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Create a live source

Ravnur Support
  • Updated

 

What is a Live Source?

A live source is the origin of the video stream displayed in the player. It comes from the streaming server (origin server), and you can set up multiple live sources based on your requirements.

RMSstreaming-flow-1024x268.png

Simplified live stream processing

Why do I need it?

Without a live source, you cannot begin your stream. It serves as the starting point for your live broadcast, ensuring that your stream is ingested and delivered to your viewers.

 

How do I create a live source?

1. Go to Live Streaming > Configure Sources.

2. Click Create Live Source in the upper right corner.

live source.png

 

3. Select the type of live source

There are two types:

  • Ravnur Media Services. This is the primary live streaming service used by the application. Using RMS allows you to control the settings of the streaming server and the post-production pipeline. Automatically converts live streams to VOD assets managed by the vCMS.

  • HTTP live stream URL. This is the generic live source. If you have a .m3u8 playlist manifest URL, you can create a live source that will use this URL and send it to the player. This is useful if you are streaming from a non-RMS streaming server or a CDN.

NOTE: you must use an https URL.

4. Add the input settings

Depending on the source type, some fields may not be displayed.
  • Account. Select the appropriate Ravnur Media Services (RMS) account. By default, the RMS account records Video on Demand (VOD), which is automatically added as a media file to the Videos section.

If you need to disable VOD recording or plan to stream from different geographic regions (e.g., East Coast and West Coast), contact Ravnur Support to request a dedicated RMS account.

  • Encoding. A standard passthrough is set by default. The price varies among the encoding types. Learn more about the current rates.

    • Standard Passthrough – DVR window 25 hours, no ingest data limits.

    • Standard 720p – An on-premises live encoder sends a single bitrate stream to the Live Event and Media Services creates multiple bitrate streams. If the contribution feed is 720p or higher resolution, the Standard 720p preset will encode a set of 4 resolution/bitrate pairs.

    • Premium 1080p – An on-premises live encoder sends a single bitrate stream to the Live Event and Media Services creating multiple bitrate streams. The Default 1080p preset specifies the output set of resolution/bitrate pairs.

  • Ingest video format. Choose the appropriate ingest format for your live source:
    • RTMP: Use RTMP for live streaming.
    • SRT: Use SRT for live streaming. Contact Ravnur Support to enable this option.
    • fMP4: Contact Ravnur Support to activate this format.

 

5. Add Live Source Details

  • Title. It is displayed in the list view and drop-down lists for configuring the Channel and Live Event. Use a descriptive name (e.g., Live Source 1 – cloud encoding).

  • Description. The description is found on the Live Source details page and is used to give the user more information about the live source. For example, “Used for City Council meetings. No live captions. Standard latency.”

  • Enable low latency. This option reduces stream latency to 7-14 seconds for HLS output. The most resilient stream is the standard latency stream because it buffers more of the video and should be chosen when there is no need for lower latency. However, if there is viewer interaction such as Q&A, then low latency is a better choice.

Note: Actual latency may vary depending on the CDN used or the end user's software, such as the operating system and player.

  • Key frame interval. The default setting is 2.

All these parameters cannot be changed after creation, so you may want to create multiple sources to meet your needs. For example, you may want to use Standard Passthrough as an encoding option and also be able to use the Premium 1080p encoding option at times. In this case, you would create a live source select Standard Passthrough, and then create another live source that uses Premium 1080p encoding. This will allow you to select the appropriate live source when you create your live event.

 

When would I need more than one live source?

  • If you run concurrent live events, you’ll need more than one live source (one for each live event).

  • If you want to use cloud encoding for a live event, and passthrough for another event, you’ll need two different live sources.

  • If sometimes you want to stream from a Ravnur Media Services (RMS) origin server, and at other times from a non-RMS origin that produces a .m3u8 playlist manifest URL, you’ll need two types of live sources.

  • You have different stream latency requirements for your live events.

 

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