Video gameplay capture and stream device advice!

[hudson]

My son wants to stream/capture video games on YouTube. I know there are millions of these, but I'd rather he did his own channel than sit there gawping at someone else's.

Any ideas guys?

I have a MacBook Pro (2016) with the following specs:

macOS Mojave
Processor: 2 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory: 16 GB 1867 MHz LPDDR3
Graphics: Intel Iris Graphics 540 1536MB

[speedlolita]

So what are you asking here exactly?

You need to provide specifics. Are you hoping to capture from a console, or perhaps your MacBook?

This is a good tool that most people tend to use for streaming: https://obsproject.com/

Think an i5 with integrated graphics would struggle to both game and stream/capture video though apart from lighter stuff. Maybe some Fornite on low or Minecraft if you're lucky.

If you're looking to capture HDMI from a console you'll need external hardware.

[hudson]

Yeah sorry. More specifics inbound...

So, we want to be able to stream the Nintendo Switch/PS4 gameplay on YouTube. The reason I brought up the MacBook, is that is what I would be using to help with the capturing? I dunno.

The internet seems to this Elgato HD60Swill be the solution. But as you say, maybe my computer won't be up to it.

[Asura]

Is he doing audio? Speech?

If he is, I always give the same advice - spend less on the video, more on the audio. Whilst to be really successful you need both to be good, people will not usually "tune out" of a stream with middling video (as long as the capture's smooth) but they will immediately tune out if the audio quality is grating. He needs a decent quality mic.

Next bit of advice is if he wants to a do a picture-in-picture or chroma-key webcam feed, get a decent enough camera, but more importantly, spend a bit of money and do some research on lighting. It's better to have no webcam feed than have one which looks like you're sitting in a cave.

[hudson]

Oh yeah and probably want to do the cam face view in the corner. I just realized he can do this already on PS4. We have the camera.

But he wants to do a Mario Odyssey playthrough.

[hudson]

If he is, I always give the same advice - spend less on the video, more on the audio. Whilst to be really successful you need both to be good, people will not usually "tune out" of a stream with middling video (as long as the capture's smooth) but they will immediately tune out if the audio quality is grating. He needs a decent quality mic.

Next bit of advice is if he wants to a do a picture-in-picture or chroma-key webcam feed, get a decent enough camera, but more importantly, spend a bit of money and do some research on lighting. It's better to have no webcam feed than have one which looks like you're sitting in a cave.

Great advice. Thanks.
I have a Blue Snowball mic, so hopefully that will suffice?
As for the camera, can you use a phone? I have a Samsung Galaxy 8, although, I'd rather not use the phone. I have an iPad 2. Guessing that's not too decent. Any recommendations that won't break the bank for both camera and lighting?

[HailMary]

I used a Samsung Galaxy 8 once to film a playthrough of Mario 1 and the file size was quite a few gig, despite it being like an half hour vid. It's not too bad if you have the time to compress it through Handbrake or through Adobe premiere

[Asura]

Great advice. Thanks.
I have a Blue Snowball mic, so hopefully that will suffice?
As for the camera, can you use a phone? I have a Samsung Galaxy 8, although, I'd rather not use the phone. I have an iPad 2. Guessing that's not too decent. Any recommendations that won't break the bank for both camera and lighting?

Check out this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqeCHzk2RdA

Configuration of the audio software is as important as the mic, and the lighting is more important than raw camera quality.

It's a great fun hobby to get into; just bear in mind it's quite a bit of work to get a good result and spending more money doesn't let you circumvent that work; it just makes the end result better.

[dataDave]

I have a Blue Snowball mic, so hopefully that will suffice?

It will. That's what I was going to get based off of reviews. An absolute ton of those Elgato HD60 things going on Ebay after everyone realised they won't make twenty-seven billion a year playing Fortnite. I have a first-gen one here you could have had for cheap but it's pointless after factoring in the shipping to the UK - may as well just get one off Ebay.