Live Streaming App MeerKat Now Allows You To Broadcast from a GoPro

Live Streaming App MeerKat Now Allows You To Broadcast from a GoPro

The future of sharing live video through social media is definitely heating up through apps like Periscope and Meerkat.  Basically these apps turn your phone into a live streaming webcam that you can use to share whatever you want to the world.  Although Ustream and Youtube have already allowed users to stream live video from other devices like a GoProMeerkat is about to make things a lot more interesting by being the first native app to broadcast from the sports camera.  This could make social media way more interesting to watch.

Although the latest Meerkat app is still in beta testing, from the video below it looks like tethering to your GoPro will be super easy.  Imagine all the unique live video streams we will have once people start broadcasting from waterparks, airplanes, quadcopters, cams mounted to athletes, and all sorts of other "extreme" locations.  As long as you have a good WiFi connection you should be able to tether your GoPro to your phone and then use your phone's cellular data to broadcast some pretty neat footage.  

https://twitter.com/AppMeerkat/status/624271796867592192/photo/1

Those who have access to this beta release are saying that the only GoPro currently setup for tethering is the older GoPro 3 Hero but with the popularity of the GoPro Hero 4 cameras, you can expect more camera models to be included in the public release.  

What are your thoughts on live video streaming to social media?  Fstoppers has a Periscope account (search and add Fstoppers), and we occasionally live stream from our events, photoshoots, and headquarters from time to time.  While Periscope and Meerkat do have a massive potential for broadcasting free behind the scenes and educational material, both platforms can also feel incredibly self centered.  In doing our own broadcasts, we have found there is a very fine line between sharing an interesting or unique live experience and just coming across as a social media narcissist.  Will the addition of small waterproof action cameras make social media apps like Meerkat and Periscope even more exciting or will it simply make the whole experience even more obnoxious and egotistical?

 

 

Patrick Hall's picture

Patrick Hall is a founder of Fstoppers.com and a photographer based out of Charleston, South Carolina.

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11 Comments

So does that mean it supports proper landscape orientation finally?

Sadly, it does not appear so - just tested. landscape filming inside vertical video.

I think like all technology, this has the potential to be a great tool for learning and communication. Students can stream lectures from all over the world, workshops can be delivered from anywhere, etc. It can be a great tool for journalism and the like. BUT, we are going to see a lot of crap too.

In the UK a company called EE came out with their own 'actioncam' with a similar service it's a decent product but it does less and costs more so I don't know what they were thinking.

This is awesome progress! I see "tethering" here is the key because anyone who has ever used a GoPro knows very well that the wifi "tether" disconnects very very often and this would never work if streamed through the camera's wifi connection. If through the wifi is the only way, this app is not going to be very usable for long streams.

well at the moment I believe the tethering is infact through the WiFi connection. If you have to connect the GoPro to your phone through a cable then it seems like you might as well just use your phone's camera in the first place.

Just tested - you connect the phone to the camera via wifi, and then it streams over your cellular data - did not untether in about five minutes of testing. The big draw for me is as I am covering events with another camera, I can have an assistant livestream the event at the same time. Both produced and live - and have it all auto archived with #katch. Although the landscape inside vertical is sad, it's better than nothing.

Awesome! Because the internet needs more shitty content. It will be a great application for a small portion of its users. The other 99% will be more rubbish.

The sony QX1 or Olympus Air add-on with APSC or m43-size sensors could be interesting as well. Imagine good bokeh and huge dynamic range compared to default sensors.

However what kills it and for the gopro as well is that meerkat and periscope are ultimately compressing everything so it can be broadcasted and use as less bandwidth as possible. So your $400 GoPro or $350 QX1 could actually output the same quality as your smartphone

You're absolutely right, Heri. It is compressed. (and good thing I have an unlimited data plan LOL)

I found this guide about how to Go Live from GoPro: https://www.yatko.com/live-streaming/gopro-live-streaming - I Hope will help you