Knowledge base

There is no difference between these terms. They are simply different designations used to talk about one and the same technology: sending content « live » (or with a slight delay) allowing it to be played as it is broadcasted.

It is entirely possible. Even if the minimum invoicing period is by the month, you may consume your entire bandwidth in one month or on a single day.

Find out more

• Features of video streaming packs
• Features of audio streaming packs

To obtain good video quality, it is necessary to provide a bitrate of at least 1600 kbit/s.

In order to avoid problems of lag or lost connections, it is recommended to have a throughput that is at least twice that used for streaming. However, it is possible to reduce the quality if bandwidth is limited.

To broadcast a stream on mobile devices, it is recommended to have a throughput of less than 1Mbit/s per stream or to use the multi-bitrate (recommended).

The classic means of serving video involves using an encoder to transform the stream output from a camera or webcam source. Example with GoPro: to stream what is being filmed live (setting up a live webcam, for example) you can certainly connect the camera using an HDMI cable to a capture card (e.g. the AVerMedia Game Broadcaster HD) with an HDMI input. Install software such as Flash Media Live Encoder (free) which will recognise the video source and allow you to stream it to our video broadcast servers.

But with suitable cameras, delivering H.264 natively, there is no need for an encoder: you can simply connect your camera directly to your video streaming system. However, this system only works with a limited list of cameras (those allowing video to be encoded in the correct format). Some modules, such as video recording, are not compatible with the way IP cameras work.

To access the configuration, go to your control panel and to Configuration -> Encoder Configuration -> RTSP

Should a problem occur, you will need to start by checking that you are able to view the camera stream over your own network using a video player such as VLC. Please check its connectivity and ensure that the camera works properly with the public address that you are intending to use: the camera must be publicly accessible.

Another important point is that it is necessary to use port 554 for RTSP and not a custom port. This protocol is quite sensitive to network disruptions and you must therefore declare it correctly, which is why any other port will be denied.

List of cameras supported:

• Axis: M10X, M11X, M30X, M31X, M7001, P13X, P33X, P55X, Q1755, Q60X
• Sony: snc-ch110, dh110, ch210, dh210, ch120, dh120, ch140, dh140, ch160, dh160, ch180, dh180, ch220, dh220, ch240, dh240, ch260, dh260, ch280, dh280, rh124, rh164
• Panasonic: information not currently available

It is possible to display a countdown timer before the next live broadcast using the Schedule function on the management interface.

It correlates with the feed cuts if you establish one (or several in a row, by managing the overlap), since this timer indicates the end of the scheduled outage.

Note: it takes 2 minutes for a scheduled outage to be reflected in the countdown.

If you wish to avoid finding your TV or video stream on other websites that you do not own, you can restrict the broadcast to your own website and prohibit any integration elsewhere.

Important: this protection does not prevent the integration of a stream via an HTML iframe tag. We recommend you protect it with a unique hash code for a better level of security.

Restriction by domain

1. Open the Manager (manager.infomaniak.com)
2. Go to Video streaming
3. Go to the Settings of the stream concerned
4. Go to Restrictions and then to the Restriction by domain tab
5. Add the restriction by domain with your own internet site as well as the sites authorized to download the stream

Restriction by token (recommended)

Please follow this guide.

 

The multi-channelling can be useful if you wish to broadcast a live video and several sound versions (like in the case of a meeting which would be translated live simultaneously in different languages). But there is no ready-existing solution unfortunately to define several soundtracks during a live video streaming.


You can however consider the 2 following solutions:

Pair the video streaming product to one or more audio streaming, and plan a page that will host your video player along with audio players, with buttons allowing the visitor to cut the sound of one of the streams and activate the sound of another...

Sign several video streaming contracts, and stream the same image with a different sound. In that case plan a sufficient bandwidth for all the streams that will be sent to us...

Infomaniak doesn't provide the equipment (encoders, encoding machines, servers) necessary to send the audio or video stream to Infomaniak's broadcasting servers.

That being said, in the case of audio streaming, it's very easy to send an audio stream: all you need is a computer (a laptop will also do), equipped with a sound card, and upon which you install a paying or free software, such as those indicated in this FAQ (click here).

For video streaming, it's kind of the same principle, but you will need a video capture card. We recommend the UltraStudio SDI HDMI card, which requires a USB3 connector, compatible with Windows, at a price under 350€. Please also read this FAQ (click here).

