What To Expect From Your Streaming Video Software

If you are planning to live stream, then there are some decisions which you will need to make sooner or later.  One of the most important decisions: the streaming video software you will use.

With live streaming becoming increasingly popular it can be difficult to try and navigate your options.  But in this post will will break down exactly what you should be looking for in your video streaming software, starting with the most important of all: the cost.

Choosing A Cost Effective Option

If you are new to video streaming, then opting for a free option like Adobe's Flash Media Live Encoder (also known as FMLE) may seem incredibly attractive.  Adobe is a reputable so the product they have put out will be great – right?

Not so much.  FMLE support a number of popular codecs, bitrate encoding and plugins, all of which are important and are features you should expect from your media streaming software.  But the features which are included with this free software are significantly less than other devices, which takes us to our next point:

Choosing The Right Features

Cost is one thing, but unless the product has the features you need to produce captivating video footage, your efforts will result in very limited views. 

Let's say that you have a number of media streaming devices which include a mobile phone and tablet.  You will want to have a software which is able to work not only on your PC, but which is also supported on almost every iOS and Android device on the market today.  You also will want to choose a software which:

·         Can combine available networks so that a connection between it and a external MiFi can be supported

·         Takes and accepts footage in HD

·         Allows you to bond two cellular connections in a single smartphone

It is also beneficial to find a product which can bond a phones' internal 3G or 4G with an external 3G or 4G so you can enjoy a quick and efficient uplink.

A Focus On Reliability

As touched upon when we talked about Adobe's FMLE above, the software is not very reliable.  It is prone to crashes and users are often left disappointed with the results.

If what you want is to take live footage and to stream it online or on the television on a regular basis, then it is important to invest in a product which is known as being reliable.  When looking into your options, start off by seeing how long the vendor has been in business, what their goal is between the many different products they make and what qualifications they may have.

Once you have found what you believe to be a reliable vendor, do a quick background check (i.e. read reviews online and check in with the Better Business Bureau) and then delve deeper into their product line.  If everything checks out and the price is right, that is a good indication that you should invest in their product so that you can take superior live streaming video that will get you more views and attention online and elsewhere. For more information on Streaming Video Software, visit: http://www.liveu.tv/LU400

How To Stream Live Video Like A Pro

Live streaming an event takes a lot of work.  You have to consider the content, the cameras, the lighting, the audio and the content.  But apart from those basic considerations (which are difficult enough to configure on their own) creating a fantastic stream live video takes a lot of patience and agility.

Tip 1: There Is More Than One Way To Live Stream Video

This may be good news to some and bad news to others, but the truth is that there is more than one way to live stream video.  What you have to figure out is which solution is best based on the event and the audience you are trying to reach.  After that you need to also weigh:

·         The cost

·         The quality

·         Possible failure points

Tip 2: Use More Than One Camera

The best stream video is taken when two or more cameras are shooting the action.  Then, if you are using multiple cameras, make sure that you use a video switcher.  These devices allow you to create a more visually dynamic show which will keep your audience interested and captivated.

How to choose a switcher: Inputs mean a lot when it comes to your video switcher.  You may think that you will only use three cameras, but you may need additional inputs such as:

·         Extra GoPro camera positions

·         Video playback sources

·         Animated backgrounds

Switchers can fall into one of the following two categories:

a) Hardware-based switchers

b) Software-based switchers

Hardware-based switchers run on dedicated boxes and have their own control surfaces.  A software switcher runs on a laptop or desktop computer and includes converters or video capture cards.  They also tend to be more cost effective and offer fantastic production value, but the best switcher for you is whatever you feel the most comfortable with.

Tip 3: Use The Right Unit For Your Event

There are companies which specialize in producing live stream cameras for a variety of different purposes.  Some units are ideal for field shots and are compatible with any camera while others units will be more cumbersome and expensive yet offer more options and functionality.

