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When deciding what type of headset mic to use you have the option of two different types. A headset mic or a headset and a separate microphone. This article helps you decide on which you should choose. There are quite a bit of different things and at the end you will be able to understand if Headset mics are good for streaming.

There are so many factors that differentiate headset from standalone microphones. This depends on what you need as a streamer and a gamer.

Headset Microphone Pros and Cons

Headset Microphone Pros

It is convenient- the headset allows you to speak easily into it without straining your head. You can move your head around and still communicate effectively to it. It will also not disrupt your sight because it is steady and doesn’t move up and down.

Headsets are less costly- in comparing the buying price, gaming headsets are cheaper than standalone microphones.

It is versatile- many gaming headsets can easily be compatible with most of the gaming devices and electronic devices such as PC, PS4 and Xbox one.

Headset Microphone Cons

The battery life of the microphone- being that the battery must charge constantly then you cannot steam as it charges.

The microphone quality does not make it a better option for streaming. It is only suitable for gaming and not creating content.

People who stream for long hours may find it uncomfortable putting on gaming headsets for a long time while streaming perpetually.

Standalone microphones pros and cons

Let’s consider the following reasons for and against standalone microphones.

Standalone microphones Pros

• Professional picture- your fans or customers will have the image of professionalism in your work. They may tell your seriousness once you have a standalone microphone of your own.

• So many advantageous features- these features will help in improving the sound the standalone microphone will take. A good example is Blue yeti microphones which has features that enhance the sound it picks up for various tasks for example steaming and interviews, etc.

• The sound quality is good for content creation. This microphone is originally designed for content creation. It has a superb sound that a gaming headset do not have.

Standalone microphones Cons

• Standalone microphones are expensive as compared to headsets- apart from being expensive one may need to buy earphones or even headsets on top. This is to make the sound more effective by preventing your standalone microphones from using the game audio or sound. Other electronic accessories that you may add involve, a pop filter and a boom which help in regulating the amount of sound.

• It hinders flexibility- in order to have effective sound, one must remain seated so as to talk directly to the microphones. It doesn’t allow you to stand up and this prevents flexibility.

Outstanding microphones for streaming

Considering prices and other factors let’s discuss the best three gaming headsets in town.

1. Razer Kraken x gaming headset

• Surround sound it is furnished with 7.1 surround sound. An exact positional audio is given out by this USB headset.
•  Its price on amazon is 64.42 dollars which is cheaper than
•  It is a noise canceling microphone- for the purpose of enhancing clarity to your audience, razor kraken is fixed with noise cancelling technique that easily recognizes noise and suspend it.
•  Razer kraken is durable and does not easily break or wear out. As proclaimed by many users of this headset, when handled with a lot of care, it will last for years.

 

2. Hyper Cloud II

• 7.1 virtual surround sound- which enhance an exact positional audio in order to provide sound clarity.
• It can be used for long as well since it is durable. It is created strong and cannot break easily. It is fixed with aluminum frame that is flexible therefore capable of accommodating various head sizes.
•  Hyper cloud II is more costly than Razer kraken. The cheapest hyper X on amazon goes at 95.56 dollars.

 

3. NUBWO Gaming headsets

• Built for comfort. Soft leatherette ear cups and ergonomically padded headband allow for long gaming sessions without fatigue
• lmmersive Gaming Audio. Dual 50mm speaker drivers are engineered to produce detailed, balanced soundscape with ultra-low distortion for your games, music, movies, and more
• Noise-canceling Mic. The flexible omnidirectional microphone captures the user’s voice yet eliminates unwanted background noise.
• Convenience to Use: The in-line Audio control makes it possible to conveniently adjust the volume and mute the microphone without having to go into extra settings

If you are looking for one of the cheapest headsets on the market this is it.

 

How do you make a headset mic sound better?

There are several ways of improving the sound of your headset or even that of standalone microphone.

