Originally Twitch was born with the intention of transmitting live content, becoming enormously popular for the transmission of multiplayer games, especially at the level of electronic sports (professional), and the personal transmissions made by individual players, although in recent times it has been gaining ground in the streaming world.
As with other video platforms, such as the popular YouTube, Twitch offers both partner and affiliate programs for the most popular broadcasters, sharing ad revenue with these and allowing viewers to participate in events on I live the possibility of paying a small amount (fee) to subscribe, thus supporting your favorite channel.
It would be, for example, something similar to what Instagram has been testing for some time after the official launch of its already popular live badges , and that offer influencers the possibility of generating money by providing followers the possibility of acquiring badges for Stand out during live events so that by making comments during a broadcast, you can stand out from the crowd.
Returning to Twitch, users also have the ability to interact live with content creators through channel chats and donation systems.
Although Twitch became very popular for hosting a large number of gaming channels , the platform also offers other content today, such as streaming music, television, podcasts and talk shows, among others. Finally, the contents can be viewed through live broadcasts, or by request (VoD).
In case you want to broadcast live through Twitch, you should know something essential: you must have an account and complete the two-factor authentication process , known on the platform as 2FA (through a mobile phone).
What software do I need to stream live on Twitch?
When it comes to streaming on Twitch from a desktop computer, it is necessary to start with software encoders , unless we have hardware encoders available. Each encoder has its advantages and disadvantages, although there are some popular options that are highly rated by most content creators. They are as follows:
- Streamlabs OBS. It has a series of very useful features that can be helpful when it comes to monetizing our channel, but it has a small drawback: it is only available for Windows (at least for now).
- OBS Studio. This is arguably one of the best options for most amateur or inexperienced content creators, as it offers free, open source streaming software that is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu.
- vMix. It is a much more complete option, designed especially for those who have enough experience on the platform to become a true professional streamer.
- XSplit. Useful for broadcasters, especially those who want to try paid software.
But it is also possible to try Twitch Studio , the free streaming software officially designed and developed by Twitch itself, ideal for new streamers creating content, although it is currently in beta.
How to stream live from a desktop computer
Once we have configured both our account and the hardware and software necessary to carry out the live broadcast , it is necessary to know where we should start.
Following the advice that we will find in Twitch’s own guide, for a basic transmission of 720p at 30 fps it is necessary to have a bit rate of around 3000 kbps (our upload speed should be at least 5 Mbps).
