I'm not up on live streaming technology.

I would like to set up a facebook live stream for a client. Maximum half hour feed, likely less. He would be happy with using a smartphone but I am concerned about audio.

I would like to use my Panasonic GH4 with a wireless mic fed to the camera. What is the easiest/cheapest way to get my camera and audio fed into facebook live? We will be at an outdoor tradeshow. We will use the tradeshow provided wifi or my Verizon 4g phone. It seems an HDMI adapter can feed my android phone. Anyone doing this? If it gets complicated or expensive, we will nix it.

Thanks

I would seriously nix it unless you are prepared to put in a decent amount of money which isn't practical for just a one-off job. You need at the very least, an encoder like the teradek which would accept HDMI with audio from your GH4 and all that would really do is enable you to send a streamable signal out to a router...forget about wifi the upload speed you need should be at LEAST 10 mbps as Facebook will stream up to 4mbps and you should have at least double the bitrate on hand.

You would be better off using an iPhone on a stand and use the phone to capture and stream to Facebook which really most people do but it's not a pro stream at all. Yes you CAN stream to FB on the cheap but it's not a pro solution!!

Do you have a GOOD laptop? A recent quad i7 with USB3?

GH4 to Magewell HDMI to USB3 dongle ($300) to laptop running OBS, laptop connected to your phone as a hot spot. LTE is always risky if not bonded because if everyone at the show is using Verizon LTE the local tower may be saturated.

Otherwise
GH4 to HDMI to Teradek Vidiu Pro ($1000) with USB modem attached.
or
GH4 to HDMI to Teradek Vidu ($700) wifi to Smartphone with Teradek Live Air app (starts at free, iOS only though).

Also heard this might work
GH4 HDMI to Magewell Dongle ($300) to OTG cable to Smartphone running Camera Fi Live app.

BTW don't even think of using their wifi, especially at a trade show.

you can use your phone for video but get an adapter XLR-to-phone and get good audio into the phone. use a holder to keep the phone steady on a table or tripod.

How about this...

https://www.iat101-store.com/products/hdmi-usb30-broadcast-card

Laptop, Elgato HD games capture box and your camera with a good mic is all you need. There is a free version of Xsplit Broadcaster 720p only which is what Facebook delivers anyway that is more than able to stream to Facebook or YouTube plus a few others. All you need to do is tether this to your phone and keep your fingers crossed there is enough bandwidth for the stream. But if you intend to move around stick with your phone and a good mic plugged in.

How about this...

https://www.iat101-store.com/products/hdmi-usb30-broadcast-card

Which is basically
"Also heard this might work
GH4 HDMI to Magewell Dongle ($300) to OTG cable to Smartphone running Camera Fi Live app."

Looks like a Magewell knockoff. Depends on whether you want to risk an "unknown" manufacturer.

Careful with the Magewell "clones" Many have had major issues with them and sadly they look almost identical ..If you find a Magewell that's less than $300 then more than likely it's a cheaper clone!!

One other thing ! Just be very careful your audio stream does not have any copyright music! Even a popular copyright song playing from someone else's source in the background will cause the Facebook bot to ping your video!! That's why we never use it for weddings at all!!

One thing I've found about music, is that Facebook will not
save your stream and keep it posted after the fact on
the Facebook page in question, if it detects copyright
music. But it will allow the live stream to happen.

Great info so far...

Teradek says I need the Pro model for almost $1000

What am I getting with that vs a Magewell for $300?

Again, I must feed to an Android 7 device with mini USB to broadcast Facebook Live over Verizon 4G.

Hi Ed

The Magewell is just an HDMI>USB dongle so you still need a decent laptop and a switcher program to actually stream (OBS is free however) The teradek is an encoder so you can have the same HDMI input and send the encoded stream straight out to your router ... no laptop or software needed!

