You have read about and understand that [video transcoding](https://livepeer.com/blog/intro-to-transcoding) will allow your content to reach more end users. Whether you are streaming events, concerts, webinars, or any other kind of user created content, you can try Livepeer transcoding in just a couple of minutes, free of cost.

Below is a step-by-step guide with screenshots of how to transcode your first stream through Livepeer, in 6 steps, and in under 5 minutes!

### **Step 1: Create an account on Livepeer.com**

Go to https://livepeer.com/ and click on the "Sign up" button at the top-right hand side of the homepage. It will take you to [livepeer.com/register](https://livepeer.com/register).

Type in your email address (preferably your work email address) and a password of your choosing. Click Continue.

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/470e0e13aa2d1e21c5599161e8541b69625b0034-1408x1210.png?h=500&fit=max)

### **Step 2: Verify your Livepeer account**

Head over to your inbox and look for an email from [support@livepeer.com](). The email will look like this:

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/c150222e004cb107c14393f6505863d2d7d33015-1624x936.png?h=500&fit=max)

Click on the "Verify Email" button. You will get redirected to your Livepeer Dashboard.

### **Step 3: Create your first stream**

From your Livepeer dashboard, click the  "Create" button below the “Streams” header. In the next screen titled “Create a new stream”, type in any stream name of your choosing. Click Save.

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/e856374e01b7dc3acfebf3fa36151893717b4e47-1480x852.png?h=500&fit=max)

Congratulations! You’ve created a new Livepeer stream and should see a screen like the one below. 

_Don’t click out of this screen just yet_ … you’ll need to copy and paste a couple of things from here in order to send video into Livepeer for transcoding.

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/c5b12d147f99e0d1b7d9f17bca70472217999ca8-1482x1128.png?h=500&fit=max)

### **Step 4: Install and setup OBS**
_(If you already have OBS installed on your computer, skip to the next step)_

_NOTE: Though you can use any broadcasting software or capture device you'd like with Livepeer, we'll use OBS for this example._

In a new browser tab, go [here](https://obsproject.com/download) to download OBS, a free, open-source video broadcaster software.

Set up the “Audio Input Capture”, as shown in the screenshot below, by clicking on:
- the “+” button at the bottom left-hand side of the “Sources”
- the “Audio Input Capture” option in the list
- the “Add existing” option, then selecting the microphone that comes up on that list
- the “OK” button

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/784e105235be8ed9fabcf064b24ee929640fd22c-1446x772.png?h=500&fit=max)

Set up the “Video Capture Device”, as shown in the screenshot below, by clicking on:
- the “+” button at the bottom left-hand side of the “Sources”
- the “Video Capture Device” option in the list
- the "Create new" button, and add whatever name you'd like for your camera in the text field
- the "OK" button

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/3a85b7fc790467bb98bf3957aa72544bd7804194-1364x670.png?h=500&fit=max)

In the screen that pops up, do the following:
- in the “Device” field, select whatever camera is available or is preferred
- in the “Preset” or resolution field, select a resolution you’d like to stream in (1280 x 720 should be okay)
- click "OK"

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/d61999fca441100d524b541d589c5783a98678b8-1074x908.png?h=500&fit=max)

### **Step 5: Stream into Livepeer using OBS**

Open OBS and click on:
- “Settings” on the bottom right-hand side of your OBS screen
- “Stream” from the left-hand side menu and select “Custom” from the drop-down menu on the right

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/9bd6443a5602b83f8f09ee7f569151d40ddd1543-3060x1162.png?h=500&fit=max)

From the newly created livepeer.com stream page click on “Show Secret stream Key”. Copy the “RTMP ingest URL” and paste it into the Server section of of the OBS Stream Settings.

