I was really surprised when you revealed your thoughts about a third monitor. I just recently thought about why people would want/need a third monitor, i wouldn't know how to fill the space and did know that tis is an unusual opinion!
As a content creator for 10 years, yes on the Shotgun mics being underrated. For YEARS I used a shotgun mic on my streams. I switched to a dynamic mic when I moved my stream setup to a different, more echoey room, but I've missed my shotgun mic ever since.
I think the most overrated item is the Blue Yeti. You can get a better sounding mic for the same or less money. That, and nearly every yeti that either I or my friends have owned has broken in just a few years.
0:09 To fix this issue: Set Studio mode to OFF (seriously, works for all of those lights) and have the Aputure Amaran P60c myself aswell... Sometimes it gets turned on after firmware updating, so keep an eye on it. Most LED video-lights that are run off of 110 or 230v have this feature, which tell the device to turn on in the last settings after power recovery.
Underrated mic: Samson Q2U. Been using one for a couple years now with my GoXLR and I still get compliments on how good I sound. It's always in stock on Amazon for $70 and it supports both XLR and USB. So if you don't have an interface, you can connect it to a Wave XLR or something similar if you want to control the EQ and add all that processing. Does it look better than a PodMic that is $30 more on screen? No; it looks like a normal stage mic. Get yourself a colored foam cover and call it a day. No need to spend more on a mic that sounds better (imo) than a PodMic.
Yup, picked up the q2u a few years ago and it was great. I picked up the SM7B about 6-8 months ago or so. Honestly I’m not the best at setting up audio so it doesn’t sound nearly as good as it could be but it’s still pretty good.
I would love to see some more breakdowns of the best stream deck integrations with other companies. Like we know Elgato makes great stuff that integrates with steam deck but is it the best? Are there cheaper options?
I would say my favorite thing has been my Rode Podmic, I live in a really noisy environment and getting a dynamic mic has been a game changer. I managed to grab this mic for only $100 and got a free Focusrite 2i2 from a friend. The audio makes such a big difference without all the background noise I previously had on my stream/videos!
You are heaven sent. I quit 15 years working for the same company to go fulltime content creation. I've been a "free agent" since August 1st and really, I have set time (4-5months) aside to rebuild mind, body and soul but still I want to keep my head in the game and it's been hard to focus... and I stumble on you. It's like some higher power is feeding me your list of videos based on the questions marks I needed answer for. (Let's name it "Algorigod") Thanks, a lot.
LOVED this video. As a minimalist myself, hearing you call out a couple of the overrated pieces of gear made my heart a little TOO happy. 😉 The third monitor is SO unnecessary for 95% of the people who own them. Been there, done that... became a place to set Discord and never look at it. 😂 The shotgun microphone also has had another added benefit, IMO: it removes a physical barrier (the dynamic microphone) from in front of the view of the camera, allowing your audience to connect easier. 🤷🏻♂ Appreciate your voice on these topics homie. 👊🏻
I had a third monitor for work and I’ve kept it, but it’s a dedicated discord/Spotify window pretty much. Could remove it but I have the two secondary’s mounted on top/bottom configuration so it doesn’t take up TOO much room
Currently laughing at myself. I don't game. I don't stream. But, at 60 and re-training to be a librarian, I realise I have to acquire the skills, to know how to stream, to engage, to make content 'cause that is what I'll be helping teenagers without access do. I've been consuming RUclips and Skillshare vids for weeks. There is a lot of crap out there. Today I discovered your channel. I love your enthusiasm, your to-camera personality and your “stuff-it” attitude.. You have my subscription and a very rare comment. Thanks for the tube. Now I can log out again.
I started with a Blu Yeti, then went to an AT 2035 and finally upgraded to an SM7B and the difference is beyond belief. That may not be the case for everyone though. It brings out the warmth in lower toned voices, so it may not be a game changer for higher pitched voices, but it is by no means overrated. Sure it's the first mic people reach for when they're starting, but there's a good reason for that. It rejects a massive amount of room noise. Which is something that can really benefit someone who's just starting and hasn't sound treated their room. Plus it naturally rejects a lot of plosives. Meaning a streamer or youtuber won't have to have a big pop filter covering their face when they're doing their thing. I think a lot of the time people confuse popularity with something being overrated.
I see you point, but in this it's *definitely* overrated. I remember the RUclipsr Gaming careers made a pole from twitch streamers that are using the SM7B. And I think something in the ball park of about 70% of content creators use it. Big and small. Regardless of that number, and excellent use cases aside, and good mic can still sound *terrible* if post processing isn't applied correctly or the gain is too high (I've heard some Narly peaks) , or bet yet room reverb. It can get that bad.
@@Pop_Shepski Correct, but thats exactly why it's a big issue. Because a lot of inexperienced users either due to effort or prior experience, won't know how to treat a new mic like this. I'm reluctant to say it, bits it's a big issue. And that's a fact.
@@Symba_Lysm I feel like if someone takes the steps to get themselves a SHURE in the first place, it would literally take extra work to go about making it sound like shit somehow instead of just following the simple steps it takes to be great
Didn't expect to see you here man, loved your insight very informative for a new content creator like me starting his channel, thank you you actually made me want to make the push from my shure58a to the shure sm7b as I do have a lower toned voice and no way to install much room sound filtering :)
I avoided this channel for awhile thinking it was just overproduced advertising, and that might still be somewhat true, but the information here is always very helpful. I try not to be too paranoid that I'm just being played at all times, but the regular, casual information he drops always seems very valuable. Simple things like how you'll get more out of upgrading your audio rather than your camera, etc. I know he's an Elgato shill a bit but at least I feel like I know that, and his respect for Sony cameras just seems pretty legit. I'm glad I gave this channel a chance.
Three great ways to do submixes without having to buy expensive hardware just to access the software: 1. Voicemeeter Potato comes with an app called VM Streamer view that mimics Elgato's Wave Link. Setup is a bit harder, but a license is much cheaper than a Wave mic. 2. The "Window Capture" and "Audio Monitor" plugins for OBS can, used in tandem, give just a ridiculous level of audio control. It can be a bit finicky, and might require a virtual audio cable to really make the most of it (for example, output apps to a virtual device and then listen to them through the monitor plugin) but it does give that same fine grained control. 3. Same as method 1 but with Touch Portal and the excellent Voicemeeter plugin. Right now you can't use sliders with Voicemeeter submixes, but you can use buttons with a bit of easyish custom code, and my understanding is an update to this plugin that supports sliders for submixes is coming.
Ayy can you link me to a video about the third one? I love my touch portal and tried to set up Voicemeeter this weekend and panicked and went back to what I was using.Thx
@@dangerdaveshorts I don't know of any videos about it (I might make one myself down the line but I'm waiting at minimum for a few plugins to update), but basically what you do is: 1. Follow Voicemeeter's instructions for setting up VM Streamer View 2. Make a Touch Portal button using the Voicemeeter plugin 3. Add a "Custom Command" (it's in the Voicemeeter section) that says: Strip[a].GainLayer[b] += 2; Where a is the hardware or VAIO input, and b is the hardware or VAIO output. Keep in mind it's 0-indexed. 4. Make another button that says the same, but -= instead of +=. One will add 2db, the other will subtract 2db. You can obviously change the number to change how much gain it adds or removes. So for example, if you wanted to increase your game volume for your audience, and your game is hardware input 2 and your OBS output is VAIO 1 (or the 6th output bus in Potato), you'd put: Strip[1].GainLayer[5] += 2; (you use one number lower because it's 0-indexed instead of 1-indexed).
The submixes recommendation confuses me. A) I just set the volume for me B) I set some filters in OBS to keep game audio at a certain level C) I can easily up or down audio for my audience separately in my recording software like streamlabs or normal OBS, especially once I get a streamdeck. No need for fancy mixers (or submixer software) if the software I already use does the job, right?
I just use an analog solution, and have my playback go through a physical mixer. PC audio and Xbox audio are going through different monitors so I can set the levels of what I hear through that and have the stream levels through OBS. Plus it means I can host XBOX parties on my pc with my nice mic and control the mix easier. I definitely wouldn’t want to mess with software to do the mix. Maybe it’s the knobs? It’s probably the knobs…
As someone who’s starting to get into content creation with the eventual goal of streaming, this video did wonders for me (I own a StreamDeck; currently turning it into an amazing productivity tool). I used to be obsessed about what makes “good” quality content, but you’re absolutely right. The moment I started investing in audio and lighting FIRST, I felt way more confident with my setup. Thanks for this :) Keep up the awesome hot-takes 🤘🏻
Stream deck is by far the most life changing piece of tech I have ever owned. You can use it to do so many things beyond scene transitions. I game stream in a sim pit and it is essential to control/monitor applications hardware lighting the whole set up. I also agree with the multi monitors most people probably don’t need 3 but I think work flow wise 1. A monitor dedicated to game/content creation 2. A monitor for stream related windows obs other utilities 3. A monitor for social media apps and web searches I’ve even worked a touch screen iPad into the rig that has its specific uses as well Is a must. It may be more expensive but the less hunting tabbing and minimizing I have to do better and less attention I have to divert from my tasks. Sometimes I’ll fire another game up on another monitor while I’m working and my workspace remains undisturbed. Good video, spot on in the camera gear too.
not sure about 90% of what you wrote here (seems to be true though0, but with the 3 monitor thing, I generally just combine what you have on 2 and 3 into one thing, I rarely need either of those things to take up my full screen
Well, Shotgun Mic. I’ve got a Rode and a Shure… all on my museum of unused stuff😂, some of the worst audios I got. Now we go on “which piece and model” you got, ok. I actually got excited to try them again after hearing you.
You asked for a comment, so here ya go. I'm brand new to all of this, but have become a huge fan of your content style. Thanks for the highly informative, digestible content. You made watching a video on lighting a lot less painful than I expected it to be. Thanks!
