> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://start.hitorino.tv/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Go Live on Hitorino: Browser and RTMP Guide

> Start a live stream on Hitorino using your browser or RTMP with OBS. Set your title, thumbnail, and category before going live to your audience.

Starting a live stream on Hitorino takes just a few steps — whether you prefer to broadcast directly from your browser without any extra software, or use a professional tool like OBS Studio for full control over your stream settings, audio sources, and scene layouts. This guide walks you through both paths, from grabbing your stream key to ending your broadcast cleanly.

## Before You Go Live

Before starting your stream, make sure your profile is complete and your channel is in good standing. Fill in your stream details so viewers know what to expect before they tune in.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Stream Manager">
    Go to your [Creator Dashboard](https://hitorino.tv/dashboard) and click **Go Live** in the top navigation bar. This opens the Stream Manager, where you configure everything before your broadcast starts.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Your Stream Details">
    Fill in the fields on the **Stream Info** panel:

    * **Title** — Write a clear, descriptive title (up to 140 characters). Good titles include the game, topic, or event name.
    * **Category** — Choose the category that best matches your content (Gaming, Music, Art, Just Chatting, etc.).
    * **Tags** — Add up to 10 tags to help viewers discover your stream. Tags are comma-separated and case-insensitive.
    * **Thumbnail** — Upload a custom thumbnail (JPG or PNG, 1280×720px recommended, max 10 MB). If you skip this, Hitorino generates a live thumbnail from your stream automatically.

    <Tip>
      Use your thumbnail to stand out in category browsing. High-contrast text, your face or avatar, and a clear subject perform best in the 320×180 preview size shown in listings.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Your Privacy Setting">
    Select who can watch your stream under **Audience**:

    | Setting          | Who can watch                  |
    | ---------------- | ------------------------------ |
    | Public           | Anyone on Hitorino             |
    | Followers Only   | People who follow your channel |
    | Subscribers Only | Active paying subscribers      |

    <Note>
      Subscribers-only streams are only available on the **Creator Pro** plan or higher. If you select this option without an eligible plan, you'll be prompted to upgrade before going live.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick Your Streaming Method">
    Choose **Browser Stream** or **RTMP / Streaming Software** depending on your setup. See the sections below for detailed instructions for each method.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Option A: Browser-Based Streaming

Browser streaming is the fastest way to go live — no downloads, no configuration files. Hitorino's browser stream uses your webcam and microphone directly through the site.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select Browser Stream">
    In the Stream Manager, click the **Browser Stream** tab. Your browser will request permission to access your camera and microphone. Click **Allow**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Your Devices">
    Use the dropdowns to select your preferred camera and microphone. You'll see a live preview so you can check framing and audio levels before you go live.

    <Warning>
      Browser streaming works best in **Google Chrome** or **Microsoft Edge**. Safari has known limitations with real-time encoding that can cause frame drops at higher resolutions. Firefox is supported but not recommended for streams above 720p.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Your Quality">
    Select a quality preset from the **Output Quality** dropdown:

    | Preset   | Resolution  | Bitrate    |
    | -------- | ----------- | ---------- |
    | Low      | 480p        | 1,500 Kbps |
    | Standard | 720p 30fps  | 3,000 Kbps |
    | High     | 1080p 30fps | 6,000 Kbps |

    Browser streams are capped at 1080p 30fps. For 1080p 60fps or 4K output, use RTMP with dedicated streaming software.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go Live">
    Click **Start Stream**. There is a 5-second countdown, then your stream goes live to your selected audience. The red **LIVE** badge appears in your Stream Manager and on your channel page.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Option B: RTMP with OBS or Streaming Software

RTMP gives you the full power of your local machine — multiple scenes, audio mixing, overlays, and precise control over encoding settings. Any software that supports RTMP output works with Hitorino.

### Getting Your Stream Key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Stream Settings">
    Navigate to **Dashboard → Settings → Stream** or go directly to [hitorino.tv/settings/stream](https://hitorino.tv/settings/stream).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy Your Credentials">
    You'll find two values under **RTMP Credentials**:

    <CardGroup cols={2}>
      <Card title="RTMP Ingest URL" icon="server">
        `rtmp://live.hitorino.tv/live`

        This URL is the same for all creators. Point your software here.
      </Card>

      <Card title="Stream Key" icon="key">
        A unique secret token tied to your account. Treat it like a password — anyone with this key can stream to your channel.
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>

    Click **Copy** next to each value to copy it to your clipboard.