Cut the 16 character hyphenated set of letters at the end of that URL, removing them from that URL, and paste them into the “Stream Key” field

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/22b65016462b95b86261ca58c1e3e988eccf1668-2834x1110.png?h=500&fit=max)

You should see something like this when clicking the “Show” button:

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/5e1018e70b3627ce98df15d4214858a4650b87df-1316x1010.png?h=500&fit=max)

Click Ok on that screen to save your settings and go back on the main OBS screen. Click “Start Streaming" on the bottom right-hand side of the screen. Voila, your stream is now getting transcoded!

### **Step 6: Watch your transcoded video**

_NOTE: You can use a number of video players to watch Livepeer’s transcoded stream (see [Livepeer's Support Matrix](https://livepeer.com/docs/guides/support-matrix) for more details). In this example we’ll use Theo Player._

Open [TheoPlayer](http://demo.theoplayer.com/test-your-stream-with-statistics) in a new tab on your browser, then:
- copy the “Playback URL” from your livepeer.com stream page 
- paste it into the empty text field in the TheoPlayer page 
- click the 'CLICK HERE LOAD YOUR STREAM' button
- click the large yellow arrow in the middle of the video screen to watch your video come to life!

![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/dp4k3mpw/production/06de768c21b60f2da924b110371507715ef9943e-2142x1530.png?h=500&fit=max)

_For more information on other broadcast software and players we support, take a look at our [feature support matrix](https://livepeer.com/docs/guides/support-matrix)._

_What did you think of this tutorial? Give us any feedback on how it can be improved and send  over any questions you might have by emailing us at [hello@livepeer.com](). We’d love to help you stream using Livepeer!_

 will allow your content to reach more end users. You have been told that anyone looking to broadcast and transcode streaming events, concerts, webinars, and any other kind of user created content can use Livepeer Video Services in just a couple of minutes, free of cost. You know Livepeer Video Services has documentation with information that might help you get started transcoding your video. However, you’d still really like someone to walk you through that process in as little time as possible.

You’re in the right place, friend. Below is a step-by-step guide with screenshots of how to transcode your first stream through Livepeer Video Services, in 6 steps, and in under 5 minutes!

Step 1: Create an account on Livepeer Video Services

 and click on the "Sign up" button at the top-right hand side of the homepage. It will take you to 

. Type in your email address (preferably your work email address) and a password of your choosing. Click Continue.

Step 2: Verify your Livepeer Video Services account

After clicking continue in the last step, you’ll see a screen with the following message: “Please check your email for a verification link.” Head over to your inbox and look for an email from 

Click on the "Verify Email" button. You will get redirected to your Livepeer Video Services Dashboard.

From the dashboard Home page, click the "+ Create Stream" button below the “Streams” header near the bottom of the page. In the next screen titled “Create a new stream”, type in any stream name of your choosing. Click "Create Stream."

Congratulations! You’ve created a new Livepeer stream and should see a screen like the one below.

Don’t click out of this screen just yet

 … you’ll need to copy and paste a couple of things from here in order to send video into the Livepeer network for transcoding.

(If you already have OBS installed on your computer, skip to the next step)

NOTE: Though you can use any broadcasting software or capture device you'd like with Livepeer Video Services, we'll use OBS for this example.

 to download OBS, a free, open-source video broadcaster software.

Set up the “Audio Input Capture”, as shown in the screenshot below, by clicking on:

the “+” button at the bottom left-hand side of the “Sources”

the “Audio Input Capture” option in the list

the “Add existing” option, then selecting the microphone that comes up on that list

Set up the “Video Capture Device”, as shown in the screenshot below, by clicking on:

the “Video Capture Device” option in the list

the "Create new" button, and add whatever name you'd like for your camera in the text field

In the screen that pops up, do the following:

in the “Device” field, select whatever camera is available or is preferred

in the “Preset” or resolution field, select a resolution you’d like to stream in (1280 x 720 should be okay)

Step 5: Stream into Livepeer Video Services using OBS

“Settings” on the bottom right-hand side of your OBS screen

“Stream” from the left-hand side menu and select “Custom” from the drop-down menu on the right

From the newly created stream page click on “Reveal stream key”. Copy the stream key and paste it into the "Stream Key" field. 