The sub mix part bothered me as well while using GoXLR, and i found a solution by buying FiiO K5-Pro amp/dac, which I plug my headphones in, it has a dial for just the headphone sound, and I lower/higher it to my liking, while leaving the rest for the stream how they like it
Not a Streaming specific thing, but I have fallen in love with my standing desk. As someone who spends way too much time at their battlestation (thank you remote school), being able to just stand for a while to keep myself from falling asleep during the professors monotoned lectures is a godsend. I personally use my 3 monitors quite a bit, but the third one is definitely overrated in comparison to the second. Two is enough for any sane individual.
Super useful for me as a content creation noob! Thanks for sharing your expertise. I’m definitely guilty when it comes to overlay stuff lol! Probably because graphic design/art is my comfort zone when it comes to creating.
I was going to buy an SM7B first, was advised against it. I didn't get it then (Although I have it now). I thought it would improve my audio. Instead, I fixed the room sound, the reverb and now even a £15 sounds great in the room.
@@choppercove no the Devine M-Mic USB W condensatormicrofoon white.. But it rose in price... I also bought the Nor tec mic.. And with a noise gate and an EQ it sounds very nice..
Did you just Ronco quote us? "Set it and forget it." Rad video. Really good stuff. 100% agree with the triple monitor setups. 3rd monitor is solely for the stream pc and monitoring the stream. It's absolutely not necessary unless you got a multi PC setup however even then it's not needed as everything you do on your second monitor could be done on your stream pc monitor. Wheels on stands are great in studio productions. The ease of just slightly shifting a light is great.
Just a little FYI, TC-Helicon is actually currently working on the Sub-Mixes for the GoXLR. (Not in beta yet, but scheduled for the next major release)
When recommending Shotgun microphones you should know that they aren't really meant to be used in a room that is not sound-proofed. The Oktava MK 012 is a small shotgun-like microphone that is meant to be used indoors and is way better for new streamers imo. You should try at as it's actually quite inexpensive. The channel "camera conspiracies" uses it all the time :) Kind Regards Jørgen
You just have to be careful with the 012 because it picks up handling noise extremely easily. If it’s not rigged up properly (and it doesn’t come with a shock mount) it can be a bit of a pain. Also getting one out of Russia might be a bit hard at the moment 😂
Little background. Im a content creator as well and I've worked on film sets and I master audio for a lot of voice over auditions. Im going to have to disagree with you on the shotgun mic. Even before you mentioned it, when I was listening to your voice in the begining, I thought to myself "that audio sounds really off". I have a good Senheiser I use on my black magic 6k pro, but when it comes to audio In my studio my Dynamic mic is my go to. The audio quality was SO much better when you did the example of switching them out. With the shotgun mic you where still getting reverb despite it being super cardiod. Maybe because that back wall isnt treated. On top of that there was just another big part about the audio that was off. Hard to explain. Like the audio footage(not the waveform) was compressed or something. Like it was missing part of the upper part of the waveform. It was just super noticeable to me and stood out like a sore thumb. Maybe Im just nitpicking. I do a lot of audio mastering for Voice acting and Im use to listening to voices over and over.
I bought a big mixer years ago. It was great because I couple run all my audio through it but I can't isolate anything which is making it harder to make other content. What I'd like to see is what XLR interfaces work well with desktop mixers like the Beacn Mix Create.
Interesting video idea: Best microphones for those with asthma/breathing troubles. I thought of this because you said the Shure SM7B is overrated (respect the opinion), but it is AMAZING for those with asthma who breathe in and out super loudly. Just a thought!
Personally I multitask enough to have 3 monitors, I could make my windows smaller and work with 2 but the more pixels the more real estate I have to bend to whatever will I may give it. Gotta watch my Alpha Gaming with light Spotify in the background as the 3rd monitor has that one gif of the cat hang drying laundry.
I always enjoy watching your reviews and talks. However, as for the top 5 reviews "overrated/underrated"... I have a few thoughts: 1. Lighting.. I remember your Elgato LED desk lights review - not a prime choice. Any bicolor light that can have a double-baffle softbox attached - will be the right key-light choice. 2. Streambeats - I'm looking for the no-cost option. I am allergic to monthly memberships - what happened to the one-time purchase model? 3. You mentioned the Sony A7s (vintage digital) - does it have a clean pass-through to use with your fancy Elgato Camlink? 4. Audio - Rode Video Mic Go II in a desktop stand (in close proximity) sounds as good as any Senheiser or Shure option, and it has almost as good of a performance as the other 2 (for a camera mounted shotgun option) if you aren't concerned with manageable amounts of room echo. And 5. Bokeh - overrated, but ATEM mini switcher for mutiple HDMI camera sources needs more reviewing (provided your vintage A7s cameras have the clean HDMI pass-thru). I'm in China, not able to purchase the Amazon choice of all the products that you review. Blog on there RUclips trooper. Big Fan, Empty Wallet here. :D love your reviews.
Oh goldfish terds... how did I miss the most obvious - Streamdeck - I don't use many of the fancy overlays and animations and bells and whistles that you need for your great reviews/shows. However, I would recommend an external silent keyboard that uses the old 2.4g USB transmitter (as an alternative), because ctrl + F-key row, and ctrl + shift + F-key row can offer 24 easy-to-press OBS options for scene switching and option switching that gamers can map with stickers or the old WordPerfect Cardstock template going across the top. And the cost is a fraction of the over-rated stream deck. Blog on there RUclips Trooper.
Submixes is something I have been wanting for so long but I'm not educated enough on the subject to find one I can use easily. A video on the topic would be great!
I was literally *today* going to go to your old vid from 11/20/20 to say that Streambeats has been a huge boon for me who is just setting up, but now I can just drop it here. So happy to have some *great* royalty free jams to edit with.
The one thing that added so much to my recordings for my other channel is like you said the lens upgrade. A good lens can carry you very far. I recently compared recordings with another guy using the same camera body. He was completely shocked how my stuff looked "just" with a good lens. So, people, take Harris' lens-advice seriously. He really made a point there. A
This was a Good vid :) I use the streamdeck og for almost everything, and it is awesome how much you can control with it 🥰 But i am going too look into another microphone (shotgun-mic), i have the Blue Ember right now paired with the GoXlr. But sometimes the mic is in the way :p Anyways, awesome vid and keep them coming :)
Awesome video dude! Just starting to get into content creation and majority of the overrated stuff you've listed was very obvious, for me atleast. You as a person like you said is usually the key factor if people want to watch your content and delve into what you do more. Keep up the awesome work dude!
Yup. I have a full set of keys on the normal Streamdeck dedicated to premiere pro hotkeys. I can scrub, clip, and trim. Also delete and replace, every single clip without touching my mouse or keyboard. That functionality, when Im going through 40+ clips to edit (while Im watching Aplha gaming of course" Is just so incredible. Thats just one program. I also design games. I have buttons on my stream deck that drop code into Unitys scripter that I use often. Do you have any clue how much time I save not rewriting lines of code?
Stream deck opinions are split into 2 groups "why would you bother with an expensive keyboard, just make hotkeys (people who haven't tried to use hotkeys)" and people who have used the stream deck / wished it exist before it did.
15:07 the GoXLR can use submixes! Simply add the individual channels (Music/System/Game/etc) in OBS. When you move the slider on OBS (which I have assigned to macros on my Streamdeck) it will change the output for your stream, but not your headphones. When you move the sliders now on the GoXLR it will change your headphone volume ONLY. The broadcast sound will be unaffected. With this method, once it's set up it's completely hardware based and you can just move a slider or smack a button and change things as you like!
started with all of this stuff just a little bit ago definitely overwhelming. you just want the best stuff right away even if its only to look cool, i myself struggle to justify when i need something new and when i just want it but im learning and love your videos. your opinions help me with decisions all the time
Okay on the 3rd monitor thing I understand completely, but personally since I stream on YT, TTV, and tik tok I use my main for games, second for stream elements for YT notifications and have some things like sound audio and twitch alerts from obs and on my 3rd (vertical) I have my discord, chat and actual OBS (which is tiny so i can capture it with my phone in a tripod for obs)
OMG, I love my Stream Decks! Yes, I have more than one. Started with the 15-key and fell in love so I ordered a 32-key one. I use it for everything. Everyday tasks, gaming, editing video, Photoshop, sound control, and the list goes on... If you are on the fence, get one! You will not regret it.
the biggest issue with shotgun mics is that mics are primarily penis shaped jewelry for streamers. it doesn't really matter how it sounds, it's only real use is to be conspicuously expensive and in the middle of the frame. Shotgun mics generally sound great but are out of the shot, therefore they aren't used.
Hey Harris, at 16:56 you said "we have a hesitancy..." but I think you meant "we have a tendency" which sounds similar phonetically but is actually on point with the way you were phrasing that sentence; "hesitancy" is the opposite of what you were implying so it immediately caught my ear when I heard that. No snarkiness intended, I just do QA work on the side and think your channel has so much polish that I've honestly not come across a mistake like that before, which is why it stood out. Thanks for the info here and in all your helpful vids though, this channel has been one of my few instant-subscribes just from the wealth of info you share and the great delivery of content you put out.
Finally, someone who has the exact same Priority List on Improvements. As an editor for TV my main gripe was, that people would shoot amazing videos, with abysmal lighting and even worse sound. People will forgive bad IQ (Image Quality) but they won´t forgive bad lighting and sound. Also the thing on the lenses: The best camera with a kit lens, will not outshoot a 4 generation older camera with the right prime lens for your application (at the same cost or even less).
I like the focus on making sure people understand that equipment of different levels/quality can be used to create good results. Also reiterating that the content is most important.
