Streaming Backpacks
What's the deal with those things?
Introduction
A streaming backpack for IRL Streaming is basically a kit that consists of a few things. It's actually pretty simple once you understand what's going on.
The camera (which can be just about any camera) is connected to a physical encoder, which is connected to the internet, which is how it streams. Typically, the encoder is streaming to a streaming server, which typically is running OBS Studio, which streams to the streaming platform of your choice. That's not all that's in the backpack though, as you need modems for your connections, and battery packs to power everything.
What are the benefits? Using any camera you want is the main benefit. Maybe you want to use that fancy DSLR, etc, and this is how you do that. An equally valuable benefit is connection bonding, the process of using two or more connections to ensure your stream is as stable as it can be. However, with the release of IRL Pro, you can also bond connections from your Android device these days.
With that introduction out of the way, there are two encoders streamers typically choose to use, so in the following sections I will go over the pros and cons of each one.
Belabox devices are growing wildly in popularity in the IRL Streaming world. Though it is a little more difficult to setup for less tech-savvy users, they feature step-by-step guides and the setup is a lot more customizable, and cheaper, than the popular LiveU alternatives.
The setup process involves purchasing a prebuilt blank device, and installing the cooresponding Belabox image. After that, building out your backpack, acquiring everything else you need like modems and batteries, is in your hand. The Belabox community will be happy to help guide you through the process if you're willing to take on the challenge.
There is a really good video by Doodybeard that you can watch here where he goes through his entire Belabox setup with links in the description.
There is also a prebuilt option provided by AntiScuff, which you can read about on the Prebuilt IRL Backpacks page.
Pros:
Cheaper
Customizable
Community of streamers willing to help you out
The ability to use a wireless camera by adding a WiFi Adapter by installing hostapd and dhcpcd. You can techincally also use a wireless camera with a LiveU by using a wireless HDMI adapter as well.
Cons:
Requires what a less tech-savvy user would consider a lot of setup
The LiveU Solo and LiveU Solo Pro for years has been the most popular encoder you could buy. It is a little pricy, but this is the same device that major news networks use today for their live broadcasts. If you're ever around a live news feed, chances are that big fancy news camera is connected to a little blue backpack with a LiveU logo on it.
Also, the most popular of the Prebuilt IRL Backpacks is the IRL Backpack provided by UnlimitedIRL.
The setup process involves purchasing the device you prefer, and the Solo Pro is recommended because the regular Solo only supports up to two connections, while the Pro supports up to four. Should you choose to, you can also purchase the modems provided by UnlimitedIRL, even if you're building your own backpack, and opt for their plans which are specifically for the LiveU device. They're expensive modems and plans, but they make travelling worldwide for IRL Streaming a breeze.
Pros:
You're buying a device that is already pretty much setup. Plugin a modem and a camera and hit the button and you're ready to go.
Cons:
Very expensive compared to Belabox
Not as customizable as Belabox
IRLbox is brand new on the scene. I'm literally typing this right as the public beta launches in real-time. My initial thought is that it looks like a more customized version of Belabox, though I haven't actually ever been hands on with it.
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