Best WMV Encoder for Mac UniConverter is an all-in-one video converting tool which is also the best choice to be used as an WMV encoder for Mac. To play WMV videos or compress it you could make use of its encoding features while converting the WMV videos to any file format.

1. Encoder For Machine Vision
2. Adobe Media Encoder For Mac
3. Encoder For Macbook Pro
4. Encoder For Microsoft Stream
5. Download Adobe Media Encoder For Mac
6. Lame Encoder For Mac

1. Other compiled by snifferdog (Lame encoder 3.99.5 together with the LIBMPG123 decoder 1.12.1), - another one compiled by Thalictrum (Lame 3.99.5 and 3.97) - and last one (LAME 3.98.2), compatible with Audacity and which will run on both PowerPC and Intel powered Mac was compiled by Paul Sanders.
2. Microsoft Expression Encoder For Mac- Microsoft encoder free download - Microsoft Expression Encoder 4, Microsoft Expression Encoder 3, Microsoft Expression Encoder 4, and many more programs. Download Expression Encoder 4 with Service Pack 1. Expression Encoder is an advanced audio/video-encoding and live-broadcasting application especially.
3. Grip is a GTK-based CD-player and CD-ripper / MP3 encoder. It has the ripping capabilities of cdparanoia built in, but can also use external rippers (such as cdda2wav). Encoder presets are provided for oggenc, bladeenc, lame, l3enc, xingmp3enc, mp3encode, gogo, flac, faac and opusenc. The main developers can be found in #grip on Freenode.
4. Rock solid rendering. Ingest, transcode, create proxies and output to almost any format you can imagine. Automate your workflows with presets, Watch Folders and Destination Publishing. Use Time Tuner to invisibly adjust duration and apply LUTs and Loudness corrections without having to.

What software is best for live streaming?

What hardware do I need to stream?

Live streaming is one that enables you to engage with your spectators in real-time through a video feed, broadcast vlogs, gameplay, etc., and lets you host things like webinars and share your screen with your target audience. The YouTube livestreaming hardware requirements include a camera, USB microphones, lights, encoding software or hardware encoders, dual monitors, etc.

An encoder is the best way to live stream a video online which can be software/hardware depending on the purpose and budget of your work. The purpose of encoding a video is to transform the video content into a digital copy to stream on various platforms.

Using an YouTube livestreaming software & hardware encoder allows you to:

• Share your screen to broadcast your gameplay or any content.
• Use external audio with video hardware.
• Manage a production advanced with devices like multiple cameras and microphones.

In this article, we will try to look at various YouTube streaming hardware and software encoders along with their key features as they have a major role in video live streaming from various devices like windows-10 free, android, iOS, etc.,

5 Best YouTube Live Streaming Software Encoders for Windows/Mac

Software encoders are computer programs that run on your personal computer to retrieve data from the capture cards, and send it over the internet. They are commonly preferred for their cost-effectiveness and it is exciting to know that some of the popular software encoders are free for users.

Tips: If you want to record or edit your livestreaming videos, you can try Filmora Video Editor. It's easy to use, and friendly for begginers to record the streaming videos with one simple clic. And Filmora also has multiple video editing features like trim, cut, split, add titles, transicions or effects. Have a try! It won't let you down!

Now, let us take a look of which ones are the best software encoders for YouTube livestreaming.

#1. Open Source Broadcaster

OBS or Open Broadcaster Source is an easy recording and best live-streaming software tool that is used by all the beginners. Since it is an open-source software tool, it allows you to customize your needs. It is a freely available application for recording and streaming for Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. Studio Mode provides a preview of your video scenes before streaming them live.

Price: Free

Operating System: Linux, Windows, and Mac

Key Features:

• Advanced design for customized transitions.
• Necessary Filters, noise suppressors, audio mixers, and gain boosting facility added for creating classic videos.
• Easy access to light and dark themes.

#2. Xsplit Broadcaster

Xsplit Broadcaster is a simple and powerful live streaming software tool that can foster an impressive video content with its user-friendly interface. It comprises all the basic video creation tools featured with audio support. It is surprising to know that it offers a Full HD video recording ability.

Price: Free/Paid

Operating System: Windows

Key Features:

• It supports all kinds of capture cards.
• It possesses custom integrations as well as plugins.
• Easy video development along with other professional production tools.
• Access to options like chatting and notifications for interactively organizing your video uploads.

#3. Wirecast play

Wirecast play enables its users to enjoy professional live video recording facilities. Users are allowed to encode all their live streaming content over multiple platforms. It is the only all in one platform that enables you to capture content, production, and encoding of videos of your interest.

Price:
Wirecast Play 6: Free/$9.99
Wirecast Play Studio 6: $279
Wirecast Play Pro 6: $549

Operating System: Windows, Mac OS

Key Features:

• Widely compatible with different online platforms.
• Compatible with different camera inputs and devices.
• Fine-tuning different compositional elements like audio delay, live switching, etc.,
• The simultaneous broadcasting of contents on multiple platforms is possible.