I have a solution for the Submixes problem with the GoXLR - in OBS use different audio sources and set them to your GoXLR Chat, Music, System, and Mic/Aux instead of using your Broadcast Stream Mix. You can use the sliders in OBS to change the volume for your audience in streams (having different mixes in YT editing is also useful) and the sliders on the GoXLR itself is what you will hear. I just found this out recently and it's made streaming with the GoXLR Mini way more enjoyable for me and my audience
I like what you said about the Stream Deck (and Yes, I am adding this comment because you've napped us about doing it, but also because you reminding me of an important point). I know I can being using my stream deck more effectively, however I run into limitations because I do not have direly compatible external devices (such as elgato lighting). If you make a video telling us more 'quick' secrets about this topic, I will probably watch it more than one 🙂
Can you do an idiots guide to streaming video? - Such as what equipment you need to get up and running, what programmes to use, how to set it all up? - I’ve watched hundreds of your videos and lots of content on RUclips around it and I’m finally getting a pc built and considering streaming (more as a hobby than to make any money) but the amount of content on YT surrounding “becoming a content” creator is so overwhelming… would be cool to just have one half hour - 1 hour video or even a playlist i guess, just outlining the key elements to creating content…
I've got the smallest stream deck (6-button), and I almost always wish I had a larger one, but I have a hard time justifying the extra cost. So: Get a bigger one from the jump. I also started with a Blue Yeti, and it seems totally fine to me. I'd like to get a fancier one, but I don't know how much it would actually improve my audio relative to the cost.
I agree with the fancy camera body, I will add though, if you are going to get a Mirrorless/DSLR body for streaming make sure its has good video auto focus especially when using wide aperture lenses and/or a FF body. The narrower the depth of field, the harder the AF system has to work to keep a subject in focus. Older bodies and bodies that only use contrast detect only AF systems tend to struggle more with video AF especially when again when wide aperture lenses and/or a FF body.
There's a Mackie mixer that i've been using for years! I can do 100 more things than the go XLR, and it has a killer pre amp and compressors, and the funny thing, it's the same price, i just whish i was usb, other than that is perfect, and it's the best thing for mixing gaming audio, consoles, and pc audio. The go xlr sat on my desk for 1 hr, then it was heading back to amazon. The SM7B is a great mic, just people don't know how to get the most out of it, i've seen streamers using the mic to record pool parties or group chatting with the mic 5 feet away, less than 1% of the twitch community actually know how to use it properly! I love mine!
Personally, I'd use a third monitor for Discord, social media, or, sometimes if I'm not streaming, I'd do the "fill all three monitors" thing to span my games. I get that I may not necessarily need it, but damn is it ever a want. I don't even have a secondary monitor set up currently Love your videos man, glad I could jump in the comments with my personal use case this time
17:47 I think it's a great video. Some of the stuff I didn't expect to hear and some of it gave me some stuff to look into. And your new stream room looks amazing. Love the brick in the background.
Absolutely correct about the stream deck. I had mine collecting dust for more than a year i bet. Finally set it up this weekend and i couldn't believe what i could do with it
Sim Racer here. I could probably do with a 5th screen on my rig or change the 24" on top to a ultrawide. Stream Deck is awesome for sim racing. Stream Deck functions + Button Box for every game.
6:17 the sm7b is GREAT for recording vocals, but it offers little in the way of dynamic for just sitting at your desk. One mic that I use is a real dark horse- the rode NTK. it's great when i record but it's also SUPERB for streaming-- especially when combined with a BBE
so about the camera thing... when i started streaming i was streaming from my ps4 and used the ps4 camera for a face cam, and then last year i think in February i ended up getting a pc and with that included an affordable webcam and used that all of last year. then earlier this year it dawned on me on that i have a canon rebel t2i just chilling in my closet (the camera was the last christmas gift i got from my mom before she passed) and i said to myself "wait... i have a perfectly working dslr i can use" so i bought what i needed for it and got it set up. one person who comes into my streams on and off even said "did you upgrade your camera? the quality looks more high quality". Best switch I could have done because i absolutely love it and yeah while dslr's are expensive, it's worth it but i would definitely say slowly work up to getting a better camera for yourself. that's all i wanted to say c:
Overall liked this video. The submixes recommendation confuses me. Hear me out: A) I just set the volume for me B) I set some filters to keep game audio at a certain level C) I can easily up or down audio for me or my audience separately in my recording software like streamlabs or normal OBS, especially once I get a streamdeck. No need for fancy mixers (or submixer software) if the software I already use does the job, right?
Stream deck is such a no brainer, I haven't made content/streamed in a couple of months, but I use stream deck (and improve it) every day. I used to use hours on organizing files in different folders etc, now it takes me minutes by having buttons for where to move files, rename, cut, copy, rename, to say a few. Also use it for controlling hue lights, windows shortcuts, as a sound board, website shortcuts
Just a reference to your goxlr gripe about turning teammates up for stream etc. I had issues with this but I learned I could make any of the available audio channels (system, game, chat, music) separate audio sources in obs. This means that they’re a static volume and can be adjusted separate from what I hear in my headset. I have done the same with game and music meaning that my sliders are for me and the obs levels are for stream. My stream levels hardly ever change and I can have my audio however I need.
Harris, you're the one who has gotten me to liking videos regularly. I guess it's fitting you get me to commenting regularly too. This is a great video. I totally agree on the underrated stream deck. I don't stream, but I still use it daily. Learn it!!!!!
2 things... 1 - My monitors; I have an old apple cinema display, an old toshiba tv and an old grundig tv. None of them are 1920x1080 and none of them are the same resoloution. I can only fit a small OBS page on my Grundig tv, and I can fit my Discord, Music, and Twitch dashboard on my toshiba tv. I do use my main monitor if I need to google something, check my activity feed or adjust my voicemeeter levels, but I mainly like it to be clear to game. If I didn't have my third toshiba monitor I pretty much couldn't stream. 2. My streamdeck XL. Well it's my dad's, But he gives it to me when he does live gigs, Which is like 1 night every 3 months at the least. So I pretty much have it for whenever I want to stream. But I don't only use it for switching scenes, I use it to control my discord, Voicemeeter, Tweet that I'm live, Control my music, and a lot more.
I completely agree to with all of them;) and I started streaming almost 2 yrs ago by purchasing almost everything on Harris's Personal Stream Kit(back then). Yes it was to much to start but I've never needed to upgrade anything and still have a top rated stream set-up today. Only added a few Elgato Key lights. So yeah if you can spend it and plan to do it for yrs, investing in the good stuff isn't horrible. If you don't follow through though you'll have buyers remorse just as Harris mentioned. Happy Streaming;)
honestly, while i dont NEED three monitors, i could definitely make use of them; and im known for keeping monitors far longer than most people so i feel confident enough that id eventually get my money's worth out of it. one thing you may not think about though is a properly sized desk. mine is so THIN on space that i cant have my keyboard and drawing tablet in decently comfortable spaces at the same time, but also so THICK that i cant clamp most things to it. INVEST IN A PROPERLY SIZED DESK
SM7B has been a GODSEND for me. HEAVENLY. I do not have a soundproof room. I do not have the ability to have any soundproofing. I live next to a road with a glass window. I live near a hospital. You don’t hear any of it thanks to the SM7B and I’m able to play with that audio to make it sound great with minimal effort. I get what you’re saying - many people it won’t make a huge difference, but I ADORE mine.
I will say this, I agree with most of what you said, a couple of things that hold someone like me back is 1) I myself am a family man so I do keep myself open for my family first, streaming has always been a hobby for me as well as my minecraft servers, 2) the cost, yes, professional stuff is generally going to be more expensive, I only recently in tge last 4 months finally got a stream deck 15 key, wanted the bigger one but it was too expensive and the 15 key was on sale (still had to use best buy finance to get it). I live in canada and most companies are based in the US so for obvious reasons other currencies are more expensive, for example, i've wanted to get a laptop car mount and the company braketron has one that will fit mine, the price is $150 US, in canadian it goes up to roughly $265 not including shipping and order fees. now don't get me wrong, i'm not saying everything has to be ordered online to get hit with this, let's take the stream deck xl for example, in the US it's $249.99 where as in canada it's $329.99, that's why I say (at least for my situation) that the cost of items is a big hit.
As someone who lives streams tabletop shows 3 monitor was so key 😀 VTT on one screen Discord with everyone's camera second screen 3rd screen obs, chat. Otherwise you're right, 2 will do. Though now that I have three. LOVE It. Love it.
interesting list but I have to say that I hate the echo sound of any mic. I have left streams that I gone to check out because of echo. When a person spends $100+ on a mic and it has an echo it comes across as they were either lazy or too cheap to wanna fix it and spent the money to buy a camera. Echo for a mic would have been fine many years ago but now its mostly expected for a youtuber / streamer to not have echo and even more so when they spend $100+ on a mic.
Agree with the camera hierarchy. I started off in video production (not for long) back when HD was just coming up. Always surprised me when a good videographer would make a quality 480p setup GREATLY outclass expensive HD gear, because they knew composition was king. A fantastic camera is useless if it's capturing an ugly scene.
As someone who benefits from having a 3rd monitor, I agree with you about them being overrated. And I'd like to clarify, I'm running a 49" ultrawide AND two additional monitors, one in landscape the other in vertical mode. It's a very big NEED vs WANT thing. I do use all that space, regularly, BUT even I can admit, 100% correct. Not a priority folks. Love ya Harris, keep up the good work!!!
I completely agree with the 3 monitors. This is coming form someone who got rid of the 3rd monitor last night to fully optimize my set up and use what I NEED instead of what I WANT
Bro you are awesome, you helping other people is great. I admired that you clarified the fact that they get your help for free and that you get paid in a different way or currency as you said, I respect that from you and appreciate it since many people would love to become a content creator but hold back thinking they can’t compete with people who does it for free not knowing they will get remunerated by branding, sponsorships and several other ways. But the only way one can live off of being a creator is to do it for a good will, and specially that what you do you enjoy it, than it would become a profitable hobby and not well paid job/career. Because sadly you can’t live in this world by just giving, as much as anyone would like to make humanly things there has to be a source of income in any way for any human needs to subsist here. Thanks bro for being so straight forward.
