How to Make Your Streaming Video Look Like TV

If you're lucky enough to have Mac running OS X, then here's a wonderful tool, to help add glitz and glam to your show. (And if you have a MacBook, or MacBook Pro, it already has a webcam built into the lid, so it's like having a TV studio where ever you go.)

It's Camtwist, a Freeware app by Steve Green. It's a virtual camera driver that can be selected just like a camera, and used as your recording or streaming source. It can take your basic "talking head" streaming video on Ustream.tv and make it look like a professional TV studio.

Camtwist lets you add things like chroma keys (green screen effects), picture in picture, scrolling text, RSS feeds, bugs (logos), pictures and slide shows into your program. It even lets you show your desktop, or present entire movies into your video stream.

Notice that I said Camtwist is a virtual device driver. That means you can stream 'any' video source into sites like uStream or into recording software like QuickTime. And that's what makes it so powerful. It literally becomes a broadcast studio, allowing you to switch between multiple cameras and video sources.

Download CamTwist for Mac OS X: http://www.allocinit.com/index.php?title=CamTwist

Go there and click on the 'documentation' link. Watch the intro videos there by Benjamin Higgenbotham. They'll give you an overview and help you get started. Then you're ready to download the software and have some fun with your Ustream.tv show.

Oh, one more thing. Here's an important tip. You can record 30 second QuickTime videos, queue them up, and have them ready to play during your uStream show.

Why? For several reasons.
1) In case you need a break.
2) You need to ban a spammer in your chat.
3) To monetize the stream with your own commercials.

Get it? If you have a show about dogs, wouldn't in make sense to play a commercial (with your affiliate link displayed) at the 8, 18 and 28 minute marks? Remember, once you add Camtwist into the Ustream mix, you have a full TV studio.