Question / Help Mac mini for streaming webcam(s) to YouTube & FB Live

stereohead

stereohead

New Member
Looking to buy a mini Mac or PC that will be dedicated to streaming video from webcam and audio coming in from an external audio interface to FB Live / YouTube.

Ive found a fairly cheap Mac mini with these specs, and was wondering if it will do the job?

Model 5,1
CPU: i5-2415m (2 physical cores, 2.3ghz)
RAM: 8GB
HDD: 500GB
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000

Thanks in advance
 
Narcogen

Narcogen

Active Member
Maybe... but I would not suggest it. That's a six year old machine with a weak integrated GPU and a 2nd generation i5. Add on top of that, OBS performs significantly worse on MacOS than on Windows or even Linux. So if you've got such a machine and want to do some streaming, you could always try. But if you don't already own one, by no means buy an extremely outdated machine that will very likely not perform well.

It's possible it could do the job you want, especially if your target output is 720p30 and no more, but most likely for the same price as that mini you could get any number of compact machines that would do the job much, much better.

Because of the age of many machines in the current lineup, the mini is currently a solid "Don't Buy" rating at the MacRumors Buyers Guide, and that model is 3 years newer than the one you mentioned above.

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac_Mini
 
T

the_Retrosaur

New Member
I wouldn't get anything pre 2015 at this point. Not that a computer from before that couldn't stream, but for how long and how many obs and Mac OS updates would a mac be able to keep up with.

I used to be obsessed with the idea of a mac mini for a number of different things, mostly a media pc. When they took the BluRay out it really killed the need for me. But as far as a mini all in one, my MacBook air is killing it. I got mine used on eBay for about $350 plus shipping, this was last year, but I picked up the 2014 11'. all in one + portable + a mini mac and no monitor required. Plus these things charge in like 30 mins. I used my time capsule on the network as a HD so the smaller SSD is fine, and have the ethernet to thunderbolt adapter for when I go live.

The 2015 was the last year of the 11' but the 13' is equally as portable and are somewhat cheaper than the 11, even newer versions.
 
stereohead

stereohead

New Member
thanks for all your input, greatly appreciated.

Given the above, I think I will go the windows 'mini PC' route.

I've put together a mini ATX build (£470), but am still considering one of those Intel NUC boxes as they are small and quiet, although substantially more expensive than the Mini ATX.

Mini ATX Build Spec
Memory: 16GB Corsair Vengeance
CPU: Ryzen 3 2200G 4 Cores @ 3.5GHz
SSD: Sandisk 240GB
Motherboard: AsRock AB350 Mini ATX
Case: Thermaltake Core V1
Full Spec List
 
theBullringLive

theBullringLive

Member
stereohead said:
thanks for all your input, greatly appreciated.

Given the above, I think I will go the windows 'mini PC' route.

I've put together a mini ATX build (£470), but am still considering one of those Intel NUC boxes as they are small and quiet, although substantially more expensive than the Mini ATX.

Mini ATX Build Spec
Memory: 16GB Corsair Vengeance
CPU: Ryzen 3 2200G 4 Cores @ 3.5GHz
SSD: Sandisk 240GB
Motherboard: AsRock AB350 Mini ATX
Case: Thermaltake Core V1
Full Spec List
Click to expand...
I've been interested in the nucs But I haven't seen many good reviews for them.
 
theBullringLive

theBullringLive

Member
Funny how Mac has been the main game gor graphics, video but this streaming stuff seems to be owned by windows. Even the big broadcasting guys are there.
 
F

frank peng

New Member
I am using mac mini to do the OBS streaming. One problem now I have is that I have to open the property to activate a browser source. I wish I can activate it by simply switch the scene. But the window won't refresh when I switching scene. I have to get property out and click OK to activate the browser source.
 
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