How to Set Up a Live Video Streaming Cell

9-27-12 Note the date of this publication and realize that this tech has grown and changed alot since #OWS some of what is presented here is obsolete already or has been surpassed by current knowledge.  Conceptually, this How To still holds 100%.  Maybe this winter I can update with new tech.

This "how to" will focus on how random teams of 2 or more people can set up a coordinated Live Streaming Video News Cell with minimal investment using the technology that you may already have available to you.

How To Stream BASIC

The cell phone method will require
    ⁃    Iphone or android phone
    ⁃    Ideally you'll have a 4g wifi hotspot or 3g, if you have only your phone and unlimited service that should work too just maybe not as smoothly
    ⁃    phone apps to choose from
    ⁃    http://www.ustream.tv/
    ⁃    http://qik.com/
    ⁃    http://bambuser.com/

Bambuser seems to be easiest to find a tagged stream and they have far fewer commercials.  By coordinating with your team to agree upon a keyword for the title of your streaming videos those looking to mix your stream into channels will be able to find it easily in the bambuser live search results.   Example "Occupy MyCity Labor March"  would show up for anyone searching "Occupy" (like GlobalRevolution.tv) &/or MyCity (like your local stream mixer)

To set the title for your bambuser stream (after downloading the app)
open the app on your phone and click the cog looking thing (settings)
scroll down to "Title of Broadcast" and enter your text.
done

HotSpot Considerations
Sprint, TMobile, Verizon
Usually great coverage, expensive plans with bandwidth restrictions and/or OVERAGE charges.
Best seems to be Verizon but the overage costs should be planned for 10 gigs a month included with 80 dollar plan.  Overages cost roughly 10=20 bucks an hour depending on bitrate of the stream.

Clear.com
Has 4g UNLIMITED service plans for 45 bucks for 1 or 75 bucks for 2 spots on the same contract.  The hotspots cost about a 100 bucks.  They have very Limited service areas mostly in the metropolis's (check your area for coverage)  A 2 pack would enable you to charge 1, use 1 and trade between.

Wifi enable your phone and configure it to choose your password protected hotspot

For battery life you will want to consider something like this
http://www.energizerpowerpacks.com/us/products/index.html#portablechargers
this one is battle proven on Wall St.
https://www.google.com/search?q=energizer+xp4000


How to set up a LiveStream Channel
This is specific for livestream.com but  the same procedures translate to doing it on Ustream but you will have a lot more ads.
http://www.livestream.com

Log in and got to the CHANNELS tab of your account
LAUNCH A NEW CHANNEL from the blue button right hand column
From MY CHANNELS
   enter the STUDIO
   CONFIGURE CHANNEL tab
brand your account using a channel logo etc in the configure channel area.
Be sure to add relevant links, like your donation page, wish list, associated websites
the corner bug is a small square logo like thing you can add to brand your stream
Test Cards could be use for variety of standard announcements (be right back, donate now, our channel rocks etc) these are good for cutting to quickly between cueing up transitions.

ADD PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBER
If you will be sharing the management of your channel This is where you add other livestream members to your online studio team.  This will allow your team members to broadcast directly to your channel, mix cameras and manage production aspects of the live stream.  Cell phone streamers will not need to be added to the production team ubless they are also helping to Mix the feeds, only those streaming with webcams, cameras or restreamers.   The Camera Only setting will allow them to stream to your channel but not manage the channel.

MANAGE YOUR LIBRARY
This is where you import videos for your, we're not live now, playlist; the auto pilot.
The Import Videos tab opens first, these don't necessarily work.
click the Upload Videos tab and bring in your content that away.
Load some relevant videos into you auto pilot.  Considering your issue and desired audience.

Use the CONTROL AUTO PILOT tab at top to arrange your uploads in the Auto pilot Storyboard.

