3 ms·

As far as I can tell none of the products you mention are free or run on Linux. That does of course not mean that they are not real alternatives if you aren't u

As far as I can tell none of the products you mention are free or run on Linux. That does of course not mean that they are not real alternatives if you aren't using Linux, but if we scope OBS to include "free, open and cross-platform", there really aren't a lot of alternatives.

eropple 4y ago
ManyCam, mentioned by the top-level poster, isn't free and doesn't work on Linux either, so I'm not sure where that scoping comes into play. Past that, not focusing on Linux would be because, for both amateur and professional live video, I can think of relatively few people not using Windows. The overwhelming remainder are using Macs, where there are some options like Wirecast, even if they're not my favorites. (I too use OBS on a Mac or Linux, though it doesn't come up very often. As for me, with WSL2, I don't run a Linux desktop anymore.) As far as "free" goes--OBS is great where it fits. It's exceptional where it fits. And if that's what you need, you absolutely should use it. When it doesn't fit, you start getting into build-versus-buy territory, and once you pop the cork on buying you can buy a lot for relatively little.
PragmaticPulp 4y ago
> As far as I can tell none of the products you mention are free or run on Linux. Linux is a distant outlier in the overall streaming space. If you’re narrowing scope down to “free and works on Linux” then OBS is your go-to, of course. But Linux streamers are a tiny subset of the streaming target audience and anyone doing this professionally should at least consider some of the paid alternatives.
- oneplane 4y ago
  I thought we were just comparing, but if we scope it in such a way that leaves out Linux, then you can add a ton of other software to the comparison yes. Same goes for macOS, or any cross-platform package.

3 ms·

As far as I can tell none of the products you mention are free or run on Linux. That does of course not mean that they are not real alternatives if you aren't u

by oneplane 4y ago

eropple 4y ago
ManyCam, mentioned by the top-level poster, isn't free and doesn't work on Linux either, so I'm not sure where that scoping comes into play. Past that, not focusing on Linux would be because, for both amateur and professional live video, I can think of relatively few people not using Windows. The overwhelming remainder are using Macs, where there are some options like Wirecast, even if they're not my favorites. (I too use OBS on a Mac or Linux, though it doesn't come up very often. As for me, with WSL2, I don't run a Linux desktop anymore.) As far as "free" goes--OBS is great where it fits. It's exceptional where it fits. And if that's what you need, you absolutely should use it. When it doesn't fit, you start getting into build-versus-buy territory, and once you pop the cork on buying you can buy a lot for relatively little.
PragmaticPulp 4y ago
> As far as I can tell none of the products you mention are free or run on Linux. Linux is a distant outlier in the overall streaming space. If you’re narrowing scope down to “free and works on Linux” then OBS is your go-to, of course. But Linux streamers are a tiny subset of the streaming target audience and anyone doing this professionally should at least consider some of the paid alternatives.
- oneplane 4y ago
  I thought we were just comparing, but if we scope it in such a way that leaves out Linux, then you can add a ton of other software to the comparison yes. Same goes for macOS, or any cross-platform package.