Video games aren’t my thing. Three years ago I bought a top of the line Xbox, surround headphones and a few games only to sell the system to my brother for pennies on the dollar. Whenever I hear about video games I wonder the attraction. To me, games seem to be a waste of time with no return.

Gaming is one of those hobbies that costs money to get into and continue playing. Every time a new video game is developed it not only requires the game purchase but an ongoing subscription. In order to be an avid gamer they must have disposable income or parents with money.

I now have a bunch of customers who pay for their habits by broadcasting live game play over the internet. Two years ago I would have doubted anyone who said they made $400.00 per week, but now I take it for granted. A good gamer with an equally good personality can make reasonable money.

Twitch.tv, which is owned by Amazon, is the leader in live video game broadcasting. Spectators see a screen with hundreds of broadcasters organized by video game and platform. Every system from old Atari consoles to modern PC’s are represented with games dating back to the 1980’s being played by anyone.

Broadcasters have a different view. They see their game displayed next to a live chat window. Along with the chat, they can also click a tile and get a bevy of statistics including how much they’ve earned. As they play, spectators can actively make donations to the players through the chat and online payment system.

Broadcasting is certainly not an easy way to make money though. Gamers worth their salt take years to develop their skills. Let’s face it, not everyone is a ham either so having the personality of a wet noodle won’t shake it in the online arena. Years of practice combined with a charismatic personality make the perfect streaming gamer.

Having a top-of-the-line broadcasting computer is as important as being a good player. The system must be able to render picture-in-picture in high definition and meet the broadcast requirements of the streaming site. Systems we’ve been servicing and building are basically high end gaming desktop PC’s with a capture card specific to the site’s requirements.

Of all the parts in the broadcasting computer, arguably the most important is the capture card. Video is pumped in from both a webcam and the gaming system (console or PC) and is outputted through a digital signal to the internet. With the aid of streaming software, the broadcasting site receives live video that thousands of people can watch worldwide.

As a business guy I like to approach things from a money perspective. Provided the gaming system is already owned by the gamer the only thing to purchase is a decent broadcasting computer. Most of the systems we serviced and sold have been in the $1,500.00 range. Even at $300.00 per week in earnings, a decent gamer could pay for his system investment in five weeks. Not bad for doing something they enjoy.

Obviously broadcasting oneself on the internet is not for everyone. Certainly I don’t enjoy games so it’s clearly not for me. However, if someone who enjoys games and already dedicates a few hours a night to playing has the wherewithal to put themselves in front of an audience then this could an option. Count me in to online streaming when people start paying to watch people play Solitaire and Pogo games.

(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner.  You can read past articles at www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)