SAPPHIRE 2011, Orlando, USA

We’ve been working with ASUG for the past seven years, and we’ve been through these LIVE broadcasts before. Think of it like putting on a TV newscast, but online, so it can be seen everywhere.

We thought it would be a good time to talk with our crew members about what it takes to produce a successful LIVE web broadcast. Here are six tips they came up with…

– Make sure you have a solid online platform for broadcast.

You wan to pick a video player that is simple for everybody to use. We’ve used the JW Player in the past and have had great results. Also, TEST TEST TEST. Make sure everything is streaming properly before you go LIVE.

– Have a strong main and backup encoder.

Your connection is key. Make sure it is strong and steady. AT A MINIMUM, make sure you have a dedicated 1.5 megabits per connection.

– Quality gear.

Assuming you’re putting together a three camera shoot (always looks best), don’t skimp on quality here. Just because it’s “online only” doesn’t mean you should sacrifice video quality in your broadcast.

Invest in a top-of-the-line switcher. Make sure it is multi-format with enough inputs and graphics sources. Our switcher of choice is the Panasonic Multi-Format LIVE Switcher AV-HS450.

– LIVE, animated graphics.

Again, just because this is an online-only broadcast doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring out all the stops. Treat this like any other broadcast – that means creating custom motion graphics and rolling them into your broadcast LIVE.

– Inform the crew.

As with any LIVE broadcast with a client, you want to bring your top crew. Make sure they’re knowledgeable in all of the different facets of the production. That way, if something goes wrong, they’ll be able to troubleshoot to the best of their ability.

– Audio, audio, audio.

Sound is SO important in any broadcast. If you happen to be broadcasting in a crowded environment, make sure you have the right microphones that will pick up your talent, and not background noise. We like to use Countryman Headset Mics.

– For reference, here is an example of one of our ASUG LIVE Web Broadcasts….

To learn how SolidLine Media can produce your next LIVE Web Broadcast, CONTACT US HERE.

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