Regardless of the unit you choose, you will want to find one within your budget that best satisfies the following factors:

·         The unit should be lightweight

·         The unit should be easy to use

·         The unit should ideally offer cloud-based management and video distribution for quick and efficient live streaming

·         The unit should be compatible with numerous cellular links including Wi-Fi, 4GLTE/3G, WiMAX and HSPA+

Tip 4: Don't Forget To Encode The Video

There will come a point when you will need to encode your video into a live streaming format.  This often happens at the venue where the event is taking place.  There are free software encoders, and then there are paid hardware encoders which may cost anywhere between $10,000 to $50,000.

Software encoders are less dependable, but they are often free and are what beginners and smaller video production outfits use.  If you are serious about live streaming and want to achieve optimal results, however hardware encoders are the best way to achieve a flawless webcast. For more information on Stream Live Video, visit: http://www.liveu.tv/lu200

Evolution of Live Stream Video

Live videos have played a vital role in the last few decades. Most of the major events taking place around the world have been broadcasted live to millions or even billions of viewers all over the world. Live videos are the best means of conveying any event to the world and the method of transmission of these live videos has changed a lot in this time. Earlier the videos were recorded and broadcasted using radio signals from field vans to the offices and from these offices to satellites that transmitted them around the world. Over the years this system has been overtaken by the internet. The internet has allowed better communications for the transmission of live videos all over the world.

Now the field equipment has been decreased to small devices that one can carry on their back with ease. This equipment has replaced the big vans that were earlier used to transmit videos to the satellites. The video doesn’t need to go to the satellite, instead now the video is transmitted directly using the 3G or 4G internet service that is much faster and available almost everywhere.

Most of the channels are now switching towards coverage through the internet because it is much cheaper and faster and available almost at every point, plus it is also cheaper.  Another thing that is highly trending is the coverage of live events with the help of non-professional devices such as the smartphones that almost everyone carries nowadays. This means that the number of reporters that a channel can now have in the field is endless, because anyone who has the smartphone is a reporter. This thing has decreased the spending of many channels and increased their revenue by bringing in more viewers for the latest news.

Another change is coming at the consumer end where people are now using nontraditional methods of viewing videos and news. Earlier people usually viewed live events being covered on their televisions. Now they are preferring internet where they can easily stream a video. The benefit of watching videos on the internet is that these videos are of better quality. So the channels now also stream live video to give the users the best quality and also access to the video from any place where internet is available. All this has highly increased the number of people watching a live event.

So if there is any major event going on somewhere in the world either an incident, a concert, a sport match or anything now you can enjoy it on video stream. These streams are available almost everywhere on the internet all you need is a device that has a good internet connection. For more information on Stream Live Video, visit:

http://www.liveu.tv/lu200

Satellite Trucks: What Are They and How They Work

For the past few years, the satellite technology has introduced amazing advances that give the viewers to have access to the live broadcasts and relevant news events from different parts of the world, especially the remote lands. While it is true that satellite technology established a new era for the television news and entertainment, some are still wondering how it actually works. Well, to make this possible, complex equipment and systems on the Earth and in the skies should work together.

What Is a Satellite Truck?

A satellite truck or satellite uplink truck is a modified truck used to establish links to satellite. This important tool is needed by the television stations to able to report news events from different locations. Likewise, government agencies use it when reporting safety information during disasters and when providing medical services on remote areas. Smaller but similar vehicles are sometimes used as well, including satellite vans.

What Are Two Types of Satellite Trucks?

The type of truck depends on the frequency band it uses. There are two types of satellite uplink trucks:

1. C-Band truck

This is a heavier and larger truck that weighs 10,000 to 26,000 pounds. They are also called the Transportable Earth Station. It can broadcast at a frequency of 3.7 - 4.2 Ghz for satellite downlink and 5.9 - 6.4Ghz for satellite uplink. The C-band truck is often used when covering outdoor events.

2. Ku Band truck

Operating at higher frequency of 10.95-14.5 Ghz, this type is more advanced than the C-band truck. It uses small trucks, which are also called as production vans. Ku band trucks are not recommended for outdoor events, as transmission issues occur when there are storms.

