Skip to main content

How to Use Zoom with Multiple Cameras

In the quiet hum of a cozy Sunday morning, just as the coffee pot was gurgling its final percolated notes, Claire and I decided to embark on a grand digital escapade: hosting a virtual cooking class. Of course, the obvious choice for our culinary broadcast was Zoom, but with a twist—we wanted to broadcast from multiple angles. I confess, my penchant for televised cooking shows had something to do with this ambitious scheme. Who didn’t want to have a dedicated lettuce cam? Spoiler: It didn’t stay pointing at lettuce for long.

The Genesis of a Multi-Camera Maelstrom​

We stood in the kitchen, devices in hand—a mishmash of outdated smartphones and a tablet precariously clamped to a cabinet door—each representing a potential perspective for our audience. “Is it even possible?” Claire queried as she rearranged our sorry-looking gadgetry. Little did we know, Zoom, much like a secretive magician, held the answer. We were about to unravel the magic of multi-camera streams on Zoom, live from our kitchen stadium.

Step 1: Assemble Your Army of Devices​

Finding the Troops: Whether you're housing a smartphone army or an array of webcams, each device is a potential lens to your world. We quickly discovered that even the noble five-year-old smartphone, typically used as a coaster, could be repurposed. We lined them up as if gathering soldiers for battle and readied them for action.

Plug and Play: Connecting the devices to your computer feels like the adult equivalent of fitting as many marshmallows in your mouth as possible. You want to ensure they’re all recognized by your computer. Claire and I juggled USB cables like circus performers. For this, trusty USB ports are your allies; if you run out, a USB hub is your charming cavalry. And if you're using Wi-Fi-capable cameras, harnessing a stable network connection is your golden ticket.

Step 2: Install and Configure External Webcam Software​

Venturing into the jungles of software, we stumbled upon tools like OBS Studio, but the initially cryptic interface almost made us abandon ship. Persevere, dear reader! OBS is like that peculiar uncle at the family reunion—baffling at first, but indispensable once understood.

Download and Install: This is your first tech scavenger hunt, and the prize is a piece of software that works seamlessly with Zoom for this exact purpose. Head to OBS Project's website to grab it for free. Don’t forget your seasoned companion, VLC Media Player if you find yourself needing additional codecs or streaming options.

Setup OBS for Multi-Camera Feasting: Once we could decipher OBS’s interface - a visual feast of options, buttons, and checkboxes - we created our scenes. Each scene corresponded to a different camera angle. Mesmerizing stuff! Under ‘Sources’, add each camera as a Video Capture Device. Voila! Every angle your curious heart desires, ready at your command.

With the swagger of mission-ready explorer scouts, we commenced our union of OBS and Zoom into an unholy alliance of culinary cinematography.

Virtual Camera Setup: In OBS, the key to Zoom happiness is the Virtual Camera. It broadcasted our manic multiple angles as one coherent stream. To start this, click ‘Start Virtual Camera’ in OBS. Now, bounce over to Zoom and select ‘OBS Virtual Camera’ as your video source in Settings. Even our lettuce cam got its moment in the sun.

A World of Syncopation: If video lags behind audio like a shadow behind a scurrying critter — adjust settings in OBS under ‘Advanced Audio Properties’. We were surprised at how this simple tweak could smooth over glitchy visuals and syncopated sound.

Step 4: Managing Audio Inputs​

Jason from next door popped over, carrying good-intentioned muffins, curious about our dubious interest in visual angles over edible taste. Incidentally, this brought us face-to-face with audio: less of a concern than cameras, but a twentynine-piece orchestra of mics wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Avoid the Echo Chamber: Muted every device but one, lest we be trapped eternally in an echoing void of food critique and my indefensible puns. Select a primary microphone for Zoom under ‘Audio’ settings. Helpfully, OBS can handle multiple audio inputs if you so dare— the culinary ballet was accompanied half-heartedly by Spotify surreptitiously played via Bluetooth speaker.

Step 5: Runtime Tweaks and Triumphs​

As the first streams trickled in, tension mounted. Would we resemble avant-garde filmmakers or just bemused Zoom users drowning in a sea of angles?

Juggling Cameras Like Tomato Jars: Thanks to OBS, we seamlessly switched between cameras using the ‘Scene’ buttons. It was brain surgery with the grace of flipping pancakes. We’d swap to close-ups of chopping, long shots spilling over simmering pots, and yes, liberally, our illustrious lettuce cam.

Monitor as You Move: We taste-tested—both food and tech—watching the stream on another device to ensure nothing unsavory slipped through. Imagine my horror when Claire’s mother was greeted not with a joyful grin but with my nostril-cam shot. Vital lesson: always check the angles!

Mission Accomplished: The Aftermath​

Our maiden voyage, one could say, was a delightful disaster, culminating in a clattering victory dance. We basked in the glow of our multilateral camera triumph, for we'd transformed our humble kitchen into a dynamic broadcasting arena without inciting epic chaos. Claire’s offline audience—aka her parents—realized they might never get a dull presentation again, and our lettuce, significantly more charismatic when captured on video, was never happier. Never ordinary, always unpredictable, we had conquered the multi-camera conundrum. With a twinkle of tech wizardry in our eyes, we vowed to return again - stronger, wiser, and perhaps a bit less obsessed with lettuce.

In sum, embracing multi-camera setups on Zoom merges the worlds of technical know-how and wild creativity. Try it—it turns everyday moments into a Spielberg-ian spectacle. Now, go forth and host with a perspective-filled flourish!