If you can run Doom on 16 billion crabs (go ahead and click, we’ll be waiting), then you can probably make video content with a large enough potato farm. But if we assume a degree of realism, the bare essentials video creator setup includes a microphone and, for most streamers, a camera. Check out our guide to building a basic content creator setup on a budget for more.
But let’s say you’re ready to invest a little more in your creation career. There are plenty of non-essential peripherals out there that’ll let you raise the production value of your videos or add a little something special for your audience. Which are the best? What should be your next purchase?
We put that very question to Just About Content Creators, and this is what they came up with. This guide contains the best and most helpful advice from our veteran community of content creators on the question of the best value-adding peripherals for making video content, whether you’re streaming live or recording videos for YouTube.
Stream decks
When you stream, you’ll often want to switch between different apps and audiovisual feeds, adjust things like their volume and brightness, control your mic or camera, and fiddle with potentially many more functions across your setup. A stream deck is a control panel that pulls together these functions and lets you map them onto customisable buttons.
avrona breaks down its advantages:
Being able to string together complex sequences of actions in OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) without having to navigate anywhere on screen to get to it helps so much with streams feeling professional and high-end.
Given their usefulness, we expected a few stream deck nominations. Elgato’s Stream Deck was the first of its kind and, much like the Hoover vacuum cleaner, is a case of a product being so successful that it lends its name to its entire product class. Many still regard Elgato’s Stream Decks as the best stream deck, and Avrona says “if you’re further into the Elgato ecosystem, with stuff like their lights, it’s a great control hub.”
Elgato offers a range of Stream Decks in various sizes. Check out their lead model, the Stream Deck Mk2, here. It’s a premium product and tends towards the pricey, but there are other options. Here’s a creative suggestion from FUN INC: “for not much money at all, you can make your own stream deck!”
"Here was my parts list:
BEYEE Zero Delay Arcade USB Encoder PC to Joystick For MAME & Raspberry Pi Retropie Projects (2Pin+4.8mm) - link to product on Amazon
Larcele 10x 12mm Waterproof Momentary Push Button Automatic Return Button Switch ANKG-01 (Black) - link to product on Amazon
Red Illuminated LED Toggle Switch with Carbon Missile Style Cover Car Dash 12V - link to product on Amazon
Therpin DIY Waterproof Electronic ABS Plastic Project Junction Box Enclosure 200mm x 120mm x 75mm (Black) - link to product on Amazon
Mini Momentary Push Button Switch for Model Railway Hobby 7mm Pack of 10 Red - link to product on Amazon
"Once you have your parts, the process is really simple. First, decide on a button configuration. I use the missile buttons for starting and stopping the stream:
Top row, from left to right is: introduction to stream, brand splash screen, LIVE
Bottom row is: BRB, opsec, and raid.
"Measure the box, drill the holes, and install the buttons. Get the circuit board, and connect the cables to it. Download JoyToKey - this translates a button-push into the key binding for OBS transitions etc. I soldered the cables to keep them from dropping off.
"All in, it cost me around £30 ($38), and I have spare buttons (all the red buttons are not in use, so I have room for expansion). This is a nice starter piece and really super cheap to make - and a hell of a lot of fun to do so! If anyone feels motivated to do the same, ding me!"
Lighting
After a decent mic and camera, good lighting should be next on your shopping list if you’re a video-based creator who wants to achieve a professional look. Bright, even, and natural-seeming light makes an enormous difference, not only showing you at your best but making your whole setup pop. Once you know to look for it, you’ll be able to tell in an instant which creators have taken the time to set up good lighting - and we guarantee that all the biggest ones have.
MURRRAAAAY’s recommendation is the Elgato Key Light, and he echoes Avrona in noting that it “integrates seamlessly with the Elgato Stream Deck, so you can just press a button to make changes on the fly without having to use your mouse and click on the software.” Here’s a mini-review from Murray, with a few more points in its favour:
It is very bright, like professional-level bright, it can feel like the sun is sitting directly above your desk, which is great as it can produce that natural light effect if required. You can easily change the brightness and even the light tone through the software on your PC, and it’s all LEDs so it doesn't get hot like professional-grade lamps which use bulbs.
It has a really handy and sturdy desk clamp, which can be positioned anywhere you like without having to compete for precious desk space. It’s reasonably priced for a professional bit of kit, but there are smaller versions available now too which are less expensive. I genuinely haven't had a bad Elgato product yet; I’ve had two different capture cards, the Stream Deck, the key light, the Wave DX mic, and the Wave XLR, and it’s all been fantastic.
In-game Twitch chat overlay
EveOnlineTutorials says “having three screens is a must for streaming”, because of all the apps you’ll want to keep open and visible at once: the game you’re playing, naturally, plus OBS (or your preferred broadcast software) with your chat visible, music, and perhaps a browser for looking things up or sharing things with your viewers.
It all takes a lot of visual real estate, and while having three screens or an ultrawide monitor is certainly an option if you have the means, Lanah Tyra has another solution.
Normally I have my Twitch chat visible in OBS on my second screen, but if I need to display visual guides for our raid sessions or I’m simply too immersed in the game, I can easily miss a chat message (I have trouble with my peripheral vision, so if I need to focus on one side of my screen, I don’t really see stuff going on on the other side outside of my main display.)
This little piece of software has been a game changer. You need to run your game in borderless windowed mode, but then you can see the chat messages right on top of your game client. You can change the positioning, how long messages get displayed, text size, etc. I put it above my normal in-game chat window, as I’ll definitely see something popping up there.
This is also very useful for those who stream with only one screen, as you don’t have to check chat on your phone or a tablet. If you have your OBS set up to capture your whole screen or overlays as well, it will show up in your stream.
You can grab Transparent Twitch Chat Overlay from Github, and here’s a guide on setting it up.
Some text has been amended for brevity. You can find the original wording at the bounty post. What other peripherals would you recommend to anyone looking to level up their video content? Drop it in the comments below and keep an eye out for the next time we issue this bounty!
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