Owncast on Cloudron Tips

[LoudLemur]

Does anybody have useful tips on how to better get going with livestreaming using Owncast on Cloudron?

Some Free Software that is very widely used to help create livestreams is OBS (Open Broadcast Studio).

What about reducing noise from the computer fans ? What would be a good way to do that? Also noisy keys on the keyboard, or mouse clicks? Background hums and other weird noises from the room?

For reducing noise, I have heard of several techniques:

• Cool down room beforehand, then turn off fans and the noisy air-conditioner.

• When all other sound sources are silent in the room, record some "room-tone". This is the ambience of a room which has a sort of noise even though you might not hear it. (In fact, sound tone has been used to create digital fingerprints of people!) You can use this sound file to help remove the sound of your room using e.g. openshot.

• If you use a mechanical keyboard which is quite clicky, you might like to investigate quieter keys. Or during the broadcast, you could instead use an additional diaphragm keyboard, which would be quieter.

[jdaviescoates]

@LoudLemur use a good directional mic is the best tip I can think of, but I guess it all depends on the context.

[scooke]

@jdaviescoates @LoudLemur I second the directional mic. It's a world of difference when I make a recording with my MBPr mic (all kinds of computer sounds are plain to hear). When I use my old USB Samson mic, wow! A pleasant warm tone with almost zero hum, hiss, brrr, what have you.

[LoudLemur]

How Much Data Will Stream?

There is a tool to help you calculate how much bandwidth will be used here:

https://www.omnicalculator.com/other/streaming-bitrate#upload-speed-for-streaming-live-content

Of course be careful that you don't confuse Mbps (megabits per second) with MBps (MegaBytes per second).

Your Host might distinguish between Ingress (data you send to the Cloudron) and Egress (data sent from your Cloudron to your audience.)

Here is a tough question: What do companies mean when they say they allot you 1TB of bandwidth? If you only stream once a month, for example, and from beginning to end of your recording is 1GB, could you have a maximum of 1024 viewers for your audience?

Or does it mean you could loop the recording and play it 1024 times to as many people as wanted to see it? Or what?