What software is best for live streaming?
What hardware do I need to stream?
Live streaming is one that enables you to engage with your spectators in real-time through a video feed, broadcast vlogs, gameplay, etc., and lets you host things like webinars and share your screen with your target audience. The YouTube livestreaming hardware requirements include a camera, USB microphones, lights, encoding software or hardware encoders, dual monitors, etc.
An encoder is the best way to live stream a video online which can be software/hardware depending on the purpose and budget of your work. The purpose of encoding a video is to transform the video content into a digital copy to stream on various platforms.
Digicast DMB-8800A Premium is one of the best YouTube live streaming hardware encoders used for remote education, health care operations, video conferences, news interview, public security, banking operations, transportation, and other industrial applications. Though AVC compression is the standard when it comes to live streaming HD video, HEVC is an even more efficient way of doing so. The BoxCaster Pro comes equipped with High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265, and lets you cut your necessary bandwidth in half — which allows you to encode your video in the highest quality.
Using an YouTube livestreaming software & hardware encoder allows you to:
• Share your screen to broadcast your gameplay or any content.
• Use external audio with video hardware.
• Manage a production advanced with devices like multiple cameras and microphones.
In this article, we will try to look at various YouTube streaming hardware and software encoders along with their key features as they have a major role in video live streaming from various devices like windows-10 free, android, iOS, etc.,
5 Best YouTube Live Streaming Software Encoders for Windows/Mac
Software encoders are computer programs that run on your personal computer to retrieve data from the capture cards, and send it over the internet. They are commonly preferred for their cost-effectiveness and it is exciting to know that some of the popular software encoders are free for users.
Tips: If you want to record or edit your livestreaming videos, you can try Filmora Video Editor. It's easy to use, and friendly for begginers to record the streaming videos with one simple clic. And Filmora also has multiple video editing features like trim, cut, split, add titles, transicions or effects. Have a try! It won't let you down!
Now, let us take a look of which ones are the best software encoders for YouTube livestreaming.
#1. Open Source Broadcaster
OBS or Open Broadcaster Source is an easy recording and best live-streaming software tool that is used by all the beginners. Since it is an open-source software tool, it allows you to customize your needs. It is a freely available application for recording and streaming for Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. Studio Mode provides a preview of your video scenes before streaming them live.
Price: Free
Operating System: Linux, Windows, and Mac
Key Features:
- Advanced design for customized transitions.
- Necessary Filters, noise suppressors, audio mixers, and gain boosting facility added for creating classic videos.
- Easy access to light and dark themes.
#2. Xsplit Broadcaster
Xsplit Broadcaster is a simple and powerful live streaming software tool that can foster an impressive video content with its user-friendly interface. It comprises all the basic video creation tools featured with audio support. It is surprising to know that it offers a Full HD video recording ability.
Price: Free/Paid
Operating System: Windows
Key Features:
- It supports all kinds of capture cards.
- It possesses custom integrations as well as plugins.
- Easy video development along with other professional production tools.
- Access to options like chatting and notifications for interactively organizing your video uploads.
#3. Wirecast play
Wirecast play enables its users to enjoy professional live video recording facilities. Users are allowed to encode all their live streaming content over multiple platforms. It is the only all in one platform that enables you to capture content, production, and encoding of videos of your interest.
Price:
Wirecast Play 6: Free/$9.99
Wirecast Play Studio 6: $279
Wirecast Play Pro 6: $549
Operating System: Windows, Mac OS
Key Features:
- Widely compatible with different online platforms.
- Compatible with different camera inputs and devices.
- Fine-tuning different compositional elements like audio delay, live switching, etc.,
- The simultaneous broadcasting of contents on multiple platforms is possible.
#4. vMix live stream
vMix is software that lets you create impressive and professional quality content on your device at a fraction of the cost. It is a downloadable product that involves production, streaming, and cost-effective mixing of the video content (as per the name of software).
Live streaming is one that enables you to engage with your spectators in real-time through a video feed, broadcast vlogs, gameplay, etc., and lets you host things like webinars and share your screen with your target audience. The YouTube livestreaming hardware requirements include a camera, USB microphones, lights, encoding software or hardware encoders, dual monitors, etc.
An encoder is the best way to live stream a video online which can be software/hardware depending on the purpose and budget of your work. The purpose of encoding a video is to transform the video content into a digital copy to stream on various platforms.
