The world’s most popular Twitch streamer, Kai Cenat, has pushed his entertainment far beyond playing GTA Online or hosting variety shows from his bedroom. As his audience has grown, so has the scale of his production. The rise of “IRL streaming” has allowed Cenat to broadcast live from all over the world. That expansion became especially notable with projects like Streamer University, a short content creation course where Cenat operated more like a live event producer than a solo streamer. As his broadcasts have grown more mobile and more complex, so has the technology behind them. Understanding how Cenat streams while traveling offers and also his basic essentials on the go offers insight into what top tier creators now require to maintain quality, reliability, and scale outside of a traditional studio.  

Any mobile streaming setup needs four things: a camera (normally an action camera, like a GoPro), a network connection capable of sustaining live video (usually a mobile modem), an audiovisual encoder to format the signal, and enough battery power to stay live consistently for extended periods of time. In Cenat’s case, those components appear to be integrated into a professional, high end IRL streaming backpack, designed to function as a fully portable live studio. Streamers like Cenat normally use a custom modified version of pre-made streaming kits packaged by companies like TVU Networks, Unlimited IRL, and with networking and digital services through IRL Toolkit and the open-source OBS Studio app. In Cenat’s case, products from all three companies and the project behind OBS Studio are used at once. 

Kai’s team has specifically used the “TVU One IRL Backpack” by TVU Networks (as demonstrated during a 2025 live stream), and additional products by Unlimited IRL. IRL Streaming backpacks function as self contained broadcast studios rather than a casual mobile rig. Network bonding and data strategy matter more than any single camera choice. The Unlimited IRL Backpack v7, for example, uses the  Sony FDR-X3000 Action Cam, an inexpensive action camera with a built-in mount and microphone. Cenat also showcased the Sony Alpha 7 II mirrorless camera in his 2022 “10 Things” interview with GQ.  Cloud production tools allow Cenat’s team to scale live streams far beyond what one creator could manage alone, usually done with apps like the IRL Toolkit streaming server. The Unlimited IRL Backpack V7 employs a LiveU Solo PRO encoder that aggregates multiple internet connections into one stable outbound stream. Cellular modems, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet connections can all connect simultaneously, allowing the stream to stay live even as signal strength fluctuates during movement, similar to how sports and news broadcasters handle live coverage in unpredictable environments (TVU Networks also works with major news organizations). 

Power management is another important part of the setup. The backpack includes internal battery systems that can sustain several hours of continuous streaming, allowing Cenat to move freely through travel days without having to stop to recharge equipment. Audio is routed directly through the AV encoder, keeping sound and video synchronized. This simplifies production and reduces the risk of losing sync between audio and video during streams. For connectivity in IRL streaming setups, multiple cellular modems paired with broadcast grade or unlimited data plans allow the system to adapt in real time. Beyond the hardware, Cenat’s operation relies heavily on cloud based production tools. Streams can be sent directly to platforms like Twitch, but they can also be routed through remote control rooms that handle overlays, alerts, switching, and monitoring. Mobile apps (like) that turn phones into bonded cameras expand this system further, like during Streamer University.

What makes this setup notable is not any one piece of gear, but the philosophy behind it. Kai’s travel rig reflects a broader trend in the creator economy, where top tier streamers operate with the same technical expectations as traditional broadcasters. Cenat’s travel setup offers a clear example of what streaming will look like in the future, when content can be broadcast easily and in high fidelity, far from home.

James Lewis

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