Better Positioning

In order to get good amount of sound from your microphone, you may need to adjust it close to your face but distance it a bit from your mouth. This is the best way to treat a boom microphone that has its microphone fixed to the end of the boom. Here you will have to put the boom a bit lower in order to have a reasonable location of the microphone.

Microphone volume on your computer

Always ensure that the volume from your laptop is favorable. This is because if the sound is too loud it may affect or hinder the streaming. If it is too low your squad may not hear your instructions. Therefore maintain a favorable sound or volume from your PC.

Streamlabs OBS Mixer and Audio levels

From the streamlabs OBS you need to modify your audio levels. You have to view both your microphone audio levels and the desktop audio levels. Compare and set levels that suites you best. Being that I am a streamer personally, I would prefer a higher microphone audio than the desktop audio.

Streamlabs filters

• Your streamlabs has got different types of filters that can better up the microphone sound. Choose one of the filters and use it to enhance the microphones sound. Keep alternating the filters to find the best that can work for you.
• The noise that come from the fans or background can easily be dealt with by these filters.
• The streamlab filters can be limiters to any unnecessary noise you may cause hence not disturbing your fans.it depends on your setting of these filters.
• The filters can also act as noise gates hence dealing with any noise from any other source e.g. disruption from keyboard or mouse clicking sounds.

Conclusion

I would advise that depending on your budget, you can start streaming with what you can afford or a headset you already own. There are many who started with just a gaming headset and still succeeded in becoming best streamers. If steaming is working well with you, I suggest you get your own standalone microphone which is specifically for content creation.

 

 

A good Twitch extension can help with content streaming and will encourage the audience to interact with the channel. Twitch is helping boost the system.

If you have an idea for a new extension or feel that you can improve on the one you can submit it to Twitch. You can help many streamers improve their experience and earn some extra money.

There are simple ways to develop an extension and submit it to Twitch

Creating an Extension for Twitch

Here are the steps you should follow to create an extension to submit to Twitch

• Think of an idea
• Submit the extension

1. Brainstorming an idea

You will need more than a basic interest in streaming. You will need to look at how this extension is going to work, how you want it to work, what it is going to look like, how to improve streaming, and how it will benefit the user.

It needs to work with the UI system on Twitch and will need to follow specific guidelines. They will help make sure the extension will help the streamers. The format is important to make sure it will work with the current platforms.

You will need to look at the size, how it is going to be operated, and if it is able to stream when a user is offline. You may want to think of ways that it can be customized and what users would like.

Once you have the details worked out you are going to want to develop the extension. You will make sure it works. You can develop it yourself or commission a professional to do it for you.

2. Creating the Extension

Once you know what you want the next step is to code it. If you do not know how to code you can take a course or work with a developer to code for you. There are some tips in the article How to Create a Discord Bot.

If you are looking for a commission bot you can check out Fiverr. This is where you can work with a designer or developer that has many skills. They work for an affordable rate. You can search the profiles until you find one that is able to develop your extension.

You need to message the developer so they know exactly what you want in your project. You will need to provide them with all of the details. You will also need to look at the guidelines for Twitch to make sure it will work on that site.

3. Submit the Extension

After the extension has been developed you will need to submit it to Twitch. You are going to have to create an account and then log in. you will then

• Step 1: Visit the extension developer console and upload it
• Step 2: Click the Create Extension on the ride side of the screen
• Step 3: Give your extension a name. You should name it something that will help streamers know what it is. You will not be able to change the name. Once you do this click on Continue.
• Step 4: You will need to fill in information about the extension. You should include the following information:

Type of extension- is it going to work with Twitch and will it be mobile friendly?

Conclusion

Creating an extension and posting it on Twitch can help streamers. It can also help you develop your brand. If you are creative you can make some money off of this extension. You will get around 20 percent of all of the bits that are paid for it. This will allow you to make passive income. You can watch this income grow over time.

 

We are going to take a look at Twitch Vs YouTube Gaming for Streaming. These two powerhouse platforms have become the leaders in where streamers will start a career. This article will explain the pros and cons of each platform to help you decide on your perfect home.

