Do you wish to broadcast your webcam online, but become frustrated messing around with web pages and java applets? Ustream.tv can come to your rescue. Ustream.tv is a live video broadcast platform that allows anyone with a computer, Internet connection, and camera to broadcast their own show. Ustream.tv even provides you with a chatroom, where you can connect with your viewers.

Necessary Materials

All that is required to start your own Ustream.tv show is a computer, an Internet connection, and a camera. I suggestion broadband for your Internet connection, since you will want the fastest upload speed possible in order to transfer your video stream from your computer to the Ustream.tv servers. As far as a camera goes, webcams are a dime-a-dozen. At the moment, this Logitech webcam is on sale for $14.99. If you are looking for something a little more sophisticated, the Logitech Quickcam Ultra Vision has a precision-engineered lens, built-in microphone, and great quality.

Broadcasting, Dead-Simple

Once you have your equipment together, broadcasting on Ustream.tv is dead simple. Their web interface makes setting up your own show only a matter of clicks – you will be up and running in just a few minutes.

  • Sign up with Ustream.tv.
  • Click their “Broadcast Now” button. If this is your first time, you will be prompted to set up your show. Fill in a name, upload a picture, enter some tags, describe your show, and save the changes.
  • Hit “Broadcast Now” to bring up their broadcast control interface. You will be asked to allow Adobe Flash Player access to your camera – click “Allow”. Once you see yourself in the Ustream.tv window, you are ready to go – click the “Start Broadcast” button.

Troubleshooting

If you do not see yourself in the Ustream.tv broadcast window, make sure nothing else is controlling your camera’s video stream. This is a mistake I made at first. I was running the QuickCam’s “QuickCapture” program at the same time as Ustream, so the camera was unavailable to Ustream. Once I shut down the QuickCapture software, everything worked perfectly.

Promote Your Show

Back in the main Ustream.tv site, click on “My Shows”, select your show, then click on the “Share” tab. You will be given three very effective promotion tools.

  1. URL: Send this over IM, e-mail, and social networks to your friends and family. By visiting this address with their web browser, they will be able to see your show.
  2. Embed: Paste this HTML code into your web page to display your show.
  3. wordpress.com blog: If you have a WordPress.com blog, paste this code into your blog to display your Ustream.tv show.