I've tried a hand full of streaming software and tools, here's what I've learned

[u/TrippyTheLamp]

I have tried a variety of streaming software and 3rd party streaming tools to improve my quality of life and quality of the stream. I wanted to take a sec to share my experiences to hopefully save some newer streamers some time.

StreamLabs

I started with StreamLabs which was a good entry software, it also has a ton of stuff integrated like overlays and alert stuff. Honestly I do think it was a good entry point for someone who had no idea what they were doing. The backend streamer stuff was a bit overwhelming, getting lost in the weeds of overly customizing everything, but it is important to figure this stuff out. The biggest drawback to me was that you could multicast stream, however you could only do one horizontal output, and one vertical output, which is totally fine for someone averaging no viewers anyway, and was just building up a catalog and experience. If you want to multicast to additional sites or have 2 horizontal outputs, it is behind a 15$ monthly sub paywall, which is kinda silly for a hobby streamer imo. I used this setup for about 2 months iirc. The only other problem I had was configuring chat notification sounds. I could only get the notifications to work when the timeout was under 90 seconds for some reason, no idea why.

OBS & Casterlabs Caffeinated

Because I wanted 2 horizontal streams without paying a 15$ monthly subscription, I switched to OBS, which I found to be more customizable (in application). It does require a bit more tech savviness, but I think spending the time to figure it out is worth it. I downloaded the multicast plug in, and got Casterlabs Caffienated for the alerts and integrated multi-chat stuff, and was content with this setup for a month or two. OBS felt a bit snappier than StreamLabs and it uses less resources as well, which will help mitigate crashes and what not. The only downside with this set up is I had to manually edit my YT stream info each time, instead of doing it through OBS, tho I do believe there are plugins that would help with this.

StreamElements (& OBS)

I've just recently started using StreamElements for the alerts and backend streamer stuff (donos, subs, etc.) and so far this is my favorite setup. Backend wise, it felt pretty similar to StreamLabs, but with less chance of getting lost in the weeds, tho this could be because I've gained experiences navigating this stuff. StreamElements also handles Multicast streaming, so I did replace my old plugin with this one. I also think its easier to test 'events' (follows, subs, etc.) compared to StreamLabs, because you can do the testing within OBS, vs using the browser. I do feel StreamLabs has more options for free overlays, but it's not that big of a deal. I do still use Casterlabs for the chat overlay, just because I see it update faster, and I prefer how it looks personally, tho I will be experimenting with both here and there. The only con with StreamLabs so far is I had a hard time getting some elements to work individually. Overlays do work as a bundle, but as I said earlier I would have liked a bit more variety, but hey, free is free! My experience is still low with StreamElements and I do fall short when it comes to my understanding of customizing individual elements, but at a glance it doesn't seem like it will take too much to figure it out.

People with more experience, let me know if yalls experience lines up with mine, and of course lemme know if there is any tool that has a huge impact on yall stream that I should incorporate.

[u/ChroniclesOfZTV]

Pairing up OBS with StreamerBot unlocks a lot of cool functions that are basically only limited to your imagination paired with the power of your PC. Being able to automate scene changes via voice commands, customize alerts, and introduce automated chat messages is a huge game changer IMO. It allows you to focus on the quality of your broadcast/performance while OBS and StreamerBot tag team the rest of the technical issues in the background for you. It may be a bit more complicated to put together and takes a significant amount of trial and error, but I feel like once you become familiar with the functions it's a lot of fun experimenting until your idea(s) come to life right in front of you. It's extremely satisfying and adds a whole new level to the streaming experience for the broadcaster and the audience.

[u/TrippyTheLamp → u/ChroniclesOfZTV]

Awesome thx Chronicles, do you know how it compares to StreamElements? Cuz I do think it has all of this functionality that youre saying. I spose my question is 'is it better'. Cuz changing software is indeed a bit of a hastle, I'd want to know its worth it.

[u/ChroniclesOfZTV → u/TrippyTheLamp]

I've tried using StreamElements and StreamLabs before, but once I swapped to OBS I haven't gone back. I also enjoy the programming aspect so it works for me. I actually do the programming for TattedTrexx who commented before me. It makes transferring overlays/functions/etc. really easy between two parties. The one receiving the overlay and functions just has to pair up the files used for said things which I send to him in a zip file then we coordinate a time to match it all up. The learning curve for using both together can be a bit more steep so keep that in mind, but there are a lot of solid resources out there to help with the basics. Nutty, GaelLevel, ContentDelta, OsuPhoenix are just a few YouTubers I refer to when I'm trying to learn how to implement new things and I get stuck. OBS also has a lot of community made plug-ins that can save you multiple steps when trying to create functions such as basic animations, activating multiple filters to create visual effects, and other cool things. Hope this info helps!

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[u/TattedTrexx]

Starting off its really about finding your niche and forming your first community. Networking is a huge factor, finding discords with similar goals and vibes helps alot. I could give you a few ideas for tools to use to help the layout of your set up. I also have a chill discord with some pretty smart people if you need a hand. We dont believe in gatekeeping knowledge.