Why Laptops for WAN Show?

[Pooherino ツ]

Does anyone know why Linus and Luke use laptops for WAN show? why not just build a couple rigs with some good webcam/camera and mics which im sure they already using for WAN show.

[Mew]

Do you really want giant 27 inch screens blocking your view of Linus and Luke? I don't think so. 

[Tommy59375]

Because it's LTT and they don't do things properly because it gets them more views.

[roastduck]

because the laptops work fine* at the moment. why change?

[CoolaxGaming]

Because it's LTT and they don't do things properly because it gets them more views.

A show is meant to be portable. They don't always do the wan show in one place. Sometimes they move around.

I wouldn't want to be carrying around a heavy rig all the time.

[EliasNM]

They are not using webcams for the streams and they have a separate camera and microphone, the laptops are easy to access articles to talk about, why would you need a desktop solution?

[_ASSASSIN_]

why not have an analyst desk with the screens being at a low angle? 

Would be pretty cool if you ask me.

[EliasNM]

Because it's LTT and they don't do things properly because it gets them more views.

This is more to have a podcast-y feel, no need for a full setup, I really don't see a need, I think even the never-whenever-it-wants-to-work intro says that is meant to be a mobile solution.

[Tommy59375]

A show is meant to be portable. They don't always do the wan show in one place. Sometimes they move around.

I wouldn't want to be carrying around a heavy rig all the time.

 

Well, good point but they are far more often than not in the same place

[KemoKa]

Do you really want giant 27 inch screens blocking your view of Linus and Luke? I don't think so. 

yeah, lol, the internet already has one Wendell. We don't need Linus and Luke following suit, that would just make things too... ambiguous?

[Misanthrope]

Do you really want giant 27 inch screens blocking your view of Linus and Luke? I don't think so.

 

That's ridiculous is easy to locate the shot above or below the monitors and line it up. The place is crawling with Camera operators and video editors you'd think at least one of them outta be able to figure something as simple as that.

 

because the laptops work fine* at the moment. why change?

If by "fine" you mean "late every single week and ALWAYS with at least a few technical issues" then yeah, why change. Except it's not fine AT ALL

 

A show is meant to be portable. They don't always do the wan show in one place. Sometimes they move around.

I wouldn't want to be carrying around a heavy rig all the time.

Again, no reason not to make the stationary set up which honestly, it's like 90% of the shows, not have a dedicated rig that's known to work. What would be the objection? Hardware costs? Time to build the rigs? On a channel that's literally about building computers and testing hardware?

All this aside though, I don't think the Laptops are the issue, the problem is very likely between xplit and the screen capture cards and since we know they refuse to give up xplit (a sponsor of the show) a dedicated machine to screen share from the same device you're broadcasting would basically eliminate most of the issues.

[Kc7vwc]

Like most people have said, the "glitch" factor is something that seems to be pretty unique to WANshow. The only other show I know that comes close is Tech Talk with Jay & Barnacules, but that is mostly outside influence. 
I think it's hilarious & a great bit of showmanship that one of the biggest tech channels online, has the most glitches on it's live stream. If someone is tuning in for the first time, it gives the impression that these are normal people too and they have their share of troubles and even the best of us are still learning. 

It's good for morale for anyone in the tech world. 

 

Could they fix it? Absolutely. But then it wouldn't be WANshow anymore. After all this time, a certain goof factor is expected. Call it a brand trademark almost. 

[Pomfinator]

I think the old answer would be they used to do it on a couch.  The new answer is probably too lazy not enough time to do all the stuff mentioned.  I think they're going to need to look at some kind of permanent setup.  They have the space for it this time.

[LogicalDrm]

In the current situation laptops are better. The new office is still under construction and I'm pretty sure they've moved position at least once in past shows. So for the moment laptops are better. That being said, they have dedicated stream machine to encode stream.

Would they need stationary setup? Definitely. And they could use producer also. Would it be "some rigs with mics and webcams "? Hell no. Why go back with quality? They have good basics. They just need someone who knows about broadcasting.