A company by the name of Telestream make a whole line of products for both Windows & OSX, one such product is called Wirecast and this is best described as a low-cost Tri-Caster running in software. If you are into streaming to any of the services and have moved past the hobby stage – then the money outlay for this software is worth it for the end result – read on for a complete overview of this software.

What does this software do?

The program allows the input of Webcam’s, FireWire CamCorder and via means of a internal  card, HD Camcorders which operate on HDMI for example. The other aspect of this is to set up shots with transitions as well as placement of Titles, Logo’s and Audio tracks as required. Using the extra download from the site, you can run “Desktop Presenter” on any machine on your network (both Windows & Mac) and bring the entire desktop or part of the desktop into the shot along side your webcam etc.

Normal Shot – Composing

When you add a new shot (by clicking the + Sign) you are presented with the above screenshot. The tiles can be broken up to include up to 3 parts (A + B + C). Each of these parts can be a Webcam, a Desktop Presenter or an Image with the ability via the CTRL or ALT Keys to control the size and angle of each shot – this allows as per the screenshot to put a webcam image inside a virtual TV set. The Title layer can embed a Title on top of the shot (names for example). Foreground can be used for a Logo image, Background to go behind all the shots and Audio if required.

Pre-Planning your shots

Although the software can be re-adjusted very easily on the fly, the goal is to work out what shots you require before hand. Set them all up as best as possible and once you go into production, have them on hand to quickly switch to various views. Unlike WebCamMax or CamTwist – saving your shots saves a lot of time later.

The other Tabs

As you see on the main screen – it also has Audio, Foreground, Background and Title. Seem strange for these to repeat outside of each shot? Well the answer is no, as this allows a person to have a shot with say two webcams in there and then have a separate Title shot with the name of the show. Then when you switch to a different view (say the desktop), the title stays over the top of the shots.

GreenScreen (Chromakey)

It is possible to have a green screen using this software, inside the channel. A Tab is availiable  for this very feature, allowing you to pick a colour via the mouse cursor.

Streaming Services

You can stream to the following services from the Wirecast UI:

Justin.TV

Livestream

Ustream

LimeLight

AKAMI

A Flash media Encoder is built right inside Wirecast and can stream high quality on both the Mac and PC. This is the only way I know to get FME quality via a Mac. Adobe do not have a Mac Version of Flash media encoder.

The Cost

Now you may head to the webpage and see that magic figure of $450 (UK £254). To a lot of people this is may be too much for a mere broadcasting program but you would be overlooking the obvious. It can record to disk, stream to most streaming services and gives you a professional look. The other solution is to buy a Tri-Caster for $10,000, I know which I would choose.

The complete overview

Plug-in your camera. Prepare your shots. Broadcast live.

Wirecast is a live production tool that allows everyone to easily broadcast live events and create professional webcasts from any location – all you need is a computer and an internet connection. With the intuitive and fully integrated streaming capabilities, Wirecast makes it easy for anyone to share live experiences and build a global community. Wirecast lets you stream multiple live cameras while dynamically mixing in other media such as movies, images, sounds, etc. Features including Chroma Key (blue/green screen), transitions and built-in titles allow you to create beautiful, professional broadcast productions for live or on-demand distribution on the web.

Head off to http://www.telestream.net/wire-cast/overview.htm to get the full details. Try the product for FREE to make sure it works on your system and does what you need, The free trail has a watermark and a voice every so often but it is still possible to see what it can do before you buy this great product.

NEW YORK (May 19, 2009) — Mogulus today announced it has changed its name to Livestream (www.livestream.com) to more effectively brand and broaden its leadership position in the rapidly growing live video streaming industry.

With Livestream, anybody on the Internet who can connect a video camera to a computer can instantly stream live video worldwide, 24×7, via their own Livestream.com channels or to video players embedded on their own websites or social networks. To date, more than 300,000 people have registered and launched live video channels using Mogulus/Livestream since its introduction in 2007.

“Livestream is doing for live video streaming what YouTube did for on-demand video clips,” said Max Haot, Livestream CEO and co-founder. “While we didn’t invent live streaming, we’re removing the barriers – making live video production and streaming easy and affordable for anybody to use and experience.”

Haot maintains that live video is just the next logical step in the evolution of the ‘real-time web.’ “Consider how the demand for connecting communities and information in real time on the Internet has grown through simple services like Twitter… and, that’s just texting!” he said. “Its easy to see that live video streaming is well positioned to become a key force moving us toward richer, more immersive content experiences and communication.”

Livestream is available to producers and aspiring broadcasters two ways: as a free, advertising-supported service; and Livestream Pro, a premium service that provides producers advanced features with a white-label, graphics-neutral experience. It’s free of advertising employing a pay-for-usage model that starts at $350 per month.

Premium Service Passes 1,000 Paying Customer Mark

In related news, the company announced that more than 1,000 producers and media companies are now using LiveStream Pro since its first introduction just five months ago. Well known Pro users include the World Economic Forum, C-Span, USA Today and “The Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan.

“Daily signups for both our free and premium services are accelerating at an unprecedented rate,” said Haot. “Each week, thousands of event organizers, broadcast outlets, newspapers, religious leaders, video producers, high schools and universities are discovering the inherent value that live video broadcasting over the Internet brings to the delivery of their message. It’s extending their reach, in a highly cost-efficient, targeted and professional manner.”

“We’re also finding that Livestream’s interactive features such as chat makes it possible for event producers and media companies to easily interact with their audiences, and often distant constituencies – providing a more interactive experience than is currently offered by traditional broadcasting.“

Livestream Pro provides production and distribution tools previously found typically in television newsrooms and video-production houses. Geared toward the needs of experienced content producers, Livestream Pro includes features and tools such as: multiple screen formats (4:3, 16:9, 2.39:1 and custom), advertising removal and/or control, white labeling, ad-network monetization, analytics, HD streaming, increased storage and professional terms & support.

“We realized early on that live streaming is more than just talking heads and a web cam,” remarked Haot. “Users are demanding higher production value along with more powerful, yet easy-to-use tools – enabling them to deliver a studio-like experience that offers something more to the viewer than what they can see on broadcast TV. That’s where Livestream is headed.”

About Livestream

Founded in 2007 as Mogulus, Livestream is based in New York and has already received a combined $12.7 million in funding from angel investors and Gannett Co. The company employs 40 and has an additional office in Bangalore, India.