Once your pre-streaming preparation is complete, the next step is to ensure that your hardware and software settings are optimised for smooth and reliable live streaming.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to view a video summary of the functions described in this guide.
Check Your PC Graphics Configuration
To automatically check that you are using the best video encoding and decoding settings for your PC's graphics hardware, use the NV Play Cricket software's recommended settings tool:
- Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Video Capture tab.
- Click the Auto Detect link in the Performance Options section. The Auto Detect Video Settings dialogue opens. This tool automatically checks your PC graphics hardware and suggests the best settings for optimal streaming video encoding and decoding.
- Click the Apply button to make the suggested changes, if any, to your PC settings. If your computer configuration doesn't need any changes, the Apply button is greyed out and the bottom of the dialogue displays "Your Video Configuration settings are optimal."
Check Your YouTube Streaming Settings
To check that your NV Play Cricket software settings are configured for YouTube streaming:
- Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Live Streaming tab.
- Check that the Streaming dropdown menu is set to "YouTube".
- Check that the Stream Key field contains your YouTube Stream Key. If you don't have a key yet, see Finding Your YouTube Stream Key.
- Check that the Resolution dropdown menu is set to the required video resolution. This defaults to 720p, but you might want to use a higher or lower resolution, depending on your broadband internet connection's speed and stability.
- Check that the Target Bitrate field is set to "2500" for 720p or "4500" for 1080p. The text to the right of the field indicates the amount of data that the specified bitrate will require every hour (these are, approximately, 500 MB per hour at 480p resolution, 1.1 GB per hour at 720p, and 2 GB per hour at 1080p). You can manually adjust the video bitrate but note that lowering the default bitrate set for each of the resolutions provided might result in worse image quality. If you experience buffering or instability after increasing bitrate, you should lower the video resolution first, then lower the target bitrate if the issue is not fixed.
Next, learn more about the streaming features and controls in the NV Play Cricket software. See Live Streaming: Step 3: Streaming Features and Controls.