I regretted purchasing some cheaper light panels for my desk because using the white light setting even at 1% brightness is a lot of times to bright for me and blinds me. I went to a Razer ring light for my camera. I am thinking about an Elgato key light at some point just to add a little more light. On the flip side, I love my c clamp mount poles for webcams, lights etc, imo much better than the flex arms that tend to jiggle a lot. I had the 32 key streamdeck until I went to the Nexus. I used a lot of keys on it because I could use it to toss up images, animated items on stream, mute mic, turn cameras on and off, and to switch screens of course. Almost forgot as soundboard too.
For the submixes, the elgato wave mic with their software for this was literally my favourite purchase. I absolutely love just "this music is too loud" and just turning it down for me, not touching the stream output
I think your advice on shotgun mics was spot on! I was surprised to hear a difference between the Rode and Sennheiser, which seemed to have more bottom end. Anyway, love your content.
Ohhhh...I could write a paragraph about this but I'll try to keep it short. I agree with everything you said...and yes I bought the Shure SM7B and still use it. I manage/mod for a few streamers so here's my list: 1. ENGAGEMENT CHAT COMMANDS. I hate going into a stream and having so many commands that chat is clogged with bot responses from gambling, betting, shout outs, fantasy football manager...just keep it simple. 2. Background lights- you don't need a rave in the background, yes it works for some but it's rarely beneficial to have all that. 3. Streamelements: there are so many resources available that make your life easier as a streamer and it seamlessly works with OBS. Learn it! It's amazing and so many great tools. 4. Paying for someone to make content- seriously I do this to make money but starting out you really should learn to make your own content first so you know what you want, how it's done, and how much you're willing to pay. Okay end of rant!
Hey, I agree (This is an old account/channel btw, but my new stuff is way way better). Harris is so good at delivering these types of talks. Most streamers will tell you "You need to tend/care for your stream" and then get at you with a list of dumb things that are a "problem" with your stream claming these things to be the way to go (when its really not). When it comes to equipment, sound and lighting is not a one size fit (also applies on all content creation). It depends on what content you are making and what type of image or brand you want to create. Logos and artwork is ncie, but you can have diffrent artwork on diffrent things (I had a creator tell me "your "branding" isn't consistent", because I had diffrent banners and profile pictures). Are you a beginner? Make your own artwork and learn the skill rather than hiring someone right away (Its so valuable to know the skills of simple and basic art editing and art manupilation). If you have loads of background noise, use a mic that picks up less background noise and place it in a effective yet comerftable position. I have two Condenser studio vocal mics around (More overhead mics really, or vocal mics for recording songs and vocals on music), they are great, and I use them when recording simple drums all the time when practicing etc. But while streaming these mics are just awful. Its so hard to reject the background noise (Why do you think, they put screens and sometimes have the vocalist in a vocal booth? Exactly because of background noise which bleeds into the mics). Use as many montitors you need (I have 2 and wish I had a third one so I didn't have to cover up parts of obs, or have a tiny tiny web browser stashed away on my 2nd while streaming). Im still using a 5 year old camera. Its bad and terrible, but it works and does the job (It does not work as a action camera tho to record massive or sudden movements, and its quality is not the best but it works okay for a facecam and I think its fairly underrated - Was like $50 purcahsed new) Overlays, is nice, you can do so many cool things with overlays, but also think about your stream. I strongly dislikes streams with tons of effects and overlays and long transitions. I love the simple streams with a camera a scene for diffrent purposes - BRB , Just chatting, gameplay, etc. I find streams with borders of thick overlays and animations distracting from its content and it gives me a feel of the stream being filled with ads - Like when you visit a webpage and all you see is just ads everywhere. But if your content uses these effects and overlay - Then yes go for it (Like if you are playing pokemon and want to show off you party - Use a clever and neat interactive overlay that responds with the party changes). Harris is excelent at this content, So many creators are trying to "copy" this type of content because its easy, while delivering wrong advice, and targetting anyone with experience and knowlegde about how it really works. No one can do Stream Doctor stuff like harris.
The logo one I can greatly agree on XD My avatar is custom made, and I do have a logo, but the avatar is something a friend made for me a long time ago because she wanted to and my logo is for my production business. If it wasn't for those things, my profile pic would just be a casual selfie (or vtuber selfie these days since that is more of what I'm aiming for for my streaming content). for the 3rd monitor, I have 3 because of post production workflow XD I have my timeline monitor, my full screen monitor for the video, and my 3rd monitor is for other things like email, social media, RUclips, or whatever else I need/want in the background. For streaming, I find 2 monitors are the sweet spot, one for the content and one for stream monitoring. Sure, extra monitors are nice, but while streaming, my 3rd monitor is almost always doing nothing XP Camera bodies are also a good point to note, while yes, having higher quality looking image is always a bonus to that pro feel, you hit the nail on the head that audio and lighting are the first goto's. Cinecams and higher end DSLRs are really only good if you've already made it or are doing client work. I own the FX3 and FX9, and a couple of gigs I probably wouldn't have gotten without them because clients do put preference to the equipment that looks more pro. Heck, modern day phones are good enough to start you on your streaming journey videowise.
I already predicted how the video would turn out. Third Monitor: I'm not "MAD" but It's helpful if you need to manage a lot of things at once, for streaming yes it's not needed but I use 3 monitors for everyday use, having to layer stuff on top or over programs is a hassle but it makes things simple. A Good Camera: They have a place but I agree when a small streamer or creator thinks a $2000 camera is gonna make their content look better but then to use the camera at auto is a waste but if you spend the time to learn the features of the camera then it's worth it... but maybe not at 2K. besides that i would say this is a great video.
This could be on both sides of the list for different reasons. My favorite thing is my green screen. I have a small house and my set up is in the corner of my bedroom. It was such a hassle to make sure the room was spotless and bed made every time I started to make a video. However, throw the green screen behind, get a simple picture for the background, and now I’m not spending 20 minutes straightening up when I need to record something
With the 3 monitor thing, I have 3 because my secondary monitors are both smaller and cheaper (one of which is a drawing tablet). I use the smallest one for discord/spotify/voicemeeter, the other one for stream/websites etc.
I generally don't have an overlay. I only recently added an illuminated border around my camera because I learned how to do it and wanted to show off. I do use my Stream Deck to trigger memes or replays. If I beat a really tough boss, I can hit DRAMATIC FINISH or FATALITY.
Third monitor actually helps me a lot with my work flow when I edit for work or even in some situations on stream lol. But yeah third monitor isn’t necessary for sure!
I completely agree about the overlays, it sometimes will detour me from clicking on someone streaming with a crazy overlay. (I’m guilty of it too in the past) but I designed my own webcam texture in my niche game and used an after effects plug in to have animation behind it. Never seen it done this way and the results are amazing! (Imo) 😉
Great list overall and totally agree with having great audio before having great video as I DJ on stream and got a focusrite early on in my streaming career. I would also add the goXLR/beacon HW to the submixes or somewhere on the list cause that has been a gamechanger for me both on and off stream. After this video I'm now wondering if I should upgrade to the beacn mic first or look into a shotgun mic.
I use a third monitor because I had a third one on hand & it has made a huge difference, honestly. I use my main for gaming, obviously, my vertical one for just my OBS & my third one for everything else - Spotify, creator dashboard, discord, friends streams I’m modding in, etc! I always have so many things open that a third monitor was very useful for me but I definitely didn’t absolutely need it! Also, I have the stream deck xl & have 4 different pages on it hahaha I VTube sometimes & have different overlays/scenes for my different models I’ve been using. I don’t even think I know how to stream without my stream deck! It’s VITAL in everything I do when streaming or recording!
I got three monitors! But I hear you. For me it goes like this. 1: Gaming (duh) 2: Discord/Virtual Mixer (just secured a BEACN Mix Create thanks to you good sir so that’s where that software will go) 3: An extended display for my streaming laptop so I can have my stream viewable (in case something goes wrong with my capture card, or if I want to move some stuff mid stream. “4”: my streaming laptop. 😂 but I use that for Chatty so I can hear when someone is in chat. So I guess four.. LOL.
I use my stream deck (I have two of them the standard size and the 32) in my everyday life. I did not invest in anything for my setup that I wouldn't be able to use if I gave up on it. When I seen the amount the stream deck could do, I knew I wanted it. I literally have no icon's (a side from the recycling bin) on my desktop, all of my common use apps and games are right at my finger tips with the 32 key. All my audio is controlled through the smaller stream deck (using voicemeteer, yeah I am still using voicemeeter). The big reason I have not invested in a proper camera (rather then a high end webcam) is, it would just collect dust if I give up on streaming.
Favorite underrated or overrated gear down that I missed.. put it down below and tell me why
and i don't have neither 😢
Gaming chairs.
I think you can tell which category it falls in.
@@ak_kalmar went from a gaming chair to a Steelcase Leap V2 and my entire body has thanked me
Underrated: the Switchpod that was briefly shown 😂. My camera has literally lived on that thing for so long now lol.
I was really surprised when you revealed your thoughts about a third monitor. I just recently thought about why people would want/need a third monitor, i wouldn't know how to fill the space and did know that tis is an unusual opinion!
As a content creator for 10 years, yes on the Shotgun mics being underrated. For YEARS I used a shotgun mic on my streams. I switched to a dynamic mic when I moved my stream setup to a different, more echoey room, but I've missed my shotgun mic ever since.
I think the most overrated item is the Blue Yeti. You can get a better sounding mic for the same or less money. That, and nearly every yeti that either I or my friends have owned has broken in just a few years.
My Yeti somehow survives seven years later... Don't use it much now and it is visibly dented and damaged. Damn I need to hug that little guy.
If my blue yeti survives for a few years, then fair enough honestly.
What would cause a mic to break?? It just sits there
@@CrackedZac not enough excersize
i only think the blue yeti is good if bought used but brand new i dont think so
0:09 To fix this issue: Set Studio mode to OFF (seriously, works for all of those lights) and have the Aputure Amaran P60c myself aswell... Sometimes it gets turned on after firmware updating, so keep an eye on it.
Most LED video-lights that are run off of 110 or 230v have this feature, which tell the device to turn on in the last settings after power recovery.
