Enterprise Video Streaming - Broadcast Settings

The Broadcast Settings page contains important configuration options for your channel, especially if you plan to broadcast using a third-party encoder.

This page includes the following sections:

• Auto-Recording
• Multi-Quality Streaming
• Encoder Settings
• Default Audio Language
• Remote Record Console
• Secure Streaming and Viewing

Auto-Recording

Auto-Recording automatically records live broadcasts streamed to the selected channel. After the broadcast ends, a recorded copy becomes available in the channel's Videos section.

Enable or Disable Auto-Recording

1. Go to your IBM Video Streaming dashboard.
2. Select the channel you want to configure.
3. Click Broadcast Settings.
4. Click Settings next to Auto-Recording.
5. Select or clear the checkbox for Automatically record live broadcasts on this channel.
6. Choose whether auto-recorded videos should be published automatically or kept private.
7. Click Save.

Auto-Recording Visibility

You can choose how auto-recorded videos are published after they are created. Recordings can be made public automatically, kept private, or published for a specific number of days before reverting to private.

Saving Auto-Recorded Videos

Auto-recorded videos may be marked as unsaved after they are created. Unsaved auto-recordings may be scheduled for deletion after a limited retention period.

To keep an auto-recorded video permanently:

1. Go to the channel's Videos section.
2. Select the auto-recorded video.
3. Open the More menu.
4. Select Save Auto Record.

Saving the recording removes the automatic deletion deadline.

Multi-Quality Streaming

Not all viewers have the same network bandwidth or device capabilities. Multi-Quality Streaming helps improve playback by allowing IBM Video Streaming to generate additional lower-bitrate stream renditions when available.

Enable Multi-Quality Streaming

1. Go to Broadcast Settings.
2. Click Settings next to Multi-Quality Streaming.
3. Enable or disable the feature using the available toggle.
4. Click Save.

When Multi-Quality Streaming is enabled, viewers may be able to select the stream quality that best matches their device and network conditions. Available quality levels can vary depending on your encoder settings, account configuration, and stream setup.

Encoder Settings

The Encoder Settings section is used when broadcasting with third-party encoders such as OBS Studio, Wirecast, TriCaster, vMix, or other RTMP-compatible software or hardware encoders.

Third-party encoders require manual configuration so they know where to send the stream and which channel they are authorized to publish to.

Access Encoder Settings

1. Go to your IBM Video Streaming dashboard.
2. Select the channel you want to broadcast to.
3. Click Broadcast Settings.
4. Find the Encoder Settings section.
5. Click View.

Manual Entry

The Manual Entry section provides the two values required by most third-party encoders:

• RTMP URL: The destination address where your encoder sends the stream.
• Stream Key: The authentication key that allows your encoder to publish to the channel.

Enter these values into the corresponding fields in your encoder software or hardware device. Field names may vary depending on the encoder. Common field names include Server URL, RTMP URL, Stream Name, or Stream Key.

Important: Keep your Stream Key private. Anyone with access to the RTMP URL and Stream Key may be able to broadcast to your channel.

Third-Party Encoder Resources

The Encoder Settings page may include links to recommended encoding specifications, supported encoder platforms, and best practices for high-quality streams.

Default Audio Language

The Default Audio Language setting determines which audio language viewers hear by default when the player starts playing your live video.

This setting is useful for broadcasts that include multiple audio tracks or multilingual audio options.

Remote Record Console

When broadcasting with a third-party encoder, some controls are not available directly inside the encoder software. The Remote Record Console provides access to additional IBM Video Streaming controls during a live broadcast.

Launch the Remote Record Console

1. Go to Broadcast Settings.
2. Find the Remote Record Console or Console section.
3. Click Launch Remote Console.

The Remote Record Console opens in a separate window and may include the following tabs:

• Chat: Monitor or participate in channel chat.
• Poll: Manage audience polls during a live broadcast.
• Slides: Manage presentation slides associated with the broadcast.
• Recorder: Start or stop recordings while broadcasting from an external encoder.

Remote Record Button

The Recorder tab includes a Remote Record Button that allows you to manually start and stop recordings on your channel while streaming from an external encoder.

Secure Streaming and Viewing

Secure Ingest with RTMPS

IBM Video Streaming supports RTMPS, which is RTMP sent over a secure TLS/SSL connection. This encrypts the connection between your encoder and the IBM Video Streaming platform.

To broadcast using RTMPS, use the following URL format in your encoder:

rtmps://CHANNELID.ingest.video.ibm.com/ustreamVideo/CHANNELID

Replace CHANNELID with your actual channel ID.

Secure Viewer Connections

When viewers open the video player, IBM Video Streaming uses secure WebSocket connections for communication between the player and platform services.

Secure WebSocket connections are used by default.

Encrypted Video Storage

During ingest, video data is stored on encrypted disks before being uploaded to IBM Cloud Object Storage.

Videos stored in IBM Cloud Object Storage are also encrypted.

For more information, see the IBM Cloud Object Storage encryption documentation:

IBM Cloud Object Storage Encryption Documentation 

Secure Chunk Delivery

The player downloads video chunks over HTTPS. Depending on the account and delivery configuration, chunks may be delivered through:

• Akamai Content Delivery Network
• Fastly Content Delivery Network
• IBM Enterprise Content Delivery Network
• IBM delivery infrastructure

IBM Enterprise Content Delivery Network, also known as IBM ECDN, is an on-premises delivery option that can help organizations distribute video content internally through their own infrastructure.

All supported chunk delivery methods use HTTPS.