Walkthrough by @volpinprops of Multi-Webcam Livestream Setup
It’s always great to see ‘behind-the-scenes’ type setups and the magic that makes it happen. This time around it’s Volpin Props and the multi-webcam and microphone setup used for their livestreams and videos. Everything from software to cable management it shown, and I especially dig the numerical keypad controller-in-bag solution!
I started streaming on Twitch and YouTube about a year ago. It was…an uphill experience. Lots of things to learn and sort out on my own, because my specific needs weren’t really present in the streaming community when Twitch Creative launched. Here’s a few issues:
My shop is nearly 80 feet long and 20 feet wide. Large motors that run equipment create lots of EM interference and can disrupt wireless connections. I needed to run a minimum of four cameras, but as these would be subject to dust and chemicals, running multiple $300+ cameras with a capture card was out of the question. They’d be destroyed in a week and I don’t have the budget for replacements. There are many times when I can’t interact directly with switching equipment, due to my hands being covered in resin or paint, so a dedicated control board was also out.
Starting out, I used a control program that was a staple of the streaming community: OBS. This worked for a while but I would experience periodic crashes. Tracking the source of the issues led to a lot of my eventual solutions, but I never found OBS or the newer OBS Studio to be very stable or reliable for my needs. It really didn’t seem to like running webcams on 50′ cables, regardless of my hardware upgrades.
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