If you watch Digging Deeper each week, you know that I use Switcher Studio for my production software. I’ve also recently added Restream.io as our distribution software, and used both of them long before they became sponsors of the show. Several people interested in getting better with their live streams asked me what the difference in the two was and how you can use them together.
Switcher Studio is an iOS-based app that turns any iPhone or iPad into a studio where you can direct a live or recorded production as if you were a television show director. You can see multiple camera angles (guests, for live streams), graphics and even recorded assets on a video grid menu — the “Switcher” — and you can switch cameras or use graphics or recorded elements in your show with the touch of the screen.
With Switcher, you can then publish that live stream to Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, LinkedIn, Periscope (for publishing to Twitter) and other networks. Or, you can publish to a custom stream, called a custom RTMP feed. That last option is important because Switcher Studio only allows you to publish to one network at a time.
That’s where Restream.io comes in. It takes your custom RTMP feed and then distributes it to 30 different social networks or video sites. You can even broadcast on multiple channels within one site. So you can live stream to YouTube and Facebook, but also to your personal Facebook Profile, plus up to nine other Facebook Pages — all at the same time.
So Restream.io takes your online TV show and turns it into a syndicated online TV show. Or, it turns you from an online TV station to an online TV network.
Connecting the two can be a little tricky if you’ve never done it before, so the folks at Restream.io asked me to put together a little video how-to for you. This should help:
There are many other production and distribution platforms out there, but Switcher Studio and Restream.io are my go-to power pack to make Digging Deeper and several of Cornett’s client live streams look professional and appear everywhere we need them to.
You can sign up for Restream.io at jasonfalls.co/restream. You can register for a free trial of Switcher Studio at switcherstudio.com/falls, then use the code FALLS to get 10% of your subscription for life!
Both software platforms are sponsors of Digging Deeper.