What is the digital signage stream?
The digital signage stream gives your Always-On Channel (also called VOD2Live) a single, permanent HLS address that digital signage players can play directly. Your screens loop your Always-On playlist, switch to live events automatically when they start, and go back to the playlist when they end. The screens never need a new link.
The Always-On Channel embed code is built for web pages and plays in the Ravnur player. Most signage systems can't run an embed code, but they can play a standard HLS stream. The digital signage stream fills that gap.
How is it different from the channel embed code?
| Channel embed code | Digital signage stream | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it's used | Web pages | Digital signage players and other HLS players |
| What you get | An embed code for the Ravnur player | One permanent HLS (.m3u8) address |
| Video quality | Adaptive bitrate: quality adjusts to each viewer's connection | Single quality: every screen gets the same stream |
| Setup | Self-serve from the channel's edit page | Set up by Ravnur Support |
Use the embed code on your website and the digital signage stream on your screens. Both play the same Always-On Channel at the same time.
What do I need?
- An Always-On Channel with a playlist assigned. See the Always-On Channel article to set one up.
- A signage system or player that plays HLS streams. The stream is designed to work with modern players that accept a standard HLS (.m3u8) address. It's in production use with OptiSigns.
- Network access for your screens. Screens need outbound HTTPS access to the stream address and to Ravnur's media delivery address. Ravnur Support will give you both so your IT team can allow them.
The digital signage stream is included in the Enterprise package. For other plans, it's available as an add-on.
How do I get a digital signage stream?
The digital signage stream needs some setup on Ravnur's side. Your stream address can be on a Ravnur domain or on your own domain. If you use your own domain, you add a DNS CNAME record, and Ravnur adds your domain to our delivery network.
- Email Ravnur Support at support@ravnur.com and ask for a digital signage stream. Include the name of the live channel you want to stream, the signage system you use, and whether you want the stream address on your own domain.
- Ravnur Support sets up your stream and sends you your stream address. If you're using your own domain, Support also sends the DNS records to add.
- In your signage system, add the stream address as an HLS or streaming URL source and assign it to your screens.
After that, you manage everything from the live channel in Ravnur. Change the assigned playlist or schedule live events as usual, and your screens follow.
What will my screens show?
- Normally: your Always-On playlist, playing continuously like a TV channel.
- During a live event: the live event, starting within seconds of going live on the channel.
- After a live event: the playlist again, automatically.
- If nothing is available to play: a holding screen instead of an error, until content is available again.
Common questions
Why is the stream a single quality level?
Signage screens sit on known, stable networks and show the same picture to everyone, so a single quality level keeps playback simple and consistent across screens. Your website embed still uses adaptive bitrate.
What resolution and bitrate is the stream?
Your signage vendor may specify what its players support. Ravnur can send 1080p at 30 frames per second and 6 Mbps. Tell Ravnur Support if your vendor needs something different.
Will adding more screens use more bandwidth?
Not from Ravnur. The stream is delivered through Microsoft Azure's content delivery network, which caches the video close to your screens. By default, though, each screen downloads its own copy over your internet connection. If you have many screens at one site or limited bandwidth, Ravnur can help you set up a lightweight caching server inside your network. It pulls the stream once and serves it to all your screens locally, so your internet connection carries one copy no matter how many screens you add.
Will my screens ever go blank?
Ravnur performs maintenance overnight, when live events are unlikely. During maintenance, screens may pause or show the holding screen briefly, then resume on their own.
Can I use the same address on my website?
Use the channel embed code on web pages instead. It gives website viewers adaptive bitrate playback and the Ravnur player.
Can I have more than one digital signage stream?
Yes. Each live channel can have its own stream. Contact Ravnur Support for each one you need.