DEV Community: Mia Moore

My Twitch Streaming Setup for Programming

Mia Moore — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 17:56:25 +0000

I love reading what tech everyone uses to make their stream work, so I had to throw my hat in the ring! Here’s all the hardware, software, and other things I use to make my Twitch stream run. (And be sure to follow me on Twitch so we can hang out!)

I primarily stream technical or technical-adjacent content (learning programming, co-working, and adjacent things), so that dictates some of my choices that may not be necessary for your own setup. I also prefer to stream from a MacBook since that’s where my coding setup is, which adds a layer of complication.

Please don’t think you need to get everything on this list to get started with streaming. I collected all these pieces gradually over the years as I was able and as my needs changed. I’d avoid buying a ton of gear until you know you like streaming. You can have a much more minimal setup, especially in the beginning. But if you’re looking to upgrade your gear or add some tools to make your workflow more efficient, read on!

Note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. Every item on this list is vouched by me personally.

Hardware

Streaming

NZXT Creator PC - I use this exclusively for streaming and podcasting. All my hardware is hooked up to this PC, and it runs the streaming software.

MacBook - This is the machine I’m actually using to do the activity I stream.

Apple USB-C to HDMI adaptor - I use this to convert my MacBook output to my NZXT Creator PC. This makes my MacBook monitor a video (HDMI) output.

Elgato Stream Deck - Not an essential, but super helpful for making all the different pieces fit together. I use it to change scenes, turn my lights on and off, automatically tweet when I’m live, and so on.

Audio

Shure SM7B Microphone - This mic is awesome. This is definitely an upgrade from the standard “starter” mic you see, the Blue Yeti, but if you care about audio, it’s worth it.

Cloudlifter Microphone Activator - The one downside of the Shure mic is it’s quiet. This amplifies the sound.

Microphone cable - Connects the Cloudlifter to the Focusrite.

Focusrite 4i4 Mixer - I’m going to be honest, I don’t really know what this does, but it’s part of my setup.

Video

Sony Alpha a6400 Camera - This is a popular camera for good reason! Super simple to use, looks great immediately. What more could you want? I mount this inside my ring light.

Power supply - So you don’t have to worry about charging your camera before/during stream!

Elgato Cam Link 4K - This connects your camera to your PC.

Elgato Ring Light and Key Lights (x2) - I’ve used a different ring light before, but the Elgato is by far my favorite. I love that it connects to my Stream Deck so I can automate my lights as much as possible. Both the ring light and the key lights also clamp directly to the desk, which makes your setup less bulky. The lights also, of course, look great on camera. If I could only choose one light, I’d do the ring light; I use all three but I don’t think that’s truly necessary.

Software

OBS Studio - This is the software I use for the actual streaming bit. I use OBS over its competitors for a few reasons; in a nutshell, I love that it’s open source and free to use, and they have a ton of extensions others have written. The newest update even has built-in closed captioning, which previously required an extension. (Surprisingly, a lot of other streaming software doesn’t have an option for captions, and that’s a no-go for me.)

StreamElements - I only use StreamElements for their bot and stream alerts, but if I was smart, I’d set up all my overlays inside StreamElements so I can use them no matter which computer I’m on.

Pretzel - Twitch- and YouTube-safe music, because playing copywritten music is a bad plan. Pretzel is super simple to use and the free version is robust enough for most folks.

Ko-Fi - My preferred method of collecting tips. Ko-Fi doesn’t take a fee, allows you as a creator to make supporter-exclusive updates, and has stream alerts too. If you have a shop or take commissions, Ko-Fi also has wonderful features for that!

Miscellany & decor

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock - I use this to hook up alllll of the things (monitors, keyboard, streaming setup, whatever) to my MacBook.

ErgoDox EZ Glow Keyboard - I got this keyboard to improve the ergonomics of my setup and try out a split keyboard layout. Honestly, I’ve barely tapped the surface of all this keyboard can do, but I do quite like it. If you’re curious, I use Cherry MX Blue switches.

Uplift desk - One of the more popular standing desks for a reason!

Nanoleafs - The lights behind me are the now-retired Nanoleaf Light Panels. The newer ones seem even better!