How Do They Work?

Satellite trucks have transmitters and satellite dishes on them to be able to transmit the audio and video produced by the broadcasters to the satellite that is 22,300 miles away from the Earth. This will then bounce back to the television network which is responsible for distributing the signal to the viewers.

Why Are Satellite Trucks Necessary?

There are many advantages in using satellite trucks. For the television networks, they are essential part of the industry, especially when they need to provide a clear transmission so that they may increase the revenue from their advertisers. They are also allowed to gather and broadcast news from the parts of the globe that are hard to reach.

Other advantages include portability, ease in operation and wide coverage. Because of these, they can be used for disaster relief services by government organizations. Unlike cable networks, they can stand natural disasters and are not prone to distortion and failure. 

Mobile transmission and how it's being used

Mobile transmission technology is always being further developed, allowing data transmission to keep getting faster. Leading companies in live video services and broadcast solutions and developed the technology that enables live video transmission from any location in the world. In 2012, live video was transmitted from the TEDx conference held in Tokyo to the Q's Eye screen above Shibuya crossing, an iconic seven story display, as well as transmitting the conference to thousands of tv screens across the world. To accomplish this, all that was used was a personal grade LU60 backpack and handheld LU40i mobile video transmission technology. No satellite was required, which increases the affordability of mobile transmission. This means that more companies can use mobile transmission technology and apply it to whatever use they have. This technology was also used during the 2012 Presidential Campaign, the Super Bowl, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Though mobile transmission is not a new technology, the speed at which data can now be transferred is faster than ever, because live video requires faster data transmission.  

One rising use of mobile transmission data is for fuel management. Recent technological advances in fuel management now allow for over-the-air (abbreviated OTA) security and control of fleet vehicles. Using wireless communication for fleet security and control enables more preventative measures such as the ability to disable a vehicle while its operating and the ability to recover rogue or stolen vehicles.

Fuel management systems, which are used to monitor and control the fuel consumption and the stock of a fleet of vehicles, can now add more benefits; they can monitor the vehicles at any location using mobile transmission, they can improve the efficiency and productivity while reducing the costs. Being able to use wireless communication for fuel management gives the companies the ability to monitor and control their fleets 100 percent of the time, which in turn gives them more data to use towards finding more cost efficient fleet fuel management systems and solutions.    

According to Government Fleet almost 90 percent of fleet organizations use a fleet management system. This means that companies that develop fuel management solutions need to stay up to date with the software and equipment that they are able to provide. The next development is to create software that can be downloaded onto mobile phones and smartphones. The tools available to use for a live video transmission include: transmission backpacks (such as the LU60 mentioned above), a satellite/cellular hybrid, external antenna solutions and smartphones. Smartphones rank highest in location-independence, localizability and accessibility, so having fleet management system software available for smartphones and enabling the businesses to use video-over-cellular solutions as fuel management solutions would transform the news industry. One such technology is the LU700-SV, which is a hybrid video uplink system that one can use for vehicles. Applying this technology to a fleet of news vehicles would enable networks to report news, using live video, from all over the world.

Satellite Truck

 The onset of digital technology has changed the world of live broadcasting considerably in recent years; furthermore, satellite usage in broadcasting is now widespread, and allows for a versatile approach. As cameras and broadcasting equipment have become more powerful so they have also become smaller; this rise in portability means that outside broadcasts can be attended to quickly and easily. A fully equipped satellite truck is no longer the behemoth it once was thanks to powerful and portable satellite terminals and hand held camera solutions – each of which enables reporting and recording from remote and unusual locations. Furthermore, hybrid technology has led to extended battery life for even greater versatility.

Who uses such technology in broadcasting, and why? Across the world there are many companies utilising digital, IP based and satellite uplink solutions, and for a variety of reasons. Let’s consider the situations they may be useful for: say a demonstration is taking place and things are heating up – a crew can be on hand with a satellite uplink in no time and broadcast live to the newsroom anywhere in the world, thanks to the portable satellite link. The feed is sent back to a central base and then distributed to clients across the world, whoever they may be.

