How To Change Quality Of Twitch Stream

Introduction

And so you lot want to live stream… You heard your friends say if you're not streaming on Twitch right now you lot're missing the boat. You hear about people quitting their 24-hour interval jobs and becoming full-time streamers and you want some of the activeness.

Clearly at that place's a big opportunity here to share content in a new way and build a community around who you are, what yous do, and why you do it.

As a game sound schoolhouse and product studio that'due south worked on huge titles including Halo, Earth of Warcraft, Fable, and Bioshock we're deep in the gaming world as well as the music production world.

In this mail we will break down the entire Twitch streaming model, how to make it work, and how to abound a community around your skills wether that be playing games, live producing, or djing. Permit's get started.

What To Stream

The first thing to decide is WHAT yous want to stream. Games, music production, talk shows, etc. Every 24-hour interval people are coming upwards with new ideas and sharing new types of content, so the sky is the limit and information technology's hard to tell what will be the side by side large thing.

Before you begin this journey nosotros highly advise you to go to Twitch, and get-go watching and interacting with other creators who are finding success if you oasis't already.

How To Stream

The content of your stream also will denote what kind of hardware you need. For all of these setups, you'll demand a few basic things: a Mac or PC (PC recommended for most functionality), a microphone, a webcam, speakers or headphones, a stable net connectedness, and your software of pick either OBS (Open Broadcast Software) or SLOBS (Stream Labs Open Broadcast Software).

Many platforms are now offering multiple streaming services, simply thankfully most of them can apply the same software. Lets run downwardly which platforms are all-time for what kind of streams.

Sound

Streaming games is by far the about involved, and streaming the games with quality audio is even moreso. You can utilize a basic 3.5mm gaming headset similar the HyperX or Sennheiser PC serial, but the sound quality of those mics are..amature at best. If you lot really want to get your mic game going, you'll demand a circulate mic like an SM7B or an RE20. Of course for those you'll need an interface with some quality preamps, an Apollo Pointer or Apollo Twin are recommended merely you tin can e'er utilise a Focusrite 2i2 if yous don't want to break the bank.

If y'all're using a broadcast mic, it generally won't be an issue to use speakers as the polar pattern on the mic doesn't permit for much feedback, all the same if you decided to use a condenser mic (for example if there are multiple participants in the room) you lot'll demand to use headphones then that your signal doesn't start feeding back on itself. If that's the case you'll either want to get an interface with multiple headphone outs, or a headphone amp. Y'all tin become cheap merely quality ones from Rolls.

Note: There is a quirk with OBS and SLOBS where if you lot have an interface with multiple inputs, it volition ONLY allow input from channels 1 and 2, and then if you're trying to stream a set with multiple hardware synths or more than 2 mics you'll want to get artistic with an external mixer.

Video

And then there's your audio, next upward is video.

More than decisions: are yous going to be playing a game and not showing your face up? Are you going to be doing a talk bear witness with some other person, either in-room or on video chat?

If y'all're only going to exist capturing your computer screen and audio, y'all don't demand any extra gear, lucky you lot! However, if you lot're looking to include your face in the stream, you'll need at least a webcam, but in that location are a few workarounds to this.

The first: if you already ain a normal camera (or camcorder) y'all tin buy a CamLink from Elgato, this converts whatsoever normal camera into a webcam via an HDMI to USB dongle. Alternatively, in that location is an app called EpochCamHD which turns your phone/tablet camera into a webcam via USB or WiFi connexion to your estimator.

If yous're going to be gaming on a console or capturing any kind of exterior video source (camera, console, 2nd figurer) you'll demand a capture card (or two, depending on how many things you lot want to capture).

The nearly common, widely supported, and easy to use are made by Elgato. They make 2 different types, with a few dissimilar models of each.

The first type is an external device that plugs into your computer via USB, has HDMI in for your device, and HDMI out to your monitor/TV. The 2d kind is a PCIe card that slots into your PC and has HDMI in and out ports with the same functionality as above. Note that with these cards hooked upwardly you won't be able to output video without your PC beingness powered on.

If y'all're going to be using retro consoles (e.g. anything that uses component or blended outputs) you'll need either an HDMI adapter, or an upscaler. Adapters can be had for inexpensive on Amazon, upscalers, less so. I would recommend something like the OSSC or the Retrotink if you're going for the all-time possible video quality out of your old consoles. If you want to black out your groundwork, you'll need to invest in a light-green screen and some lights, or some specialty software like Logitech's Chromacam.