Should I Start Streaming on Twitch

Pros

Largest platform – Twitch is home to the largest live streaming community, especially for gaming creators.

Twitch Chat – Twitch has some of the most unique chats in streaming. You are going to have users spam different emotes, and expressing tons of support to their streamer.

Hype Train – A new concept for streamers where it gives a certain window for people to donate bits, subscribe or donate money. Allowing for the streamers to make some serious cash with this thrilling game in chat.

Brand recognition – Twitch has enormous brand recognition as it was the original brand that started up the streaming world. It has become the go to place for many new streamers.

Cons

Competition – Twitch has been the top dog for a long time and most likely won’t lose the spot as the culture at Twitch loves Twitch. It started showing signs of decline in hours watched but that is because of other platforms picking up big streamers. This report which was done by Streamlabs showed in the third quarter of 2020 that Twitch had lower hours watched.

Should I Start Streaming on YouTube Gaming

 

Pros

The New Place – YouTube Gaming has steadily increased on all metrics and become a popular place for people to watch. Among us was a big factor in this as some of the top streamers were on YouTube Gaming, like valkyrie. The platform has steadily increased on all metrics: hours watched, users watching, and channel creation. Its becoming a popular space for new streamers.

Multiple growth opportunities – It has a one-size-fits-all approach allowing users to stream, create videos, make shorts, and post stories. There is also far less competition, even though YouTube itself has 20 times the user base of Twitch, there are fewer users actively streaming. It could be a platform for a new creator to have breakout success.

Content ID system – YouTube has been dealing with Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). They have many resolutions, and methods creators can take action. Where as Twitch doesn’t have this in place yet. They can even take other methods that won’t have them having to delete their entire content so they don’t get a strike.

Cons

No Live-stream homepage – YouTube is still YouTube first and doesn’t have a homepage dedicated to streamers. They have made improvements with making streams show up in your search when you are looking for certain things but still needs improvement.

Twitch vs YouTube for Community Growth

There are several things to consider when deciding between the two platforms. Here are the most important:

Growth Potential

YouTube appears to have a stronger potential for new creators. It’s home to a very intelligent algorithm which for your sake is good. It will bring you tons of new viewers because it knows what you are trying to stream. New content creators can optimize their live streams, videos and shorts to reach a bigger new audience.

Site Visitors

YouTube is still a video website, which is good for you as a streamer. With less streamers but significantly higher user numbers, the potential for your growth is much higher as a new streamer. The competition on the platform is far lower than Twitch, While also having a user base that is 25 times bigger.

Discoverability

Twitch has one of the hardest Discoverabilities on the market today. A saturated user base doesn’t help your cause. Don’t expect to just get viewers if you stream for 8 hours a day and not do anything else. The platform doesn’t have an algorithm to show content to others. Channels are sorted by the highest viewed to the lowest, this is why it’s recommended to play games that are not as popular if you are looking to get a following.

Platform Culture

The platforms are popular and they have their fans who will always be using the platform they watch on. Twitch has a bigger base of users as they have been watching on the platform for years. YouTube Gaming has more potential because they have tons of users who watch all of the content and you will have a better chance of getting noticed as you won’t be buried in the bottom of the page when you are playing Call of Duty.

The Future of Twitch vs YouTube Gaming

YouTube has situated itself as a platform that is going to succeed in the next few years. THe platform has everything you would need to become a content creators haven. The platform already does well with its bread and butter videos. This allows it to continue doing what it does well but also expand into categories like YouTube Gaming.

Twitch is not going anywhere anytime soon as they are owned by Amazon. If anything you can make more money streaming on Twitch because everyone has an Amazon account. They are starting to see a decline in viewers but this because companies like YouTube have taken notice and are bringing streamers to other platforms.

YouTube Gaming and Twitch have different pros and cons. The one positive to both is they are not going anywhere. You can trust that you will be able to start streaming to get the grind going.