Copy the “RTMP ingest URL” and paste it into the Server section of the OBS Stream Settings.

You should see something like this when clicking the “Show” button:

Click Ok on that screen to save your settings and go back on the main OBS screen. Click “Start Streaming" on the bottom right-hand side of the screen. Voila, your stream is now getting transcoded!

NOTE: You can use a number of video players to watch Livepeer transcoded streams (see

for more details). In this example, we’ll use Theo Player.

copy the “Playback URL” from your Livepeer.com stream page

paste it into the empty text field in the TheoPlayer page

click the 'CLICK HERE LOAD YOUR STREAM' button

click the large yellow arrow in the middle of the video screen to watch your video come to life!

For more information on other broadcast software and players we support, take a look at our

What did you think of this tutorial? Give us any feedback on how it can be improved and send over any questions you might have by emailing us at

. We’d love to help you stream using Livepeer.com!

How to Analyze Livepeer Video Engagement Metrics with Timeplus

 Lenstube offers video on demand for both long-form and short-form videos

web3 social platform for video sharing built on Lens Protocol

 is a web3 social platform for video sharing that combines the best of traditional video-sharing platforms with the latest web3 functionalities. Whether you're a professional creator or an amateur, Lenstube gives you the ability to upload and monetize your video content with ease. Currently, Lenstube offers video on demand for both long-form videos and short-form videos.

Lenstube sets itself apart from traditional video-sharing platforms by incorporating web3 features such as connecting to a crypto wallet, enabling creators to receive tips in MATIC coins, collecting videos as NFTs, and charging membership fees for subscribers. These features are made possible through Lenstube's implementation of various web3 technologies, including Livepeer, Arweave, IPFS, and Lens. By utilizing decentralized technologies, Lenstube is revolutionizing the way creators can share and monetize their content, and provides a new and exciting way to engage with their audience.

 founded Lenstube with the goal of creating a decentralized video sharing platform for content creators. The idea for Lenstube came about after Sasi saw some of his favorite creators, who were creating and teaching web3, being unjustly removed from traditional web2 platforms. This led Sasi to understand the importance of web3 for content creators, and the significance of permanent data storage and content ownership. With this in mind, Sasi set out to create his own web3 video-sharing platform. The first step in this process was to find a video-on-demand service that transcodes and serves video from Arweave.

“I knew that creating a video delivery infrastructure and transcoding videos would be a significant challenge, and I definitely didn't want to spend all my time and resources on these technicalities, especially in the early stages of development. Luckily, I discovered Livepeer on the sponsor list of one of the EthGlobal hackathons. Livepeer provided exactly what I needed to move Lenstube forward, and integrating it into my platform was one the first, and easiest, decisions I made.”

Lenstube's partnership with Livepeer has been a vital component of the platform's success. Currently, all videos on Lenstube, whether they are long or short form, are powered by Livepeer. This means that Livepeer handles all the technical aspects of video delivery, such as ingesting, processing, and transcoding. This has afforded Sasi and the Lenstube team the freedom to focus on other important growth areas, like attracting new creators to the platform and improving user experience.

“Working with Livepeer has definitely been a great experience, and we receive tons of support from the team. Recently, Livepeer launched a feature that displays view counts beneath the video player. We were able to implement this feature pretty quickly, and the team was available to answer any questions we had. Although, most of the time we don’t really need the support, as the guides and docs for the Livepeer SDK and API are awesome.”

Today, Lenstube is thriving and making significant strides in its development. The platform has reached notable milestones, such as surpassing 10,000 video uploads in December 2022, averaging more than 1,000 daily sessions, and reaching more than 50,000 average monthly users in January 2023. These milestones demonstrate the effectiveness of the Lenstube team's efforts and the growing appeal of the platform among content creators and viewers alike.