    <Warning>
      Never share your stream key publicly or include it in screenshots. If your key is compromised, click **Reset Stream Key** immediately to invalidate the old one and generate a new one.
    </Warning>
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Setting Up OBS Studio

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open OBS Settings">
    Launch OBS Studio. Go to **File → Settings** (Windows/Linux) or **OBS → Preferences** (macOS).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the Stream Service">
    Click the **Stream** tab in the Settings panel and fill in the following:

    | Field      | Value                            |
    | ---------- | -------------------------------- |
    | Service    | Custom                           |
    | Server     | `rtmp://live.hitorino.tv/live`   |
    | Stream Key | *(paste your key from Hitorino)* |

    Leave **Use authentication** unchecked — authentication is handled by the stream key itself.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Output Settings">
    Click the **Output** tab. Switch the **Output Mode** to **Advanced** for full control. Under the **Streaming** sub-tab, use these recommended settings as a starting point:

    ```
    Encoder:         x264 (CPU) or NVENC (NVIDIA GPU)
    Rate Control:    CBR
    Bitrate:         6000 Kbps  (for 1080p60)
    Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds
    CPU Usage Preset: veryfast  (x264) / Quality (NVENC)
    Profile:         high
    Tune:            (leave blank or set to "zerolatency" for lower latency)
    ```

    <Tip>
      Match your OBS output resolution and frame rate to your **Video** tab settings. A common setup: Base (Canvas) Resolution `1920×1080`, Output (Scaled) Resolution `1920×1080`, FPS `60`.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test Your Connection">
    Back in OBS, click **Start Streaming**. Switch to your Hitorino Stream Manager — you should see the stream status change to **Connected** within a few seconds, with a live preview of your feed.

    If the connection fails, double-check your RTMP URL for typos and confirm your stream key is correct and hasn't been reset.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Using Other Streaming Software

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Streamlabs">
    1. Open Streamlabs and go to **Settings → Stream**.
    2. Set **Stream Type** to **Custom Streaming Server**.
    3. Enter the **URL**: `rtmp://live.hitorino.tv/live`
    4. Paste your **Stream Key** in the Stream Key field.
    5. Click **Done** and use the **Go Live** button as normal.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="XSplit">
    1. In XSplit Broadcaster, click **Broadcast → Add Channel → Custom RTMP**.
    2. Set **RTMP URL**: `rtmp://live.hitorino.tv/live`
    3. Paste your **Stream Key**.
    4. Name the channel (e.g., "Hitorino") and click **OK**.
    5. Select the new channel from the Broadcast menu to go live.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Restream / Multistreaming">
    If you use Restream.io or a similar multistreaming service, add Hitorino as a **Custom RTMP** destination:

    * **RTMP URL**: `rtmp://live.hitorino.tv/live`
    * **Stream Key**: *(your Hitorino stream key)*

    Note that Hitorino counts multistreamed content as a live stream for monetization purposes, but Hitorino-specific features like channel point events and native polls only activate for viewers on Hitorino directly.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## While You're Live

Once your stream is active, the Stream Manager gives you real-time controls:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Update Stream Info" icon="pencil">
    Change your title, category, or tags mid-stream without interrupting your broadcast. Updates appear on your channel page within a few seconds.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Monitor Viewer Count" icon="users">
    See your concurrent viewer count and a running total of unique viewers in the analytics panel on the right side of Stream Manager.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manage Chat" icon="message">
    Read and respond to chat messages, pin a message, or switch to slow mode or follower-only chat directly from Stream Manager without leaving the page.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Run Polls & Alerts" icon="chart-bar">
    Launch viewer polls and see tip/subscription alerts in real time from the **Engagement** tab in Stream Manager.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Ending Your Stream

<Steps>
  <Step title="Stop Your Broadcast">
    **Browser Stream:** Click **End Stream** in the Stream Manager and confirm the prompt.

    **RTMP:** Click **Stop Streaming** in OBS or your streaming software. Hitorino detects the disconnection within a few seconds.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the Replay (VOD)">
    After ending, you'll be prompted to save your stream as a VOD (Video on Demand). Choose:

    * **Save as Public VOD** — visible to everyone on your channel's Videos page.
    * **Save as Subscribers Only** — only paying subscribers can watch the replay.
    * **Don't Save** — the stream is discarded and not stored.

    <Note>
      VOD storage starts immediately after you end the stream. Streams longer than 12 hours are split into 12-hour segments automatically.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  Your VOD will be available on your channel within a few minutes of ending the stream. Processing time for highlights or exported clips may take up to 30 minutes depending on stream length.
</Info>