Then there are sporting events: being able to send a live feed via satellite to various outlets means greater revenue from the broadcast, and better coverage thanks to the digital technology being used. Production vans can be equipped, ready to go, and get to the destination in advance. Priming the crew for broadcast takes little time, and the result is HD quality images ready to go anywhere you wish.

One area of broadcasting that is growing quickly is that utilising vehicle based solutions; in this instance, rather than a portable stand alone satellite uplink, the crew uses a system mounted on and in the vehicle. A powerful satellite transmitter is mounted on top of the van and sends the images to the base for distribution when the van is stationary; alternatively, the images are recorded and then, when the van is on the move, can be uploaded back to the studio base when the vehicle is returning or travelling to the next scene.

A further option is to use a live on the move broadcasting truck; this keeps track of the road conditions when the vehicle is on the move by way of cameras attached to the vehicle, and the images can be transmitted live. To utilise satellite capture, of course, the vehicle must be stationary so that the satellite can see where it is at any one time.

Satellite uplink technology is a versatile and popular method of live outdoor broadcasting, and with many satellite providers in the business it is a cost effective method of providing excellent HD images of newsworthy events and other areas of interest. News agencies are more versatile and useful when they can promise to be in a location with a crew very quickly, and the added bonus of a satellite uplink is also welcome. With more powerful equipment and improved digital technology entering the market all the time the quality of outdoor broadcasting and live transmissions can only improve, and the ability of crews to capture the best images at the right time becomes ever more possible.

Here you can get more useful information and proper solutions for a satellite truck: http://www.liveu.tv/vehicle-solutions

Broadcast Equipment

The world of broadcasting is one that has found great benefit in the digital age; the ability to send images wirelessly is one that has been much utilised and improvements in lightweight and very capable cameras and other equipment have added versatility to the industry. The need for outside broadcasting has been particularly aided by the development of more versatile and capable equipment, and now it is possible to send a crew anywhere and return excellent high definition results at surprisingly little cost. This has all come about thanks to impressive digital equipment that allows for crews to become more portable and to move from place to place on demand.

A fully equipped production truck can be in location quickly and without mishap, and can be up and running in no time at all. With easy to use equipment that is lightweight and durable providing images from in the field is simple, and video broadcast equipment is now more capable than ever. Whether you need to be in advance at events or are responding to a developing situation the same is true – you can be ready to broadcast and get the images you need quickly and with little fuss.

How does wireless broadcasting equipment work? It’s a simple process that is largely enabled by the introduction of wireless technology into the industry. The camera carries a small wireless transmitter that relays the images back to base; this allows for real time transmission and HD quality in all images, and is a very versatile system. Most video broadcast equipment of this type is able to be carried by the operator – either in hand or on a shoulder – and very often the transmitter is carried in a small backpack for ease of use. This allows the cameraman to attend the scene on the move, and to capture images of quality.

Broadcasting – especially the outside broadcast – has benefited greatly from the development of wireless technology, and the versatility of the systems involved is now far beyond that of just a few years ago. It is entirely possible for a single crew to cover an event in detail with the most portable equipment, and using the best wireless transmission systems may be able to send images back to a studio some distance away. This method often utilises satellite technology for added enhancement.

Furthermore, by utilising internet solutions it is possible to broadcast from one place and distribute the product across the world. This is done by way of satellite and internet technology, and enables broadcasters to syndicate work to many users at once. With a wide variety of users now choosing to access TV broadcasts via the internet this is an important development in the world of live  broadcasting.

A reduction in the price of top quality equipment coupled with faster broadband speeds has led to an increase in the availability of live broadcast; techniques such as these have been used to broadcast political elections, sporting events and news stories, as well as to create documentaries and other programmes for TV. Being able to get a crew to a set point quickly and cheaply is the important factor in live broadcasting, and one that makes the available technology even more cost effective.