How do you maintain and upgrade your live streaming equipment over time?

With live-streaming equipment often being moved from place to place it is 100% necessary to have the proper storage/transportation cases. Using pelican style cases with foam cutouts minimizes the risk of damage during transportation. Also be sure to have desiccant bags in the box to keep moisture away. Wipe down equipment as it’s being out away. Keep cables wrapped with Velcro ties on them.

Many times you can sneeze if your equipment is too dusty so to avoid that, do dust your area, microphone, cables. Plus everyone loves to walk into a clean area.

This is very true. A dirty setup will cause overheating and shorts in your equipment. There is no reason to have a dirty electronics.

Or go by this principle - never touch a running system. If you are happy with your setup and everything is working great don't be the first to push the update button. It often happens that updates bring new bugs. Be patient, wait a little bit and read online what potential issues the new update can bring and update when you are absolutely sure.

By keeping your software and firmware up-to-date, you ensure your devices run smoothly, prevent potential issues, and protect against vulnerabilities. Ignoring these updates may lead to risks and headaches you do not want to deal with. It's an essential part of technology maintenance.

This can also have an adverse effect by introducing untested updates to the platform. For this to be accomplished properly testing and planning will need to be done prior to any updates and only then should a decision be made to push out updates to everyone. There have been a number of times when windows updates have been responsible for entire platforms to break due to them being set to ‘automatic’ and requiring emergency intervention to reverse the damage done.

Regular monitoring and testing of your equipment can help you detect potential issues before they become major problems. This proactive approach can save you from unexpected technical glitches during your live streaming, ensuring a smooth and professional experience for your viewers. This can significantly enhance the viewer's experience and increase your reputation as a reliable streamer.

The main pain points would be cables or loose connectors, so make sure that you have some spares saved near. It happens really fast that you rip a cable and don't have a spare anywhere near and it's weekend.

With the constant improvements in all aspects of live streaming you have to stay up to date on the new equipment/software out there. Todays cutting edge equipment can quickly become outdated. Try not to get “all-in-one” boxes. Sure it’s great to have an audio mixer, video switch, and encoder all-in-one but what happens with the encoder is outdated or the audio mixer inputs go bad? It’s also a good idea to go a level or two above what you think you’ll need. That can save money down the road as you might not to upgrade if you bought bigger the first time.

Consider the technical support and warranty of the equipment. It's crucial because if something goes wrong, you'd want reliable customer service and a sound warranty policy for repairs or replacements. This can save costs and reduce downtime.

I learned the hard way that you need to have a backups of all your live stream equipment. You just never know when any piece might die. ?? Two months ago, my ring light stopped working 20 minutes before my Live. There I was running around the house grabbing every lamp I could. The temporary fix worked. But when the live was over I ordered 2 ring lights. An heir and a spare. If you don't want to have 2 of everything, at least make a list (keep it handy) of what you could use in an emergency. For example, your mobile phone could be a substitute for an inoperable webcam.

If you find a brand you like, do join their mailing list so you can learn when they have sale. Plus they will provide you with a discount code for purchasing for the first time. And when you get new equipment, take time to learn how to use the equipment way before the live not right before. Ive done that before and it's not a great idea.

For me, switching from recorded video to live streaming was tough. The drop in video quality and spotlight on mistakes frustrated me. Upgrading equipment can be exciting, but I remember one event when my new camera setup suddenly wasn't recognized by my streaming software. With 40 seconds to start, I went live with poor video and bad lighting. Live streaming reveals everything in real-time, making us feel vulnerable. But maybe that's the beauty of it—embracing our imperfections, focusing on the journey and being genuine. My mindset has changed: Live streaming isn't about perfection; it's about community connection.