Last summer, at PodCamp 4 in Boston, well-known video blogger Steve Garfield joined HubSpot’s Karen Rubin and Mike Volpe, in providing tips on Best Equipment for Video Podcasting.
Rubin and Volpe opened the session, describing the equipment they use in the weekly live video podcast, known as HubSpot TV (airs every Friday, at 4:00).
Volpe explained that HubSpot has used Modulus (now rebranded as Livestream) and more recently, Ustream.tv (which Vople said is a bit cheaper), for streaming the HubSpot TV show.
He went on to describe the two duplicate setups, which HubSpot uses for the live broadcast:
- Setup A: Consists of a mike connected to laptop, which in turn connects to a webcam, allowing for livestreaming via the USB port.
- Setup B: Consists of a mike connected to a standard camcorder, which provides a higher quality recording than the webcam, and is used for distributing video podcasts on iTunes.
Volpe went on to recommend investing in a camcorder, with an external microphone jack, because most camcorders come with bad audio. He also mentioned that light helps a lot in reducing shadows and suggested buying at least two inexpensive lights, to use on either side.
Garfield clarified that the reason HubSpot requires two cameras—one for livestreaming and one for recording—is because HubSpot’s camera, like most recent HD cameras, does not come with FireWire. (Instead, newer cameras now usually come with an SD card or USB cable.) According to Garfield, older high quality cameras came with FireWire, which enabled livestreaming onto your computer, from your HD camera. It’s still possible to get HD cameras with FireWire, but these cameras are now usually more expensive, in the $3500 range.
Garfield further advised to always look for the light, while Rubin explained that the person with the camera should always stand with his or her back to the window, and with the light shining on the videotape subject.
An audience member added that qik.com supports streaming from your mobile phone.
For more tips on how to make your own TV podcast, see How to Make Your Own HubSpot TV Podcast in 10 Steps.
About This Blog: Copyright Information
Contacting the Author: Content for a Convergent World – Peg Mulligan’s Blog
Peg Mulligan's Blog 
Great article. A couple updates since we gave that presentation:
1) We now use one camera. It is not HD, but it will record to tape and stream at the same time. It is a Canon GL2, about $1900. But again, we started with a $300 camera and $60 webcam and used that for over a year.
2) We have switched back to LiveStream for streaming. They launched a new version of the software that works better, and the service now seems pretty reliable.
3) We are in the process of switching from Blip TV to using Brightcove for hosting our videos and podcast feed. Blip is nice, but if your content is too “corporate” they can kick you off. They were not enjoying the other webinar videos we were posting there (HubSpot TV was OK) but we don;t want to have videos multiple places so if our tests with Brightcove go well we will use that for all videos.
Obviously we are moving more to a “pro” or “semi-pro” setup, but we have been doing the show for a year and a half and are doing more video to market our company so that is natural. I would still encourage everyone to start off cheap and quick and get going without making a big investment right out of the gate.
And of course anyone that wants to see the show and check out how we do it in person, we always have a live studio audience for the show at our office in Cambridge. Check the schedule at http://www.HubSpot.tv – March 19, 2010 we are in Las Vegas, but otherwise the show is usually filmed in Cambridge, MA.
Thanks, Mike, for dropping by, and for providing such detailed tips. HubSpot TV is consistently informative and interesting…I’ve been watching for awhile, as well as benefitting from HubSpot’s many free webinars. All your content on inbound marketing is first-rate. (On a more personal note, you are such a natural teacher, and I’ve learned so much from you. Thank you…)
In the season of Steve Garfield’s Get Seen book release, I can’t think of any better illustration of the power of video podcasts than HubSpot TV.
Hey Peg!
We actually upgraded, and we use only one camera for HubSpot TV. We purchased a Canon GL2; it has firewire output but doesn’t record HD.
Here’s a step-by-step of how we produce HubSpot TV: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5416/How-To-Make-Your-Own-HubSpot-TV-Podcast-in-10-Steps.aspx
Hope it helps! 🙂
Rebecca
Thanks, Rebecca, for providing this update, and for all the wonderful work you do, with Inbound Marketing University. I’m a big fan, of both HubSpot TV and IMU…not to mention your music videos…
Pingback: Screencasting: the Future of Technical Communication, with STC’s Raymond K. Archee « Technical and Marketing Communication: Content for a Convergent World