My Streaming Set Up: 2021
I’ve been asked before about what I use to stream. I wanted to let y’all know what I use in case you’re looking for upgrades! You can also check out everything that I use by clicking this link.
I did want to mention that I started with a monitor, a MacBook Pro (15inch), an Elgato HD60s, and a Blue Snowball. I was also doing straight from PS4 streams with the SteelSeries Arctis 3s. You don’t need to invest heavily in streaming gear when you’re getting started. In fact, I’d recommend that you don’t. Streaming can very quickly turn into an expensive hobby if you think that you need to upgrade right when you find something new. I’d suggest that you get started using the cheapest means possible just to find out that you’re interested in streaming. The most important thing that you can invest in early on is good audio. There are some gaming headsets out now that have pretty good audio to start off with. If you’re interested in seeing some recommendations for that, let me know! Every product introduced is linked and none of my links are affiliate.
Software
I use OBS.Live for streaming because I like the flexibility it offers. I’ve used the Elgato software, OBS Studio, and OBS.Live over the years and I think that I like OBS.Live the best. I have all of my scenes set up here and I don’t usually have issues when OBS has updates.
I use StreamElements as my main bot. I run all of my commands, sfx, and some of the loyalty points through this bot. It works better for me than the StreamLabs bot that I used to use. And I can rename the bot without having to download anything because of OBS.Live
Admittedly, I still use StreamLabs for one thing. I like the quote system of StreamLabs better than on StreamElements. So, I still use it for the quotes that my community wants to remember.
I use this to organize my notes about the streams that I do. It’s been really helpful to track my numbers and any special events that happen on stream. This has also been great to remember what games I’ve streamed in the past!
I use Kapwing to make short Twitch clips if I don’t want to open up my video editing software. It’s a free, browser based video editor that’s really easy to start using.
This is coupled with the mic that I use. But I use the Elgato Wave Link mixer to separate all of my audio. It’s been a lot easier for me to work with than VoiceMeeter was.
Hardware
Because I had issues off and on with my Elgato capture cards in the past, I decided to ask for an AVerMedia card to be put in my PC (custom built for me by WhiteBoxPC). I use the Live Gamer HD 2. It didn’t require me to download any software to use it and I haven’t had any problems with it for the last couple months.
I had a camera that I got from my parents a couple years ago that I wasn’t using very often. So I bought an off brand cam link to use it as the webcam for my live streams. This helped up the production quality of my streams and I appreciate it. I will say, the Logitech webcams are where most people, myself included, start off. There’s nothing wrong with them, I upgraded simply because I already had a Sony a6000 sitting around.
For lighting, I mainly use two Lume Cube Panel Minis. They’re super small, allow you to choose your color profile, and they charge via USBC. What’s been great for me is that you can leave them plugged in while you’re using them, so I don’t have to worry about them dying in the middle of the live stream.
This was a luxury purchase for me. I received a grant for streaming and used some of the money to buy a Stream Deck. While I don’t think that it’s a necessary part of streaming set up, it has been a nice addition. For streaming, I use this to transition from scene to scene, start and stop the recording, and for sound effects. I also have it set up to open up the websites and programs I use most often. I can’t say that I use it to its full potential, if I’m being honest. But I have appreciated learning how to use it in my workflow.
The Wave 3 is a recent upgrade for me. Up until I purchased this mic, I was using the HyperX Quadcast. I still really like the Quadcast, but like I mentioned earlier, I wanted access to the Wave Link software. The mic is pretty comparable to the Quadcast to my non-audiophile ears. It’s easy to use and set up. I chose the Wave 3 over the Wave 1 because I wanted the ability to adjust more of my audio settings on the mic if I ever have to plug it into a different set up. This is the mic that I recommend to people who are looking to buy a new USB mic, I think that the features offered in the Wave Link software make it a worthwhile investment.
I love these headphones. I picked up a pair of them basically right when they dropped. They work with both my PC and PS4 and have the ability to connect to my PC/PS4 via the wireless dongle and then with my phone or iPad over Bluetooth. This feature is amazing and I’m very happy with how it’s been implemented. The ski-band style for the headband on the headphones is also the most comfortable headphone style for me. I love the headphones that SteelSeries creates, and I’ve been really happy with this upgrade as well!
That’s pretty much what I use for streaming. Is there anything you’d like to read about more in depth? This article was meant to be a fairly quick overview of everything I use consistently for streaming. I’m sure that I’ve forgotten something. The desk I use was made by Uplift, it’s a sit stand desk and it was well worth the price. I sit in the Autonomous MyoChair, it’s an ergonomic chair. Admittedly, it’s not as comfortable as I was hoping it would be, but I think that I’m still in the process of breaking it in. The footrest is dope though, it makes reclining in the chair comfortable. Thanks for reading! If you want to talk more about what I use, hit me up in the comments or on Twitter!
Also you can check out my YouTube channel by clicking here! We’re talking tech over there and I’m looking forward to seeing how that channel continues to grow!