Wallygrow - Planters made from 100% recycled plastic. Easy to setup and they look gorgeous!

Art and other assets

Main stream assets

Stream graphics commissioned from Liz Locksley
Rainbow transition stinger

Emotes and badges

Furby set
Bi pride heart
Sylveon bongo
Liz Locksley emotes (FurbLove, Trash, Fine)
Pancake sub badges

A note on sustainability

You do not need a huge, expensive setup to get started with streaming.

I try to purchase responsibly (basically, not over-consume) since I see that as our collective responsibility for the planet. For tech, I look for secondhand or refurbished options since they are already in the waste stream. Buying secondhand is also cheaper!

Amazon has their own line of refurbished tech called Amazon Renewed, and I’ve found some great items there. Elgato sells their refurbished products on eBay, which is where I got my ring light. I’ve also seen a lot of streaming gear on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

Camunda's Hacktoberfest 2022

Mia Moore — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 10:47:21 +0000

Happy Hacktoberfest, everyone!

We are so excited to be participating in Hacktoberfest for the third time this year. At Camunda, we believe that open source can help unlock the full potential of process automation. We’re passionate about automating processes, creating easy-to-use products, and collaborating with our community members.

For every Camunda challenge completion, we will make a donation to One Tree Planted which plants trees across the globe focusing on areas in need of habitat rehabilitation.

If you complete the challenge you will also have the option of choosing to receive the limited edition Camunda x Hacktoberfest 2022 t-shirt.

Note: Documentation improvements are always welcome!

Get the whole lowdown at our blog post here - Hacktoberfest 2022 at Camunda.

Or review the following repos for Hacktoberfest issues:

Happy hacking!

8 Travel Tips for Developer Advocates (and Other Tech Roles)

Mia Moore — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 17:47:49 +0000

When I moved into developer relations back in 2018, I found myself in a role where I got to travel frequently for work! This is definitely a privilege and something I try not to take for granted. Many people don’t get to travel at all, let alone have a company fund their way.

At the same time, frequent travel comes with its own set of challenges. It is an art form to balance frequent travel with your mental and physical health. Travel is exciting, but also exhausting and isolating. I was just starting to get the hang of things when the pandemic hit and travel came to an abrupt stop.

Recently, folks who started DevRel during the pandemic are starting to travel, and after Ceora started a thread on Twitter for travel tips, I wanted to make a list of the things I’ve learned for supporting your own well-being while traveling - at least as someone in tech.

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It turns out I have a lot of feelings about balancing your physical and mental health while traveling! This list is less about which hotels to stay at or other travel hacking and more about taking care of yourself while you’re regularly on the road.

Above all, make things easier for yourself, keep on top of your mental and physical health, and find your personal balance for all things travel!

Disclaimer: As of September 2022, I’m still not traveling regularly due to the ongoing pandemic. I have traveled to an event once so far (pictured right). These tips are not adjusted for how things have changed during the pandemic. Please wear a mask and stay safe!

1. Don’t try to save your company money.

This is something a manager told me, and it sounds a little harsh at first, but hear me out. Travel is physically and mentally demanding. There are a lot of small comforts that can help make things more sustainable for you long-term, especially if you are traveling frequently.

Double check your travel policies to see what your company allows. Get the slightly more expensive flight with the much better timing. Fly in a day early, or even a few days if there’s a large time zone difference. Lots of company policies will allow for upgrades on your flight if it’s over a certain length. Stay closer to the venue that the event is in.

Even if something is not within company policy, you can sometimes negotiate certain perks. I’ve asked a manager if I could get a (slightly) more expensive room rather than taking an Uber to the conference every day or walking back alone at night - I’ve never been told “no” so far!

These little comforts are important; they will help you not to burn out or overwork yourself. And that matters to the ~~capitalistic machine~~ company, too — you can’t travel or perform your best if you’re burned out.

2. Choose one airline and one hotel brand.

This is probably the most common travel tip, and for good reason! Earning status with an airline or hotel chain gives you fairly significant perks. Early check in/late check out, free checked bags, and airline seat upgrades make a big quality of life difference for the frequent traveler.