Lenstube boasts a user-friendly interface that includes all of the features commonly found on traditional web2 video sharing platforms. The front page prominently showcases the most recent and popular short-form (Bytes) and long-form videos hosted on the platform, which can be filtered by video category for easy browsing. Users can log in with their Lens handle on the top right corner of the page. Additionally, various exploration tools can be found on the left-hand menu bar for easy access.

Bytes are short-form, vertical videos that are similar to TikToks and YouTube Shorts. Users can scroll through a feed, like and dislike videos, subscribe to channels, and share Bytes via URL or embed videos directly on websites. Additionally, Bytes can be easily shared on Lenster, Twitter, Reddit, and LinkedIn.

Sasi and the Lenstube team have recently made a concerted effort to develop the Bytes feature. This effort was motivated by the increasing popularity of short-form videos on web2 platforms. Not only do short videos have high user retention rates, but they also provide creators with an effective way to capture an audience and lead them to content on other platforms.

“In my opinion, short-form videos are one of the most effective ways to share content with a wide audience, and they offer creators greater opportunities for engagement. We predict that the use of short-form videos as NFTs will become a popular trend in the web3 community."

Do you want to build your own web3 short-form video app? Disrupt TikTok with this 

 walking through the key components of building a social app with quick, bite-sized video.

Lenstube also enables creators to upload long-form, horizontal videos that are similar to standard YouTube videos. In addition to features found on Bytes, these long-form videos also include view counts, video descriptions, and a comment section.

Every video hosted on Lenstube is equipped with a variety of web3 features. These features not only enable content creators to earn revenue from their videos, but also provide fans with a way to support their favorite creators. This is what sets Lenstube apart from traditional web2 video sharing platforms. Some of the web3 features that Lenstube offers include:

Mirroring across Lens, with custom referral fees

Default sharing of all Lenstube videos across Lens ecosystem apps

Lenstube’s frontend was built using Next.Js, an open-source React framework for web applications. Lenstube uses Apollo Client to manage local and remote data, and to fetch data and do mutations through the Lens Protocol’s GraphQL backend.

Middleware is like a “software glue” that acts as a bridge between different technologies, tools, and databases so they can be integrated into a single system. Lenstube uses Lens Protocol’s indexer for its middleware, and this indexer streamlines data between Lens contracts and viewers. The Lens indexer is a GraphQL server that listens to events from Lens contracts and stores the data into a database. This indexer enables viewers to quickly and efficiently access video data, which leads to a better user experience.

Lenstube’s backend consists of four main components: Livepeer, Arweave, IPFS, and Lens

Lenstube uses Livepeer to process and play back video. Livepeer is a protocol built on Ethereum that distributes video transcoding work throughout its decentralized network. The protocol provides cost efficient, secure, and reliable infrastructure. Livepeer's mainnet launch took place in 2018 and the network now processes millions of minutes of video each week.

Lenstube stores its video files on Arweave and IPFS, web3 protocols that offer data storage on decentralized networks. Arweave and IPFS offer permanent and immutable data storage, and anyone can store data in the networks or offer storage space, without there being a centralized point of failure.

Lenstube uses Lens for its social graph. The Lens social graph is fully composable, open source, and decentralized. This helps transfer full rights and complete ownership of content into the hands of creators.

Sasi intends to improve the Lenstube platform by adding new features, with the primary objective of providing exceptional user experience and boosting user engagement on the platform. Furthermore, Sasi is currently building a mobile application that specifically caters to short-form videos, which will be released soon. This further solidifies his belief that short-form videos represent a rapidly expanding area in the video industry and is positioning Lenstube to capitalize on this growth potential.

If you’re a developer that would like to build your own web3 video app, check out these 

 to get started. If you have any questions about building, 

Lenstube is a web3 social platform for video sharing that combines the best of traditional video-sharing platforms with the latest web3 functionalities. Whether you're a professional creator or an amateur, Lenstube gives you the ability to upload and monetize your video content with ease. Currently, Lenstube offers video on demand for both long-form videos and short-form videos.

Your First Livepeer Stream in Under 5 minutes