We actually use a Livestream Broadcaster Pro which is a Teradek dedicated to Livestream.com and is a lot cheaper and easier BUT it only streams to Livestream!! They also provide short term accounts rather than annual ones like we use.

The Broadcaster Pro is $569 at B&H so all you need is a camera and router and you can also set up event pages too! We will be doing a wedding today in 5 hours time

My expectation is camera HDMI > dongle > cell phone with Facebook Live. FB Live is the only live streaming I plan on doing. Why the need for a router? I will use the cell phone 4G system to broadcast. I want to stay mobile so no wired solution.

OK no issue ..then you need a camera>encoder>mobile phone to FB Live ..simple as that ..still gonna set you back $1000 for the encoder!!

Why don't you just film on your phone and scrap the camera side ..that will cost you nothing and plenty of people do that!! If it's a professional stream that you are getting paid for then you need professional gear ..if you are doing it as a favour for your client just use your phone and add an iRig audio unit for an iPhone OR if you are android Samson have a new unit coming out ..that way you get decent audio.

If you are going the Smartphone route join the "Live Streaming Pros" Facebook group and you will get tons of help from them ...most use an iPhone and iRig and that's all!!

Using the phone is the fallback position and likely the answer. I have already tested audio, I can feed mixer to phone via Sennheiser wireless with no problems. I wanted to use the HDSLR camera to have more capabilities for lenses and a better picture.

I'll build a bracket to mount my phone, extra battery and wireless receiver on my Zihyun Crane gimbal.

I use a Sony PXW X70 and can stream to YouTube, Facebook, Ustream and a few others (albeit only one at a time). I WiFi from camera to Android phone VLC Player then screen capture with Screen Stream Mirroring to any of the above. I can have it up and running in minutes.

I use a Sony PXW X70 and can stream to YouTube, Facebook, Ustream and a few others (albeit only one at a time). I WiFi from camera to Android phone VLC Player then screen capture with Screen Stream Mirroring to any of the above. I can have it up and running in minutes.

This sounds like what I need. Any further details on what settings to use or what to avoid? Especially for Facebook Live
I'll be trying this ASAP. I didnt think I could wifi in and 4G out at the same time.

I didnt think I could wifi in and 4G out at the same time.
Standard procedure. That's what creating a "hot spot" with your phone does. That's how people use their phones to get internet access from their laptops.

BTW I done a variation on Donald's workflow. Sony PXW-X70 to VLC on my laptop and screen grab with Telestream Wirecast. You can do the same with OBS of course. Computer software allows to add lower thirds and a logo and possibly and opening and closing slate. Sometimes I'll start a stream early with a slate to give time for the online audience to gather.

I'll also use Facebook's live stream scheduling feature so people can subscribe to get a notification and can share the stream link to other pages and groups in advance. Sometimes I'll create a Facebook Event as well so people can use that for notifications as well. I'll share the scheduled stream to the Event in advance so if people go to the Event page they can watch the stream there without having to find the main page.

Basically if you're using a Camera you need to get it to the phone either directly or through a laptop. Otherwise you need to hook up the Camera to a hardware streaming device like the Vidiu. Otherwise you're just going to use the phone's camera.

Personally doing anything for a corporate client (even a freebee for a friend) is going to be an advertisement for you. Looking good (or bad) is going to reflect on you because the viewers (and potential clients amongst them) aren't going to know it's a freebee.

Looks like I'm buying the Vidi U Pro. Also going to upgrade my Verizon to their Un limited Everything with a dedicated hotspot device.

Sensible solution Ed! I have used the encoder unit for nearly 2 years now and all you need is a camera with HDMI, the encoder on the hotshoe and a router and you are good to go.

Just for interest, if you want to get fancier later on, you can Use a laptop (for neat graphics and a few extra webcams) with OBS on it and then send that mixed output from the laptop's HDMI video output straight into the Vidiu HDMI input and stream out as normal ..that way you don't need a super fast laptop to stream as the encoder does as the hard work!