Digicast DMB-8800A Premium is one of the best YouTube live streaming hardware encoders used for remote education, health care operations, video conferences, news interview, public security, banking operations, transportation, and other industrial applications. Though AVC compression is the standard when it comes to live streaming HD video, HEVC is an even more efficient way of doing so. The BoxCaster Pro comes equipped with High Efficiency Video Coding, also known as H.265, and lets you cut your necessary bandwidth in half — which allows you to encode your video in the highest quality.
Using an YouTube livestreaming software & hardware encoder allows you to:
• Share your screen to broadcast your gameplay or any content.
• Use external audio with video hardware.
• Manage a production advanced with devices like multiple cameras and microphones.
In this article, we will try to look at various YouTube streaming hardware and software encoders along with their key features as they have a major role in video live streaming from various devices like windows-10 free, android, iOS, etc.,
5 Best YouTube Live Streaming Software Encoders for Windows/Mac
Software encoders are computer programs that run on your personal computer to retrieve data from the capture cards, and send it over the internet. They are commonly preferred for their cost-effectiveness and it is exciting to know that some of the popular software encoders are free for users.
Tips: If you want to record or edit your livestreaming videos, you can try Filmora Video Editor. It's easy to use, and friendly for begginers to record the streaming videos with one simple clic. And Filmora also has multiple video editing features like trim, cut, split, add titles, transicions or effects. Have a try! It won't let you down!
Now, let us take a look of which ones are the best software encoders for YouTube livestreaming.
#1. Open Source Broadcaster
OBS or Open Broadcaster Source is an easy recording and best live-streaming software tool that is used by all the beginners. Since it is an open-source software tool, it allows you to customize your needs. It is a freely available application for recording and streaming for Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. Studio Mode provides a preview of your video scenes before streaming them live.
Price: Free
Operating System: Linux, Windows, and Mac
Key Features:
- Advanced design for customized transitions.
- Necessary Filters, noise suppressors, audio mixers, and gain boosting facility added for creating classic videos.
- Easy access to light and dark themes.
#2. Xsplit Broadcaster
Xsplit Broadcaster is a simple and powerful live streaming software tool that can foster an impressive video content with its user-friendly interface. It comprises all the basic video creation tools featured with audio support. It is surprising to know that it offers a Full HD video recording ability.
Price: Free/Paid
Operating System: Windows
Key Features:
- It supports all kinds of capture cards.
- It possesses custom integrations as well as plugins.
- Easy video development along with other professional production tools.
- Access to options like chatting and notifications for interactively organizing your video uploads.
#3. Wirecast play
Wirecast play enables its users to enjoy professional live video recording facilities. Users are allowed to encode all their live streaming content over multiple platforms. It is the only all in one platform that enables you to capture content, production, and encoding of videos of your interest.
Price:
Wirecast Play 6: Free/$9.99
Wirecast Play Studio 6: $279
Wirecast Play Pro 6: $549
Operating System: Windows, Mac OS
Key Features:
- Widely compatible with different online platforms.
- Compatible with different camera inputs and devices.
- Fine-tuning different compositional elements like audio delay, live switching, etc.,
- The simultaneous broadcasting of contents on multiple platforms is possible.
#4. vMix live stream
vMix is software that lets you create impressive and professional quality content on your device at a fraction of the cost. It is a downloadable product that involves production, streaming, and cost-effective mixing of the video content (as per the name of software).
Price: $350
Operating System: Windows
Key Features:
- Facilitates high quality animated graphics.
- Supports low latency audio and video content.
- Good quality real-time chroma key.
- Built-in audio mixer with compressor and noise gate effects.
#5. Livestream
Livestream is the best livestreaming software for YouTube and Facebook. It is easy to use interface and simple settings make it the best suitable for the beginners who have just started streaming. It also supports simple and high-quality game casting.
Price: $75 per month
Operating System: Windows, Mac OS
Key Features:
- Accurate compositing and live switching.
- Compatible with various camera inputs.
- Broadcast quality video output.
What Hardware Encoders Do I Need to Stream on YouTube?
Hardware encoders are powerful and reliable video developing tools used by professionally experienced streamers. A hardware encoder is a piece of physical equipment that is hooked up in the live streaming procedure. It has a lot of functionalities in an online video development process.
