XSplit Broadcaster
XSplit is a live streaming and video-mixing application developed and maintained by SplitmediaLabs Limited. It is mostly used for capturing gameplay for live streaming or video recording purposes.
Overview
There are two products under XSplit, namely, XSplit Broadcaster and XSplit Gamecaster.
XSplit Broadcaster (which most of its users refer to as XSplit due to it being the original product), acts as a video mixer, where it is able to switch between various media configurations (also known as “scenes”) while dynamically mixing it with other sources such as video cameras, screen regions, game capture, and flash sources. These sources are used to create a broadcast production for both live and on-demand distribution on the web.
XSplit Gamecaster, on the other hand, is a turnkey live streaming and recording application, designed for casual gamers who immediately want to start live streaming or recording their gameplay with minimal setup and configuration.
History
XSplit started in 2009 when SplitmediaLabs Limited merged with Hmelyoff Labs.[1] It was initially a screen capture product, which eventually became a livestreaming application and was called XSplit Broadcaster.
- XSplit Broadcaster
In December 2010, SplitmediaLabs announced that XSplit would go on public beta.[2] It was during this time that it gained popularity, largely due to word of mouth from its users. It was also widely discussed on the message board of Team Liquid, a professional electronic sports organization.
XSplit Broadcaster 1.0 was officially released in April 2012, which formally marked the end of its public beta period. The release also marked the start of its freemium pricing scheme, which was met with mixed reactions.[3]
Shortly before releasing XSplit Broadcaster version 1.1, SplitmediaLabs and AVerMedia made their partnership official.[4] It centered around AVerMedia shipping three-month licenses of XSplit along with their Live Gamer HD C985 capture card.
In August 2012, XSplit 1.1 was released.[5] It contained bug fixes, enhancements for existing features and introduced new features for paying users.
XSplit Broadcaster 1.2 became publicly available in January 2013.[6] This update included enhancements in performance and support for new hardware devices such as Elgato Game Capture HD.[7]
XSplit Broadcaster 1.3 was released in November 2013. This version contained security fixes to prevent login issues reported by some users. Apart from this, the update also contained full Twitch platform compatibility for all users, improved Game Source compatibility with games such as Battlefield 4, Call of Duty Ghosts, Hearthstone, etc., and enhanced capture card support for AVerMedia, Hauppauge, Elgato, Matrox, and other cards.
- XSplit Gamecaster
In December 2013, an early preview version of XSplit Gamecaster was shared to the public. In January 2014, a preview of XSplit Gamecaster was shared to members of the press,[8] with a full version being made publicly available in February of that same year.[9]
XSplit Gamecaster was initially only available to users who purchased a license for XSplit Broadcaster, however, a free version was added later on.
A partnership between MSI and XSplit was also established in March,[10] where newly released MSI gaming hardware would feature XSplit Gamecaster pre-installed and configured.
- XSplit V2
In the middle of November 2014, XSplit V2 was released to the general public.[11] Prior to the release, users were only able to try out the public beta and report bugs through the support forum.
XSplit V2 which stands for XSplit version 2 was a major update for both XSplit Broadcaster and XSplit Gamecaster. Aside from the aesthetic improvements, the major change in this version was marked by making features that were previously only available to paid users also available to free users.
It also contained new features such as Scene Preview Editor, Express Video Editor, Audio Monitor, Web page URL source, etc.[12]
Specifications
- Support for multiple cameras
- Support for Avermedia capture card[13]
- Flash and HTML plugins, with support for user created custom plugins
- Support for screen capture of desktop and window
- Support for full screen game capture of DirectX 9, 10 and 11 games[14]
- Chroma key
- Support for 3D effect for different sources
- Built-in support for streaming to different services such as Twitch[15] Ustream, hitbox.tv and other streaming services.
- Support for broadcasting to a custom RTMP server or CDN provider
- Proprietary license[16]
- Support for a wide varierty of capture cards including Elgato, Avermedia, Hauppauge, Magewell, Blackmagic, and various other capture cards
References
- ↑ "Hmelyoff Labs merged with SplitmediaLabs Limited".
- ↑ "SplitmediaLabs Unveils XSplit Broadcaster".
- ↑ "XSplit 1.0 Drops April 12".
- ↑ "Live Gamer HD-XSplit Integration".
- ↑ "SplitmediaLabs Announces The Release Of XSplit Broadcaster 1.1".
- ↑ "SplitmediaLabs Announces the Release of XSplit Broadcaster 1.2".
- ↑ "Elgato Game Capture HD for Windows and XSplit integration".
- ↑ "XSplit Gamecaster makes game streaming so easy".
- ↑ "SplitmediaLabs Releases XSplit Gamecaster and Updates XSplit Broadcaster 1.3".
- ↑ "XSplit Gamecaster Version 2".
- ↑ "XSplit V2 is here".
- ↑ "XSplit V2 Is the Answer "When You're Looking to Level up" from OBS".
- ↑ "XSplit for Live Gamer HD".
- ↑ "Game Capture is now ready for prime time".
- ↑ "XSplit".
- ↑ "XSplit License Agreement".