Underrated mic: Samson Q2U. Been using one for a couple years now with my GoXLR and I still get compliments on how good I sound. It's always in stock on Amazon for $70 and it supports both XLR and USB. So if you don't have an interface, you can connect it to a Wave XLR or something similar if you want to control the EQ and add all that processing. Does it look better than a PodMic that is $30 more on screen? No; it looks like a normal stage mic. Get yourself a colored foam cover and call it a day. No need to spend more on a mic that sounds better (imo) than a PodMic.
Yup, picked up the q2u a few years ago and it was great. I picked up the SM7B about 6-8 months ago or so. Honestly I’m not the best at setting up audio so it doesn’t sound nearly as good as it could be but it’s still pretty good.
I would love to see some more breakdowns of the best stream deck integrations with other companies. Like we know Elgato makes great stuff that integrates with steam deck but is it the best? Are there cheaper options?
I would say my favorite thing has been my Rode Podmic, I live in a really noisy environment and getting a dynamic mic has been a game changer. I managed to grab this mic for only $100 and got a free Focusrite 2i2 from a friend. The audio makes such a big difference without all the background noise I previously had on my stream/videos!
You are heaven sent. I quit 15 years working for the same company to go fulltime content creation.
I've been a "free agent" since August 1st and really, I have set time (4-5months) aside to rebuild mind, body and soul but still I want to keep my head in the game and it's been hard to focus... and I stumble on you. It's like some higher power is feeding me your list of videos based on the questions marks I needed answer for. (Let's name it "Algorigod")
Thanks, a lot.
LOVED this video. As a minimalist myself, hearing you call out a couple of the overrated pieces of gear made my heart a little TOO happy. 😉
The third monitor is SO unnecessary for 95% of the people who own them. Been there, done that... became a place to set Discord and never look at it. 😂
The shotgun microphone also has had another added benefit, IMO: it removes a physical barrier (the dynamic microphone) from in front of the view of the camera, allowing your audience to connect easier. 🤷🏻♂
Appreciate your voice on these topics homie. 👊🏻
I agree, I grabbed an old 32" tv for my 3rd "monitor" just for monitoring/tweaking Discord voice chat. I could easily remove it and be fine.
I had a third monitor for work and I’ve kept it, but it’s a dedicated discord/Spotify window pretty much. Could remove it but I have the two secondary’s mounted on top/bottom configuration so it doesn’t take up TOO much room
Currently laughing at myself. I don't game. I don't stream. But, at 60 and re-training to be a librarian, I realise I have to acquire the skills, to know how to stream, to engage, to make content 'cause that is what I'll be helping teenagers without access do. I've been consuming RUclips and Skillshare vids for weeks. There is a lot of crap out there. Today I discovered your channel. I love your enthusiasm, your to-camera personality and your “stuff-it” attitude.. You have my subscription and a very rare comment. Thanks for the tube. Now I can log out again.
I started with a Blu Yeti, then went to an AT 2035 and finally upgraded to an SM7B and the difference is beyond belief. That may not be the case for everyone though. It brings out the warmth in lower toned voices, so it may not be a game changer for higher pitched voices, but it is by no means overrated. Sure it's the first mic people reach for when they're starting, but there's a good reason for that. It rejects a massive amount of room noise. Which is something that can really benefit someone who's just starting and hasn't sound treated their room. Plus it naturally rejects a lot of plosives. Meaning a streamer or youtuber won't have to have a big pop filter covering their face when they're doing their thing. I think a lot of the time people confuse popularity with something being overrated.
I see you point, but in this it's *definitely* overrated. I remember the RUclipsr Gaming careers made a pole from twitch streamers that are using the SM7B. And I think something in the ball park of about 70% of content creators use it. Big and small. Regardless of that number, and excellent use cases aside, and good mic can still sound *terrible* if post processing isn't applied correctly or the gain is too high (I've heard some Narly peaks) , or bet yet room reverb. It can get that bad.
@@Symba_Lysm that sounds like an individual problem, not an umbrella issue worth the effort of your reply here (:
@@Pop_Shepski Correct, but thats exactly why it's a big issue. Because a lot of inexperienced users either due to effort or prior experience, won't know how to treat a new mic like this. I'm reluctant to say it, bits it's a big issue. And that's a fact.
@@Symba_Lysm I feel like if someone takes the steps to get themselves a SHURE in the first place, it would literally take extra work to go about making it sound like shit somehow instead of just following the simple steps it takes to be great
Didn't expect to see you here man, loved your insight very informative for a new content creator like me starting his channel, thank you you actually made me want to make the push from my shure58a to the shure sm7b as I do have a lower toned voice and no way to install much room sound filtering :)
I avoided this channel for awhile thinking it was just overproduced advertising, and that might still be somewhat true, but the information here is always very helpful. I try not to be too paranoid that I'm just being played at all times, but the regular, casual information he drops always seems very valuable. Simple things like how you'll get more out of upgrading your audio rather than your camera, etc. I know he's an Elgato shill a bit but at least I feel like I know that, and his respect for Sony cameras just seems pretty legit. I'm glad I gave this channel a chance.
Three great ways to do submixes without having to buy expensive hardware just to access the software:
1. Voicemeeter Potato comes with an app called VM Streamer view that mimics Elgato's Wave Link. Setup is a bit harder, but a license is much cheaper than a Wave mic.
2. The "Window Capture" and "Audio Monitor" plugins for OBS can, used in tandem, give just a ridiculous level of audio control. It can be a bit finicky, and might require a virtual audio cable to really make the most of it (for example, output apps to a virtual device and then listen to them through the monitor plugin) but it does give that same fine grained control.
3. Same as method 1 but with Touch Portal and the excellent Voicemeeter plugin. Right now you can't use sliders with Voicemeeter submixes, but you can use buttons with a bit of easyish custom code, and my understanding is an update to this plugin that supports sliders for submixes is coming.
Ayy can you link me to a video about the third one? I love my touch portal and tried to set up Voicemeeter this weekend and panicked and went back to what I was using.Thx
@@dangerdaveshorts I don't know of any videos about it (I might make one myself down the line but I'm waiting at minimum for a few plugins to update), but basically what you do is:
1. Follow Voicemeeter's instructions for setting up VM Streamer View
2. Make a Touch Portal button using the Voicemeeter plugin
3. Add a "Custom Command" (it's in the Voicemeeter section) that says:
Strip[a].GainLayer[b] += 2;
Where a is the hardware or VAIO input, and b is the hardware or VAIO output. Keep in mind it's 0-indexed.
4. Make another button that says the same, but -= instead of +=. One will add 2db, the other will subtract 2db. You can obviously change the number to change how much gain it adds or removes.
So for example, if you wanted to increase your game volume for your audience, and your game is hardware input 2 and your OBS output is VAIO 1 (or the 6th output bus in Potato), you'd put:
Strip[1].GainLayer[5] += 2;
(you use one number lower because it's 0-indexed instead of 1-indexed).
The submixes recommendation confuses me.
A) I just set the volume for me
B) I set some filters in OBS to keep game audio at a certain level
C) I can easily up or down audio for my audience separately in my recording software like streamlabs or normal OBS, especially once I get a streamdeck.
No need for fancy mixers (or submixer software) if the software I already use does the job, right?
I just use an analog solution, and have my playback go through a physical mixer. PC audio and Xbox audio are going through different monitors so I can set the levels of what I hear through that and have the stream levels through OBS. Plus it means I can host XBOX parties on my pc with my nice mic and control the mix easier. I definitely wouldn’t want to mess with software to do the mix. Maybe it’s the knobs? It’s probably the knobs…
As someone who’s starting to get into content creation with the eventual goal of streaming, this video did wonders for me (I own a StreamDeck; currently turning it into an amazing productivity tool). I used to be obsessed about what makes “good” quality content, but you’re absolutely right. The moment I started investing in audio and lighting FIRST, I felt way more confident with my setup. Thanks for this :) Keep up the awesome hot-takes 🤘🏻
Stream deck is by far the most life changing piece of tech I have ever owned. You can use it to do so many things beyond scene transitions. I game stream in a sim pit and it is essential to control/monitor applications hardware lighting the whole set up.
I also agree with the multi monitors most people probably don’t need 3 but I think work flow wise
1. A monitor dedicated to game/content creation
2. A monitor for stream related windows obs other utilities
3. A monitor for social media apps and web searches
I’ve even worked a touch screen iPad into the rig that has its specific uses as well
Is a must. It may be more expensive but the less hunting tabbing and minimizing I have to do better and less attention I have to divert from my tasks. Sometimes I’ll fire another game up on another monitor while I’m working and my workspace remains undisturbed.
Good video, spot on in the camera gear too.
not sure about 90% of what you wrote here (seems to be true though0, but with the 3 monitor thing, I generally just combine what you have on 2 and 3 into one thing, I rarely need either of those things to take up my full screen
I couldn't agree more with #4 - I use 2 monitors and the 2nd one is only ever on when I'm live
Well, Shotgun Mic. I’ve got a Rode and a Shure… all on my museum of unused stuff😂, some of the worst audios I got. Now we go on “which piece and model” you got, ok. I actually got excited to try them again after hearing you.
You asked for a comment, so here ya go. I'm brand new to all of this, but have become a huge fan of your content style. Thanks for the highly informative, digestible content. You made watching a video on lighting a lot less painful than I expected it to be. Thanks!
The sub mix part bothered me as well while using GoXLR, and i found a solution by buying FiiO K5-Pro amp/dac, which I plug my headphones in, it has a dial for just the headphone sound, and I lower/higher it to my liking, while leaving the rest for the stream how they like it
I have set one of the sliders to headphone volume and manage the submix in obs (via buttons on the streamdeck)
🙏 I always watch your videos but I rarely comment. I should to start supporting my fav creators!! Thanks for your videos!!
Not a Streaming specific thing, but I have fallen in love with my standing desk. As someone who spends way too much time at their battlestation (thank you remote school), being able to just stand for a while to keep myself from falling asleep during the professors monotoned lectures is a godsend. I personally use my 3 monitors quite a bit, but the third one is definitely overrated in comparison to the second. Two is enough for any sane individual.