Verdict

If you are a new content creator looking to find the right platform to create an audience, should start on whichever one you want. YouTube Gaming will of course bring you more exposure but Twitch has more systems in place to earn you money. It is personally up to you which one you pick. Both have amazing pros and cons to starting on them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does YouTube Gaming pay more than Twitch?

YouTube Gaming has different monetary systems such as Superchats, Memberships & In-stream Ads. YouTube takes a smaller cut than Twitch at 30%, which would give you more revenue than Twitch; which takes a 50% cut for Affiliates.

How much do YouTube Gaming streamers make?

Income on live streaming platforms dramatically depends on your size on that platform. A successful Twitch or YouTube streamer would on average make $3000-$5000 a month from tips, subscriptions & ads. However, on YouTube, you can take advantage of creating Videos and generate income through them with much better ad-rates compared to Twitch VODs.

Is it easier to grow on YouTube Gaming than Twitch?

Right now it would be easier to grow on YouTube Gaming as they have better algorithms but the benefit of Twitch is you can get raided by a popular streamer sometimes.

Why do YouTubers stream on Twitch?

They do this because they are taking advantage of both YouTube and Twitch. They don’t have a contract with either, which allows them to stream on both. The issue with this is subscriptions on Twitch only gives you 50% of the income. You have tons of subscribers as it won’t change the top line. They aren’t ready to sign a contract which allows them to stream on both whenever they want.

 

Wrapping Up

Twitch vs YouTube Gaming for Streaming will only just keep on growing. You will be

 

How to stream from a Laptop To Twitch is becoming more of a question with people looking for alternative ways to purchase their next gaming rig. As someone who has tried out the streaming from a laptop, I can tell you with the right laptop you can easily make your dreams a reality. Let’s dive in.

Can You Stream on Twitch Using a Laptop?

Yes – you can stream from a laptop. You just need to make sure it meets the minimum requirements. You will need some other items as well depending on what you are looking to stream.

• Minimum Requirement to Stream on Twitch
• Twitch minimum requirements for streaming
• CPU: Intel Core i5-4670 or AMD equivalent
• Memory: 8GB+
• GPU: DirectX 11 compatible
• OS: WIndows 7
• ISP Upload Speed: 3-6Mbps

You need an ethernet cord for the best connection. You can use a Wi-FI connection if you have very fast internet.

You may also have to find a game that isn’t strenuous on the laptop. You won’t be able to play the newest Call of Duty at 120 frames plus stream on your laptop. Depending on the game will allow you to stream more or else that game with good quality.

How to Optimize a Laptop for Streaming Games

There are many ways to optimize your Laptop for streaming games. As mentioned above the most important part is making sure you play a game that your Laptop can handle. Here are some other ways to improve your stream quality.

• Close all unnecessary apps
• Stream at lower resolution
• StreamLabs for all streaming needs.

Streamlabs has good bitrate to stream properly. It is the best option out of all the streaming software.

Software

The only streaming software you will need is some form of Open Broadcast Software (OBS). Our suggestion is Streamlabs, but you can use Stream Elements or original OBS as well. The choice is yours. If you are using StreamLabs you can see the optimized settings for you below.

Optimization

Close all other apps except for StreamLabs and the game you’re playing.

Settings below can be found in the Output menu.

• Encoder: Software (x264) (CPU)
• Output Resolution: 1280×720
• Frames: 30FPS

If your CPU is chugging along with the above settings, change the encoder to Hardware (NVENC). This will take the burden encoding on the GPU, instead of the CPU.

Hardware

Here’s some additional gear to consider for streaming on your laptop:

Depending on how much money to spend determines what you should buy, here is a list of items you should purchase in the order you should be purchasing them, if you can’t buy it all at once.

• Microphone – We put together a list of the best microphone for streaming
• Microphone Stand
• Webcam – Check out our article on the best webcams for you to use.
• Capture Card – If you are streaming from a console.

Conclusion

As the years go on the ability to stream on platforms like Twitch will continue to get easier. As long as you have a decent laptop, a decent internet connection and optimize OBS settings will be the best.