This topic describes the options Brightcove offers for delivering live streams.
The Video Cloud live streaming video feature enables you to deliver high-quality live streaming broadcasts to any device or browser. You can deliver live streams without any custom development or complex integration, however, APIs are available if you have custom needs or require custom integrations. Since the Video Cloud live streaming integration is built on the same framework as on-demand video, you can take advantage of all of the service capabilities provided by Video Cloud. This includes, full metadata, scheduling, bumpers, geo-restriction, APIs, custom live video players, and the ability to mix on-demand and live streams together in the same playlists.
Note: Live streaming support is available only for Video Cloud Pro and Enterprise publishers.
Video Cloud also supports live streaming with DVR. This player feature, powered by Akamai HD, makes live streams act like they are being played through the viewer's digital video recorder. Live video with DVR is available only for Video Cloud Enterprise publishers.
Brightcove offers several options for delivering live streams. This topic contains the following sections:
- Hardware vs. cloud-based encoding
- Simple live stream using a software-based encoder
- Live streaming using the Video Cloud Live module
- Live streaming using APIs and Zencoder in-cloud transcoding
- Live streaming using a hardware-based encoder
- Live cloud transcoding using the Zencoder API
Hardware vs. cloud-based encoding
Brightcove supports both hardware and cloud-based encoding. Various factors may determine whether hardware or cloud-based encoding is best for an event.
When to use hardware encoding
- 24x7 linear feeds where capacity is known
- An architecture based on a single location
- Broadcast format support
When to use cloud encoding
- For events
- When capacity requirements are unknown
- For de-centralized organizations
- When event timing is unknown and speed is important
- If there are bandwidth bottlenecks
Simple live stream using a software-based encoder
This option allows you to use a software-based encoder to stream a live event to a Brightcove player. For more information, see one of these documents:
Live streaming using the Video Cloud Live module
The Video Cloud Live module provides an easy to use interface to help you broadcast a live event to both desktop and mobile devices. No programming is required. This option uses the in-cloud transcoding capabilities of Zencoder to deliver your live event to either Smart Players or Brightcove Players. After entering your event information into the Live module, you will be provided with a set of encoder settings that you plug into your on-site encoder. All transcoding is done in the cloud so you don't need a hardware based transcoder. For more information, see one of these documents.
- Quick Start: Using the Live Module to Broadcast a Live Event - provides a step by step guide on using the Video Cloud Live module to broadcast a live stream
- Creating and Managing Live Events using the Video Cloud Live Module - provides all the details on using the Video Cloud Live module
- Live Module Guidelines and Best Practices - provides a series of best practices and recommendations to help ensure a high quality, stable live streaming experience
Live streaming using APIs and Zencoder in-cloud transcoding
This option uses the in-cloud transcoding capabilities of Zencoder to deliver a live event to Smart Players. The Video Cloud Media API and the Zencoder API are used to generate a set of stream URLs needed by your software encoder. All transcoding is done in the cloud so you don't need a hardware based transcoder. For more information, see Quick Start: Creating a Simple Live Stream using Zencoder and Video Cloud.
Live streaming using a hardware-based encoder
This option uses a hardware based encoder to encode and deliver live streams to your CDN. On the Video Cloud side, you create remote assets to host the streams and then you can publish a player for your live stream. For more information, see Using the Media Module to Deliver Live Streaming Video.
Live cloud transcoding using the Zencoder API
This option does not use any of the features provided by Video Cloud. This option allows you to send an API request and publish a RTMP stream to start a live transcoding job. Zencoder ingests the RTMP stream, converts it to multiple bitrate streams in RTMP or HLS, and publishes them to a CDN location specified in the API call. For more information, see Live Transcoding Guide and Recommendations in the Zencoder documentation.
Related Topics
- Creating a Simple Live Stream Using Telestream Wirecast
- Creating a Simple Live Stream Using Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder
- Quick Start: Using the Live Module to Broadcast a Live Event
- Creating and Managing Live Events using the Video Cloud Live Module
- Live Module Guidelines and Best Practices
- Quick Start: Creating a Simple Live Stream using Zencoder and Video Cloud