Only use I have for a 3rd monitor is content consumption while I’m using to other two for workflow
Super useful for me as a content creation noob! Thanks for sharing your expertise. I’m definitely guilty when it comes to overlay stuff lol! Probably because graphic design/art is my comfort zone when it comes to creating.
I was going to buy an SM7B first, was advised against it. I didn't get it then (Although I have it now). I thought it would improve my audio. Instead, I fixed the room sound, the reverb and now even a £15 sounds great in the room.
I hear ya...I have a 20 EUR microphone and it sounds great with a noisegate and an eq.
@@choppercove no the Devine M-Mic USB W condensatormicrofoon white.. But it rose in price... I also bought the Nor tec mic.. And with a noise gate and an EQ it sounds very nice..
Did you just Ronco quote us? "Set it and forget it."
Rad video. Really good stuff.
100% agree with the triple monitor setups. 3rd monitor is solely for the stream pc and monitoring the stream. It's absolutely not necessary unless you got a multi PC setup however even then it's not needed as everything you do on your second monitor could be done on your stream pc monitor.
Wheels on stands are great in studio productions. The ease of just slightly shifting a light is great.
Just a little FYI, TC-Helicon is actually currently working on the Sub-Mixes for the GoXLR.
(Not in beta yet, but scheduled for the next major release)
The Sennheiser MKH50 was a life changing addition to my setup. Great audio with no mic in frame? Yes please.
When recommending Shotgun microphones you should know that they aren't really meant to be used in a room that is not sound-proofed.
The Oktava MK 012 is a small shotgun-like microphone that is meant to be used indoors and is way better for new streamers imo.
You should try at as it's actually quite inexpensive.
The channel "camera conspiracies" uses it all the time :)
Kind Regards
Jørgen
Agree
Thanks for the extra info!
You just have to be careful with the 012 because it picks up handling noise extremely easily. If it’s not rigged up properly (and it doesn’t come with a shock mount) it can be a bit of a pain.
Also getting one out of Russia might be a bit hard at the moment 😂
@@Reactor10k That is true! :D
Little background. Im a content creator as well and I've worked on film sets and I master audio for a lot of voice over auditions. Im going to have to disagree with you on the shotgun mic. Even before you mentioned it, when I was listening to your voice in the begining, I thought to myself "that audio sounds really off". I have a good Senheiser I use on my black magic 6k pro, but when it comes to audio In my studio my Dynamic mic is my go to. The audio quality was SO much better when you did the example of switching them out. With the shotgun mic you where still getting reverb despite it being super cardiod. Maybe because that back wall isnt treated. On top of that there was just another big part about the audio that was off. Hard to explain. Like the audio footage(not the waveform) was compressed or something. Like it was missing part of the upper part of the waveform. It was just super noticeable to me and stood out like a sore thumb. Maybe Im just nitpicking. I do a lot of audio mastering for Voice acting and Im use to listening to voices over and over.
I bought a big mixer years ago. It was great because I couple run all my audio through it but I can't isolate anything which is making it harder to make other content. What I'd like to see is what XLR interfaces work well with desktop mixers like the Beacn Mix Create.
Read that last sentence as "Bacon Mac n Cheese" on the scroll-by and had to come back to see how it related to mixers 😅
Interesting video idea: Best microphones for those with asthma/breathing troubles. I thought of this because you said the Shure SM7B is overrated (respect the opinion), but it is AMAZING for those with asthma who breathe in and out super loudly. Just a thought!
Personally I multitask enough to have 3 monitors, I could make my windows smaller and work with 2 but the more pixels the more real estate I have to bend to whatever will I may give it. Gotta watch my Alpha Gaming with light Spotify in the background as the 3rd monitor has that one gif of the cat hang drying laundry.
I always enjoy watching your reviews and talks. However, as for the top 5 reviews "overrated/underrated"... I have a few thoughts: 1. Lighting.. I remember your Elgato LED desk lights review - not a prime choice. Any bicolor light that can have a double-baffle softbox attached - will be the right key-light choice. 2. Streambeats - I'm looking for the no-cost option. I am allergic to monthly memberships - what happened to the one-time purchase model? 3. You mentioned the Sony A7s (vintage digital) - does it have a clean pass-through to use with your fancy Elgato Camlink? 4. Audio - Rode Video Mic Go II in a desktop stand (in close proximity) sounds as good as any Senheiser or Shure option, and it has almost as good of a performance as the other 2 (for a camera mounted shotgun option) if you aren't concerned with manageable amounts of room echo. And 5. Bokeh - overrated, but ATEM mini switcher for mutiple HDMI camera sources needs more reviewing (provided your vintage A7s cameras have the clean HDMI pass-thru). I'm in China, not able to purchase the Amazon choice of all the products that you review. Blog on there RUclips trooper. Big Fan, Empty Wallet here. :D love your reviews.
Oh goldfish terds... how did I miss the most obvious - Streamdeck - I don't use many of the fancy overlays and animations and bells and whistles that you need for your great reviews/shows. However, I would recommend an external silent keyboard that uses the old 2.4g USB transmitter (as an alternative), because ctrl + F-key row, and ctrl + shift + F-key row can offer 24 easy-to-press OBS options for scene switching and option switching that gamers can map with stickers or the old WordPerfect Cardstock template going across the top. And the cost is a fraction of the over-rated stream deck. Blog on there RUclips Trooper.
Submixes is something I have been wanting for so long but I'm not educated enough on the subject to find one I can use easily. A video on the topic would be great!
You can replicate the same effect using Voicemeeter. It’s free.
This comment
Voicemeeter can be used to create submixes, but there is also a plugin for obs called audio-monitor that can be used
@@JadeNeoma Thank you Jordyn Young
I was literally *today* going to go to your old vid from 11/20/20 to say that Streambeats has been a huge boon for me who is just setting up, but now I can just drop it here. So happy to have some *great* royalty free jams to edit with.
I definitely love my third monitor. Being able to have one monitor for each thing I'm using/doing is just a huuuge QOL improvement for me.
The one thing that added so much to my recordings for my other channel is like you said the lens upgrade. A good lens can carry you very far. I recently compared recordings with another guy using the same camera body. He was completely shocked how my stuff looked "just" with a good lens. So, people, take Harris' lens-advice seriously. He really made a point there. A
This was a Good vid :) I use the streamdeck og for almost everything, and it is awesome how much you can control with it 🥰 But i am going too look into another microphone (shotgun-mic), i have the Blue Ember right now paired with the GoXlr. But sometimes the mic is in the way :p Anyways, awesome vid and keep them coming :)
Awesome video dude! Just starting to get into content creation and majority of the overrated stuff you've listed was very obvious, for me atleast. You as a person like you said is usually the key factor if people want to watch your content and delve into what you do more. Keep up the awesome work dude!
Before I watch this, I think my stream deck is the coolest, and most underrated, tool I have. Imma respond to myself after watching lol
Well.... we're waiting!
yep
It did make the list as being underrated.
I know that there are tons more things my Stream Deck can do that I've yet to discover.
Yup. I have a full set of keys on the normal Streamdeck dedicated to premiere pro hotkeys. I can scrub, clip, and trim. Also delete and replace, every single clip without touching my mouse or keyboard. That functionality, when Im going through 40+ clips to edit (while Im watching Aplha gaming of course" Is just so incredible. Thats just one program. I also design games. I have buttons on my stream deck that drop code into Unitys scripter that I use often. Do you have any clue how much time I save not rewriting lines of code?
Stream deck opinions are split into 2 groups "why would you bother with an expensive keyboard, just make hotkeys (people who haven't tried to use hotkeys)" and people who have used the stream deck / wished it exist before it did.
15:07 the GoXLR can use submixes! Simply add the individual channels (Music/System/Game/etc) in OBS. When you move the slider on OBS (which I have assigned to macros on my Streamdeck) it will change the output for your stream, but not your headphones. When you move the sliders now on the GoXLR it will change your headphone volume ONLY. The broadcast sound will be unaffected. With this method, once it's set up it's completely hardware based and you can just move a slider or smack a button and change things as you like!
Let's take a moment to appreciate how much time and effort he puts into his content for us. Love the videos!
started with all of this stuff just a little bit ago definitely overwhelming. you just want the best stuff right away even if its only to look cool, i myself struggle to justify when i need something new and when i just want it but im learning and love your videos. your opinions help me with decisions all the time
I use a POD mic and I love it. When I’m in a game lobby my microphone quality always gets complimented. Underrated XLR mic in my opinion!
Okay on the 3rd monitor thing I understand completely, but personally since I stream on YT, TTV, and tik tok I use my main for games, second for stream elements for YT notifications and have some things like sound audio and twitch alerts from obs and on my 3rd (vertical) I have my discord, chat and actual OBS (which is tiny so i can capture it with my phone in a tripod for obs)
OMG, I love my Stream Decks! Yes, I have more than one. Started with the 15-key and fell in love so I ordered a 32-key one. I use it for everything. Everyday tasks, gaming, editing video, Photoshop, sound control, and the list goes on... If you are on the fence, get one! You will not regret it.
the biggest issue with shotgun mics is that mics are primarily penis shaped jewelry for streamers. it doesn't really matter how it sounds, it's only real use is to be conspicuously expensive and in the middle of the frame. Shotgun mics generally sound great but are out of the shot, therefore they aren't used.
Hey Harris, at 16:56 you said "we have a hesitancy..." but I think you meant "we have a tendency" which sounds similar phonetically but is actually on point with the way you were phrasing that sentence; "hesitancy" is the opposite of what you were implying so it immediately caught my ear when I heard that. No snarkiness intended, I just do QA work on the side and think your channel has so much polish that I've honestly not come across a mistake like that before, which is why it stood out. Thanks for the info here and in all your helpful vids though, this channel has been one of my few instant-subscribes just from the wealth of info you share and the great delivery of content you put out.
Finally, someone who has the exact same Priority List on Improvements. As an editor for TV my main gripe was, that people would shoot amazing videos, with abysmal lighting and even worse sound. People will forgive bad IQ (Image Quality) but they won´t forgive bad lighting and sound.
