This article details how to add a live event on the BlendVision One Console.
Before we start
Before creating your live event, you may need to prepare the necessary information, source files, and set up configurations for the events.
Please refer to the related articles below for more information:
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Prepare or set up your input source
- If you prefer the live event with signal input: Supported Input Formats for Live Event for setting up your signal formats.
- If you prefer the live event with pre-recorded video: Video Library Management for uploading source media files.
- (Optional) Integrate BlendVision One APIs to enable security features (such as visibility and watermarks) on the Player SDK/embed iframe Player.
- (Optional) Customize Player Template for creating your own player style of showroom/embed iframe Player.
We also recommend that you can reuse the closed live events, to save time and streamline the process of creating new events with similar settings.
Start Adding Your Live Event
1. There are two ways to start creating a livestream:
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Click the “ADD” button then select “Live” in the left sidebar to start creating a new event.
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You can also click the “Live” on the left sidebar to access your “Livestream List”, then use the "Add Livestream" button in the “Livestream List” to create a new event.
2. Set the title and fill in a “Livestream Name” for your live event.
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Note: Allows symbols and characters. The max length of the livestream name is 50 characters.
Next, you will need to set up the necessary settings, such as general information, security settings, and interaction functions:
General
In the “General” tab, please follow the steps below to set up your live event:
Livestream Settings
3. (Optional) Set up your “Custom ID”:
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Custom ID is an optional item and is used for your data mapping.
Please make sure that you have provided your own ID via Add Custom ID if you want to map an existing serial number or other data to the livestream you are setting up. - Note: The max length of the Custom ID is 150 characters. It has to be unique and can only consist of English letters and numbers (0~9).
4. Select the Type and the Broadcast Mode you need:
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If you would like to host an event from audio/video signal (RTMP/WebTRC):
please choose “Live Event”
For live events, BlendVision provides two different broadcast modes:-
Traditional Livestream mode:
The audience can only view real-time video as the content is being streamed and cannot drag the progress bar to rewind or fast-forward. -
DVR (Start-Over) mode:
The audience can control video progress while the content is being streamed and can drag the progress bar to rewind or fast-forward until it ends.
Note: the maximum DVR duration is limited to 16 hours. As a result, if the live video exceeds 16 hours, then it can only be rewinded to the last 16 hours.
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Traditional Livestream mode:
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If you prefer to host an event from a pre-recorded media file:
please choose “Simulive Event”
When choosing the simulive event type, you will need to select a video file in your video library as the source of your simulive event.
Please refer to Supported Input Formats for Live Event and Video Library Management for more details.
For simulive events, BlendVision provides three different broadcast modes:-
Traditional Livestream Mode:
The audience can only view real-time video as the content is being streamed and cannot drag the progress bar to rewind or fast-forward. -
DVR (Start-Over) Mode:
The audience can control video progress while the content is being streamed and can drag the progress bar to rewind or fast-forward until it ends.
Note: the maximum DVR duration is limited to 16 hours. As a result, if the live video exceeds 16 hours, then it can only be rewinded to the last 16 hours. -
Playback mode:
This mode provides event-based VOD and chatroom functions, which adds more interactive features and commercial operation possibilities to a traditional VOD viewing experience.
Note: This mode is only available for simulive events. If you want to record your live signal as a playable VOD, please check the VOD section in this article or Utilize a Live Events as a VOD
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Traditional Livestream Mode:
5. Set the “Start Time” (system date and time) of your event.
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BlendVision provides two choices for start time:
- Now: the resources for the live event will be prepared as soon as possible (less than 3 minutes).
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Schedule: the resources will be prepared in 12 hours before the scheduled date and time.
The scheduled start time has to be at least 10 minutes later than the time the event is created.
The timezone is decided by your location recognized by the browser.
- This start time is set to estimate how long the preparation will take for the live event. The live event will start after you click "Go Live". If you would like to know how to start a live event, please see the details in Start and End a Live Event.
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(Optional) BlendVision One staff also provides standby support for real-time live event assistance. You may submit an inquiry to our staff for more information.
If you would like to request real-time standby support, the start time of your live event is required to be scheduled at least 7 days later from the day of inquiry.
6. Select the resolution (visual quality) you plan to provide for the live event:
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The available resolution options are: 4K, Full HD, and HD (default).
Note: 4K resolution may be unavailable when enabling specific features. Please refer to the Advanced section in this article or Ultra Low Latency Live (UUL Live) Introduction.
Resolution | Support Player Setting | Available Adaptive Resolution |
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4K |
Auto |
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2160p |
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1080p |
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720p |
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480p |
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360p |
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240p |
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FHD | Auto |
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1080p |
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720p |
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480p |
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360p |
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240p |
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HD | Auto |
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720p |
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480p |
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360p |
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240p |
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7. (Optional) Recording your live into a “Live Source File”:
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You may enable the option of “Save livestream for download” to keep your live content:
BlendVision One will save your live content as a MP4 file. After the event is over and the encoding process is complete, you will be able to access the file in your video library for download.
The saved file will also be available for use in hosting another simulive event or creating a new VOD.
Please refer to Video Library Management for more information on video library file management. - Note: This option is only available for traditional livestream mode and DVR (Start-Over) mode. Simulive with Playback mode is not supported for “Save livestream for download”.
Next, we will go over the steps for enabling and setting up advanced features.
Advanced
8. (Optional) Ultra Low Latency (ULL) Live :
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Streaming latency is the delay between the generated video signal and the video being displayed to the audience.
In BlendVision One, we provide ULL Live which reduces video streaming latency, providing a better interactive experience for the audience.
You can enable Ultra-Low Latency in the “Advanced” Section on the right side of the “General” tab. -
Note: ULL Live has the following limitations. For more information on ULL Live, please refer to Ultra Low Latency Live (ULL Live) Introduction.
