Streaming, video and audio madness at home ( Twitch and content production )

Not really the thread for this... but yes, depending on your TV.

A lot of TVs have audio out for this either via HDMI or optical. But in this thread you're more likely to find people with PCs that capture the TV and video via HDMI to then process it in OBS and then send it somewhere else (online streaming via Twitch or something else like a virtual cam setup).

Thanks, will bow out of here then! My hdmi arc should handle it then, just need to find a convertor or something

If you have optical out I'd use that for simplicity's sake. HDMI can throw a fit for the most obscure of reasons.

Been streaming on Twitch now for just over 2 years, pretty consistently. Kind of half and half Just Chatting and gaming. Sometimes I build wheels on stream too. Started as something to cure boredom during lockdown in 2020 but has turned into a regular thing.

I’ve been cycle touring for a little over a month. And I’m hoping to do it full-time.
You can see what I’m up to on instagram

After talking to a couple of forum people on a ride I’ve been interested in streaming what I’m doing on twitch.
Currently all I carry, tech wise, is an iPhone and a camera.
Can anyone help with guidance on what I’d need to live stream.
I do own an iPad that’s in storage but I could get it if it’s necessary. I’m happy to buy a GoPro or something.
I’m completely new to this stuff as you can tell.
Any help is greatly appreciated
🌸🙏🌸

First up...

Live streaming vs edited videos?

I can't help with live streaming whilst cycling, I'm sure it's possible I just don't know what it involves.

A GoPro gives you about 2h of video on a single fully charged battery if you balance the video quality, or under an hour if you're trying to get insane quality.

Optimise camera choice for your editing experience... a few cheaper (older models you get for cheap) is easier to edit than the GoPro Max with 360' camera. But if you can only afford a single camera, probably put a GoPro Max on the handlebar, have a spare battery, and use a mount that makes it easier for you to remove so you can use it off the bike at destinations.

Editing... if you have a Mac it ships with that video editing program. Otherwise you can (with some difficulty) edit in OBS for free, as well as stream to Twitch from OBS. Otherwise you're probably going to use something like https://www.shotcut.org/ if you've no budget, or if you have lots of budget Final Cut or Adobe Premiere Pro.

I don't know how to do live stream + mobile... for Twitch in a home setup it's just OBS. But mobile? Not sure how you'd get all the video back to one place, process it all, and also stream whilst your hotspot struggles for reception. I doubt this is going to be simple, and I suspect if it's possible you're constrained by the battery life of the weakest link in this setup (which is likely a laptop live converting the video and streaming it).

If I were to consider a live stream setup, my inexperience would probably say to seek out an old Thinkpad with a built-in 3/4g modem, buy a SIM card, find USB cameras, put all of this in a bag, run cables everywhere, stream from OBS on the laptop.... but this feels foolish, like the battery would only be an hour, and that it's a fragile and messy setup.

Live video + mobile feels expensive.

winner gets date with Hippy and/or Tester.

Wait, what?

I'm in.

Due to an overwhelming lack of interest, I declared myself the winner.

Check your DM and wear something nice.

I've done a little bit outdoor or IRL streaming on Twitch. I've used my iPhone on a tripod. It's doable but not as easy as at home on the PC. The battery will drain fast, so you'll need a back up battery, then you'll need to upgrade your data plan. I managed to get a good deal from my providers but it's like 5-10GB an hour depending on bit rate. It's also quite hard to keep with chat on a small screen but if you're riding you can ignore them. The main issue is the signal strength. In London it's fine but even here there are dead spots. Your stream will just cut out for your audience till you reconnect. If you're touring, I imagine you'll be going to places where the signal will be very poor.
Give it a try though as you already have a phone and Twitch is free.

Thanks for the advice. Funnily enough it was something I thought about just this morning.
Actually the reason I’ve not attempted it is that I’m now not touring on my own and my running commentary would be annoying for the other person.