#4. vMix live stream

vMix is software that lets you create impressive and professional quality content on your device at a fraction of the cost. It is a downloadable product that involves production, streaming, and cost-effective mixing of the video content (as per the name of software).

Price: $350

Operating System: Windows

Key Features:

• Facilitates high quality animated graphics.
• Supports low latency audio and video content.
• Good quality real-time chroma key.
• Built-in audio mixer with compressor and noise gate effects.

#5. Livestream

Livestream is the best livestreaming software for YouTube and Facebook. It is easy to use interface and simple settings make it the best suitable for the beginners who have just started streaming. It also supports simple and high-quality game casting.

Price: $75 per month

Encoder For Machine Vision

Operating System: Windows, Mac OS

Key Features:

• Accurate compositing and live switching.
• Compatible with various camera inputs.
• Broadcast quality video output.

What Hardware Encoders Do I Need to Stream on YouTube?

Adobe Media Encoder For Mac

Hardware encoders are powerful and reliable video developing tools used by professionally experienced streamers. A hardware encoder is a piece of physical equipment that is hooked up in the live streaming procedure. It has a lot of functionalities in an online video development process.

#1. Taradek VidiU Pro

The Taradek VidiU Pro is the ultimate live streaming device for schools, churches, production companies, and businesses trying to take their content to live online from anywhere without a computer. It is practically an alternative to VidiU Go and is the best YouTube livestreaming hardware for features like remote management etc.,

Price: $2690

Key Features:

• Configurable with Bluetooth.
• Supports multiple broadcasts on various destinations.
• Ultimate reliability and maximum bandwidth.
• Compatible with all platforms.

#2. Taradek VidiU Go

Taradek VidiU Go provides a solution to one of the greatest challenges to giving a high-quality content stream through network bonding. It is a bonded device using Taradek's core technology, which enables you to divide your signal bandwidth between modems reducing the dropping of frames and of course increasing the content quality.

Price: $1400

Key Features:

• Dual video input.
• Save 50% of the required bandwidth.
• Streaming content is instant.
• Stream on cutting edge.

#3. Digicast DMB-8800A Premium

Digicast DMB-8800A Premium is one of the best YouTube live streaming hardware encoders used for remote education, health care operations, video conferences, news interview, public security, banking operations, transportation, and other industrial applications.

Price: $433

Key Features:

• It provides clear delicate videos at low bit rates.
• A built-in audio gain for independent volume adjustment.
• Multi-resolution and multi-protocol configurable
• Sharpening and filtering facility in video processing.

#4. Webcaster X1 for YouTube

Webcaster X1 for YouTube is a lightweight, portable hardware encoder device that enables you to live stream on YouTube using any device with an HDMI output or a camera or a mixer. It streams high-quality video with embedded audio.

Price: $299.95

Key Features:

• Very simple and easy to use.
• Versatile to live stream content from anywhere.
• Facilitates scheduled live streaming and stream now options.

#5. H.265

The H.265 is commonly called HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding). The move towards obtaining a better resolution has necessitated an improved level of compression efficiency in this version compared to its precursor versions of H.264 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding). AVC is also a video compression standard that is based on motion-compensated and block-oriented coding.

Price: $255

Key Features:

• Compressed bit rate.
• Better visual quality due to better resolution.
• Secured broadcast of high-quality videos.
• Most versatile and powerful video developer tool.

[Bonus Part] Software vs Hardware Encoders - Should I Use Software or Hardware Encoding?

Now that we are aware of various encoders, the common confusion that arises in our minds is, 'Which one is better: hardware or software encoder?' An encoder is an algorithm and the hardware is what that is needed to run it.

The main difference between the hardware and software encoders is that the significant characteristic that lets hardware encoders to perform comparatively effective -is that hardware encoding devices are solely designed for encoding. Software encoders operate with your computer, so encoding is not the prime function. You should familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of both types of encoders if you want to arrive at a better decision. So, let's look at them a little deeper.

Using a hardware encoder

PROS
• Great performance and reliability.
• High encoding speed and lower latency.

CONS
• Expensive
• Difficult for timely upgrading

Using a software encoder

PROS
• Cheap and Flexible
• Customizability

CONS
• Lower performance
• Higher latency.

Depending on the budget of your stream and the purpose of your work, your choices may be different. For example, hardware encoders run upwards to around $1000 making them costly while encoding software is mostly less than $100 and even for free sometimes. Hence, hardware encoders are considered to suit best for professional and experienced broadcasters, while software encoders perform well for beginners. So, choose wisely!

Encoder For Macbook Pro

Final Words

The encoder you use plays an important role in the quality of your live stream video that is to be delivered to your target audience. There are several choices and configurations to look into when choosing one of them to go for your live stream. While hardware encoders tend to produce better quality video live streams, software encoders are easier to handle and cost-effective.

