1. Choose Your Streaming Method
You need a system that can take video from 3 mobile cameras and send them to one live stream.
You have 3 main options:
Option A: Using a Multicam App (simplest)
- Apps like Switcher Studio (iOS), ManyCam, OBS Camera, or Larix Broadcaster let you connect multiple phones over Wi-Fi.
- One phone becomes the main control device (switcher), the others act as camera sources.
- You can switch between camera angles live.
Option B: Using OBS Studio on a Laptop
- Install OBS Studio (free).
- Use apps like NDI HX Camera (iOS/Android) or DroidCam OBS to send each phone’s video feed to the laptop via Wi-Fi.
- Add all cameras as video sources in OBS.
- Switch angles in OBS while streaming to YouTube, Facebook, or Zoom.
Option C: Hardware Switcher (professional setup)
- If your mobiles can output HDMI via adapters, connect them to a hardware switcher (e.g., ATEM Mini).
- Switcher connects to a laptop and streams via OBS.
- More reliable but requires extra equipment.
2. Setup Steps (for App Method – easiest for school event)
- Install Switcher Studio / ManyCam / similar app on all 3 phones.
- Connect all phones to the same Wi-Fi network (stable, high-speed).
- Choose one phone as the main switcher/controller.
- Add the other 2 phones as remote cameras inside the app.
- Position cameras:
- Camera 1: Wide shot of full stage.
- Camera 2: Close-up of speakers/performers.
- Camera 3: Audience reaction or side view.
- From the main device, switch between camera angles during the event.
- Connect the main device to YouTube Live / Facebook Live account and start streaming.
3. Important Requirements
- Stable Wi-Fi or LAN → At least 10 Mbps upload speed for smooth streaming.
- Tripods for steady shots.
- Power banks / chargers (stage events can run long).
- Good audio: Use an external mic connected to the main switcher phone (e.g., wireless mic or mixer line-in). Bad audio can ruin good video.
4. Tips for Smooth Streaming
- Test everything at least 1–2 days before the event.
- Assign a student/teacher to operate the switcher device.
- Keep one camera always on the wide full stage view (backup).
- Use wired internet for the main device if possible (more stable than Wi-Fi).
- Stream at 720p if internet is weak; 1080p if connection is strong.
Option B in Detail: Using a Computer (OBS) as the Central Switcher
This option gives more flexibility and better control.
Components & Overview
- Phones (cameras): Use 2 or 3 mobile devices to capture different angles.
- Network or connection method: You need to transmit each phone’s video feed to the computer (via Wi-Fi, USB, or NDI, etc.).
- Computer with OBS (or similar): This is your switcher / mixer. You add each camera feed as a source, and switch between them live.
- Streaming destination: From OBS, you stream to YouTube, Facebook, or any RTMP endpoint.
Step-by-Step Setup
- Select a method to bring phone video feeds into OBS. Some options:
- Use NDI (Network Device Interface) or NDI HX apps on phones to send video over Wi-Fi to OBS (OBS has an NDI plugin).
- Use apps like DroidCam, IP Webcam, or similar, which turn your phone into a webcam over network or USB.
- Use capture cards + HDMI adapters (if phones support HDMI output), though this becomes more hardware-intensive.
- Install OBS on your computer.
- Add each phone’s feed as a Video Source (via NDI source, or the relevant plugin).
- Name them (e.g. “Wide Stage”, “Close-up”, “Audience”).
- Arrange scenes / transitions.
- Create scenes in OBS (e.g. Scene 1 = Wide + lower-third titles, Scene 2 = Close-up, etc.).
- Configure transitions (fade, cut, etc.).
- Audio setup.
- Use a good external microphone or audio mixer. Do not rely solely on phone mics (they will differ in quality and timing).
- Bring audio into OBS (e.g., via a USB audio interface, or via the mixed audio of one device).
- Test and sync.
- Make sure the video feeds arrive with minimal delay (latency).
- If any feed lags, you might need to add delay-fixing buffers in OBS.
