Until a few years ago, showcasing an event on television was the only way to connect to a large number of people without them being physically present at the venue. This also helped bigger events to gain more sponsors. However in this day & age, with high speed internet at our disposal we can broadcast any event live – for free! May it be a college’s fest, a friend’s party, your cousin’s wedding, a meeting or your big birthday bash – you can share anything and everything in real-time, with anyone and everyone!
Live Stream using a Computer
Many websites offer Live Video Streaming for free, one of the most popular and efficient one is uStream. You can either use uStream directly from the browser or download the uStream Producer (Free), for a better experience. Premium ad-free versions are also available for various prices with additional features. You will also require a camera [P.S: If you don’t have a camera you may use your smartphone as a webcam using EpocCam (Free, iOS & Android)!]. Though you can also use Livestream (another platform) and Google+/YouTube for the same purpose as well, this post uses mainly talks about uStream.
To Live Stream from the website you first need to SignUp for an account on uStream and then login with the same (Facebook Login is available). Next, click on “Create Channel” and give your channel a name. Finally, select your camera from “Video Source” drop down list and click on “Start Broadcast” to go live (Allow uStream to access video or web camera when asked). You can also click on “Start Record” to simultaneously record the broadcast for later viewing.
Live Stream using a Smartphone / Tablet
Wanna share something with the world but don’t have a computer around? No issues! You can shoot and stream live videos right from your Android or iOS devices over 3G/4G or WiFi. All you need is the uStream mobile app (Free)!
Live Broadcasting with this app is as simple as clicking a picture! After logging in with your uStream account, hit “Go Live” from the sidebar and the app opens up a camera-like interface with various functionalities. Tap the record button and you can instantly stream what you see. Though it’s pretty seamless, the video resolution is lower. Touch the same button to end recording.
Watch it Live
Once you start the broadcast through a computer or a mobile phone, the live stream can be viewed by others on your channel i.e. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/yourusername. Moreover, other interactive tools can also be used while broadcasting live such as polls, live comments, chats, and one can also simultaneously share the stream using Facebook, Twitter or YouTube from the website or within the app. The live stream can also be embedded within a website! Also, if you don’t want to make the stream public but want it to be exclusive for your friends or family, you can make it accessible only to a selected audience as well.
So when the next time you want to share an experience with others, share it live, right when it happens!
Sidhant Malhotra
[email protected]
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