OBS Settings

And then now for the nitty-gritty. Open up Broadcast Software (OBS) and StreamLabs Open up Circulate Software (SLOBS) are infinitely customizable, so no two streamers settings will look akin (unless you're using templates, however, any in-depth template will cost some greenbacks).

We'll outset with SLOBS as it's the most attainable and widely used.

Again, your SLOBS settings will depend on your system, and what you lot want to stream, however, there are a few standards that are unanimous beyond the board.

In your SLOBS general settings panel you'll demand to brand a few bones decisions, like if you lot want to record your stream, whether to keep recording later stopping your stream. You lot'll probably want to turn on "Confirm Stream Title and game before going live" so that you lot don't accidentally become alive without knowing it, but the rest of the settings in this panel can exist left equally is.

In your Stream settings panel, yous'll want to login to any accounts you wish to stream to, Twitch, Youtube, FB, etc. That's near all you'll want to do in these settings.

At present, in your Output settings panel you'll desire to set up your output style to Advanced. This volition open upwards the other settings in this panel. You'll want to prepare your audio track to 1, and if yous accept an NVIDIA Graphics card (GPU), alter your encoder settings to NVENC. NVENC is a specialized core on your NVIDIA carte made specifically for this purpose. If you DON'T take an NVIDIA card, exit your encoder setting on Software (x264). This means that your stream encoding is being processed by your calculator's main processor, your CPU.

Twitch Bitrate

Moving on, you'll want to set your Rate Command to CBR (shorthand for "controlled bitrate), the rule of thumb for this is that you lot want to keep your bitrate to no more than half of your internet upload speed (more on this in the Internet speed department). Then if your upload speed is 2 MBp/southward, you want your bitrate to exist no more ane MBp/s, just this will vary depending on your speed test results. Next, you lot'll desire to prepare your Keyframe interval to 2, change your CPU usage preset higher or lower depending on the forcefulness of your CPU, and as for the rest, you lot can leave those as is.

In your audio settings, you'll want to set the sample rate to match the sample rate on your interface, and you'll most likely want to set your channels to mono. You can besides change your default sound devices, but that isn't necessary here.

Twitch Video Settings

For your video settings, you'll want to set your Base Resolution to 1920×1080, and your output Resolution to 1280×720. The reason being that your internet will have to do less processing the upload while your computer handles the heavy lifting of downscaling your stream resolution. You'll want your Downscale Filter set to Lanczos, your FPS Type set to Common FPS Values, and your Common FPS values set to 60.

As for the advanced settings, this function isn't necessary, but if yous desire your stream to look extra crisp at the expense of more processing power, you can set up your procedure priority to Above Normal, your Color Format to NV12, YUV Color space to 709, and your YUV Color Range to fractional. Y'all tin can also change the file naming convention of your recordings, and your automatic reconnection settings in example your net gets flustered. I wouldn't recommend changing any of the settings on that or anything else in this console, but exist sure that the reconnection settings are enabled.

The residuum of the settings are entirely optional, but some can be useful if you lot desire more utility. I have my SLOBS fix to Dark fashion (in the advent tab), and the remote control tab allows you lot to use the SLOBS remote app on your phone or tablet to control the stream from said device instead of having to use your computer. You can also gear up hotkeys if your keyboard has macro keys, but that'southward relatively uncommon, this would be more for use with something like the Elgato Stream dock, which is not necessary, but nice to have if you lot stream all the fourth dimension and alter between scenes/sources a lot.

Luckily for both of us, the settings for all of these things are the verbal aforementioned in regular OBS, just with less options and less connectivity with other applications.

Setting Up Scenes in OBS

So at present that we've gotten this far, let'due south start setting up our Scenes and sources in OBS.

Sources are exactly what they sound like, sources of video/sound/other input or output sources, like your Webcam, capture card, PC monitor, audio interface, headset mic and others. For standard setup y'all'll desire to prepare up a Video Capture Device, for your camera (be it webcam, Epoc, or Camlink), a second Video Capture Device for your Capture card if you're using ane or a Display Capture to capture your figurer monitor if you aren't. You'll want an audio input capture for your interface/microphone, and an Audio Output capture for your computer audio output. When creating each one of these sources, y'all'll be prompted to select the source for the source (phrasing?). And so when you create your audio input capture, y'all'll specify in a drop down menu that it will come from your interface, when you lot create the source for the video capture device, you lot'll specify that it'southward from your webcam and so on.