Mixing LiveStream Camera inputs (multiple phones, cameras or screen captures)
This would be nicer with 2 computers but can be achieved with 1 but having a dual monitor system would be advisable.  
Open your live stream  channels STUDIO to the Broadcast Live Tab

Camera Inputs
Production Team Members can stream directly into the LiveStream studio by selecting your channel to broadcast to when starting the LiveStream DeskTop publishing app Procaster.
http://www.livestream.com/platform/procaster

Bambuser / Screen Capture Inpiuts
Open a new browser window with
http://bambuser.com/search/bambuser_search/Search+Term
(Search+Term being Title keywords agreed to with you bambuser streamers)
If some one is Live they will show up 1st in the list

Also in this browser window you would want a page for any associated Ustream feeds

Open your copy of Procaster
http://www.livestream.com/platform/procaster

Log in and you will be presented with a black box with a pull down menu that includes all the livesteam channels you Own or have permission to stream to.

If you have a bult in Webcam you will see another pull down below the big red Go Live button.  This is where you select your input.  No Camera means that you want to use a screen capture as your camera and have no intention of going live on camera from your webcam.  If you select a webcam you will have the option to be Live on web cam or to screen capture a feed (Bambuser etc) OR to do both at the same time with a built in split screen effect.

You may want to so a speed test to determine the maximum nitrate in the quality pull down
http://speedtest.net/

Normal Quality is probably best even if you have a ton of bandwidth because you won't want to limit your audience by encoding too fat.  

From the Procaster Prefences button
Livestream Tab
you will want to unclick "automatically go live" unless you are streaming from the field with your webcam and there are no other cams and/or no one manning the mixing Studio.  Another reason to leave you "Auto Live box checked is if you are considered the on call emergency camera for an action.

record your streams
auto ad to library & auto add to Auto-Pilot if you wish to keep auto-pilot for … reruns.

From the Video Tab
each source will have independent settings (webcam & screen capture)
for low bandwidth applications 15fps will help your stream flow.

From the Desktop Tab
ensure that Show Mouse and Highlight Mouse are not checked unless you're planning to create a screen capture tutorial or powerpoint type presentation.

Save Your Preferences

Go Live

You now have a Procaster tool bar at the bottom of your monitor
Click the Mixer button.
If you are going to be on camera commenting on your screen captures you will need to ADD SOURCE the built in microphone.  The Speakers Audio would be considered anything coming out of your speakers.
You may adjust the levels of your built-in Mic and your Speakers audio (Stay out of the red).
After you've adjusted your levels you will want to drag the audio mixer panel to the bottom of the monitor window to maximizes your work space.

Position the green screen capture box around the Bambuser or other live feed that you wish to broadcast on your channel.  On 1st use you may need to click the Zoom Out button on the Procaster tool Bar in order to find the edges of the green capture box.  Once you see the edges you can scale and drag it wherever you want.   Careful placement of 2 or more live streams next to each other can be used to create spilt screen broadcasts when multiple feeds are available.

To comment live while streaming
With the Built In Mic source added
use Camera button on the Tool bar to comment on screen, on web cam
use Screen button on the Tool bar to comment off camera
use 2D Mix button on the Tool bar to comment in a picture in picture
use 3D Mix button on the Tool bar to comment on camera off to the side of the screen capture
If you do not want the audio from your built in computer mic broadcast on your channel make sure you do Not have the Built In Audio selection active in the audio mixer.

use of overlays, tickers
On going messages like phone numbers, donation links, meeting times and recent news can be delivered through the ticker tab in the livestream Studio.
Overlays for labeling on screen content.  Is it live. What is it. Who is it. Where is it etc


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Streaming Advanced

The computer and web cam method
we've found Logitek 910 to be pretty good for the money
You can use livestream.com or ustream.com or bambuser to serve the feed
LiveStream has fewer commercials and with their ProCaster desktop app it's pretty easy to adjust settings
you can walk around holding the laptop or
put it in sleep and stick in a backpack if you can make sure the usb cord won''t come out or
some people enjoy putting it in a baby stroller or other rolling device

The computer and camcorder method
long yet manageable firewire cable securely attached to both camera and computer (think duct tape)
You can use livestream.com or ustream.com to serve the feed
you can walk around holding the laptop and your camera or
put it in sleep and stick in a backpack or
some people enjoy putting it in a baby stroller or other rolling device

Streaming with a camera and no computer
Livestream or Ustream
Teradek http://teradek.com/        expensive, lots of parts to attach to your rig, somewhat troublesome to configure well
Coming in February http://gopro.com/ will release it's live streaming attachment