#1. Taradek VidiU Pro
The Taradek VidiU Pro is the ultimate live streaming device for schools, churches, production companies, and businesses trying to take their content to live online from anywhere without a computer. It is practically an alternative to VidiU Go and is the best YouTube livestreaming hardware for features like remote management etc.,
Price: $2690
Key Features:
- Configurable with Bluetooth.
- Supports multiple broadcasts on various destinations.
- Ultimate reliability and maximum bandwidth.
- Compatible with all platforms.
#2. Taradek VidiU Go
Taradek VidiU Go provides a solution to one of the greatest challenges to giving a high-quality content stream through network bonding. It is a bonded device using Taradek's core technology, which enables you to divide your signal bandwidth between modems reducing the dropping of frames and of course increasing the content quality.
Price: $1400
Key Features:
- Dual video input.
- Save 50% of the required bandwidth.
- Streaming content is instant.
- Stream on cutting edge.
#3. Digicast DMB-8800A Premium
Digicast DMB-8800A Premium is one of the best YouTube live streaming hardware encoders used for remote education, health care operations, video conferences, news interview, public security, banking operations, transportation, and other industrial applications.
Price: $433
Key Features:
- It provides clear delicate videos at low bit rates.
- A built-in audio gain for independent volume adjustment.
- Multi-resolution and multi-protocol configurable
- Sharpening and filtering facility in video processing.
#4. Webcaster X1 for YouTube
Webcaster X1 for YouTube is a lightweight, portable hardware encoder device that enables you to live stream on YouTube using any device with an HDMI output or a camera or a mixer. It streams high-quality video with embedded audio.
Price: $299.95
Key Features:
- Very simple and easy to use.
- Versatile to live stream content from anywhere.
- Facilitates scheduled live streaming and stream now options.
#5. H.265
The H.265 is commonly called HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding). The move towards obtaining a better resolution has necessitated an improved level of compression efficiency in this version compared to its precursor versions of H.264 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding). AVC is also a video compression standard that is based on motion-compensated and block-oriented coding.
Price: $255
Key Features:
- Compressed bit rate.
- Better visual quality due to better resolution.
- Secured broadcast of high-quality videos.
- Most versatile and powerful video developer tool.
[Bonus Part] Software vs Hardware Encoders - Should I Use Software or Hardware Encoding?
Now that we are aware of various encoders, the common confusion that arises in our minds is, 'Which one is better: hardware or software encoder?' An encoder is an algorithm and the hardware is what that is needed to run it. Big bang concert los angeles.
The main difference between the hardware and software encoders is that the significant characteristic that lets hardware encoders to perform comparatively effective -is that hardware encoding devices are solely designed for encoding. Software encoders operate with your computer, so encoding is not the prime function. You should familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of both types of encoders if you want to arrive at a better decision. So, let's look at them a little deeper.
Using a hardware encoder
PROS
• Great performance and reliability.
• High encoding speed and lower latency.
CONS
• Expensive
• Difficult for timely upgrading
Using a software encoder
PROS
• Cheap and Flexible
• Customizability
CONS
• Lower performance
• Higher latency.
Depending on the budget of your stream and the purpose of your work, your choices may be different. For example, hardware encoders run upwards to around $1000 making them costly while encoding software is mostly less than $100 and even for free sometimes. Hence, hardware encoders are considered to suit best for professional and experienced broadcasters, while software encoders perform well for beginners. So, choose wisely!
Final Words
The encoder you use plays an important role in the quality of your live stream video that is to be delivered to your target audience. There are several choices and configurations to look into when choosing one of them to go for your live stream. While hardware encoders tend to produce better quality video live streams, software encoders are easier to handle and cost-effective.
Now, that we have come across different encoder tools, we have an idea of going on a YouTube live stream in the best way possible. If you think we have missed out on any other encoders from your list of recommendations, don't forget to leave it as a comment below. We are always pleased to accept such comments to upgrade our content. Thank you!
Technology's go ahead on in leaps and bounds since the early days and this is epitomized by the proliferation of portable devices nowadays. At some stage you've probably all needed to transform videos between various formats. Whether it's to make that YouTube video offline watch on your iPhone/iPad, or to make MKV video content compatible with a different player than the one they were originally meant for. This is where video encoder for Mac comes in.
