3Likes
Intrinsc's Guide to Streaming Rift in HD!
Hello,
My name is Intrinsc and today I will teach you how to stream Rift in HD to twitch.tv. This tutorial will include several options on how to stream, a section on how to mute your favorite voice program from the stream, or how to include it. I will try to be as detailed as possible, but I am still in line for the Cyberdyne Systems QE Chip, so I am still human and prone to mistakes. I've been streaming Rift for almost a year. In this time, I have learned a lot about which programs work best for us little people who can't afford $$$ software and hardware. With the help of a guildie(Roughraptors) this is, I believe, the optimal way of streaming Rift with very little hit to your in-game FPS while maximizing quality.
Let's Get Started!
The first thing you want to do is set yourself up with a Twitch.tv account. Twitch is a subsidiary of Justin.tv, but for the master race of gamers.
1. Simply go to: http://www.twitch.tv/. On the top right side of the page there are 'Log in' and 'Sign Up' options. Click on 'Sign Up'.
http://i.imgur.com/FA6o5h.jpg
2. Enter the info asked for by the site. Username will be the name of your twitch channel!
http://i.imgur.com/9vCNc.jpg
3. Once you press the sign up button, you will be taken back to the main twitch.tv site, but you will notice on the top right, there will be a button in place of 'Log in' with your username and a drop down menu when you click on it. I would suggest clicking on the button, then clicking on 'Channel', and bookmark your channel's page for quick access. For now, let's move on to the next step.
4. You need to get a streaming "key" that will let streaming programs send video and audio recorded by you to a twitch.tv server so people can see it. Just go to http://www.twitch.tv/broadcast and click on 'Show Key'. I suggest you save this in a document file somewhere, or just bookmark the site so it's easy to go back to in case you misplace it.
http://i.imgur.com/bZtoO.jpg
5. Next, you need to choose which streaming program you need to use. For the purposes of this guide showing how I do it, then I will go ahead and show the methods I use with my stream. On to the next section!
Streaming Program(s)!
I use Dxtory to capture the raw video from in-game and then use FFsplit to transmit it to the webs. FFsplit takes the video feed from Dxtory, it takes the audio feeds I tell it are cool, it gets configured with the Video Bit Rate I tell it to transmit at, also audio bit rate, channels, etc. It is basically doing all the editing work slaving in a dark room while Dxtory takes pictures of buxom babes.
FFsplit is 100% free. Dxtory, well, is not, but if you are serious about the best quality with almost 0 hit on your in-game FPS, then you want to splurge for it. Just like FRAPS, once you buy a license you get unlimited updates!
--->Setting Up FFsplit!<---
FFsplit: http://www.ffsplit.com/
FFsplit Download: http://www.ffsplit.com/downloadff/
FFsplit Tutorial: http://www.ffsplit.com/how-to-install/
Once you have downloaded FFsplit, open it up and let's start setting it up.
1. You will need to find your upload speed. I use: www.bandwidthplace.com
2. Take your max upload speed and multiply it by .75. Take that number and that is what you want to set up your 'Video Bit Rate(kbps)' at. Set it a couple hundred lower to compensate for your audio stream.
For Example:
My max upload is 10mbps
10mbps*.75=7.5mbps
You can safely set it at 7500kbps, but remember that if you stream at that bit rate, then your watchers will have to watch at that bit rate. I've had problems with overseas people and high bit rates. I have mine set at 4200kbps and no one ever complains.
Also, remember that 1mbps=1024kbps, so if you find yourself fine tuning VBR to perfection to make the proper calculations.
3. Get your streaming server. You do this by following this link and choosing the best fit for you. You want something with low response time that is also relatively close to you.
http://www.ffsplit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=221
4. Take your 'Stream Key' from earlier and convert it to fully workable, megazord mode by combining it with a server address!
Example: rtmp://live-jfk.justin.tv/app/YOURSTREAMKEYGOESHERE
4. Open FFsplit and you will see something like this. Feel free to take the settings I have set up for yourself.
http://imgur.com/M5cQb
With the above done FFsplit is 100% configured to work. But, wait, there's more! We still need to set up Dxtory!
If you have chosen to "acquire" dxtory, then I congratulate you, real man/woman of genius.
--->Setting Up Dxtory!<---
Dxtory: http://dxtory.com/v2-home-en.html
Dxtory Download: http://dxtory.com/v2-home-en.html
Dxtory Buy: http://dxtory.com/buy-en.html
1. Open Dxtory and go to the 'Folder' tab. Set it up as this: http://imgur.com/9F1cN
You need to give it a folder to write to. It can be any folder. Once we are done here Dxtory won't actually save anything. This is just needed so it can work.
