How to: Use your Android mobile device as streaming camera with OBS
You don't have a dedicated webcam or expensive streaming camera? Whatever your reason may be, you just want to use your Android mobile phone's or tablet computer's built-in camera with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS)?
Here is a short tutorial on how to do that. I won't focus too much on generally setting up each individual application in detail, but more on how to fill the missing links between them.
Step 1: Install Android app IP Webcam
Download and install from the Google Play Store.
Step 2: Setup Android app IP Webcam
You are good to go for a first run using the default settings.
(Optional) Configure to suit your own preferences.Start server: Scroll all the way down to the bottom to start video streaming.
Note IP address and port. You will need it in Step 3.
Step 3: Setup OBS to use IP Webcam
Create a new scene or select an existing one.
Add a source of the type Media Source to the scene.
After naming it and confirming the dialog window with OK,the Properties dialog window pops up:
Uncheck Local File. Enter your mobile device's IP address and the IP Webcam service's port in the Input field (e.g. http://10.0.0.6:8080/video)
After confirming the media source properties dialog with the correct settings, you should see the IP Webcam video stream in your OBS Scene. You can now modify it like any other object.
Step 4: Profit! ;-)
This is the fastest and easiest way, using only IP Webcam's video stream and your PC's existing audio recording device (microphone / headset). If you need help setting up IP Webcam with audio, let me know. I'll consider doing another tutorial on that or just put it in this post's comments.
After writing this article I found that there is plenty of information online about the same or similar topics but I found them to be either not structured clearly enough or containing too much or too little details for this exact use case (e.g. this reddit post).
Also check the DLive help center for great tutorials all around broadcasting live streams.
dlive.io/@spreadfire1
twitch.tv/spreadfire1
youtube.com/spreadfire
Nice tutorial, perfect alternative for those who don't have a webcam. I'm almost certain 90% of people will have a phone.
Thanks for your vote and comment!
You're right, that's what I thought too...most people have a phone ;-)
Also I don't have a webcam my own and played around trying to use my android devices as camera.
So after I reached the conclusion of what the best and easiest way was, I wanted to share my knowledge for people having the same problem in the future.
Good Work Bro :) Why you did not post on Utopian?
thanks for the tip, I will check it out :-)
By the way, I made a reddit post in the twitch subreddit, linking to my article here. To promote it and also to see the impact on votes and views.
It was the most popular post with most upvotes and views by far for several hours, staying on the first page for another day or so.
It now has almost 5000 views on reddit with 93% positive votes.
Sadly, it seems that none of those reddit users own a steemit account as it seems.
I think that explains the steemit article's relatively high number of views (almost 500) in relation to comments and upvotes (1 comment, 3 votes - none of them came from reddit).
I just put it here in the comments for context, I'll post an article about it later.
Thanks for posting this. Very helpful and straight to the point.
I just ordered a USB-C to Gigabit ethernet adapter and I'm hoping a wired connection will further reduce latency. Are you aware of any 4k IP camera apps and any idea if this would even work?
Hi,
thanks, I'm glad you found my article helpful!
I don't own any 4k camera, so I can only guess. I could imagine that there are apps supporting it - maybe even the IP Webcam app, did you try it and does it give you higher resolutions than 1080p in the settings?
Another point to consider is: for what use case would you need a 4k camera? If you just use it as a game live streaming camera showing your face in a small box, 720p is enough for example.
Also, many viewing devices won't even support 4k resolution.
Then there's the higher bandwidth usage both on the upstream and downsteam side...many things to consider.