LiveCast is a service that enables you to stream live video from your cameraphone to anyone connected to the Web. Any place where you can receive a mobile data signal will enable immediate and simple live video transmission around the globe. And that's just the start!
You can let your friends track your location on a map (even if you're moving), auto-post streams on your favorite social networks like Twitter and YouTube, and chat in real-time with fans. Your originating LiveCast is received by our automated streaming server network, where it is "propagated" (or multiplied). This allows the LiveCast to be streamed to as many concurrent viewers as you require. Your content is also instantly archived on LiveCast servers, for post event video-on-demand delivery.
You will need:
- A supported mobile device with video recording capability.
- An active LiveCast account.
- LiveCast's free mobile software application installed.
- A mobile data account with your wireless network carrier.
Compatible mobile devices for LiveCast currently include Symbian, Windows Mobile 5/6, Windows PocketPC 2003, and Windows CE devices.
We are constantly adding new devices to our list of supported mobile devices.
Of course, the faster, the better. Encoding quality of the video is optimized for all major wireless networks, including: GPRS, 1xRTT, EDGE, UMTS, EV-DO, EV-DO Rev.A, BGAN, WiFi, HSDPA, WiBro and WiMax. Please note: LiveCast does not recommend using GPRS or EDGE, as these networks tend to suffer from unreliable consistency of available data channels.
Check with your wireless network provider to obtain a mobile data account. For frequent livecasting, we strongly recommend purchasing an "all you can eat" type data account, if this is available. Alternatively, many 3G/UMTS operators offer pricing for a block of multiple hours of service or data consumption at reasonable rates, priced by the gigabyte. Avoid a metered kilobyte plan, as this will likely be horrendously expensive for video streaming (although this will certainly make your operator pleased!).
Another point to consider is that you will be utilizing the "uplink" capacity of your data account. In general, the larger the kbps rate that your data account provides for, the better the quality of video your viewers will receive.
The speed of your originating video feed will dictate the data requirement necessary for each viewer (i.e. if you are transmitting at 300 kbps Wifi speed, viewers on a 28 kbps GPRS phone will be unable to view your content). Tailor your data for the expected viewer rate to ensure maximum compatibility.
a. First, sign up for a LiveCast account at bb.livecast.com.
b. Next, login at bb.livecast.com and go to the Get Software tab. Follow the instructions and download/install the appropriate LiveCast software for your mobile devide.
c. When you're ready to start, launch LiveCast on your mobile device. Ensure that you are actively connected to the internet, and optimize the settings.
Select MY ACCOUNT to enter your username and password.
Select SETTINGS to set the quality of your video stream.
Select VIDEO INFO option to enter a title, tags and other information.
(You only need to do these set-up steps once, unless your circumstances change.)
Now, click 'Start,' and you're live! Click 'Stop' and your video is automatically archieved on the server. During the LiveCast, you can automatically send a link to share the LiveCast with selected viewers.
Setting your default location is an important part of your account set-up. You will initially be asked to do this when you sign up, but you can easily edit it later from the MY ACCOUNT tab by clickking the 'Edit Location' link.
Why does this matter? The easiest way to add location to your LiveCast feed is to sest the 'location source' of your phone to 'use default location'. You will want to make sure this is correct before you begin your first LiveCast. You can always change the location on an archieved video later, but it sames time to set it right before you shoot.