Streaming Video to Facebook Live from the Desktop with Wirecast 6 from Telestream
Andy Taylor TechtalkRadio May 15th, 2016
TechtalkRadio has always strived to be on the cutting edge when it comes to technology to get the show out to as many listeners as possible. One of our original show host Bill Grace was ahead of his time with streaming the audio of the show back in 1997 via three different sources. It was different for the time and gained the attention of Justin Frankle for his book with Ben Sawyer "Online Broadcasting Power." We had always talked of ways to use the Connectix Quickcam Webcam, which at the time was connected to the serial port for streaming video however the bandwidth requirements even at 15fps was not advantageous to the viewers.
By the time TechtalkRadio made the transition to Tucson we had found the pipeline was moving video a little faster but still wanted to find a better way to video stream the show and switch cameras rather then just swivel and turn the bowling pin our Logitech Camera was connected onto. Some years ago I talked with a colleague, Steve at the TechBuzz, who had found this tremendous software which allowed for the easy switching of web cameras to create a more television studio feel. The product created by engineers and technicians in the Industry allowed streaming to services such as Ustream.TV as well as recording the shows for putting on the website.
Wirecast from Telestream to us was one of the most handy software packages to a developing show intent on Webcasting but also provided solutions to just about anybody needing to produce video from Schools to Houses of Worship to businesses holding webinars. The Software comes with only a slight learning curve and since I worked in a studio TV Setup, operation is an easy task. Planing and Preperation is your best friend when it comes to putting together a webcast and with Wirecast that will include selecting the different shots you would go to, titles, graphics, video pre-roll etc. If you were just looking for a solution to do a show with switching between multiple cameras that's easy enough however the software is capable of so much more! The system also features playlist which can give the user the ability to not only stream a live show but also stream pre-recorded shows in the playlist.
Under the hood updates to Wirecast in Version 6 include a move to the 64Bit Environment giving users better use of the system memory. A Significant update to the previous 32Bit platform. One of the nicest new features added to this latest version of Wirecast 6 (Version 7 has been announced) is the ability to stream to facebook live from the desktop. Many have mastered the holding of the smart phone and cast live to Facebook however those users can't insert graphics, titles or even skype calls into the mix, Wirecast makes it possible with the first API for desktop streaming to Facebook Live.
We really love the improvements to the interface from the previous version 5 to 6 and that smart integration to stream live to Facebook and it only takes a few moments to get set up. Setting up the shots is a little more complex and I would recommend a flowchart to help determine what camera goes where. Also, I would recommend a seperate operator to run the program, if you are a talk show host and trying to stay focused, running the software switcher can be distracting! The performance of the Video and features make this a great way to increase your audience. We had just wrapped our look at Wirecast Ver 6 when Telestream released Version 7 which promises ever better processing and titling features. We will keep you posted on these changes.
Be sure to listen to our interview with Tom Preen of Wirecast!
Overall: 9 out of 10