Live Streaming Hardware, Compare BoxCast
Live streaming has become a part of almost all events involving video production, and finding the right encoder is crucial for delivering high-quality content to your viewers. There are scores of live streaming encoders on the market. Purchasing the best one for your budget can be a challenge — and the last thing you want is for it to fail mid live stream.
In this article, we highlight the five best hardware encoders for streaming under $1,000. We’ve got options for every broadcaster — whether you’re someone who’s been live streaming for years or just getting started. Read on and take a look at our recommendations to help decide which live stream encoder you should buy.
To learn more about affordable BoxCast encoders, schedule a quick demo with one of our friendly experts.
A live streaming encoder can make or break your broadcast. It’s the device that live streams your content to your viewers, and is usually found at the end of the chain for your production workflow. Your workflow/setup might look something like this:
Your encoder takes your video and audio and sends it to the destination(s) you choose. That could be your website as well as social platforms like Facebook, YouTube, etc. You need to make sure the encoder you use is reliable. You could have a flawless production, but if your encoder goes down, your viewers will no longer be able to watch your live stream.
There are two types of encoders for streaming: software and hardware. In this article, we focus on hardware encoders because we feel there are major pros of using hardware over software to encode video. Some benefits include ease of use, dedicated processing power, and setup time.
Plenty of factors can determine what kind of encoder is best for your setup. So if you’re actually looking for a software encoder, we recommend OBS, Wirecast, and vMix. Any software encoder can live stream to BoxCast, as long as they can stream RTMP.
Before you pick an encoder, determine what’s important to you. Write it down and make sure the encoder you buy can check most — if not all — your boxes. For example, if you need an encoder that can multistream to your website, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Twitch all at the same time, watch or read encoder product reviews to see if there are other people successfully doing that.
Also, look into what kind of support is offered. Research online and try to call the companies selling each encoder you’re considering to get specific answers to outstanding questions you have about the products. If you can't get in touch with certain companies or find support articles to help you learn about the encoders, you should probably avoid those options.
The LiveU Solo brand specializes in cellular bonding and on-the-go streaming. With their LiveU Solo HDMI encoder, you get a product that can cellular bond up to four networks together to give you great internet connection in a remote area. Once you configure the live stream on your computer, all you need to do is click one button to go live from the LiveU Solo.
Blackmagic makes a range of products — from switchers and converters to cameras and encoders. Their Blackmagic Web Presenter 4K is a live streaming encoder that has features for beginners and advanced broadcasters alike. With its inputs and outputs, along with the ability to plug your phone in as a backup internet solution, the Web Presenter fits great into almost any studio.
Note: You can only stream to one destination while using this device, so if you plan to broadcast directly to Facebook and YouTube at the same time, this may not be the product for you.
Teradek’s Vidiu X is great for on-the-go live streaming scenarios. This could be your kid’s soccer game, a wedding, or any setup that needs to be outside. In any case, the Vidiu has you covered since it connects to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. It's designed to be outside the studio space, with its compact size and ability to be mounted directly to a camera.
The Magewell Ultra Encode AIO is for more advanced streaming professionals. It supports various input sources, allowing for SDI and HDMI streaming, and is capable of encoding video in AVC and H.265 (HEVC) formats. The device is compact and can be rack mounted if needed. It’s made by Magewell, which creates a variety of products including capture cards, converters, and encoders.
BoxCast’s touchscreen HEVC encoder, Spark, offers broadcasters of all levels an intuitive, feature-rich encoder at an affordable price. Spark smoothly integrates with BoxCast’s trusted live streaming platform, giving you the ability to automate your broadcast and deliver a professional-quality experience.
This is the most advanced, yet easy-to-use HEVC live streaming encoder under $,1000 — that also comes with top-tier support. With all the automated features built into Spark, this is a dream for a small team juggling many responsibilities. The Spark streaming encoder will automatically start and stop and update you on the touchscreen monitor if there are any issues.
We sell live streaming encoders at BoxCast, but also offer a powerful, integrated live streaming platform. With our Dashboard, you’re able to use our Spark encoder to its fullest potential — with the unmatched reliability of BoxCast Flow. If you already have another encoder or decide to buy a different one, that's okay, too.
Because whether you use one of ours or another hardware or software encoder, you can live stream from it directly to us. By doing so, you get access to all our platform features — like unlimited multistreaming, broadcasting to your website, adding live captions or graphic overlays, and rebroadcasting events as if they were live. And much, much more.
Get a quick demo to learn how BoxCast works with your encoder of choice to deliver a professional-quality streaming experience.
We recommend doing your research before buying any video encoder for streaming. These are our top choices, but don’t hesitate to visit YouTube and watch videos on how each encoder you’re considering works. Call their parent companies and let them answer your questions. Whatever do, remember: If an encoder seems too good to be true, it probably is.
At BoxCast, we strive to create the best affordable live stream encoders you can buy. Beyond great encoders, we offer a flexible, video-centered platform that’s both easy to use and one of the most reliable on the market. Plus we’re here to help — seven days a week. You can always call, email, or ping us via chat if you have any questions about your encoder or live streaming.
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