MyStreamSetup
MyStreamSetup
Webcam testMicrophone testWebcam and mic test
TestsWebcam testMicrophone testWebcam and mic testHeadphone testPre-stream checklist
SetupsSetup builderSetup guidesAudio routingCamera checker
SettingsBitrate calculatorUpload calculatorSettings by platformTwitchYouTube LiveKickFacebook LiveTikTok LIVE
GearAll gearComparisonsStream Deck selector
GuidesChoose your gearConnect and set upFix a problemAll guidesAll tools
AboutCorrections and contact

Search stays on this device. Esc to close.

Setup guides / What you need to start streaming

What you need to start streaming

To stream from a computer you need something to show, a streaming app such as OBS, a microphone and enough upload speed. A webcam, lights and a Stream Deck can wait.

Updated October 17, 2026

The short answer

To stream from a computer, you need four things: something to show, such as a game or your screen; a streaming app; a microphone; and an internet connection with enough upload speed. A webcam, lights, a capture card and a Stream Deck are additions, and each one solves a problem you may not have yet.

OBS Studio is free and open source, and runs on Windows 10 and 11, on macOS 13 or newer, and on Linux. Streamlabs Desktop, Meld Studio, XSplit and vMix are the alternatives: streaming software compared gives what each costs and when it is the better choice.

On a PS5 you need even less: the console can broadcast gameplay from its Create menu, with no computer at all.

First step: Create an account on the platform you will stream to, then install OBS Studio. See the steps →

Your signal pathFrom my PC
WebcamUSB video out
MicrophoneUSB audio out
Streaming computerUSB inputs · OBS
HeadphonesWhat you hear
Power supplyPower for each device
Router and platformEthernet · upload
USB videoUSB audio3.5 / 6.3 mmEthernetPower
WebcamUSB video out
MicrophoneUSB audio out
Streaming computerUSB inputs · OBS
HeadphonesWhat you hear
Power supplyPower for each device
Router and platformEthernet · upload
USB videoUSB audio3.5 / 6.3 mmEthernetPower
━━ Video┄┄ Audio··· Network┄ Power
Every connection
  1. Webcam USB outUSB cable → A USB port on your computer
  2. Microphone USB outUSB cable → A USB port on your computer
  3. Microphone / interface headphone out3.5 mm or 6.3 mm headphone connection → Headphones (what you hear)
  4. Computer Ethernet portEthernet cable → router; your upload → Platform (check the stream preview)
  5. Wall socketThe maker’s power supply, or USB power → Computer and devices that need their own power
Load this setup in the builder →

What you need, and what can wait

Work down the list. The first rows are needed for any stream from a computer; the rest wait until you have a reason for them.

PartNeeded to start?What to use
Streaming appYesOBS Studio, which is free. Its Auto-Configuration Wizard picks starting settings from your computer and your connection.
MicrophoneYesStart with the one you have, even a headset. Check it on the microphone test; the microphone guide covers the first upgrade.
Upload speedYesEnough for your platform’s setting, with room to spare. The upload calculator does the sum.
HeadphonesRecommendedThey keep game sound from your speakers out of your microphone. The headphone test checks both sides.
WebcamNoOnly if you want to be on screen. Try the one you have on the webcam test first.
LightsNoWhen your webcam picture is dark or grainy. The webcam test’s brightness reading shows it; the lighting layout guide shows where to put a light.
Capture cardOnly for a console or a camera over HDMIA game on your computer is captured by OBS itself. For a console, see the capture card guide.
Stream DeckNoWhen you change scenes or mute often during a show. What a Stream Deck does.

How much upload speed you need

Your upload carries the stream the whole time you are live. Twitch lists 3,000 kbps of video for 720p at 30 fps and 6,000 kbps for 1080p at 60 fps, plus audio: it recommends 96 kbps, with 160 as the most. Your connection has to carry that, with room to spare, for hours, not just at its best moment.

Run a speed test while the rest of the house uses the internet as usual, and put the upload figure into the upload calculator: it shows which setting fits and the arithmetic behind it. The bitrate calculator then gives the number to type into OBS, and the platform pages list each platform’s own settings.

Your first stream, step by step

Each step has a check, so a problem shows up before viewers see it.

  • Create an account on the platform you will stream to.
  • Install OBS Studio. The Auto-Configuration Wizard runs the first time you open it and picks settings for your computer and connection.
  • Add a source for what you show: Game Capture for a game on Windows, Display Capture or Window Capture for your screen, or Video Capture Source for a webcam or a capture card.
  • Check the sound. OBS captures your desktop audio and your microphone by default: speak, and watch the meters in the Audio Mixer. If they do not move, choose the devices under Settings, Audio.
  • Set the output. The OBS output settings guide and the bitrate calculator give the values for your platform.
  • Record a few minutes and play the recording back before your first stream, as OBS advises. Then go live, and run the pre-stream checklist before each one after that.

If you buy one thing first

Buy for the problem you hear or see in that test recording. If your voice is quiet, noisy or echoing, start with a microphone or headphones; the microphone test names the problem. If you want to be on camera and have no webcam, the webcam comes first. If your webcam picture is dark, add light before you replace the camera: the webcam test’s brightness reading shows whether light is the problem.

The beginner streaming setup shows one complete first kit, and the setup builder checks the gear you already own against each other.

Questions

Do I need a powerful computer to stream? It depends on what you play and the settings you choose. OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard takes your computer’s hardware into account when it picks settings. If OBS reports dropped frames or an overloaded encoder, this fix guide goes through the causes.

Can I stream from a laptop? Yes. The laptop streaming setup covers its ports and connections.

Can I stream console games without a computer? A PS5 can broadcast from its Create menu. To stream with your own scenes and overlays in OBS, or from another console, connect the console to a computer through a capture card; the console streaming setup shows how.

Do I need a capture card? Only for a picture that arrives over HDMI, such as a console or a camera. Do you need a capture card? covers the cases.

Settings for the platform you stream to

Once it is wired, each platform’s own figures for bitrate, keyframes and audio, with the date we checked them: Twitch · YouTube Live · Kick · Facebook Live · TikTok LIVE. The bitrate calculator gives the number to type into OBS for your output.

Going live for the first time? Follow the steps to stream on Twitch, go live on YouTube, stream on Kick, go live on Facebook or go LIVE on TikTok, from the account to ending the stream.

Sources

Diese Seite auf Deutsch: Was du zum Streamen brauchst