middle of a stream. There are specific stream monitoring systems for certain software.
OBS has an inbuilt stream monitoring system, YouTube has Live Control Room, and Twitch has Twitch Inspector. Keeping that in mind, setting up a separate display just to monitor streams will always help.
These were all the optimizations required to start as a beginner streamer. It does not matter which platform the streamer is using or which games they are playing, following these five steps will result in a seamless livestream session.
