Contents
- Overview
- Recommended Streaming Specs
- Creating an RTMP Channel
- Assigning an RTMP Channel to a Broadcast
- Connecting an RTMP Channel to an External Streaming Platform
- Testing an RTMP Channel
- Adding a failover key
Overview
The RTMP In feature allows speakers and event organizers to broadcast livestreams from an external platform into a Goldcast Event. This process happens in realtime and is ideal for situations in which an event is being hosted somewhere other than the Goldcast platform (i.e. Zoom) but the event organizer would still like to provide virtual attendees with an interactive experience.
Recommended Streaming Specs
| Video size: | 16:9 aspect ratio |
| Video Resolution: | Ideal resolution is 720 or 1080p |
| Video Bitrate: | 4-5 Mbps |
| Video Frame rate: | 24-30fps |
| Video codec: | H.264 |
| Video Level: | 240p, 360p or 480p |
| Video Profile: | Any |
| GOP: | 10-15 |
| Audio Codec: | AAC |
| Audio Bitrate: | 128 Kbps, stereo |
| Audio Sample Rate: | 44.1 KHz |
| Buffer image prior to the video: | 1920 x 1080 |
Creating an RTMP Channel
Note: RTMP Channel feeds must be created at least 30 minutes prior to the event's start time to allow them to sync properly with the Goldcast platform.
The following information should be considered before you begin creating your channels:
- Events can have up to five RTMP channels.
- The RTMP feeds will not broadcast to your event prior to the event start time.
- Once an RTMP channel has been connected to a stream and the channel is live, it cannot be deleted.
- Select the RTMP Input tile on the Space page for your event.
- A popup will appear. Select the Create Channel button and enter a name for your RTMP channel in the provided field. Select the Create button to add the channel.
- A green RTMP Input created successfully message will appear with additional information about setting up your stream. You will also be provided with the Stream URL and Stream Key links that you will use to connect the channel to your external streaming platform.
Assigning an RTMP Channel to a Broadcast
Once you have created an RTMP channel, you will need to assign it to a Stage Agenda item. This will allow it to broadcast during your event.
Tip:
You may assign multiple broadcasts to the same stream for an event. This may be useful if your event has multiple sessions throughout but each one is using the same source stream.
- Select the Session button at the center (if this is the first session you are creating) or at the bottom of the Agenda tab on the Space page for your event.
- A popup will appear. Select the RTMP Stream tile then click the Next button.
Note: If you are unable to select the RTMP Stream broadcast tile, it is likely because you haven't set up any RTMP Channels. RTMP Channels must be set up before this broadcast type can be added to your agenda.
- Select an RTMP Channel from the dropdown and add additional broadcast information as needed. Once you have finished, click the Save button.
- A green New broadcast added message will appear, indicating that the RTMP Stream broadcast has been added your agenda track(s).
Tip:
If you would like to switch RTMP channels after a broadcast has gone live, you can do so by selecting the new channel from the RTMP Channel dropdown and updating the broadcast.
Connecting an RTMP Channel to an External Streaming Platform
Note: If you plan on connecting your RTMP Channel to a Zoom livestream, please review the platform's live streaming documentation in addition to the information provided in this section.
After you've created an RTMP Channel, you will be provided with the Stream URL and Stream Key that will be used to connect the channel to your livestream.
This information can be obtained from the Agenda tab on the Space page for your event as well as the RTMP Input menu.
Select the icon that corresponds with the Stream URL and Stream Key you'd like to copy to your clipboard. We recommend storing it in a note or document to return to later.
While the exact location will vary depending on your platform, you will typically paste this information into fields provided in the Stream Settings for your platform.
Note: To complete the setup process, particularly on Zoom, you may need to bring the Channel live first. See the next section "Testing an RTMP Channel" for details.
Testing an RTMP Channel
Before your event begins, you will want to test your RTMP Channels to ensure that the connection has been properly established.
The following statuses represent what phase a channel is in during the connection process:
| Not accepting incoming stream | RTMP Channel is not currently live. |
| Preparing to accept a stream | RTMP Channel has been connected to an external streaming platform, but is still processing. |
| Ready to receive incoming stream | RTMP Channel has been connected to and is currently streaming live video from an external platform. |
RTMP Channel testing can be performed from the Agenda tab on the Space page for your event as well as the Event RTMP Input menu in the Advanced Settings tab.
- Find the channel you would like to test and click the Test Rtmp In button.
- A popup will appear with additional information about RTMP stream testing. Review this information then select the Start Testing button.
- A green Channel is ready for testing! message will appear with information about the duration of the test as well as its end time.
And now we wait...
Once a RTMP channel has been connected to a stream, it is placed in a Preparing to accept stream status. Channels in this status are still being configured by the system and need additional time before feeds begin streaming to the Goldcast platform. This process typically takes about five to ten minutes. After that, the stream test will run for two hours.
Once the stream is running, you will be ready to move on to the next step in the testing process.
- Click the View Session link. You will now be in the backstage area of the session.
- Click the Watch Live button. You will now see your stream in progress!
Adding a failover key
Failover: is a backup operational mode in which the functions of a system component are assumed by a secondary component when the primary component becomes unavailable - either through failure or scheduled down time.
Best Practice: We recommend adding a failover key for your events, implementing failover helps prevent service disruption. Reach out to our customer support team to get the failover key as this not displayed in the admin panel, but will be shared with you ahead of your event, if you have a backup plan in place. In case the stream goes down, you can start streaming to the failover key and our service would automatically detect that data has stopped on stream 1 and switch to stream 2.