What Mobile Live Streaming Equipment Do I Need?
Gear lists for mobile live streaming skip the part that decides how the broadcast looks: the upload from wherever you are standing. Camera and microphone choices matter, but one cellular signal on its own is the weak link, and viewers notice the gaps as stuttering video.
Speedify is an app that puts two or more internet connections to work at once (Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and satellite), which keeps the upload steady without another device in the bag. Speedify needs at least two internet connections for this, for example Wi-Fi plus your phone’s 4G/5G cellular; on a single connection it works as an encrypted VPN and cannot stop that connection from dropping. Three tiers of gear follow, from a starter phone kit to a professional rig, plus the internet setup that keeps each one online when you use Speedify.
Essential Mobile Live Streaming Equipment
As a newbie, the best news about getting the right mobile live streaming equipment is that you already have most of what you need to get started. All you need to go live is a mobile device with a camera and a fast and reliable internet connection.
Many YouTube stars and brands started by broadcasting live directly from their phones. You don’t have to invest a lot of money, just get started. You will learn more from your first Facebook Live or YouTube Live broadcast than you ever will from reading blog posts. For best results, make sure your phone’s camera records at least HD video and that you have a fast internet connection capable of delivering smooth video.
Next Level Mobile Live Streaming Equipment
Compared to essential (bare bone), the next level of mobile live streaming equipment is all about improving your live streaming quality. If you are ready to invest some money into your live video streaming, you will want the following:
- Microphone
- Tripod
- Speedify app
Phone cameras have improved with every generation, but phone microphones have changed far less. Sound is the quickest upgrade: buy a microphone that plugs directly into your phone, and your audience will hear you clearly.
Having a tripod for your smartphone gives you the freedom to shoot more things. You don’t have to hold your phone or have a friend help. Instead you can set your phone up anywhere and have the peace of mind of knowing the stream won’t be shaky.
The truth is, your live stream is only as good as your internet connection. If your internet connection is slow, your live stream ends up blurry or buffering, and in the worst case it gets cut off. You can get the Speedify app for iOS and Android devices. Speedify uses technology for combining internet connections and failover algorithms to send your upload over Wi-Fi and 4G/5G cellular at the same time, and moves the stream to the other connection if one drops. Speedify matters most when you are broadcasting away from your home or office.
Pro Level Mobile Live Streaming Equipment
If you want your live streams to look as professional as anything you see on TV, you need pro level live video streaming equipment. In addition to having a tripod, microphone, and the Speedify app for fast and reliable internet, you will also want:
- Lenses for your mobile device camera
- Portable lights
- Backdrop
- Portable power source
Mobile phones have great cameras. However, one limitation is that they cannot zoom without losing resolution. Having a set of lenses that clip onto your mobile phone’s camera gives you the ability to get much more creative with your videos.
Once you have watched a lot of live streams you will start to notice that most of them are too dark and that there are weird shadows that quickly distract you from what the message of the video is. The cure for this is a set of professional portable lights. This way you can always create the perfect lighting for every video, no matter where you are streaming from.
In addition to lighting, you need a backdrop. A good backdrop will hide whatever is behind you, improve the lighting even more, and can help damper outside sounds. Backdrops are usually only practical when shooting inside.
The best part of mobile streaming is being able to connect with your customers or fans from anywhere. But, once you start investing in pro equipment, you are going to need a way to power everything. A portable power unit lets you run lights, and all of your other mobile live streaming equipment.
Once the gear is ready: Download Speedify, add your phone’s 4G/5G cellular next to Wi-Fi, and run a test stream before your first broadcast.
Speedify
Get started with Speedify today.
Speedify combines Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and satellite into one faster, more reliable internet connection. Free to try: 5 GB a month with a free account. No credit card required.
🚀 Speed
Faster uploads and downloads, because Speedify uses all your internet connections at once.
📶 Stability
If one internet connection drops, Speedify moves your traffic to the others in milliseconds.
🔒 Security
AES-256 encryption on every internet connection, on any network you join.
15M+ downloads worldwide. 75K+ five-star reviews on iOS and Android.