Streaming Live on YouTube

This guide is designed to help you understand how to connect a camera to an encoder and stream live on YouTube. You’ll need a few things in order to do this, they are:

● A camera

● A Blackmagic encoder (Ultrastudio)

● Blackmagic Desktop Utility

● A good internet connection (Faster the better)

● Windows PC/ Apple OS Computer

● OBS (Open Broadcast Software) software

● YouTube account

● Necessary cabling

● Microphone/ Inbuilt microphone

Please note that there is additional guidance on how to use cameras online and if you are stuck, you can always contact Technical staff for advice.

Step 1

Connect your camera device to the Blackmagic Ultrastudio via HDMI/ SDI cable and power on both the camera and encoder. Ensure that the encoder is connected to the computer via USB and software is up to date.

Step 2

Open up Blackmagic Desktop Utility and make sure the settings match those of the camera. Resolution, connection type etc.

Step 3

Open up OBS (Open Broadcast Studio). You’ll be greeted with a blank screen and will have to set up OBS and configure it to your camera and audio setup. On the bottom left you’ll see a box labeled ‘Scenes’. Click the ‘+’ and create a new scene, and select ‘Video Capture Device’.

It will then ask you to title that source, once titled it will open up a new settings window. Select device and choose the camera that you’ve plugged in, most likely under the device name of Blackmagic… Once selected, hit ‘OK’. This should now show in the ‘Sources’ box next to Scenes. If this doesn't work, select ‘Blackmagic Device’ instead. There should now be a small box with your camera input showing, outlined in red.

If you create another scene and choose ‘Window Capture’ you can then select which window you wish to stream to your viewers, for example a presentation, video, or even gameplay. By clicking the red surround of the video source, you can resize, and move the video wherever you prefer.

Scenes - Think of these as different transitions within your stream, these scenes are made up of different sources i.e camera and window showing a presentation, or you create a new scene made up of a window showing a video and a text box.

Sources - These are the inputs that make up your scenes, cameras, windows, videos text. Each scene will contain at least 1 source of input.

Step 4

If you’re using the Built-in microphone of your computer, then you should see a green meter bar at the bottom moving as you make sound. If not, go into Settings > Audio > Desktop Audio Device > select the appropriate audio device and hit ‘OK’

By this point you have video input and audio input, now all you have to do is get the stream online.

Step 5

Go into settings again, click ‘Stream’ and you’ll be greeted with a few options.

● Streaming services: Leave this, this is where you can select specific servers to stream over, but you won’t need to worry about that.

● Service: This is where you select which site you wish to stream to, in this case, YouTube.

● Server: leave this automatic

● Stream Key: This is important, and the next steps will show you how to go about this.

Step 6

Open your YouTube account and click on the top right corner where it says ‘Upload/ Create’ click ‘Go Live’

Step 7

Select the ‘Stream’ tab at the top and fill out all the info for your stream. You can also schedule the stream for a certain time, and change the thumbnail image for the video. Once you’re happy with everything, click ‘Create Stream’. Note this will not go Live instantly, so don’t worry, you have to hit another button in order to do that.

Step 8

You’ll then be greeted with YouTube Streaming Studio where you can find the ‘Stream Key’. You need to copy this key and paste into OBS under stream key, hit ‘Apply’. Once you’ve done that, and if you’re ready, you can hit ‘Start Streaming’ on OBS. This will send your stream to YouTube, but it’s not LIVE yet.

Step 9

Go back to YouTube streaming studio, you should see a preview of what you are streaming. Note it may take a few seconds but that’s normal depending on your Internet speed. If everything is ok and ready to go, you should see a note under the preview saying how good your stream quality is.

Step 10

Once you’re happy with everything, hit the ‘Go Live’ button on the top right corner of YouTube Studio and you will be officially live on YouTube. Don’t forget to send the link for your stream to whoever you intend to see it, and as the streamer, you will work primarily on OBS, whatever you do in OBS, it will be sent to YouTube and on to your viewers.

Written by WC

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