FAQ
Two sets of questions: the ones you have while deciding, and the ones that come up once you are running. For step-by-step fixes, see Troubleshooting. For account, sign-in, and billing questions, see Account and billing.
Before you sign up
Do I need OBS?
Yes. Breakcastr is an overlay for OBS. OBS sends your video to your selling platform, and Breakcastr adds the graphics on top. If you already stream your breaks through OBS, you are ready. If you do not, OBS is free.
Do I need to be technical?
No. Setup is adding one browser source in OBS and opening your control panel. If you can add a source in OBS, you can do this. See OBS setup.
Which platforms does it work on?
Any vertical platform you can stream to from OBS, like Whatnot, TikTok, eBay Live, Loupe, and Fanatics Live. Two things have to be true: you can stream to it from OBS (not just its phone app), and it is a vertical stream. Breakcastr is portrait-only right now, so widescreen platforms like Twitch and YouTube are not supported yet. A platform only fails to work if it has no way to stream in from OBS at all. Full details in Supported platforms.
Do I have to control it from the same computer as OBS?
No. Your control panel is your studio, and it runs on any device signed into your account: an iPad, a laptop, your phone, even a machine in another room. OBS runs your stream on one computer while you run the show from whatever is comfortable. You can even switch devices mid-break.
Do I need a second computer or a producer?
No. One person runs the whole broadcast from one panel: graphics, the board, celebration moments, the hype. What normally takes a small production crew is a single console you already have open.
What breaks and sports does it support?
Sell the teams from any supported league, or bring your own custom list of spots for players, characters, hit drafts, buyer names, anything. That is across NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, the big soccer leagues (Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Champions League), and the major TCGs: Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Lorcana, One Piece, Digimon, and Flesh and Blood. One overlay adapts to whatever you are ripping. The full list lives in How spots are filled.
Does Breakcastr run the sale or assign teams?
No. Breakcastr is the visual layer on top of your break. You run the sale on your platform and handle teams however you already do. Breakcastr makes it all look broadcast-grade and gives you one place to run the graphics.
Can I use my own branding?
Yes. Your logo, name, and socials come from your channel and show consistently across the board, your name plate, and your alerts. See Branding.
Is it free to try? Do I need a credit card?
Yes. Every new account starts with a 7-day free trial, no card required: you can build your channel, design overlays, and broadcast real breaks. After the trial you subscribe to keep going on air. See Pricing and plans.
Will it actually keep viewers watching?
A clean, animated board gives a casual viewer a reason to stop scrolling and stay through the box, and sale alerts and celebration moments give them something to react to. Looking like a broadcast is what separates a stream people watch from one they skip.
After you sign up
The overlay is blank on stream. Did I break something?
No, that is normal until you start a break. Once you go live with a template, the board appears. Between breaks it is transparent on purpose, so nothing covers your camera.
I see a colored box instead of my graphics.
The overlay is transparent by design, so a solid box is coming from OBS. Check that the source uses your Overlay URL and that you did not add a color background behind it. More.
The board looks stuck or out of date.
Right-click the overlay source in OBS and choose Refresh. It reloads and re-syncs from your latest state. Ticking “Refresh browser when scene becomes active” makes that automatic on every scene cut.
My actions on the console are not showing on stream.
Check that the overlay and your studio are on the same account and the links you were given, and that you are connected to the internet. The live board only runs once you have started the break.
The celebration effects have no sound.
On stream, OBS plays triggered sounds automatically. A plain browser tab showing the overlay may block them (browsers block auto-playing audio), so judge audio by OBS, not by a spare tab.
Can I change my overlay layout mid-break?
Showing and hiding widgets is the live layout control: toggle any widget from the console without touching your design. Moving, resizing, or restyling widgets happens on the template, so to change the look, end the break, adjust the template, and start the next break. Your overlay keeps showing the whole time, so the stream never goes dark while you do it.
I ended my break. Why is the overlay still showing?
On purpose. End break wraps the break but keeps your overlay on screen, so you stay looking live while you rate the break and decide what is next. Start the next break to swap the overlay, or hit End stream to blank it. See End the night on your terms.
What happens if the overlay reloads mid-break?
It heals itself. Any reload re-syncs the exact current board, so every sold spot comes right back with no action from you. More in Run the live show.
Can I control the break from a different device?
Yes. Your console runs on any device signed into your account, and it stays in sync, so you can run the show from an iPad or laptop and even switch devices mid-break.
Is my Overlay URL private? What if it leaked?
Your Overlay URL carries a private token, so treat it like a password: it is meant for your OBS, not for sharing. It stays the same between breaks, so you set it once and leave it. If it ever leaks (a screenshot, a screen share), reset it from Dashboard → Channel → Reset overlay URL: the old URL stops working and you paste the fresh one into OBS.
How long can a break run?
A break auto-ends after 6 hours, which is longer than any real break and exists so a forgotten break cannot run forever. End it yourself from the console when you are done.
Where do I see my past breaks?
Your dashboard homepage shows your channel stats and Break History: every break you have run, with its recap and the rating and notes you left at wrap-up.
How do I reuse my setup for next time?
Your setup already is reusable: it lives in your break template. Next time you pick the template, enter tonight’s break details, and go live.