How-To: Broadcast a DirectME Feed From A Laptop (Remote Directing)

To utilize DirectME from a laptop, here are the basic steps to get your stream going.

Overview

To get started, you’ll need an HDMI to USB encoder dongle (for example, the Elgato Cam Link) and your laptop. From there, you’ll just need to create a project (if you don’t already have one) and a new DirectME stream.

 

1. Plug in Hardware.

Connect your video signal to the encoder (in this case, we’re using the Elgato Camlink), and then plug the encoder into your computer. Depending on your computer, you might need an additional dongle attachment (link in the example below.)

2. Select Your Project

Log onto app.mesuite.com.

If you have a project already, please select that project. If not you’ll need to create a new project within MEsuite. Simply click on the “Create a Project” button and follow the instructions to invite your team.

3. Select a DirectME Live Stream.

If you’ve created one, you can select that stream.

If not, please follow these instructions:

1. Click on the DirectME tab on the side menu
2. Click on the purple “Create New Live Stream” button
3. Give your stream a name and if you prefer, a timezone.
4. Click on “Create Live Stream”

4. Broadcasting From Your DirectME Broadcast Link

Once you’ve selected DirectME from the Product tab on the menu bar, you’ll see a list of streams. To broadcast to that stream, click on the “Manage” button on the corresponding stream and select “Open” to open your stream.

This will open a setup window for you to manage your input settings.

On this window, you’ll want to give yourself a name like “Camera Input” and then Select “Broadcaster”

Next, for the Camera Settings and the Microphone Settings, you’ll want to select the name of the encoder that is plugged into your laptop (in this case, we are selecting Elgato Cam Link for both Camera Settings and Microphone Settings). For Speaker settings, you can select your default.

Once everything is set, you can click “Join”

5. Starting The Stream

Once you are on the stream page, you’ll be able to see the camera feed in the broadcast section (the window on the left) of the DirectME webpage.

When you’re ready to record, click on the “REC” button at the top right side of the window:

There will be about 5 seconds of setup time until you see three different modes show up.

From here, you have three different modes:

The default mode is Live, if you are directing we recommend that you stay in this mode. 

Each spectator on the stream can choose the stream mode that is best for them.

We recommend that spectators watch in HD mode.

This is a breakdown of the different modes and some of the features and benefits as to why you’d want to choose one option over another:

Features	Live	HD	DVR
Latency	Millisecond	3-5 seconds	15 seconds
Image Quality	Worst	Better	Best
Aspect Ratio Overlay for remotely framing shots	❌	✅	✅
Live Playback	❌	❌	✅

6. Sharing The Stream

There are two ways to spectate the stream and it comes down to how and why people are accessing your stream:

1. As a GUEST - No MEsuite account is needed.
2. As a part of your team - With a MEsuite account to assist with the broadcast.

With a Guest URL

Guests can be clients or executives who might want to see what is happening on the stream but are not going to interact with the on-screen talent.

If you’d like to have a guest spectate your stream, you can simply send the stream link to them. Here’s how to do that:

1. Get your DirectME Stream URL

   1. Click on the DirectME tab to see your list of streams
   2. Click on the “Manage” button on your test stream
   3. Click on “Copy Link” to copy the link to your clipboard

   

2. Then, send this link to anyone you’d like to invite as a guest.

3. Once someone clicks on the link, they’ll be taken to the DirectME viewing page where you’ll be setting up your viewer information and settings.

4. Please have your guests follow these instructions:

   
   1. Name themselves
   2. Select “Spectator”
   3. Turn on/off Camera and Microphone
   4. Click on the purple “Join” button

Your Team With Their MEsuite Account

This is how your team will access the stream using their MEsuite account.

This is also how anyone who will be assisting with the shoot who might need to control the stream or chat with the on-site crew.

1. Click on the DirectME tab to see your list of streams

   1. Click on the Manage button on your test stream
   2. Then select “Open”
   3. Name yourself
   4. Select “Spectator”
   5. You can turn off your camera and microphone settings if you’d like

      From this page, you’ll be setting up your viewer information and settings

   6. Click on the purple “Join” button

7. Moving Anyone Who Accidentally Selected “Broadcaster”

If a guest or a team member accidentally joins the stream selected as “Broadcaster” you’ll see their name placard added to the stream window:

To move them, follow these steps:

1. Select the controls button at the top right of your screen

   

2. On that menu, you’ll be able to see the master list of Broadcasters and Spectators, you’ll just move that person over by selecting the arrow button:

   

3. Once you click the arrow button, they’ll move to the spectator role and will disappear from the live stream.

8. Using DVR to Live Log (For Internal Teams, Signing In With A MEsuite Account)

1. On the top right side of the screen, you’ll see the stream.

   

   1. Once the stream starts, it should automatically load on your screen.
   2. This might take a few seconds

1. To use Logging, click on DVR mode and you’ll be able to live log while you watch the stream.

   1. You can also move the scrubber to go back in case you missed something since you’re in DVR mode.
   2. Any markers and notes added to the log will be saved to that spot when reviewing your clip later

   

7. Ending The Stream, Post Stream Viewing, and Logging (For Internal Teams, Signing In With A MEsuite Account)

Once you are done filming, you can stop your stream, here’s how to do that:

1. Click on the red “REC” button to end the stream.

2. This will generate a clip you can watch and log. The clip will appear below the stream button. It generally takes about double the steaming time to generate. So a half-hour stream will take around an hour to generate.

   

3. If you’d like to log the saved clip:

   1. Click on the clip to open it
   2. Enter a starting timecode of 00:00:00:00
   3. Then select 30 frames from the drop-down menu.
   4. Then you’ll be able to add logs and review your notes taken during the live session.
   5. Anything logged in the live view will leave a marker on the clip at that time. You can also edit or delete your marked sports

   

8. Transcripts (For Internal Teams, Signing In With A MEsuite Account)

You should be able to see your transcripts populate in the tab next to your log, if you have any questions, please let your customer success manager know.

Conclusion

That’s it! Once you’ve reviewed your clips you’ll be able to match them to your saved video on your device for editing

Let us know if you have any feedback at support@mesuite.com

-Team MEsuite.

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