Also the thing on the lenses: The best camera with a kit lens, will not outshoot a 4 generation older camera with the right prime lens for your application (at the same cost or even less).
I like the focus on making sure people understand that equipment of different levels/quality can be used to create good results. Also reiterating that the content is most important.
I have a solution for the Submixes problem with the GoXLR - in OBS use different audio sources and set them to your GoXLR Chat, Music, System, and Mic/Aux instead of using your Broadcast Stream Mix. You can use the sliders in OBS to change the volume for your audience in streams (having different mixes in YT editing is also useful) and the sliders on the GoXLR itself is what you will hear.
I just found this out recently and it's made streaming with the GoXLR Mini way more enjoyable for me and my audience
I like what you said about the Stream Deck (and Yes, I am adding this comment because you've napped us about doing it, but also because you reminding me of an important point). I know I can being using my stream deck more effectively, however I run into limitations because I do not have direly compatible external devices (such as elgato lighting). If you make a video telling us more 'quick' secrets about this topic, I will probably watch it more than one 🙂
Can you do an idiots guide to streaming video? - Such as what equipment you need to get up and running, what programmes to use, how to set it all up? - I’ve watched hundreds of your videos and lots of content on RUclips around it and I’m finally getting a pc built and considering streaming (more as a hobby than to make any money) but the amount of content on YT surrounding “becoming a content” creator is so overwhelming… would be cool to just have one half hour - 1 hour video or even a playlist i guess, just outlining the key elements to creating content…
I've got the smallest stream deck (6-button), and I almost always wish I had a larger one, but I have a hard time justifying the extra cost. So: Get a bigger one from the jump.
I also started with a Blue Yeti, and it seems totally fine to me. I'd like to get a fancier one, but I don't know how much it would actually improve my audio relative to the cost.
I agree with the fancy camera body, I will add though, if you are going to get a Mirrorless/DSLR body for streaming make sure its has good video auto focus especially when using wide aperture lenses and/or a FF body. The narrower the depth of field, the harder the AF system has to work to keep a subject in focus. Older bodies and bodies that only use contrast detect only AF systems tend to struggle more with video AF especially when again when wide aperture lenses and/or a FF body.
There's a Mackie mixer that i've been using for years! I can do 100 more things than the go XLR, and it has a killer pre amp and compressors, and the funny thing, it's the same price, i just whish i was usb, other than that is perfect, and it's the best thing for mixing gaming audio, consoles, and pc audio.
The go xlr sat on my desk for 1 hr, then it was heading back to amazon.
The SM7B is a great mic, just people don't know how to get the most out of it, i've seen streamers using the mic to record pool parties or group chatting with the mic 5 feet away, less than 1% of the twitch community actually know how to use it properly!
I love mine!
Personally, I'd use a third monitor for Discord, social media, or, sometimes if I'm not streaming, I'd do the "fill all three monitors" thing to span my games. I get that I may not necessarily need it, but damn is it ever a want. I don't even have a secondary monitor set up currently
Love your videos man, glad I could jump in the comments with my personal use case this time
17:47 I think it's a great video. Some of the stuff I didn't expect to hear and some of it gave me some stuff to look into. And your new stream room looks amazing. Love the brick in the background.
0:12 You need to check if “studio mode” is set to on for the Aputure p60c
Absolutely correct about the stream deck. I had mine collecting dust for more than a year i bet. Finally set it up this weekend and i couldn't believe what i could do with it
Sim Racer here. I could probably do with a 5th screen on my rig or change the 24" on top to a ultrawide. Stream Deck is awesome for sim racing. Stream Deck functions + Button Box for every game.
6:17 the sm7b is GREAT for recording vocals, but it offers little in the way of dynamic for just sitting at your desk.
One mic that I use is a real dark horse- the rode NTK. it's great when i record but it's also SUPERB for streaming-- especially when combined with a BBE
so about the camera thing... when i started streaming i was streaming from my ps4 and used the ps4 camera for a face cam, and then last year i think in February i ended up getting a pc and with that included an affordable webcam and used that all of last year. then earlier this year it dawned on me on that i have a canon rebel t2i just chilling in my closet (the camera was the last christmas gift i got from my mom before she passed) and i said to myself "wait... i have a perfectly working dslr i can use" so i bought what i needed for it and got it set up. one person who comes into my streams on and off even said "did you upgrade your camera? the quality looks more high quality". Best switch I could have done because i absolutely love it and yeah while dslr's are expensive, it's worth it but i would definitely say slowly work up to getting a better camera for yourself. that's all i wanted to say c:
Overall liked this video.
The submixes recommendation confuses me. Hear me out:
A) I just set the volume for me
B) I set some filters to keep game audio at a certain level
C) I can easily up or down audio for me or my audience separately in my recording software like streamlabs or normal OBS, especially once I get a streamdeck.
No need for fancy mixers (or submixer software) if the software I already use does the job, right?
As some one who's still a rookie streaming to Twitch, this video was very informative. Thank you.👍🏿
Stream deck is such a no brainer, I haven't made content/streamed in a couple of months, but I use stream deck (and improve it) every day. I used to use hours on organizing files in different folders etc, now it takes me minutes by having buttons for where to move files, rename, cut, copy, rename, to say a few.
Also use it for controlling hue lights, windows shortcuts, as a sound board, website shortcuts
Just a reference to your goxlr gripe about turning teammates up for stream etc. I had issues with this but I learned I could make any of the available audio channels (system, game, chat, music) separate audio sources in obs. This means that they’re a static volume and can be adjusted separate from what I hear in my headset. I have done the same with game and music meaning that my sliders are for me and the obs levels are for stream. My stream levels hardly ever change and I can have my audio however I need.
Harris, you're the one who has gotten me to liking videos regularly. I guess it's fitting you get me to commenting regularly too. This is a great video. I totally agree on the underrated stream deck. I don't stream, but I still use it daily. Learn it!!!!!
2 things...
1 - My monitors; I have an old apple cinema display, an old toshiba tv and an old grundig tv. None of them are 1920x1080 and none of them are the same resoloution. I can only fit a small OBS page on my Grundig tv, and I can fit my Discord, Music, and Twitch dashboard on my toshiba tv. I do use my main monitor if I need to google something, check my activity feed or adjust my voicemeeter levels, but I mainly like it to be clear to game. If I didn't have my third toshiba monitor I pretty much couldn't stream.
2. My streamdeck XL. Well it's my dad's, But he gives it to me when he does live gigs, Which is like 1 night every 3 months at the least. So I pretty much have it for whenever I want to stream. But I don't only use it for switching scenes, I use it to control my discord, Voicemeeter, Tweet that I'm live, Control my music, and a lot more.
I completely agree to with all of them;) and I started streaming almost 2 yrs ago by purchasing almost everything on Harris's Personal Stream Kit(back then). Yes it was to much to start but I've never needed to upgrade anything and still have a top rated stream set-up today. Only added a few Elgato Key lights. So yeah if you can spend it and plan to do it for yrs, investing in the good stuff isn't horrible. If you don't follow through though you'll have buyers remorse just as Harris mentioned. Happy Streaming;)
honestly, while i dont NEED three monitors, i could definitely make use of them; and im known for keeping monitors far longer than most people so i feel confident enough that id eventually get my money's worth out of it. one thing you may not think about though is a properly sized desk. mine is so THIN on space that i cant have my keyboard and drawing tablet in decently comfortable spaces at the same time, but also so THICK that i cant clamp most things to it. INVEST IN A PROPERLY SIZED DESK
SM7B has been a GODSEND for me. HEAVENLY. I do not have a soundproof room. I do not have the ability to have any soundproofing. I live next to a road with a glass window. I live near a hospital. You don’t hear any of it thanks to the SM7B and I’m able to play with that audio to make it sound great with minimal effort.
I get what you’re saying - many people it won’t make a huge difference, but I ADORE mine.
I will say this, I agree with most of what you said, a couple of things that hold someone like me back is 1) I myself am a family man so I do keep myself open for my family first, streaming has always been a hobby for me as well as my minecraft servers, 2) the cost, yes, professional stuff is generally going to be more expensive, I only recently in tge last 4 months finally got a stream deck 15 key, wanted the bigger one but it was too expensive and the 15 key was on sale (still had to use best buy finance to get it). I live in canada and most companies are based in the US so for obvious reasons other currencies are more expensive, for example, i've wanted to get a laptop car mount and the company braketron has one that will fit mine, the price is $150 US, in canadian it goes up to roughly $265 not including shipping and order fees. now don't get me wrong, i'm not saying everything has to be ordered online to get hit with this, let's take the stream deck xl for example, in the US it's $249.99 where as in canada it's $329.99, that's why I say (at least for my situation) that the cost of items is a big hit.
As someone who lives streams tabletop shows 3 monitor was so key 😀
VTT on one screen
Discord with everyone's camera second screen
3rd screen obs, chat.
Otherwise you're right, 2 will do. Though now that I have three. LOVE It. Love it.
Engagement. Stuff. Love ya Harris
interesting list but I have to say that I hate the echo sound of any mic. I have left streams that I gone to check out because of echo. When a person spends $100+ on a mic and it has an echo it comes across as they were either lazy or too cheap to wanna fix it and spent the money to buy a camera.
Echo for a mic would have been fine many years ago but now its mostly expected for a youtuber / streamer to not have echo and even more so when they spend $100+ on a mic.
Agree with the camera hierarchy. I started off in video production (not for long) back when HD was just coming up. Always surprised me when a good videographer would make a quality 480p setup GREATLY outclass expensive HD gear, because they knew composition was king. A fantastic camera is useless if it's capturing an ugly scene.
As someone who benefits from having a 3rd monitor, I agree with you about them being overrated. And I'd like to clarify, I'm running a 49" ultrawide AND two additional monitors, one in landscape the other in vertical mode. It's a very big NEED vs WANT thing. I do use all that space, regularly, BUT even I can admit, 100% correct. Not a priority folks. Love ya Harris, keep up the good work!!!