- This advanced feature is available upon request. Please contact your sales representative to gain access to Ultra-Low Latency.
- 4K resolution is not supported.
- Live-to-VOD function is not supported.
- Backup RTMP signal is not supported
- Input signal format limitations: please refer to Supported Input Formats for Live Events for more details.
Metadata
9. In the “Metadata” section, you can add descriptions to your event to display on the player or for further integration.
- Short Description: Allows 100 characters.
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Long Description: Allows 2000 characters.
Note: Descriptions will display as information on your showroom player or embed iFrame player, please refer to Customize Player Template for more details.
VOD
BlendVision One provides the option to turn your live events into VODs easily.
Your audience may want to watch a replay video after the live session has ended. This can be easily achieved by setting up the configuration in the “VOD” section while creating your event.
The following configurations can be set up:
- Enable / Disable Live-to-VOD: “Disable” is set by default
- The Start Time and End Time: Your archived VOD will be published automatically and accessible to your audience during the scheduled period.
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Source of Live-to-VOD: BlendVision One provides two methods for Live-to-VOD
- Utilize the live event as a VOD (Livestream catchup)
- Replace with an edited VOD
10. For the details on setting-up and the limitations of Live-to-VOD, please see Utilize a Live Events as a VOD for more details.
Note: Live-to-VOD function is not supported for the following scenarios:
- Events that enabled ULL Live
- Simulive Events on Playback mode
Security
In the “Security” tab, BlendVision One provides multiple features to protect your live content:
- DRM (Digital Rights Management) : Protect your content from screen-recording, screenshotting, and mirroring.
- Visibility: Manage the visibility of content (public/private) to avoid unauthorized access.
- Geo-Region control: Specifying authorized regions to limit access from certain areas/countries.
- Watermark: Display a watermark overlaid on your live event in order to claim copyright or identify violators of pirated content.
- Domain Control: whitelist domains that are allowed to publish your live content and limit unauthorized delivery on other platforms.
11. For the details on security features, please see Set up Security Features for more information.
Note:
- Some features may require source files and integration with BlendVision APIs. Please refer to the article Integrate Existing Membership Systems for Private Content for more details on features for token access.
- Most security features (such as visibility, domain control, etc) will be unavailable when using Player SDK. You need to develop the relevant functions within your system and integrate it with Player SDK.
Image (Optional)
BlendVision One allows you to set up cover images which the audience can see during different live statuses.
In the “Image” tab, you can see the live status timeline and set different cover images for each status.
12. For details on the live status timeline and the limitations on uploaded images, please see Set up Cover Images for more information.
Note:
- The live status timeline and the statuses which allow for setting cover images will depend on your live type and settings (such as Live-to-VOD).
- Image setting is optional. If a cover image is not specified, the player will display a black screen as the default cover for your live event.
Interaction (Optional)
In BlendVision One, we also provide interaction features to engage your audience.
In the “Interaction” tab, you can set up configurations to enable the following functions:
- Chatroom: display a chatroom for direct interaction with your audience during live sessions and published VOD periods.
- Poll: gathering feedback from your audience through a poll.
13. For further information on interaction features, please refer to Set up Interaction Features.
Note:
- Some features may require prior preparation and integration with BlendVision APIs, please refer to the related article: Integrate Existing Membership Systems for Private Content for details on features regarding token access.
- If you would like to know how to manage and control the chatroom during a live event, please refer to Live Control Room, Manage Chatroom while Live for more details.
Showroom (Optional)
In BlendVision One, we provide an easy method to deliver your content as a customized webpage. A highly customizable theme is provided and viewer access is controllable. You can quickly set up your customized showroom and player before sharing the URL with your audience.
In the “Showroom” tab, you can set up your showroom design configuration as detailed below:
- Login Page: Customize the login page that displays before audiences access the main page
- Main Page: Customize the main page where the audiences will watch the live event, use the chatroom, and view details.
14. For further information on how to set up your showroom, please refer to Set up Showroom Features.
Note:
- Some features may require prior preparation and integration with BlendVision APIs, please refer to the related articles: Integrate Existing Membership Systems for Private Content for details on features regarding token access.
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BlendVision also supports two other publishing methods: iframe Player and Player SDK (on Android/iOS/Web).
If you would like to know more about supported publishing methods, please refer to Share and Publish a Live Event for more details.
Player (Optional)
In BlendVision One, we provide a customizable player to deliver your content.
You can quickly customize your player template via the BlendVision One Console before reflecting it to your showroom and embed iFrame player.
In the “Player” tab, you can use the following configurations to customize your player:
- Select the standard or customized player template for your event.
- Preview the Player UI for your event
15. For more information on selecting a player template used for your showroom and embed iFrame player, please see Set up Player Features.
Note:
- For more details on creating and customizing your player template, please refer to Customize Player Template
- For live events published through the Player SDK (Android/iOS/Web) method, please refer to our Developer Guide for Player UI customization.
Save and submit your live event
After following the above steps and deciding on your live event settings, you can click the “Create Livestream” button on the upper-right side to save and submit your live event.
Note:
- Please note that most fields will be uneditable once the event is created. We strongly recommend double checking all settings before submission.
- For details on how to edit a live event and the editable fields, please refer to Edit a Live Event.
After the event is submitted, you can see the event show up in the “Livestream” list.
What's more
Here are further suggested articles to help you host and deliver your event:
- Share and Publish a Live Event to your audiences using the showroom or embed player.
- Edit a Live Event to modify event settings or setting up Live-to-VOD if needed.
- Supported Input Formats for Live Events for setting up your streaming software/encoder’s format.
- Live Control Room for hosting your live streaming in the control room.