YouTube Live Streaming Proposal - Minimalistic Scenario

Here is a proposal on how a non-profit can start putting their events on YouTube with no recurring costs.  I start with a simple talking slide show, which can be rolled out by a single volunteer producer.  When and if the production team grows, production values can be improved upon dramatically.  Consult this post for introduction and terminology.

Minimalistic Scenario

Here we focus on low cost, portability and simplicity of operation.  We employ a single camera, most likely pointed at a slideshow.  Video camera does not have to be manned.  Camera output (both audio and video) is streamed live. 

Minimalistic Live Video Streaming

Hardware requirements:

• Video camera with HDMI output to capture audio and video.  Either built-in or off-camera (e.g. radio lavalier) microphone can be used.  Camera should be on a tripod.
•  USB3-based video capture device to deliver audio and video data from HDMI to USB.
• Computer (e.g. Windows laptop) to perform stream switching/augmenting (e.g. adding lower thirds)/encoding.  The laptop is connected to the Internet via a broadband link.  At least 2MBps recommended.

Software requirements:

• YouTube Live account
• Wirecast for YouTube on the production laptop  Free version is sufficient.  Open Broadcaster Software or Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder are viable alternatives and are known to work.

Personnel:

1. Producer.

Producer's Responsibilities:

• Before the event
• Schedule an event in YouTube Live
• Share the URL to the event with prospective virtual audience
• During the event
• Setup the video camera.  Set the zoom, custom white balance and manual focus.
• Establish all the connections - microphone, camera, video capture device, laptop, Internet.
• On the production laptop in a web browser login to YouTube Live.
• To prevent unexpected interaction between processes, kill as many as possible.  Make sure to quit any application which  may be using video capture devices, e.g. skype.  Disable devices you do not intend to use, e.g. built-in laptop webcam.
• Launch Wirecast and prepare a shot, verify that you are getting both audio and video feeds.
• In Wirecast Output settings dialog login to YouTube and select proper encoder settings.
• Start streaming.  Choose whether recording is done as well.
• Monitor streaming, as well as resource consumption.  You may want to use a smartphone with alternative Internet connection.  Note that live events are not available in YouTube app for iOS.  They are available in a mobile web GUI though.
• After the event
• Review and share the statistics available in YouTube event report. 
• Collect and share virtual audience feedback.

What's Missing

Talking slides are better than nothing, but for some (most!) this will not be enough.  It would be certainly nice to see the speaker and the audience.  Trying to use a single camera to sweep between the speaker and slides is a recipe for disaster.  We shall see next how this gap in production values can be addressed.