Scenes are essentially collections of sources , and there are a few standard sets of Scenes. First would be your webcam only stream, where the only source is your Webcam, and audio input from your interface. You lot can as well include your desktop audio if you want to play music or have a soundboard, but that'southward non necessary. Adjacent would be your principal stream, including all the sources we stated above, video capture, sound input and output capture, monitor capture, etc. You can besides include images that are housed on your computer with the "Paradigm" source so you can include any logos or things like that.

Net speed for streaming on Twitch

As opposed to normal internet usage, streaming actually works in reverse. When y'all're watching Netflix or downloading files, what matters is your downwardly speed. With streaming to Twitch (or anywhere else) what matters is your UPLOAD speed. Usually you desire a steady upload speed of at LEAST 8 MBp/s, optimally you would like 10 MBp/southward or more than, but that tin be difficult to come by with standard net connections. You'll nevertheless want good download speeds if you lot're going to be using Discord, watching videos, or playing online games for your stream, but that'due south pretty standard.

To test your internet speed we similar to utilize speedtest.net. Which will give y'all a readout that looks similar this:

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Twitch's affiliate program explained

The Twitch affiliate program is the standard way to earn income streaming on Twitch. To become an chapter, you lot have to reach 50 followers, stream for 8 hours, stream of 7 dissimilar days, and have an boilerplate of three viewers on your streams. You lot take to reach all 4 of these requirements within a 30 mean solar day flow, and so persistence is key. Once you lot accomplish these goals, there is a lengthy document full of legalese that you'll need to read over to sign the agreement. It's all relatively standard, yet, there are a few sticking points which I'll break down in simpler terms.

First: if you are an affiliate, you are Not allowed to multistream, meaning you can non stream on Twitch, Youtube, Facebook, etc, at the same fourth dimension. Any content live streamed on Twitch must remain Twitch exclusive for 24 hours, meaning that if y'all tape your stream, you lot are not immune to upload it to YouTube for at to the lowest degree 24 hours.

In section four.i, Twitch says they may close your inactive business relationship, meaning that if you lot are inactive for an extended period of time (over a year), your participation in the Chapter Programme will be terminated. This doesn't hateful they will delete your account, they will simply cancel your presence in their financial systems. This too ways that you will stop receiving 1099s from Twitch.

Finally, the payout: you tin just payout from Twitch one time y'all have over $100, and subscriptions/cheers (bits) are all subject to taxes, depository financial institution fees, and processing fees, and that's before the fifty/50 payout split with Twitch.

Twitch Dashboard

Then once you sign in to Twitch and get to your account menu, you lot'll see an option for your Creator Dashboard. You lot can likewise just remember the url dashboard.twitch.television set to go straight to it.

Once you lot're in here, you'll run across a few different panels. These may be in a different organization when you login, but the content is always the same.

You lot'll take an activity feed, your stream preview, your quick deportment, and your stream chat. At that place is also a sidebar with a few more options, as well as a ticker at the peak of the screen that lists your stats. Your quick actions are as well editable, so let'southward have a look at those real quick.

The Edit Stream Info tab allows yous to edit what category you are streaming in, also every bit the title, and live notifications for your stream. Clip That will save the last few seconds of your stream as a prune to your channel.
Once you hitting Affiliate status, you'll get the option to run a threescore-second advert interruption. The CPM on these ads is a dollar per thou views, so it can accept a while, but Twitch won't permit y'all run also many ads then you can't spam your channel. Yous too have different time options for ads, from 30 seconds upwards to 180 seconds.
Raid Channel volition first a Raid on the channel of your pick. Raiding is essentially gathering anybody who is currently watching your stream, and sending them to some other aqueduct; this is unremarkably done at the end of a stream, or by a large channel to a smaller aqueduct.
Add Stream marking will add a timestamp to your stream, so if someone watches the VOD of your stream, they can leap betwixt timestamps, or you can utilize them in the Highlighter function, which is essentially a video editor that allows y'all to grab snippets of your past streams. Yous also have the option to add a stream marker with a clarification, substantially the same equally the last, simply with a text description.
Host Channel allows y'all to re-stream someone who is currently streaming on Twitch to your channel, showing them off to your viewers.
Start a Rerun allows you to re-stream your past streams, substantially working the aforementioned every bit reruns on Tv set.
Channel Points Advantage Queue allows you to edit the rewards people receive for redeeming aqueduct points. Aqueduct points are a currency specific to your channel that people earn by watching your streams, and tin redeem them for rewards of your choosing.
Start watch political party allows you to start a watch party of Prime number Videos, shows, and movies with your viewers.
Clear Chat History does just that, cleans upwardly the chat. Emote just chat switches the conversation to emote only mode, no words allowed. You can also limit the chat to follower only, or in one case you get affiliate status, Subscriber only chat.