Now, that we have come across different encoder tools, we have an idea of going on a YouTube live stream in the best way possible. If you think we have missed out on any other encoders from your list of recommendations, don't forget to leave it as a comment below. We are always pleased to accept such comments to upgrade our content. Thank you!

Related Articles & Tips

by Brian Fisher • Jul 24,2019 • Proven solutions

Windows Media Encoder is a free media encoder which was developed by Microsoft. It is used to enable legacy encoding and editing programs to make it compatible with Windows Media Player codec in file containers like AVI or WMV. It enables its users to create or convert live video or audio streams into Windows Media supported formats. WMV Encoder also allows its user to capture data by retaining frame quality and original video by protecting broadcasts or live streams as per your requirement. Some tools could also be used to create multiple videos delivery scenarios like DVD or MBR streaming. Users could also enjoy HD video quality or high-quality audio.

Best WMV Encoder for Mac

UniConverter is an all-in-one video converting tool which is also the best choice to be used as an WMV encoder for Mac. To play WMV videos or compress it you could make use of its encoding features while converting the WMV videos to any file format. This tool is highly recommended by many content developers due to its powerful and reliable media encoding features.

Best WMV Encoder - UniConverter

• Easy Encoding and decoding of any file format.
• Convert all popular video/audio formats: It supports more than 150+ file formats like WMV, 3GP, AVI, MP4, M4V, etc.
• Customization Techniques: Capable of personalizing any video/audio with its diverse video editing tools.
• Unique Real-Time Preview & Screenshot Capture attributes.
• Optimized Presets to fit any Apple and Android devices directly.
• In-Built Media Downloader to capture any video from online.
• Burn WMV files to DVD with ease.
• Compatible with Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista, macOS 10.15 Catalina, 10.14 Mojave, 10.13 High Sierra, 10.12 Sierra, 10.11 El Capitan, 10.10 Yosemite, 10.9 Mavericks, 10.8 Mountain Lion and 10.7 Lion.

How to Encode WMV on Mac using UniConverter

Below lists both video and step-by-step tutorial on how to encode WMV on your Mac, you can watch the video first to get a general idea on how it converts WMV file and then follow the instructions to start converting WMV video right away.

Step 1. Import WMV files for conversion

To load your WMV files: go to the main interface, choose 'Add Files' option. After that a pop-up window will appear, choose the desired WMV files for conversion. You can also drag and drop your WMV files to the main interface directly.

Step 2. Set the output format

Choose from any format you want from the 'Video' category at the bottom of the program's window. It supports more than 150 file formats. So, you could choose any file format you want. Alongwith that you could also make any changes to your WMV files with its diverse video editing tools such as adjust volume, convert to 2D/3D/HD format, adjust resolution and so on. You could also compress the video file if needed. This program has endless unique features which cannot be found in any other WMV encoder.

Encoder For Microsoft Stream

Step 3. Start conversion of WMV file

Now, select the 'Convert' button to start the conversion process. Also, choose a location for the WMV file to be saved after the conversion. After the conversion is done, you will receive a prompt message to play the file.

Alternate WMV Encoder for Mac - Adobe Media Encoder

1. Adobe Media Encoder

Adobe Media Encoder works flawlessly in delivering original video content, audio and broadcast for web. This Media Encoder provides useful presets with a wide-range of file formats. Here you could also work on your other files simultaneously when the encoding process is going on with Background Encoding features.

You could use the drag-and-drop files feature to convert the WMV files to another media format. Moreover, you could also drag a folder into the 'Watch Folders' section and all the videos or audio in the dragged folder will be added immediately. Click on 'Export format' to open the Export Settings window for further adjustments in the video.

Download Adobe Media Encoder For Mac

2. Free WMV AVI Converter

If you are looking for a reliable WMV and AVI converters that swiftly converts these files to any media formats without incurring any cost, then place your faith on Free WMV AVI Convertor - a powerful converter that effortlessly works for conversion and helps playing the files in almost all the renowned iOS devices like iPhone6/7/8/XS/XS MAX and the latest iOS 12 beta operating system. WMV is designed to give breathtaking enhancements over the video. It ensures to convert the WMV and AVI files to a number of media formats like HD MP4, HD AVI, HD WMV and more.

Lame Encoder For Mac

With this converter, one can easily gain a preview of the video effects fused in the video via its built-in-player. Users can also exercise the leverage of redefining the video by making adjustments, brushing on effects and trimming it accordingly. The video can also be optimized by leveling saturations, brightness, hues etc. Moreover, WMV even allows users to record the screen or capture any part of the video and save it on their Mac. What’s more? The converted videos can be accessed on any of the portable devices connected with numerous models like iPad, iPod, iPad Air and a lot more.