- Check lip sync (audio vs video) and adjust delays as needed.
- Start streaming.
- In OBS, set your streaming output settings (bitrate, resolution, keyframe, etc.).
- Connect OBS to your streaming platform via stream key / RTMP.
- Go live and operate like a TV director: switch camera angles in real time.
- Backup / monitoring.
- Always keep one “wide shot” feed on standby.
- Monitor stream health (bitrate, dropped frames).
- Keep spare cables, power, etc.
Using PRISM Live Studio — What It Offers & Its Limitations
PRISM Live Studio is designed as a mobile/desktop streaming and broadcasting tool, with various features. prismlive.com+2prismlive.com+2
What PRISM can do:
- On mobile, PRISM allows you to stream to platforms like YouTube, Facebook, etc. prismlive.com+2prismlive.com+2
- It supports multi-platform streaming (i.e. streaming to multiple channels simultaneously). prismlive.com+2prismlive.com+2
- PRISM has a “Connect” mode (for connecting cameras/devices) and supports “remote control / connecting multiple mobile devices to a PC app.” guide.prismlive.com+1
- On PRISM desktop/PC, you can add “mobile source” so that your phone camera becomes one source in the desktop app. prismlive.com+1
Limitations / Challenges for full multicam:
- PRISM states: “Can I use PRISM with a webcam or a DSLR camera? This feature is currently not available” (as of their FAQ) prismlive.com
- That suggests its support for external camera sources is limited.
- It’s not explicitly a “multicam switcher” like OBS or Switcher Studio. Its multicam capabilities are more limited or indirect.
- Latency / synchronization may be harder to manage if you rely purely on mobile devices feeding into PRISM.
- The number of mobile sources you can reliably handle depends on device performance, network strength, etc.
How you might use PRISM in a multicam workflow (hybrid with Option B)
You can combine PRISM with OBS or use PRISM’s desktop connection features to get multiple mobile feeds into PRISM’s environment:
- Use PRISM mobile app on each phone to send video feed into PRISM desktop/PC via “mobile source” or “connect mode.” Then inside PRISM desktop you might treat each mobile feed as a source. (Check that your PRISM desktop version supports that many mobile sources.)
- Use PRISM to manage overlays, graphics, chat widgets, etc., while OBS handles the heavy switching logic.
- Or, if your setup is simple and your number of cameras small (2–3), test whether PRISM desktop + multiple mobile sources gives you enough control (scene switching). If it works, you might not need OBS.
Step-by-Step Example: 3 Mobile Cameras + PRISM (Hybrid)
Here’s a possible workflow combining PRISM + OBS:
- On each phone, install and run PRISM mobile. Configure each to send its video to your PC.
- Use the “Connect” feature in PRISM to link mobile → PC. guide.prismlive.com+1
- Ensure phones and PC are on same stable Wi-Fi.
- On PC, launch PRISM desktop / PRISM Live Studio (PC version) and accept the mobile sources.
- Or, alternatively, on PC open OBS, and use OBS’s NDI plugin or PRISM’s desktop source integration (if supported) to bring in the phone feeds.
- In OBS, create scenes (wide, close-up, etc.). Use PRISM for overlays, chat widget, etc.
- Use OBS / or PRISM desktop (whichever you prefer) to switch cameras live.
- From OBS (or PRISM desktop if it supports streaming), send one output stream to your desired platform(s).
- Monitor and adjust delays, ensure synchronization, do rehearsals.
Conclusion & Recommendation
- Option B (using a computer + OBS) is more reliable and flexible for a multicam school event.
- You can use PRISM in the mix (especially PRISM desktop + mobile connection) to bring mobile cameras into a computer environment. But PRISM alone may not be strong enough as a full multicam switcher (depending on how many sources you need and how smoothly it handles them).
- If you want, I can map out exactly how to use PRISM + OBS together step-by-step, or see whether your specific phones and PC can make PRISM-only multicam workable. Would you like me to plan that for your devices?
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