All Videolinq subscription plans come with our Scheduling widget that helps automate channel activation and streaming to players and destinations. The Scheduler can be use in many ways to automate the start and end times of live streams signal coming from different video sources. Scheduling can help broadcast hands-free streams. The Videolinq Scheduler support these 3 options:
Setup a RTMP source to begin streaming as soon it connects to the channel.
Setup any source to begin streaming at the same time every day.
Setup any source to begin streaming at a different day/time during a week.
Common use case for using the Scheduler include: stream to destinations as soon as the RTMP encoder connects to the channel, streaming traffic schools or resort IP cameras between fixed hours of the day, programing broadcast to stream to social media platforms at specific times, or configuring recorded files to stream based on time-zone specific requirements.
Videolinq support 3 type of video source for a channel: RTMP encoder, Webcam, and URL (a recorded file, or a live stream). The Scheduler requires an active video signal to be on "standby" and connected to the channel. Using a Webcam as video source is not the best way to live stream scheduled events. Working with a RTMP encoder or a URL video source make more sense. The instructions below use RTMP as a video source, but apply also to URL as a video source. We assume you already configured target destinations and or a player.
Step 1
Select the RTMP source and enable it. When using a URL source from file or a live RTMP/RTSP stream - start the video source and skip to Step 4.
Step 2
Click on the "Encoder" tab and copy the RTMP path and stream key to your RTMP media encoder.
Step 3
Click to add a new Schedule. Give the Schedule a name and description, and select from the available option below. If you are using the "RTMP Encoder Automation" skip to Step 6.
Step 4
The Schedule "Repeat Daily Schedule" requires additional configuration. Add the start and end time based on your own time-zone and save settings.
Step 5
The Schedule "Different Schedule Every Day of the Week" option requires additional configuration. Add the date, start and end time, based on your own time-zone and save settings.
Step 6
Start your RTMP encoder. Video will show in the preview player. Start destinations and create a player when needed. Enable the Scheduler. Click "Go Live".
Step 7
The Scheduler is now active. The video source, destinations, and "Go Live" buttons will show all in red color. You will see a yellow alert confirmation at the bottom of the channel page. The channel will be on standby mode in the account home page.
Step 8
At the set time for the broadcast to begin, Videolinq takes the signal present in the channel and begins transmission. Video goes to the player and to the preset destinations. At the end of the scheduled broadcast time, the channel will change status to one of the following options:
Return to standby mode when the Scheduler option "RTMP Encoder Automation" was selected. On next RTMP encoder connection, the channel will become active again and transmit the video signal as before to the player and to destinations.
Return to standby mode and wait for next day when "Repeat daily Schedule" was selected.
Return to standby mode and wait for next day/time when "Different Schedule Every Day of the Week" was selected.
Stop mode when "Different Schedule Every Day of the Week" was selected and there are no more next scheduled tasks to complete.
Tips & Tricks: Remember to update social media platform destinations with a new fresh stream key after a scheduled broadcast ended. Some platforms will require the use of a "persistent" stream key to be able to "re-use" the same stream key for multiple broadcast. If a persistent stream key is not used you must update the destination profile with a new stream key, or the video will not reach that destination next time the scheduler start.
Want to see how easy is to use the Videolinq Scheduler? Open a free trial today.