This guide explains how to transfer an Infomaniak product from one client account to another.

Generating the transfer link for the product to be transferred

1. Open this page with the login details for the account that contains the product(s) to be transferred (this will only function if you are in the right client account, connected with a user who has sufficient administrative rights)
   
2. Click Transfer products
3. Tick the product(s) to be transferred
4. Read and accept the Terms and conditions
5. Click Transfer
6. Copy the transfer link or send it to the email address of your choice

Importing the product into the chosen account

Open the link you have copied or from the email with the login details of the client account

1. If necessary, choose the destination account using the drop-down menu
2. Read and accept the Terms and conditions
3. Click Receive products (if the button is not clickable, make sure you have selected the destination account)

This guide contains important information to help you configure your encoder with the Infomaniak video streaming service. This information is for reference only and the configuration of your encoder may vary according to your device, your software and the options of your product. We also draw your attention to the fact that our system of authentication by URL differs from the default authentication offered by some encoders.

For your information, the structure of this guide depends on the quality of the encoding chosen for your stream:

Here is how to access the configuration information required by your encoder:

1. Open the Manager (https://manager.infomaniak.com)
2. Go to Video streaming
3. Click the stream concerned
4. Click Configure the encoder and quality from the shortcuts in the Dashboard
5. Click View settings (if necessary)
6. Follow the instructions that apply to your situation

1. Automatic multi-bitrate management by Infomaniak

In this case, the following configuration information is available:

In this example, the stream name is "matv" and its authentication key is "FzC11Zc8":

• Server address: rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8
• Stream login: matv

1.1 Source quality configuration

The qualities of the streams generated by Infomaniak depend on the quality of your source (bitrate). For example, here is the list of qualities that we attempt to generate when your encoder connects:

• 1080p with a bitrate of 3 Mbps
• 720p with a bitrate of 1.8 Mbps
• 480p with a bitrate of 0.8 Mbps
• 360p with a bitrate of 0.5 Mbps
• 240p with a bitrate of 0.3 Mbps*

* 240p will only be proposed if your source bitrate is below 0.8 Mbps.

We recommend you ideally define a source of 1080p with a bitrate of 3.2 Mbps in order to generate all the qualities available. If your source bitrate is limited to 1 Mbps, only the following resolutions will be generated: 480p, 360p and 240p.

Important: check that the debit control of your encoder is set to CBR (constant bitrate). The ABR (adaptive bitrate) mode may affect the bitrate detection of your source.

1.2 Your encoder requires a connection address and a stream login

If your encoder requires a connection address and a stream login, just enter the server address and stream login into your encoder.

In our example, this would be:

• Server address: rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8
• Stream login: matv

1.3 Your endcoder only requires a URL

If your encoder only requires a URL, it is necessary to group the server address and the stream login. In our example, we would obtain the following URL:

• rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8/matv

1.4 Your encoder proposes an advanced configuration

If your encoder proposes a wide choice of settings, please follow the instructions below, which are based on the same example:

• RTMP server address: matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com
• RTMP server port: 1935
• RTMP username: leave this field empty (authentication is carried out via a key with a key on the stream login)
• RTMP password: leave this field empty (authentication is carried out via a key with a key on the stream login)
• RTMP application name: livecast?key=FzC11Zc8
• RTMP stream name: matv

2. Manual multi-bitrate management

In this case, you will find a table containing all the different qualities (bitrates/resolutions) that you defined when configuring your encoder:

In this example, the stream name is "matv" and its authentication key is "FzC11Zc8".

2.1 Your encoder requires a connection address and a stream login

If your encoder requires a connection address and a stream login, just enter the server address and the login for each stream in your encoder.

2.2 Your encoder requires a URL for each stream

If your encoder requires specific configurations by URL, it is necessary to group the server address and the connection login for each bitrate. In our example, we would obtain the following URLs:

• Bitrate 2000000: rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8/matv
• Bitrate 1000000: rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8/matv_1
• Bitrate 500000: rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8/matv_2
• Bitrate 250000: rtmp://matv.vprimary.infomaniak.com/livecast?key=FzC11Zc8/matv_3

3.  Single bitrate (a single quality)

Please follow the instructions given in point 1. Automatic multi-bitrate management by Infomaniak ignoring point 1.1.