MacBook for live-streaming setup.

[Samurai Shampoo]

Hello,


I want to live stream a video podcast and need a great computer that can handle the data load and is semi-portable.

The device that takes in all the cameras and audio inputs (3 cams + 3 mics) is an Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro ISO or ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (depending on what I rent).

The stream is transmitted via USB-C to the computer.


Now, I thought about getting a MacBook but am unsure if it's the best option.

As an alternative to that I was thinking about a mac mini or iMac on a rolling table (you know the kind of compact storage things that PA people have at music shows).

What would you suggest in terms of livestreaming?

Are there any known problems with any current generation MacBooks, Mac Minis etc.? Like the butterfly keyboard some time ago?


Thanks in advance!

 

[make_mac_fast_again]

Hello,


I want to live stream a video podcast and need a great computer that can handle the data load and is semi-portable.

The device that takes in all the cameras and audio inputs (3 cams + 3 mics) is an Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro ISO or ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (depending on what I rent).

The stream is transmitted via USB-C to the computer.


Now, I thought about getting a MacBook but am unsure if it's the best option.

As an alternative to that I was thinking about a mac mini or iMac on a rolling table (you know the kind of compact storage things that PA people have at music shows).

What would you suggest in terms of livestreaming?

Are there any known problems with any current generation MacBooks, Mac Minis etc.? Like the butterfly keyboard some time ago?


Thanks in advance!

Don’t use MacBook - it will overheat.

 

[TheRdungeon]

Honestly, I'd get a M1 Macbook pro, the fan will help with the long workloads and it should be more than capable of handling it. I've streamed to two outputs taking in two cameras on my 2012 15 inch macbook pro, and that was while running the Audio through Logic. I briefly used a M1 Mac Mini and it handled everything easily. These new chips are insanely good at encoding video

 

[bchah]

The ATEM Mini switchers (Pro and upwards) have a hardware RTMP encoder built-in, so you don't have to stream via the computer at all. They can even use a USB-connected iPhone for data now, pretty cool. If you specifically need to stream via an app on the computer (like OBS or Wirecast), I would integrate an entry-level M1 Mac Mini into the rig.