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Guide: Setting up your Desktop Livestream with OBS
Updated

Step 1: Download a streaming service

Since you'll be recording what's happening on your desktop, you'll need a third-party tool to live stream. There are many options, but in this walk-through, we'll be using a program called Open Broadcaster System, commonly known as OBS. You can download it here. 

*Note: Depending on your computer settings, you may have to visit your System Preferences to allow the download to open. (System Preferences —> Security & Privacy —> General —> Open Anyway)

If OBS is your broadcasting software of choice, it must be version 22 or higher to livestream on Behance.

 

Step 2: Optimize Stream Settings for Behance

OB_Settings.png

Navigate to your Output Settings

Make sure the output mode is set to Advanced. This option is located in a dropdown menu at the top of the Output tab. By default, it is set to Simple. Change it to Advanced and a series of new options will appear.

Output_Window.png

📢 IMPORTANT: Change your Keyframe Interval to 2. By default it is set to 0.

What Bitrate Should You Use?

The quality and stability of your stream are heavily reliant on your internet connection and bitrate. If you experience interruptions or instability, try lowering your bitrate. Use the following settings based on your connection.

Acceptable Quality Good Quality Highest Quality
Up to 1500 Kbps Up to 3000 kbps Max 4000 kbps

 

Navigate to your Video tab

VideoTab.png

Under the Video section, adjust your resolution to 1920x1080 (16:9 Ratio) or 1024×768 (4:3 ratio). Behance livestreaming does not currently support dimensions larger than 1920x1080. Additionally, both Base (Canvas) Resolution and Output (Scaled) Resolution should match.

What Frame Rate (FPS) Should You Use?

Acceptable Quality Good Quality Highest Quality
30 FPS 30 FPS or 60 FPS 60 FPS 

 

Step 3: Add Sources To Stream 

Navigate back to the main OBS window and begin to compose your screen. Begin by creating a scene by clicking the + sign in the bottom left-hand corner of the window. A scene is a collection of sources. Sources designate what viewers will see on screen. Add a source within a scene by clicking the + sign in the bottom left corner of the sources column.

Here are a few descriptions of a few popular sources:

  • Audio Input Capture - Connect a microphone to your stream
  • Audio Output Capture - Broadcast the sound coming from your speakers (Mac users will need to take a few additional steps to make this feature work)
  • Display Capture - Displays a screen of your choice
  • Image - Displays a static image file from your computer
  • Media Source - Displays a media source from your computer (i.e. a saved video)
  • Video Capture Device - Connect a webcam to your stream
  • Window Capture - Exclusively display the contents of a specified window

Step 4: Prepare Your Stream On Behance

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1. While on any Behance page, navigate to the top right of the screen and hover over the "Share Your Work" button. Click the Livestream option from the dropdown menu to access the Streamer Dashboard.

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2. Familiarize yourself with the Streamer Dashboard

Your streamer Dashboard is your one-stop shop for monitoring your stream, updating its information, and interacting with your audience. For best discoverability, be sure to create a title, provide a brief description, specify the tools you plan to use and create a few hashtags.

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3. When you're ready, click Get Started

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This will generate two unique codes for you to input into your broadcasting software. The first, Server URL, is a private rtmp:// URL that tells your broadcasting software where to push the stream to. Do not share this URL with anyone else. 

The second code is a stream key. This is a provided password to broadcast to the given Server URL.

Step 5: Tell OBS Where To Stream 

OBS_Logo.png

1. Open OBS and click Settings in the bottom right corner of the window.

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2. Select Stream from the left-hand menu. Under Service, select Custom. Then, paste your server URL + Key (generated on Behance) here.

Settings-streaming.png

Step 6: Start Streaming! 

1. Double-check that OBS is capturing what you want to stream.

StartStreaming.png

2. When you're ready, click Start Streaming in the lower right-hand corner of the OBS window.

 🎥🎉 Congratulations on going live! 🎉🔴 

Respond to chats from your viewers as you stream by viewing your streaming dashboard. When you’re done, click End Livestream on Behance - this will end your broadcast. (For good measure, you should also click Stop Livestream on OBS, as well as Stop on the Tool Timeline.)

*Note: The replay of your livestream will live in the "Videos" tab of your Behance Profile. 

 

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