Console Streaming WITHOUT a Capture Card

If you are a console gamer looking to livestream, your choices in the past have been limited. Whilst most consoles nowadays allow you to stream to Twitch or Mixer directly from the console, the level of customization you can have for your console stream is next to none.

To get the full suite of features a streamer might want from their console broadcast, many streamers implement a capture card to send the gameplay directly to a computer. But as you can guess, that nifty piece of hardware comes with a pretty significant price tag.

So console streamers are stuck with a tough decision: either a super basic livestream with just their gameplay and maybe a webcam or an expensive setup that allows for all the customization but comes with a hefty price tag.

Until recently, that is. Enter, Lightstream.

Lightstream is a cloud-based streaming software that allows Xbox One streamers to add all sorts of cosmetic changes to their stream. These changes can bring an Xbox One stream to the same level as a PC stream, even allowing a console streamer to add things like Streamlabs alerts, Overlays and Stream Chat into their Xbox One stream.

And get this: You don’t need any new pieces of tech, you don’t even need a computer once you are setup. If you’re streaming from your Xbox One, you’ve got to check out Lightstream. So let’s do that now, shall we?

Xbox’s in-house streaming platform is Mixer, so it’s with Mixer that we’ll be integrating to Lightstream. 

Don’t call me a liar quite yet, but you will need a computer for the initial setup of the Mixer-to-Lightstream integration. You don’t need a powerful one; just any laptop will do for this initial setup. 

Head over to Mixer. Log in to your account or create one if you don’t have a Mixer account yet. 

NOTE: As we’re focusing on streaming from an Xbox One console, you’ll also have to get Mixer set up on your console as well. A Microsoft account adds to the simplicity of this whole process since you can use that to log in to Mixer on your computer.

Once you’re logged in to Mixer, head to the Broadcast Dashboard found in the drop-down that appears from clicking on your Mixer avatar in the top-right of the screen. 

In the bottom-left of this main dashboard, you’ll see a the Lightstream Integration option with a slider. Activate this integration with the slider. 

NOTE: The Lightstream-Mixer integration is currently only available for Mixer Partners or Pro’s, so get yourself signed up if you aren’t already.

That’s all we need to do in Mixer, so now let’s head to Lightstream.

Lightstream doesn’t require a login. Instead, it’ll work under your login for Mixer. Under the Get Started drop-down found in the top-right, choose to connect Lightstream with Mixer. You’ll need to approve this connection to your Mixer account, but after that, don’t expect to have to check any more boxes. This is a really simple initial setup. 

With Lightstream connected to your Mixer account, you should be looking at a streaming/broadcasting layout that’s similar to OBS. A big broadcasting window in the middle of the screen, volume sliders and Scenes; you know this stuff! 

Wait, maybe you don’t. If not, that’s okay. Understanding what’s going on here is very easy, and I’ll make sure to explain it as we go.

To make sure everything’s working as it should, boot up your Xbox and, using the middle Xbox button, select the Broadcast and Capture tab from the blade menu. It looks like a satellite dish sending a signal. 

Select “Set up your broadcast” and begin your stream through Mixer on your Xbox. Take a look at Lightstream on your computer. Lightstream will automatically bring your Xbox display into your first scene, so if everything’s working properly, you should see your Xbox display appear in the large broadcast window (called a “Canvas”) on your computer. How awesome is that?

Did you know Xbox can also display your webcam while you stream? You can plug a USB webcam directly into your Xbox and through that same “Set up your broadcast” option in the Broadcast and Capture tab, you’ll be able to activate and position the webcam as if you were streaming from PC!

My go-to webcam for console streaming is the Logitech C920. It’s a favorite of many streamers since it’s both powerful and affordable. 

Those of you who follow GamingCareers know that I always recommend using a webcam when you stream since it helps viewers build a bond with the streamer. Streaming from a console is no different; hook up that webcam and show the viewers that beautiful face of yours.

If all has gone well, you’re streaming from your Xbox One and your webcam is there to put you in the spotlight. But you could have done all of that just with your Xbox and Mixer. What does Lightstream add to the mix? 

