I am using a lot of the tech I had already to run my live streams, but got a bit of extra equipment like light for example. As I had a lot of gear already for beyond tellerrand and running events for 20 years, I did not have to buy a lot, which means, some of the stuff is quite expensive (like the Canon EOS R), not bought specifically for this reason and you might not need this kind of camera for a good quality image and can get a way lower priced camera to use.

I am working on a post where I configure a package that is not as pricey, but a good point to start without having a big budget. If you are already on YouTube, there is plenty of good recommendations out there as well for certain aspects (camera, light, microphone), but also for complete packages.

Hardware

What I use right now, since people asked me and/or people wondered when Vitaly used my Studio for SmashingConf and Workshops, is the following (all links are affiliate links and it won’t cost you anything more to use them, but brings me some financial support during these times – if you consider buying some gear and use these links, thanks a lot):

(The link on the product name is the information link, Thomann and Amazon behind it)

Switcher/Capture Card

• Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro ISO – (Thomann | Amazon), ~€879
  • Other versions I have/use:
    • Atem Mini – (Thomann | Amazon), ~€295
    • Atem Mini Pro – (Thomann | Amazon), ~€599
  • If you only want to stream with one Camera and don’t need a live switcher, you can use an Elgato Cam Link – (Thomann | Amazon), ~€125

Camera

• Canon EOS R – (Amazon), ~€1950 with
  • Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM – (Amazon), ~€1750
  • or Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM – (Amazon), ~€340

Light (Keylight, Hairlight, Ambient)

• 2 Elgato Key Light Air – (Thomann | Amazon), ~€125 each
• 2 Aputure MC – (Thomann, €105 | Amazon, €119)
• 2 Philips Hue Ambiance Play Lightbar (double packs) – (Amazon, €115 each)

Audio (Soundcard, Microphone)

• RME Fireface UC – (Thomann, €824 | Amazon, €879)
• Røde NTG3 – (Thomann, €584 | Amazon, €649)
• Shure SM7B – (Thomann, €398 | Amazon, €354) with
  • TritonAudio FetHead in-line preamplifier – (Thomann, €67 | Amazon, €79)

Additional Hardware

• Elgato Stream Deck – (Thomann, €143 | Amazon, €149)
• Feelworld 4K 7" monitor – (Amazon, €160) (for preview or multi view)
• My old Canon HV30 as second angle camera
• GoPro Hero 3+ as hand camera
• Lots of cables, plugs and power supplies

As said before, this is just a quick list. I am going into more detail on each of the aspects in more posts. I plan to explain which light I use for what (in case it is not clear) or why I use the Shure SM7B for podcasting, but not for live streaming, but the Røde NTG3 then, for example.

If you buy cables, don’t safe money on these. Good quality cables are really worth the money and help your good quality sound!

Next to this, software and streaming platforms are a topic I’d like to write about as well. I use Vito to gather my Stay Curious and beyond tellerrand community every other week and Ecamm Live (before I used Zoom) to host my guests on video. But more about this soon

If you have questions, please [drop me an email](mailto: hello@marcthiele.com). If you want to buy me a coffee: great! ;)

Sadly I was knocked out for the whole past week and lying in bed. Otherwise I would have pointed you to the latest episode of Can’t Sell This, a podcast by my mate Hugh Elliot and Stefan Grambart and which was released a week ago.

We sat down and had a really nice conversation, discussing how much communities are worth, what events mean to a lot of people in digital businesses, what the differences are for online events and much much more.

It was a great pleasure hanging out with these two and they edited the whole podcast nicely. Thanks for having me as a guest and keep on rolling!

And if you want to listen to the show 👉 this way, please

A few years years passed since last time, but I am happy to be back at the Creative Mornings Düsseldorf stage with a short talk. This time virtual and together with Fabienne Schovenberg and Sandra Christmann. Each of us is going to give a short 10-minute presentation (in German this time). Tickets are still available. So why don't you grab a coffee and pop in. It is a free event and a good way to start the last day of the week.

Taking the dog for a walk, while getting my youngest to school and before going for a run.

Elsewhere: Instagram

Should you use a checkbox? Or should you use two radio buttons? Which one should you use when you can use both?

These are the questions Sara is looking into. What’s the answer? Well, read on to get her point of view here …

⇾ Visit: “Yes or No?” — One Checkbox vs Two Radio Buttons (Sara Soueidan)

More impressions from a morning walk. Not as nice to shoot, when I compare it to yesterday’s weather, but the autumn mood and atmosphere clearly shines through. Found a panda, a giant asparagus (?) and deer.

Elsewhere: Instagram

Impressions from a walk on an early Monday morning. Somehow a nice way to start the week. It has been pretty cold and a foggy curtain hung over the fields and forest. But the sun gave it a lovely light and color. So I grabbed my iPhone and shot these photos while being out with my dog.
⠀
Have a good start into the new week all of you! ☀️

Elsewhere: Instagram

A nice, (maybe) useful and complete guide to CSS gradients by Geoff Graham on CSS Tricks

⇾ Visit: A Complete Guide to CSS Gradients by Geoff Graham

On October 27 Blackmagic Design released an ATEM switchers update to 8.5.1 that finally saves the startup state of an ATEM Mini. This is great news, as you now don’t have to load your state using restore anymore and your media library is also stored on the device. This also is super handy, as you not necessarily need a laptop anymore, when you are on the road and are streaming, as the device, once powered up, has all the settings stored. But do you spot the sad part?

ATEM Mini Pro and ATEM Mini Pro ISO now have non-volatile memory.

Yes. This update sadly only brings this to the ATEM Mini Pro and ATEM Mini Pro ISO. Any ATEM Mini owners, still need to restore their settings every time they start the device to load the media library for example.

Anyways, I am happy that at least two of my three ATEM Minis are able to start with the settings I need now.

Short after Blackmagic Design released the version 8.5.1, they released version 8.5.2 which fixes a bug that some external USB drives did not work anymore, when trying to record videos with the ATEM Mini Pro and the ATEM Mini Pro ISO.

Visit the Blackmagic Design support center to download the latest version.

Impressive work on the research and building this forensic model about what possibly happened during and before the explosion in Beirut.

Forensic Architecture was invited by Mada Masr to examine open source information including videos, photographs, and documents to provide a timeline and a precise 3D model to help investigate the events of that day.

⇾ Visit: Forensic Architecture Timeline and 3D Model of Beirut Port Explosion