These choices will likely depend on where you’re flying to and from most frequently. If your hometown is a hub city for a certain airline, that probably makes the decision for you. I live in Austin and there are not a ton of direct flights. But, if I knew that I would be flying to San Francisco frequently, only Alaska and American offer a nonstop flight, so I’d likely choose one of them. (You can usually transfer or match your airline status if you end up needing to switch airlines later.)

Another factor is your employer’s travel policies. If the best airline is always too expensive or otherwise out of policy, then that may not be the one to pick.

With your airline/hotel status, you not only get extras during your trip, but also points to use on flights and hotels during your personal travel. It’s one of the biggest perks of the whole “work travel” thing.

Travel “hacking” with credit cards/points is a topic in and of itself — I don’t do it personally, but it’s definitely something you can look into if that interests you.

3. Take time off.

This is an evergreen career message — use your time off!! — but especially so when you’re traveling. If you are traveling or working on the weekend, take proportional time off. Personally, I have always been on teams where that is the explicit policy, even if the company as a whole didn’t have unlimited PTO.

If you’re flying home on a Saturday, take an extra day off another time. And even if the only “work” you did was travel — that is work, that counts, and you should take the proportional time off. A day here or there may not feel like much, but it adds up over time. You will feel much more refreshed giving yourself that room to breathe.

This tip also applies during the trip itself. You don’t have to go to every happy hour or every conference talk. I’m an introvert, and after a day of boothing, I can’t always handle another social event. It’s totally fine to get delivery and watch trashy TV in your hotel room. Use your best judgement to pace yourself when you can; it pays off.

4. Say no sometimes.

At first, I said yes to every opportunity to travel — after all, I didn’t know how long I’d be in a position where my employer would be paying for me to travel. Why would I ever say no? Some of my coworkers would roll their eyes about traveling to certain locations, but I didn’t understand why. I truly didn’t think it’d ever get old.

Well, it turns out, saying yes to everything is a one-way ticket to burnout. It’s difficult to maintain your home life or your relationships with loved ones if you’re constantly on the road. It can get exhausting and lonely to be without a home base.

Everyone’s personal balance is different, and it will likely take some trial and error to find yours. Think about what makes sense with the rest of your life. Do you have kids/partner(s)/family that rely on you? Will you have to offload some of your home duties to others while you are gone? Are you able to socialize and enjoy your leisure time, or do you find yourself still recovering from travel? Will you miss your dog too much if you’re gone two weeks out of the month? Can you keep up with responsibilities like cleaning, making dinner, whatever else? Are your partner/family/friends feeling neglected?

Note: Being able to say no depends on your team dynamic/expectations. There may be a certain percentage of travel you agreed to when you took this role, or certain events that are not optional. But if it’s getting to be too much, talk to your manager about expectations and what you can do to have more time at home.

5. You’ll probably do less (other) work.

“I’ll have plenty of time to do that on the plane!” is a lie we tell ourselves to feel like we’re not behind.

A lot of folks expect to do the same amount of work they normally do while traveling. To put it simply, this isn’t possible if you want to maintain your sanity.

Keep travel dates in mind when you’re planning what’s realistic — you likely can’t commit to as much as if you weren’t traveling. For example, if part of your job is writing blog posts, you may have to scale down how many you do per month/quarter so you can also attend events.

In my experience, your manager will understand and not expect an equal amount of output if you’re traveling — it’s our own expectations that are harder to shift.

6. Pack light and pack smart.

Before traveling for work, I always had a checked bag. Now, even on longer, personal trips, I can usually get away with just a carry-on suitcase and a backpack.

Things that make a huge difference:

Packing cubes
A backpack that opens like a suitcase
A case for your various cables
Travel-specific toiletries. Buy the extra toothbrush/hair brush/hair care/etc. and you’ll never forget something again!
Bonus: Buy cute toiletry containers. A splurge, but a delightful one.

Some folks have separate shoes, clothes, cables, etc. that live in their suitcase full time (aside from laundry time) and are only used for travel. This is a great idea if you’re traveling often enough!

7. Travel still “counts.”

A lot of folks, myself included, feel like travel “doesn’t count” as real life, in a lot of different ways. When you travel enough for work that it is no longer a special occasion, you have to start maintaining your health the way you do otherwise. That said, I think it’s important to have some flexibility for inevitable activities that pop up — and most importantly of all, not worry about it later regardless. Guilt is not the goal either!

