This guide should get you past most of the common problems, but be prepared for some detours along the way. Just remember: Don't be too hard on yourself, and have fun.

Any successful live Webcast has three main components: A screen capture program, a video encoder, and an Internet site that will stream your feed out to your viewers.

First you'll need to capture the audio and video that you want everyone to see. For the Day[9] Daily, I want my viewers to see what's on my computer screen and hear what comes out of my speakers, so I use a screen capture app called . VH Screen Capture takes that audio and video and feeds it to my video encoder app (Flash Media Live Encoder), which compresses the audio/video so it's easier to stream over the Internet. Finally, this encoded version of the show is sent to a Website that can distribute it. Let's start with the screen capture app.