Lightstream is here to make sure you’re console streaming in style. So let’s go back to Lightstream and see what’s under the hood of this awesome cloud-based streaming sidekick. 

To ensure a console streamer has all the same tools at their disposal as a computer streamer, Lightstream uses something called “Layers” to spice up your broadcast with overlays and alerts, among many other things.

Layers are best compared to Sources in OBS, meaning they’re the individual pieces of media that you can add to your stream. “Layers” is a great word for it too because you’ll be placing these media elements on top of your broadcast like the layers of a cake.

Let’s start simple with a webcam overlay to place over your webcam display. We’re not saying Xbox’s default webcam display isn’t sufficient but overlays always make things sleeker.

Using the green and white ‘Plus’ icon next to the word “Layers”, let’s add an “Image” as our Media Type. You should see that Lightstream and Mixer provide in-app overlays that are right there for you to use if you’d like. With only a simple click, you’ll pull the overlay into your Canvas (broadcasting window) and you can position it as you need.

But we’ve come this far, and there are too many great stream overlays out there to ignore. A console streamer should have just as many options as a computer streamer. That’s where NerdOrDie comes in.

NerdOrDie are masters of the overlay forge. They create awesome aesthetics to help your stream look the best it can be. If ever you’re looking for something more than just the basic overlays that Lightstream offers, I highly recommend searching through NerdOrDie’s marketplace for a look that fits your streaming persona.

To use custom overlays on your Lightstream broadcast, all you need to do is use the “Upload Image” option back in the “Image” selection screen. Simply find your downloaded overlay package and next thing you know, you’ll have a custom, professional overlay as a Layer in your Lightstream. 

Remember, you’re building a cake with these Layers. As you add them to the Layer selection on the left-hand side of the Lightstream screen, notice how you can drag and drop them vertically. The “Mixer Feed” Layer is your actual broadcast, and that’s always going to be the bottom layer of your stream. The Layers that you add to your stream can be moved on top of one another by dragging them up the Layer selection.

Any computer streamer will agree, alerts are fantastic additions that’ll bring a stream to the next level. Showing a notification of a new follower/subscriber directly on-stream is how a streamer can build a stronger connection with their audience.

Using the same green and white ‘Plus’ notification, we’re going to add a “3rd Party Integration”. As you can see from the list that appears, Lightstream works in harmony with a ton of alert providers. For this guide, we’re going to use one of the big ones: Streamlabs.

Clicking “Streamlabs” from the list will bring us to the Streamlabs website where it’ll ask us to log in. Make sure you are logging in to Streamlabs with your Mixer account.

Once logged in, take your Widget URL for you Alert Box and paste it back into the LightStream Layer that you’ve just created. Just like that, you’ll have your alerts appear over your Xbox One console stream.

Now, we may have left a few readers behind there. Streamlabs is another monster all on its own, but a monster well worth conquering. If you have an interest in learning more about alerts and how to set them up through Streamlabs, please take a look at our in-depth guide. 

But for those of you who know Streamlabs as an old friend, you’ve done all you have to do to establish alerts over your Xbox One stream! 

There are plenty more additions you can make to your console stream through Lightstream, all of which are done by adding as many Layers as you’d like. And, much like OBS, you’ve got Scenes! This means you can build individual cosmetic pieces and save them for future use during your stream. 

You’ll see many streamers use a “Be Right Back” Scene, or a “Stream Starting Soon” Scene, letting the viewers know that the stream is about to start. Having pre-made Scenes that can be called upon with a single click is a great way to ensure there’s never a lull in your stream presence. Nobody likes the awkward silence that happens when a streamer is quickly trying to move things around on their broadcast.

And I’ve said it over and over again: You won’t need a computer to stream from your Xbox One after the initial Lightstream setup. This still rings true, even for transitioning between your pre-made Scenes. By using your mobile device, you can access Lightstream via a mobile browser and have all your Scenes at the ready, only a tap away. If you’ve ever wanted to create a remote control for your stream, this is the way to do it.

As you can see, without a capture card, without spending thousands on a streaming rig, and without being limited to Xbox’s out-of-the-box streaming capabilities, you’ve got yourself a streaming setup that’s as feature-rich as any stream can be.