I completely agree with the 3 monitors. This is coming form someone who got rid of the 3rd monitor last night to fully optimize my set up and use what I NEED instead of what I WANT
Every video I watch of yours I learn something new that I’m missing. Shot gun mic, stream deck, sub mix’s .. 👍
Bro you are awesome, you helping other people is great.
I admired that you clarified the fact that they get your help for free and that you get paid in a different way or currency as you said, I respect that from you and appreciate it since many people would love to become a content creator but hold back thinking they can’t compete with people who does it for free not knowing they will get remunerated by branding, sponsorships and several other ways.
But the only way one can live off of being a creator is to do it for a good will, and specially that what you do you enjoy it, than it would become a profitable hobby and not well paid job/career. Because sadly you can’t live in this world by just giving, as much as anyone would like to make humanly things there has to be a source of income in any way for any human needs to subsist here.
Thanks bro for being so straight forward.
I regretted purchasing some cheaper light panels for my desk because using the white light setting even at 1% brightness is a lot of times to bright for me and blinds me. I went to a Razer ring light for my camera. I am thinking about an Elgato key light at some point just to add a little more light. On the flip side, I love my c clamp mount poles for webcams, lights etc, imo much better than the flex arms that tend to jiggle a lot. I had the 32 key streamdeck until I went to the Nexus. I used a lot of keys on it because I could use it to toss up images, animated items on stream, mute mic, turn cameras on and off, and to switch screens of course. Almost forgot as soundboard too.
For the submixes, the elgato wave mic with their software for this was literally my favourite purchase. I absolutely love just "this music is too loud" and just turning it down for me, not touching the stream output
I think your advice on shotgun mics was spot on! I was surprised to hear a difference between the Rode and Sennheiser, which seemed to have more bottom end. Anyway, love your content.
Ohhhh...I could write a paragraph about this but I'll try to keep it short. I agree with everything you said...and yes I bought the Shure SM7B and still use it. I manage/mod for a few streamers so here's my list: 1. ENGAGEMENT CHAT COMMANDS. I hate going into a stream and having so many commands that chat is clogged with bot responses from gambling, betting, shout outs, fantasy football manager...just keep it simple. 2. Background lights- you don't need a rave in the background, yes it works for some but it's rarely beneficial to have all that. 3. Streamelements: there are so many resources available that make your life easier as a streamer and it seamlessly works with OBS. Learn it! It's amazing and so many great tools. 4. Paying for someone to make content- seriously I do this to make money but starting out you really should learn to make your own content first so you know what you want, how it's done, and how much you're willing to pay. Okay end of rant!
Hey, I agree (This is an old account/channel btw, but my new stuff is way way better). Harris is so good at delivering these types of talks. Most streamers will tell you "You need to tend/care for your stream" and then get at you with a list of dumb things that are a "problem" with your stream claming these things to be the way to go (when its really not).
When it comes to equipment, sound and lighting is not a one size fit (also applies on all content creation). It depends on what content you are making and what type of image or brand you want to create.
Logos and artwork is ncie, but you can have diffrent artwork on diffrent things (I had a creator tell me "your "branding" isn't consistent", because I had diffrent banners and profile pictures).
Are you a beginner? Make your own artwork and learn the skill rather than hiring someone right away (Its so valuable to know the skills of simple and basic art editing and art manupilation).
If you have loads of background noise, use a mic that picks up less background noise and place it in a effective yet comerftable position.
I have two Condenser studio vocal mics around (More overhead mics really, or vocal mics for recording songs and vocals on music), they are great, and I use them when recording simple drums all the time when practicing etc. But while streaming these mics are just awful. Its so hard to reject the background noise (Why do you think, they put screens and sometimes have the vocalist in a vocal booth? Exactly because of background noise which bleeds into the mics).
Use as many montitors you need (I have 2 and wish I had a third one so I didn't have to cover up parts of obs, or have a tiny tiny web browser stashed away on my 2nd while streaming).
Im still using a 5 year old camera. Its bad and terrible, but it works and does the job (It does not work as a action camera tho to record massive or sudden movements, and its quality is not the best but it works okay for a facecam and I think its fairly underrated - Was like $50 purcahsed new)
Overlays, is nice, you can do so many cool things with overlays, but also think about your stream. I strongly dislikes streams with tons of effects and overlays and long transitions.
I love the simple streams with a camera a scene for diffrent purposes - BRB , Just chatting, gameplay, etc. I find streams with borders of thick overlays and animations distracting from its content and it gives me a feel of the stream being filled with ads - Like when you visit a webpage and all you see is just ads everywhere.
But if your content uses these effects and overlay - Then yes go for it (Like if you are playing pokemon and want to show off you party - Use a clever and neat interactive overlay that responds with the party changes).
Harris is excelent at this content, So many creators are trying to "copy" this type of content because its easy, while delivering wrong advice, and targetting anyone with experience and knowlegde about how it really works. No one can do Stream Doctor stuff like harris.
The logo one I can greatly agree on XD My avatar is custom made, and I do have a logo, but the avatar is something a friend made for me a long time ago because she wanted to and my logo is for my production business. If it wasn't for those things, my profile pic would just be a casual selfie (or vtuber selfie these days since that is more of what I'm aiming for for my streaming content).
for the 3rd monitor, I have 3 because of post production workflow XD I have my timeline monitor, my full screen monitor for the video, and my 3rd monitor is for other things like email, social media, RUclips, or whatever else I need/want in the background. For streaming, I find 2 monitors are the sweet spot, one for the content and one for stream monitoring. Sure, extra monitors are nice, but while streaming, my 3rd monitor is almost always doing nothing XP
Camera bodies are also a good point to note, while yes, having higher quality looking image is always a bonus to that pro feel, you hit the nail on the head that audio and lighting are the first goto's. Cinecams and higher end DSLRs are really only good if you've already made it or are doing client work. I own the FX3 and FX9, and a couple of gigs I probably wouldn't have gotten without them because clients do put preference to the equipment that looks more pro. Heck, modern day phones are good enough to start you on your streaming journey videowise.
100% agree about audio > lighting > lens > camera body. But maybe more like audio = lighting > lens > body?
I already predicted how the video would turn out.
Third Monitor: I'm not "MAD" but It's helpful if you need to manage a lot of things at once, for streaming yes it's not needed but I use 3 monitors for everyday use, having to layer stuff on top or over programs is a hassle but it makes things simple.
A Good Camera: They have a place but I agree when a small streamer or creator thinks a $2000 camera is gonna make their content look better but then to use the camera at auto is a waste but if you spend the time to learn the features of the camera then it's worth it... but maybe not at 2K.
besides that i would say this is a great video.
This could be on both sides of the list for different reasons. My favorite thing is my green screen. I have a small house and my set up is in the corner of my bedroom. It was such a hassle to make sure the room was spotless and bed made every time I started to make a video. However, throw the green screen behind, get a simple picture for the background, and now I’m not spending 20 minutes straightening up when I need to record something
With the 3 monitor thing, I have 3 because my secondary monitors are both smaller and cheaper (one of which is a drawing tablet).
I use the smallest one for discord/spotify/voicemeeter, the other one for stream/websites etc.
I generally don't have an overlay. I only recently added an illuminated border around my camera because I learned how to do it and wanted to show off. I do use my Stream Deck to trigger memes or replays.
If I beat a really tough boss, I can hit DRAMATIC FINISH or FATALITY.
Third monitor actually helps me a lot with my work flow when I edit for work or even in some situations on stream lol. But yeah third monitor isn’t necessary for sure!
I completely agree about the overlays, it sometimes will detour me from clicking on someone streaming with a crazy overlay. (I’m guilty of it too in the past) but I designed my own webcam texture in my niche game and used an after effects plug in to have animation behind it. Never seen it done this way and the results are amazing! (Imo) 😉
As a streamer ( on and off due to family time ) I found most of this useful and the Sub Mixes part was VITAL information for me.
Thank you!
Great list overall and totally agree with having great audio before having great video as I DJ on stream and got a focusrite early on in my streaming career. I would also add the goXLR/beacon HW to the submixes or somewhere on the list cause that has been a gamechanger for me both on and off stream. After this video I'm now wondering if I should upgrade to the beacn mic first or look into a shotgun mic.
I use a third monitor because I had a third one on hand & it has made a huge difference, honestly. I use my main for gaming, obviously, my vertical one for just my OBS & my third one for everything else - Spotify, creator dashboard, discord, friends streams I’m modding in, etc! I always have so many things open that a third monitor was very useful for me but I definitely didn’t absolutely need it!
Also, I have the stream deck xl & have 4 different pages on it hahaha I VTube sometimes & have different overlays/scenes for my different models I’ve been using. I don’t even think I know how to stream without my stream deck! It’s VITAL in everything I do when streaming or recording!
Watching this about a year after you posted it. Still very relevant, thank you!
I got three monitors! But I hear you.
For me it goes like this.
1: Gaming (duh)
2: Discord/Virtual Mixer (just secured a BEACN Mix Create thanks to you good sir so that’s where that software will go)
3: An extended display for my streaming laptop so I can have my stream viewable (in case something goes wrong with my capture card, or if I want to move some stuff mid stream.
“4”: my streaming laptop. 😂 but I use that for Chatty so I can hear when someone is in chat.
So I guess four.. LOL.
I am trying to get a start up in streaming, and I have watched a lot of your videos and you really are helping me find what I need
I use my stream deck (I have two of them the standard size and the 32) in my everyday life. I did not invest in anything for my setup that I wouldn't be able to use if I gave up on it. When I seen the amount the stream deck could do, I knew I wanted it. I literally have no icon's (a side from the recycling bin) on my desktop, all of my common use apps and games are right at my finger tips with the 32 key. All my audio is controlled through the smaller stream deck (using voicemeteer, yeah I am still using voicemeeter). The big reason I have not invested in a proper camera (rather then a high end webcam) is, it would just collect dust if I give up on streaming.