There are number of handy video encoding applications out there for this very purpose. This roundup covers top video encoder apps on Mac OS X, helping you quickly find the No.1 video encoding and compressing on Mac.
Best 5 Free Video Encoder for Mac OS X
MacX Video Converter Free
The best free Mac video encoder here comes MacX Video Converter Free. It supports all kinds of video conversion, video compression and editing on macOS (incl. Catalina), namely decoding and encoding videos to H.265, H.264, MPEG4 or whatever codecs for WMP, QT, or iPhone 11, iPad, Apple TV, Android and more.
Besides, with multi-core CPU and hyper-threading tech, the free video converter for Mac delivers unmatchable converting speed (up to 15X faster) and unparalleled quality for the converted videos.
How to Free Convert Video via the Mac Video Encoder
Step 1: Free download the video encoder for Mac and launch it. Then load video files by clicking '+' button.
Step 2: Choose output format you wanna decode to. You are suggested to free convert video to MP4 for its wide compatibility with Quicktime, iPhone iPad Android.
Professional Video Encoder For Mac Hls Streaming Media Player
Step 3: Hit 'RUN' button to start transcoding video to MP4, MOV, AVI or any other video formats.
Note: If you desire to free download and convert videos from YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, Viemo, Vevo, Instagram, IMDB, XNXX, etc., please resort to its advanced version MacX Video Converter Pro for help, which will provide you with much more surprises.
Handbrake
Handbrake is one of the most popular DVD-ripping video transcoders, as well as a trustworthy video encoder for Mac users. Handbrake incorporates a wide selection of choices for exportation your video out for several totally different devices. These vary from Apple TVs to PSPs, creating it quick and simple to convert nearly any form of format so it'll play on your iPhone for instance.
Where It Falls Short
Handbrake isn't the most intuitive application ever made. Few people will be able to just jump right in and start using it when they initially install this Mac video encoder. Due to it's open source nature, the application isn't updated often, it doesn't have an enormous vary of outgoing formats to decide on from if you're looking for something obscure.
MPEG Streamclip
Don't be confused by its name. MPEG Streamclip, the new-rising star in video encoder for Mac community, is not just for MPEG video, but also has highly flexible encoding ability that can transcode videos into many broadcast standards. With MPEG Streamclip, you can convert QuickTime movies, MPEG-1/2/4 files and transport streams into AVI, DV and MPEG-4.
MPEG Streamclip can also download videos from YouTube or Google, simply by entering the URL into the application. However, the free video encoder - MPEG Streamclip looks a little complicated to the uninitiated. The conversions made with MPEG Streamclip was quite blocky when having to render large sections of the same or similar color.
FFmpegx
FFmpegx is fast video and audio encoder, as well as free video converter Mac . It doesn't support previewing video as HandBrake and MPEG Streamclip do, but Supports subtitles in most formats. It is a little complex for beginners, as it is filled with settings and tools, that only confirmed users will feel comfortable with. It is more suitable for experts who want to set some advanced preferences.
All in all, though much complicated, FFmpegx is a complete, cross-platform solution to record, convert and stream audio and video.
Miro Video Converter
Miro Video Converter is a free mac video encoder and converter, it has pretty intuitive interface, you can easily know how to handle it as soon as launch the app. It's a basic freeware option that works well for a variety of formats and devices, such as MP4, H.264, MPEG4, AVI, FLV, iPhone 7/7 Plus, iPad Pro, Samsung, HTC etc.
Just drag videos to it or choose files on your Mac. It can convert videos to popular Apple devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV), and Android Phones, and other media players. But it also has its cons, namely it owns too few output profiles, and no batch conversion, but it is good for beginners.
Professional Video Encoder For Mac Hls Streaming Free
Conclusion
After giving all of free video encoder apps a go, these tools all help you convert your video from various of videos to the one you allocated. Among that abundance of software is a collection of free Mac video encoders which can cover nearly any situation you could find yourself in.
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Yet for all that, if you're looking to versatile free video encoder for Mac that way not only transcode video, but download video from YouTube, turn photo into video slideshow, record on-screen activity for creating game tutorial, even remove iTunes video protection, MacX Video Converter Pro can tackle nearly all video encoding tasks and does all of the bells and whistles in auxiliary functions.
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