Non-webcam as webcam

[Steve Kownacki]

Todd,
Livestream is a free encoder https://livestream.com/producer/software and use it with a Blackmagic input device. I use the BM Mini studio Recorders via thunderbolt on a mac. I now use Wirecast Pro for all the features, but for simple stuff Livestream is great.

Steve

[Todd Terry]

Yeah I think that was the first one I looked at. I’m not trying to be a cheapskate but the Blackmagic device was a lot more expensive than I was willing to spend just to share the video stream with the neighborhood as a freebie… I was hoping there was a bargain-basement way to ingest an HDMI signal as if it was a webcam.

The almost-free Plan B would be to just stick a 10-buck webcam on the porch… but the feed from the security system would be much better… I can do quad screen or isolate any of the cameras at will.

I’m probably wishing for something that doesn’t exist (or rather, doesn’t exist at the price-point I’m willing to do). If so, that’s cool, this is just a miniscule “value added” part of the festivities and I can abandon it without losing a wink of sleep. But it’d be cool if it worked.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Jeremy Doyle]

Have you talked to your editor yet?

My guess would be that you would have some sort of IO device in your office that would work.

I use a BM intensity card for live streaming, although I have a portable desktop machine that is set up for it.

Jeremy Doyle
https://www.jeremydoyle.com

[Todd Terry]

[Jeremy Doyle] “Have you talked to your editor yet?”

Well, you’re talking to him. Or, one of them.

No, we only have pro-level stuff here, nothing that would allow an HMDI signal to be ingested into a computer via USB. And nothing that is not permanently installed in one of my suites, which I’m not taking apart… the only I/O devices here are the rack-mounted Matrox MXO2 and AXIO LE hardware in each suite. This is just not something I ever have to do at work.

Just looking for a cheapie at-home solution.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Craig Seeman]

[Todd Terry] “I’m wanting to do some live streaming, via YouTube, but using an external video camera (not a webcam).
“

Wirecast Play for YouTube. If only a single source just $10 to remove the watermark in the lower left.
https://www.telestream.net/wirecastplay/landing.htm
Blackmagic Ultrastudio MiniRecorder SDI and HDMI to Thunderbolt for $138
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/892453-REG/Blackmagic_Design_bdlkulsdzminrec_Ultrastudio_Mini_Recorder.html

[Todd Terry]

Thanks Craig… yeah I think the Blackmagic and Magewell ($300) gadgets were the first things I looked at… I was hoping I could find a solution for a fairly small fraction of that price. I don’t mind spending even big money for work things, but this is only a little just-for-fun one-time home thing.

I think the Blackmagic recorder is Thunderbolt only, the last time I even touched an Apple product was when helping someone move an old Mac years ago… all PC here.

I may have found a 10-buck standard-def-only solution… it’s not the HDMI-to-USB thing which would be ideal, but is component video…. still it is more than good enough for what I need (if it works). It’s a cheap gamble, I’ll know when it arrives in a few days.

Thanks!

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Craig Seeman]

[Todd Terry] “I think the Blackmagic recorder is Thunderbolt only, the last time I even touched an Apple product was when helping someone move an old Mac years ago… all PC here.
“

Several PCs are using Thunderbolt and, in fact, there are already PCs using Thunderbolt 3 which is not yet on any Mac. I think most of the better Asus gaming laptops have Thunderbolt and HP is using it in some of their laptop “workstation” models. Asus also sells motherboards with Thunderbolt if you’re a DIY computer builder.

If you want dirt cheap you can probably can an ElGato game capture device
https://www.elgato.com/en
and and Windows laptop running the free OBS software.

Or perhaps you can get Telestream Gameshow which is subscription software, for just a month. It streams to YouTube and Twitch. $9/mo.
https://www.gameshow.net/pricing.htm

So cost of software is obviously not an issue since nothing should cost you more than $10.
Game capture hardware is cheapest but you have to make sure the software is compatible.
As you know “cheap” always comes at a price.

[Ned Miller]

Check out this for $400:

https://getmevo.com

Ned Miller
Chicago Videographer
http://www.nedmiller.com

[Mark Suszko]

Sorry I’m late to the party; been on the road shooting at prisons.

I’d say scan converter with HDMI out. Maybe an AJA T-Tap. Or a Hall Research. Tigerdirect, Monoprice or Markertek must have a scan converter with HDMI out for cheap these days.

BTW, off topic but Monoprice is getting into a lot more things these days including some impressive yet bargain-priced electric guitars.

[Todd Terry]

Just wanted to let everyone know how this turned out…

Because I didn’t need really great great quality… I gave this a try. It’s a little USB dongle called EasyCap.

I bought it on eBay for about five bucks…

It actually works like a charm. It has composite and S-video inputs along with audio. Standard-def only but in my case that will be more than enough. Used the trial version of WireCast to encode, I’ll pay the ten bucks to lose the watermark when I really need it.

I just did a little testcast on YouTube streaming live camera from my C300 and it worked like a charm.

Not the highest of high-end, but I more than got my five bucks’ worth for this little project.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com