At present, on the left hand side of your dashboard is some other options menu, in here yous can run into insights into your channel analytics, your stream summary, which is essentially your analytics for your almost recent stream, and your achievements, which are trackers for your growth on Twitch, too as your path to affiliate status.

Side by side you'll see the Community tab, which allows you to manage the Roles on your channel, like mods, or VIPs, or any other roles you desire to create, all with different levels of access to your chats utilities, like muting, blocking, or banning people from chat. Those deportment will become saved in your Activity timeline.

The Content tab is next, starting with the Video Producer tab, including editing options for your by streams for up to a month after they go live to create highlights, clips, and edit out certain parts of your older streams. Collections are series of your onetime streams that you can collect together based on their content or other themes, and clips are where the clips you or others create of your streams.

Twitch Settings

On to the adept stuff: the settings tab.First will exist the stream tab, housing your Stream key (which you want to protect at all times), Disconnect protection, which you for sure want left on at all times. You too want to leave Store Past Broadcasts on, unless you don't desire to keep your past broadcasts for some reason. Y'all can toggle the mature content filter on or off here, which volition cause people to take to confirm their age when they open your stream.

You desire to leave enable clips on, unless you don't want people making clips from your video, but y'all'll want that so people tin find your channel easier and acquire more about your streams. Yous don't want to turn on followers only style, unless you're being trolled or something like that, aforementioned with subscriber but mode.

Yous'll desire to get out on low latency way then you take better interaction with your audition, unless y'all're not looking to interact with your audience, but it's mostly best practice to collaborate with your audition as much every bit possible, they're hither to watch y'all and get to know you, so interacting with them makes them feel welcome and friendly.

You won't want to change the permissions settings unless y'all're office of a squad or accept a partner stream. Y'all want to exit allow all raids on, every bit they will ever bring more viewers and followers to your stream. Under hither are all your aqueduct customization options. Your profile picture, imprint, username, bio, profile colors, offline imprint, social media links, and schedule, are all in this tab and all customizable to your specifications.

The file and image sizes are all listed hither, and then yous should be able to get that all running pretty smoothly. Your host list is what channels you will host when your channel is offline, so even when you're non streaming, if someone on your host listing is streaming they will appear on your channel. You'll want to get out all the settings here turned on, too as the raids and drops settings. Drops are substantially an expanded version of your channel points, but larger rewards provided past Twitch.

Side by side are the moderation settings, yous probably want to exit Level 1 Automoderation on, and set the restrictions to what you're comfortable with. The Drops are next, and Twitch lists the open up driblet campaigns that you are able to participate in. The Streaming tools tab is just a place to download the streaming softwares. Extensions are essentially plugins for your stream software, i won't get over those here cuz there are SO And then many, so you tin can wait through these to your middle's content and discover something specific you're looking for.

Many of the settings in the dropdown menu on the top right of your main twitch screen are just mirrored settings of the settings we simply went over, however, you should bank check your ii-factor authentication in the Security and Privacy settings, and your Notification settings in general and so you don't get bombarded with emails. You can also change your Twitch URL and Display name here in the profile settings. Besides, at the lesser of this drib-downwardly carte, you volition see a toggle for nighttime mode. If yous don't want to roast your corneas, I would recommend turning this on.

How to get viewers on Twitch

The easiest and quickest way to get more followers on Twitch is to stream regularly, often, and for long periods of time. You'll want to stream for at least 3-4 hours at a fourth dimension, and ready a schedule for certain days of the calendar week. If you're going to take fourth dimension off, you should let your audience know as far in advance as possible. You lot want to be certain to mail on your social media accounts a solar day before, and/or a few hours before you go live.

Conclusion

Clearly Twitch is a highly robust platform with lots to recall virtually, adjust, and tailor to your liking. It can be a little tough for some people to get up and running due to the outside software and somewhat technical know-how needed simply this can exist an opportunity because in that location will be fewer people taking the time to figure information technology out.

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Happy Streaming.