How to stream to our channel without Procaster (using software of your choice)

So, it is possible to stream to our Livestream channel without using the regular Procaster app. To test this, I used OBS ( https://obsproject.com/ ), but theoretically you might be able to use other software such as XSplit

You need to first set the path to which channel you wish to stream to. The specific URL to enter in the URL or Server field follows this format:
rtmp://publish.livestream.com/mogulus/wrtl/username=yourname/password=yourpassword/isAutoLive=true/aspectWidth=16/aspectHeight=9
Stream Key: livestream

The encoding settings for streaming are as follows:

• Make sure your encoding settings have an output of less than 500 kbps total, meaning video and audio combined. If it is higher, then Livestream will disconnect you immediately.
  
• Use the x264 encoder
  
• Use AAC as audio output
  

These are my very low settings for streaming (try these for first timers):

modest settings:

We have confirmed that the highest quality stream you can do is video bitrate 404 and audio bitrate 96. Also, your output resolution can possibly be raised to increase the quality (keep in mind that output resolutions bigger than the Livestream player on the stream page won't have a very noticeable increase in video quality)

If you test out different software to see if it works, please report any additional options people can use.
Post issues if any occur, along with all the settings you are using in your software.

if you want to stream widescreen use

Code:

rtmp://publish.livestream.com/mogulus/wrtl/username=USERNAMEHERE/password=PASSWORDHERE/isAutoLive=true/autoVOD=false/autoPilot=false/autoRecord=false/aspectWidth=16/aspectHeight=9

as your server, with the user and pass replaced with your own

then in video set your custom resolution to 1280x720 or 720x480 or whatever 16:9 resolution

also for encoding settings, video bitrate should be 404 and audio bitrate should be 96 for max quality possible with livestream

K, I don't think the extra options are required because I did so without them and I was still streaming widescreen earlier today, but I'll add a note just in case.
Also, it didn't auto record or add to autopilot my stream, so I'm guessing that isn't required to have them disabled, but probably needs to be set to TRUE to be enabled. I'll put that in.

please don't use the add to video on demand option then we get archived streams in the playlist

tried it out for mac and it's AWESOME! OBS for mac was released like a week ago so it's super new but it's so great

One issue is that the aspect ratio is being forced to 4:3 when it goes to procaster so I would like you to tell me what the thing to change the aspect ratio is that you deleted from your post please

Setup for Mac:

1. Add webcam video: Add Source -> Video Capture Device -> (Name it) Create New (hit OK) -> Device -> select Built-in iSight, Preset -> select 640x480 (for me anyway), now you can drag and resize your webcam wherever
   
2. Connect to Livestream: Settings -> Stream -> URL:
   

   Code:

   rtmp://publish.livestream.com/mogulus/wrtl/username=YOURLIVESTREAMUSERNAME/password=YOURLIVESTREAMPASSWORD/isAutoLive=true

   Stream key: livestream
   
3. Output settings for Livestream: Output -> Video Bitrate: 350, Audio Bitrate -> 128
   Video -> Scaled resolution -> 1280x720
   
4. Add microphone: Audio -> Desktop Audio Device -> Default, Mic/Auxiliary Audio Device -> Microphone
   

rabid squirrel wrote:One issue is that the aspect ratio is being forced to 4:3 when it goes to procaster so I would like you to tell me what the thing to change the aspect ratio is that you deleted from your post please

Hey so I am still having this problem. Anyone? It's like I'm streaming in widescreen from OBS but livestream is squashing it.

Also, to capture desktop audio on a mac I found out I needed to download WavTap. Here's a tutorial I used: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/setting-up-mac-desktop-sound-capture-with-wavtap.79/

1. Download WavTap at this link:
   https://github.com/downloads/pje/WavTap/WavTap%200.2.0.pkg
   
2. Select WavTap as your audio output (system preferences, or option+click the volume control in the upper right of your screen)
   
3. In Audio Settings in OBS, select WavTap as your Desktop Audio Device

WavTap can kind of glitch your audio sometimes, I've found if things start sounding crappy you can quit and reopen it.

I'm looking into SoundFlower here: https://www.tigerdile.com/how-to-stream/mac-streaming-with-openbroadcaster/

which might be a better option. Will update.

Has anybody ever tried this? I don't want to get it and it not work:
http://www.nchsoftware.com/broadcam/index.html

In fact, please would the entire community help me find other alternatives? I've tried FFSplit, D3DGear, and the like. I run Windows XP SP3.

Dap has XP which isn't supported by OBS.

I believe Dap got XSplit broadcaster to work with the livestream, on XP. Waiting on details since he had to go.
https://www.xsplit.com/
This post indicates that xsplit should work with livestream: https://www.xsplit.com/blog/introducing-the-livestream-addin-plugin?lang=en

This thread: https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/any-chance-this-will-eventually-work-with-xp.84/
indicates that it might be possible to get OBS working on XP with this: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/DirectX-10-for-Windows-XP.shtml

Other possible streaming alternatives:

Flash Media Live Encoder: http://www.adobe.com/products/flash-media-encoder.html
Livestream tutorial: http://www.livestream.com/userguide/index.php?title=Using_Flash_Media_Live_Encoder_with_Livestream

FFSplit: http://www.ffsplit.com/
appears to not work with livestream as of now: http://ffsplit.com/forum/index.php?threads/livestream.676/

D3D does not work because its minimum bitrate is exactly 500 bps. That is suckish.

XSplit works brilliantly. It's a tad difficult to use, but I did get it to work. It even boasts Livestream integratioin, although that isn't necessary in case one wanted to set it up manually. It makes it easier.

I'm trying other things now.

For whatever reason, I can't download the Media Encoder from Adobe. BUT, I did look into XP running OSB. Don't get your hopes up, guys. I'm sorry to say integration is impractical, putting it lightly.

Broadcam is bloatware.

Dap doesn't have any audio with xsplit though it is faster than procaster

On another subject, Soundflower for Mac is way better than WavTap, but slightly more complicated.
http://rogueamoeba.com/freebies/soundflower/

Basically, you have to open the app, select Built In Output on it, select soundflower as your audio output in system preferences, and then select soundflower as your audio output in OBS.

I noticed that chuggers actually posted how to use widescreen in the second post in the thread. It worked. Yay. Except now I think I did math wrong because dimensions are off.

Also, I noticed that I can actually stream individual windows instead of my whole screen! But this makes the stream lag and stuff.

I also realized I can stream an image of my avatar so people know it's me.

And another thing I tested out - if I start streaming and then start recording, it doesn't record the audio to the file. if I start recording and then start streaming, it does save the audio. Not sure why. Just make sure to start recording first and then not stop until I'm totally done.

I think I'll type up a more comprehensive OBS Mac Livestream Tutorial soon, but I'll wait until I get all the kinks figured out first. I was originally just going to stream myself working on beta decline contest and then got sidetracked on all this stuff for like the whole day. Hah.

can you guys give me some sort of permission to stream? it says RTMPSockBuf_Fill, remote has closed connection

gave you permission. best place to ask is in this thread:
https://iridethelines.forumotion.com/t10607-wrtl-livestream-master-thread

Can this please become a sticky?
Thinking of writing a more comprehensive tutorial on livestreaming.

This tut is not totally complete, and also we recommend just using procaster to new people. It saves videos to the online archives as well as being way easier to set up.

Is there a way to save videos tot he online archive through OBS?

Try adding /autoRecord=true to the end of the URL
Not sure if it will work, but it's the closest I got. If that doesn't work then no

I'm on OSX and tried following some technique here and it didn't work, so I went back to using Procaster. Would like to see a complete tutorial some day~