I’ve been live streaming sports games for a long time now. I started in college, working with a company called Teamline to “stream” Cleveland State Women’s Basketball games. We ran it through a phone line and you could call in, or go to the website and listen to the game. That was in 2001, and things have certainly changed in the last two decades. Fortunately, live streaming has become an affordable option for major colleges, all the way to high schools. Churches are live streaming. People are live streaming weddings, business conferences, concerts, etc. Whatever your needs, there are a number of free live streaming tools out there to utilize. Some, in my opinion, are even better than paid options.
Best Live Streaming Encoder: Open Broadcaster
I can’t say enough good things about the creators of OBS. To me, OBS is the industry standard. Free or paid. I know vMix is out there. I know all about Wirecast, Production Truck, etc. Save yourself thousands of dollars on that software and use OBS. It just flat out works. I used to have so many problems with Wirecast and Production Truck that I finally decided to dump them, back in 2016 for OBS. I have not looked back since.
I’ve also found features that people associate with premium software also exists within OBS. Instant replay is just one basic example. I would go as far to say that, without OBS, my business would not have lasted. With other software, clients would become frustrated when it wouldn’t connect properly. With OBS I can depend on a solid stream every single time. You have no idea how much time it saves me not to have to worry about troubleshooting. And it’s all 100% free!
Best Live Streaming App: Live Now
Live Now gives off a bit of a spammy vibe. It’s not an app native to the United States, so proceed with caution. But if you’re looking to live stream on a mobile device, I have found this app to be the most reliable. It is free, however you also have the option to go ad free and upgrade. I wouldn’t do it, personally, as I’ve found the free version does everything for my clients that we need it to do.
Live Now is available on both Android and Apple devices. I have run this app at basketball gyms for hours at a time and it has never dropped connection. Remember, your internet connection will dictate how well things go, but from my experience this app is wonderful. I had a lot of problems with OBS.ninja on mobile devices, however that is another good, less spammy alternative. It just hasn’t worked well for live sports for me.
Best Live Streaming Host: YouTube
YouTube comes with a certain set of problems. But I have loved YouTube throughout all of its various changes. Most amateur live streamers are using Facebook as a free option, and that’s fine, but for a professional live stream set-up, YouTube should be your #1 option. Why? It’s the most accessible service in the world. YouTube works on all devices, and is the easiest to access for all people.
YouTube also gives you control and the ability to monitor your live stream. If you’re having internet problems, YouTube will let you know right away. If your video is experiencing other issues in any way, YouTube will tell you. Again, for free, that’s a great piece of mind option.
What are some challenges with YouTube? It’s not a perfect set up. If you are streaming in a location with background music, YouTube may flag your stream for copyright issues, and could mute your audio all together. This is sometimes an issue for my live sports productions. I have to remember to mute my microphone when we’re in a break if there is music being played at the field/gym. But for a free service, YouTube’s price is just right.
Other Free Tools for Live Streaming
If you’re looking to give your live stream a boost with great graphics, I suggest GIMP. For creating still image graphics, GIMP has everything that you need.
If you have a live stream that implements commercials or a lot of other videos, you might need a good video editor to help you with your pre-production. If you’re a Windows or Mac user, I suggest VideoPad (look closely for the free version). I don’t do a lot of video graphic creation, however everyone I know that does uses Blender. Blender allows you to create 3D animations and has a lot of features that rival the far-more expensive Adobe productions.
Struggling with your live streaming? I can help! Chris Schieman Media provides full service live streaming production, as well as consulting services. Contact me to learn how I can give your live stream a professional feel.