Question / Help First live stream tomorrow. 2 cameras and 1 audio input. Need some tips

[psymedia]

Hello everyone

We're doing our first live DJ stream tomorrow on Facebook. We're new to this and need some assistance.

2 Logitech C920 cameras will be used for the video, with an image overlay. The sound will be fed into the PC using the Line In on the soundcard. The cameras will be alternated manually during the stream.

Do I need to create 2 scenes, or can 1 scene be used (and simply turn the visibility of the one on/off when required).

If 2 scenes need to be created, how do you use the same audio for both scenes?

I'm also planning on using Speedify software to merge 2 internet lines to avoid any drops. Has anyone used this before?

Some of the other settings:

Encoder x264
Rate Control CBR
Bitrate 2500
Keyframe Interval 2
CPU Usage Preset veryfast
Audio Bitrate 128
Base Canvas Resolution 1280x720
Output Scaled Resolution 1280x720
Downscale Filter Bicubic
Commons FPS Values 30

Thanks in advance!

 

[Boildown]

I don't know about the rest, but people have a lot of problems with that webcam overloading the USB bus causing poor encoding. And you have two of them, so twice the chances to have problems. Make sure to keep the webcams set to 720p or less (use the smallest resolution you can get away with). Put them on separate USB root hubs from each other and from any other USB devices. Do test streams ahead of time to make sure it works.

 

[psymedia]

Thanks. Will keep that in mind! Been running test streams with 1 camera for a bit and had no problems so far. Any ideas with regards to the 2 cameras / 1 sound line in? I created 2 scenes and added the line in on both, set the volumes the same, but when changing there's a slight popping sound.

 

[koala]

You have to play with sources and scene composition to get familiar with them. Use them and detect their strengths and weaknesses for your special use case and your personal directing capabilities. In forum posts one can explain how they work, but how this works out for you only you will know.

If you start adding the same audio or video capture sources to multiple scenes, use copy+paste (Reference) or add them with "Add Existing". This will create a reference that refers to the original source instead of creating a new, so no off/on switch will happen if you change a scene. You can see if a source is a duplicate or a reference: all references have the same name regardless of the scene, and all duplicates have different names.

In your case, add one different source for each of your webcams so you have "webcam1" and "webcam2", but if you start adding additional scenes that should also contain one of these webcams, add the webcam source as reference. Do the same with each distinct audio source.

 

[psymedia]

Ah thanks, I think that explains what I was looking for.

To go into a bit more detail about my setup. Basically the audio from a DJ mixer is being fed into the Line In on a second PC. So the audio should be consistent on both scenes. Both cameras that are used will be full screen (1280 x 720), they are just different angles of the DJ that will change every now and then. Never showing both cameras at the same time.

So Scene 1 I've setup the following sources. 1) Audio Input Capture (the Line In as mentioned above feeding from DJ mixer) 2. Image (just a border) and then 3. Video Capture Device (Logitech C920 #1).

I then duplicate Scene 1 to create Scene 2. I remove the Logitech C920 #1 from Scene 2 and create a new Video Capture Device with Logitech C920 #2. This should reference the Audio Input Capture and Image from Scene 1.

This should give me the same audio and image overlay on both scenes, but switch between 2 full screen cameras on demand.

Correct? :)

 

[psymedia]

Tested now and seemed to work perfect. Now just to get the sound levels as high as possible without any distortion haha

 

[koala]

Don't duplicate scenes that should always contain the same common sources. If you later change one of the common or global sources that make up your corporate identity, you have to change it in every scene.

Instead, create and compose your common sources in one scene. For example, make your border, your audio input capture and any other source you may add later to compose your corporate identity a group by marking all of them, then right-click and "group" them. Add webcam 1 to that scene and you have your first scene.

Then add a second scene. To this scene, add the previously created group with "Add existing". And then add webcam 2 to this scene. This way, you can add your global sources or corporate identity to each scene with one click and add to new scenes only sources that are actually unique for this scene. If you need to edit your border, you will see it edited in all scenes with that group. Or add another source to your group by dragging it into it, and it will appear in all scenes with that group. If you resize or move a source within the group, you will see it resized/moved (relative to the group outer border) in all scenes.