For me, this looks like making sure I eat fruits/vegetables regularly, packing snacks, taking my vitamins/medications, trying to maintain my sleep schedule, keeping up with therapy, etc. I had a coworker who swore by sticking to his same gym routine, no matter where he was in the world. There’s something to be said the comfort of a routine, plus I imagine it makes it easier to stay in the routine when you return.

8. Fit in fun.

If you’re able, find time for things you love to do. Personally, I find it more challenging to take the time to think about things to do than to actually go and do stuff during the trip! Planning is key here.

Take time to watch a show you’ve been meaning to check out on the plane. Collect a Starbucks mug in every city you visit. Like beer? Suggest a local brewery for happy hour. Stay an extra day and do a tour of the city or visit a museum. Whatever floats your boat!

Or make time to visit the Nintendo Store in NYC and buy a giant Isabelle stuffed animal and figure out how to fit it in your luggage later… just hypothetically.

#100DaysOfCode: Learning in Public

Mia Moore — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 22:14:20 +0000

Hi! My name is Mia, and I'm not technical... yet. :)

My Background in Tech

I'm a member of The Relicans, and my background is unique on our team because I came to DevRel from marketing. (That's a whole other blog post -- let me know if you'd be interested in learning more about my journey to DevRel!)

During my career in tech, I have tried a few times to learn how to code. I love working with technical folks, and while it's not my goal to become an engineer, I want to be able to build interesting projects and have more in-depth conversations with members of the developer community.

I have some experience with HTML and CSS -- shout out to Neopets and MySpace -- and have taken courses on Python and Javascript, but still very much feel like a beginner. There's so many resources out there, but I had a hard time staying consistent and committing to learning even when it gets frustrating. It also felt like "learn to code" was too generic as a goal -- how do you know when you've accomplished it?

#100DaysOfCode

My friend and fellow Relican @pachicodes suggested to jumpstart my coding journey by trying #100DaysOfCode, which is a coding challenge. The premise is simple: 100 days in a row, commit to one hour of coding. The official challenge also encourages you to track your progress on Twitter.

It's a little scary to commit to doing this challenge. I was worried about failing to keep up with it and everyone knowing that I didn't accomplish my goal. But I realized if I didn't do something, I'd find myself with little to no progress on my goal to level up my technical skills.

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Pachi also suggested starting with Free Code Camp, which has been a really great experience so far. I like that the first course is frontend, because I feel more comfortable with that and it's helping me build up my confidence.

My Challenge Modifications

I also decided to modify the goal of the challenge a little bit to fit my lifestyle. I can't commit to doing 100 days consecutively right now -- I'm pregnant, which apparently takes a lot of energy, and my work day is filled to the brim. Also, to be frank, life happens. Texas was impacted by a winter storm that left most of the state without power and water, and I refuse to guilt myself over missing a few days over things like that.

But even if I only code every few days -- or once a week -- I am still committing, in public, to continue learning how to code. By the end of the year, I will have 100+ hours of coding under my belt that I wouldn't have had otherwise. And truly, that is my real goal!

I'm also livestreaming my progress every Wednesday at 1 pm central on Twitch. This is not a requirement for the official challenge, but I have been really enjoying it! Streaming makes sure I get at least a few hours of coding time in each week. I really love the community there too -- they have been so helpful in checking for missing semicolons and cheering me on when things go right :)

It turns out that even when I can only code once a week, I am still making progress by being more consistent.

Learning in Public

If you are stuck on where to get started learning to code, or you want to level up your skills in a specific language, I highly recommend committing to your goal publicly. You can participate in something like #100DaysOfCode, write some blog posts here on Dev.to or TheRelicans.com, start a Twitter thread or Discord community -- anything that tells others what you're working on. Talk about what your goals are and how you're planning to achieve them.

Even if you don't achieve everything perfectly, you'll definitely be closer to your goal than when you started. And, perhaps more importantly, you'll have a community of people behind you to support you along the way.

What are you going to learn in public?

If you want to join me while I learn to code, follow me on Twitter or tune in on Twitch!