2. Go to the 'Movie' tab and set it up as this: http://imgur.com/vImfi
You can choose to 'Synchronize FPS' or not, but I do it. Also, very important: make sure 'File Output' is unchecked! This is what makes it write to your hard drive. If you are recording in 1920x1200 like me, it will eat up your hard drive.
3. Next, go to 'Video Setting'(yellow icon on the bottom left of Dxtory) and make sure the resolution for Output 1 is correctly set for your monitor's resolution and, more importantly, your game's Resolution.
http://imgur.com/26gV3
4. Lastly, go to the 'Audio' tab and make sure all Audio recording is disabled.
http://imgur.com/gdY4F
That is it for Dxtory. Make sure you have a Hotkey set up to start capture(Hotkey tab). You will need to press this Hotkey every time you wish to capture video during your stream. Once you start streaming with FFsplit, it will capture everything else except video unless you tell Dxtory to start capturing!
--->How to mute Mumble in your stream!(while keeping music and audio)<---
This part of the tutorial is completely optional. Some people may want to mute Mumble/Vent/TeamSpeak from their stream for various reasons. Here is how you can do it. Again, there is a program that costs money, so if that is an issue, or you don't care about voice program in your stream too much, then you should probably just stop here.
I use Virtual Audio Cable to do this(again, thanks to Roughraptors).
Virtual Audio Cable: http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.htm
Virtual Audio Cable Buy & Download: http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.htm#download
1. Open Virtual Audio Cable's Control Panel and set it up as this: http://imgur.com/nJVBt
This creates a virtual audio cable for your computer which you can use to route streams of audio through. This allows for me to set all audio except mumble to be routed through 'Line 1' and Mumble through 'Speakers'.
2. Right click on your speaker icon in windows(usually bottom right on the taskbar if using Windows 7/Vista/XP) and go to 'Playback Devices'. Here, you can to right click on 'Line 1' and set it to your 'Default Device'.
http://imgur.com/qezoc
3. Next, click on the 'Recording Devices' tab and right click on 'Line 1'. Go to 'Properties'. Click on the 'Listen' tab. Check the box that says 'Listen to this device'. Playback through this device can be set to Speakers.
4. Now, you are ready to go to your voice program and go to Audio Output. For mumble, it's Configure > Settings > Audio Output. Make sure Audio Output is set to 'Speakers' and not 'Default Device'.
http://imgur.com/B4R30
Now, every time you are streaming users will be able to hear your music, game audio, but 0 mumble chatter. One last step to make this work perfectly is to have your mic muted and set up a Hotkey in FFsplit to queue your mic. Before FFsplit 0.5.2 introduced this feature this wasn't possible as you could still hear the faint echo of mumble in the background.
Just go to FFsplit, click on the 'Hotkeys' tab at the top and another window will pop up asking you to set up which keys you want to trigger which functions. Just left click on the Push To Talk and then press the key you want it to activate push to talk.
This next part is very important: MUTE YOUR FFSPLIT MIC BY DEFAULT!
http://imgur.com/M5cQb(just click on the mic at the bottom so it's red. Once you apply the Hotkey to the PTT function, and press it, you will see that Microphone icon turn green. If you leave it active, and set up a PTT key, when you press the key it will basically mute you as it will toggle the off on the mic.
I also suggest using a different PTT key for Mumble/Vent/Teamspeak than you use for FFsplit so you can interact with your audience without interfering with your raid or group in Mumble.
--->Examples of a stream using these settings in action<---
Intrinsc's Twitch.tv: http://www.twitch.tv/intrinsc/videos
Roughraptor's Twitch.tv: www.twitch.tv/roughraptors/videos
--->Alternate, totally free, ways to stream<----
A friend of mine, Mimssys, streams in HD using the same program I use(FFsplit), but using the Overlay. The overlay FFsplit provides is a good alternative if you want to stream with a webcam, or hide your chat with an image. It is more computer process intensive, but it's there. It also helps if you install FFsplit to a seperate hard drive than the one Rift is on, as they won't share Read/Write capabilities and result in a smoother user experience.
Here is his short tutorial: http://litomagic.com/rift/?p=11
Example Video: http://www.twitch.tv/mimssys/b/334372140
You can also use a program called Xsplit. It is a resource hog, but there is a free version(limited to 720p?), and a licensed version with all the bells and whistles. If there is enough interest I may consider doing an Xsplit guide or perhaps an FME guide.
Xsplit: http://www.xsplit.com/
FME: http://www.adobe.com/products/flash-media-encoder.html
Any questions, comments, concerns? Email me at intrinsc.rift@gmail.com. Follow my twitter at www.twitter.com/intrinsc_rift for updates on my streaming schedule. Or just follow my twitch.tv at www.twitch.tv/intrinsc and it will send you an email when I go live!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Riane 
Bookmarks