How to create a backup stream

This feature requires an Enterprise account with the Events feature added.

With an Enterprise membership, you can produce two streams simultaneously to the same event, with one being your backup in case of a failure with your primary streams, such as a system crash or power failure.

• What you need
• Create an event
• How to configure RTMP/RTMPS/SRT (primary and backup)
• How to configure Livestream Studio (primary and backup)
• Start streaming
• Ending the stream

What you need

To use this feature, you must set up two separate encoders with video and audio inputs and network connections. You can use any two third-party encoders or stream directly to your ZenVideo account using two licenses of Livestream Studio. You can also do both; for example, you can use Studio as your primary and an encoder as your backup, or vice versa.

You must determine which encoder will be your primary encoder and which will be your backup. How you configure the streaming settings for the backup encoder will vary slightly from the primary encoder.

Note that this feature does not require matching both encoders' streaming resolutions, bitrates, frame rates, etc. (although you may want to consider matching as much as possible for the best viewing experience).

Create an event

1. Start by creating an event on ZenVideo. Select the New dropdown in your library, and then select Host event.
2. Choose Live broadcast or webinar.
3. Choose a setup method. Regardless of which method you choose, select Stream with an external encoder as your broadcast method.
4. Proceed with configuring the rest of your event settings as desired to finish creating your event.

How to configure RTMP/RTMPS/SRT

1. Find the URL and Stream key in the Stream panel. 

2. Input this into any encoder as you normally would into your primary encoder.
   ⚠️Note: If your encoder does not support RTMPS, click Copy URL below the RTMPS field to get the standard RTMP URL.

3. For your backup encoder, copy and paste the same URL(s), but instead of the standard Stream Key, copy and paste the Backup stream key into the Stream Key field in your backup encoder.
   

How to configure Livestream Studio

1. First, make sure you are running Studio version 6.3.0. Earlier versions do not include this feature.
2. In the Stream tab, select ZenVideo as your provider.
3. Choose your event from the drop-down menu. If Studio is a primary encoder, you will go live as normal. If you are using Studio as a backup encoder, you must ensure your primary stream is live first.
4. Click Advanced Settings (below the Share With dropdown menu) and select the Backup stream checkbox.
   ⚠️Note: This checkbox will remain greyed out until a primary stream is running to your event.
   

Start streaming

1. Whether streaming via an encoder or Livestream Studio, go live from the primary encoder first.
2. Once the primary encoder connects, you can start the stream from your backup encoder.
3. You can then check the stream health monitor to confirm that ZenVideo receives both streams.
   
4.  If your primary stream disconnects, the backup stream will automatically take over. The stream health monitor will indicate this.
   
5. If you can bring back your primary stream, make sure the primary encoder is live (using the same URL and Stream Key as before) and then stop the stream from the backup encoder to switch back to the primary stream; the player will not automatically switch back. Once that's done, you can reopen the backup encoder to have it ready.

Ending the stream

When you utilize primary and backup streams and are ready to end your stream entirely, click the red End event button from the Live Preview page. This will end the live video on ZenVideo and start the archiving process.