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Stream to Webex Events from Third-party Software with RTMP
Stream to Webex Events from Third-party Software with RTMP

Use the Webex Events RTMP Player to embed broadcasts and meetings in your event

Daniel Murphey avatar
Written by Daniel Murphey
Updated over a week ago

If you want to live stream to your Event App using a streaming platform not officially supported by Webex Events, use multiple different platforms for a single stream, stream from an eCDN, or stream meeting software directly to your Event App, then Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) is for you! Not sure what RTMP is or why it's useful? Read our Introduction to the Webex Events RTMP Player article to learn more!

Picture of the stage at a hybrid event with cameras and confidence monitors set up around it.

Whether you're handling streaming production in-house or working with a professional production company like Meeting Tomorrow, this article provides encoding requirements and advice, explains how to use the Webex Events RTMP Player, and offers answers to frequently asked questions.

Encoding and network requirements

Our encoding settings recommendations follow common industry standards and best practices, and they aim to provide your audience with the best possible experience.

Codecs and resolution

Webex Events RTMP accepts 480p, 720p, and 1080p H.264 video and AAC audio streams.

Video settings

Bitrate, FPS, and resolution are interrelated, and the stream’s resolution largely determines its bitrate and frame rate (frames-per-second, or FPS). Use the following recommended settings, which are available in most H.264 video-encoding software or hardware APIs:

Bitrate

Up to 1500Kbps for 480p**

Up to 4500 Kbps for 720p
Up to 8500 Kbps for 1080p

FPS

30

IDR/Keyframe

2 seconds (or 1 for lower latency)

H.264 level

Main

Scene change:

Off (preferred)

Chroma subsample:

YUV420P

CABAC

Preferred

**The minimum acceptable quality for any streaming situation is 1500Kbps/480p resolution.

💡 Keep in mind, we strongly recommend using only constant bitrate (CBR) for a smoother and more stable live stream experience. If you use variable bitrate (VBR), your streams will be more subject to buffering and interrupted playback.

Audio settings

We support the following settings:

Bitrate

96-320 Kbps

Sample rate

44.1 or 48 Khz

Channels

Up to 2 (mono or stereo)

Network

Always use wired internet for the most stable and consistent connection.

An unstable internet connection could result in stream buffering and lagging for your viewers, so the video and audio bitrate, FPS, and keyframe settings you choose must be viable based on your network strength. The higher your settings, the more bandwidth you'll need for your stream.

⚠️ Caution! Always test your RTMP streams before event day with the exact encoding hardware, software, and network configuration to be used during the official stream to ensure video and audio plays smoothly.

Activate RTMP and copy the Stream Key and RTMP URL

The unique RTMP URL and Stream Key that Webex Events provides for each live stream in your event tells your streaming software where to broadcast the stream. Use stream keys as many times as you need and test as much as you like! 👍

Activate RTMP and other features

When you create a Live Stream feature or Session, select RTMP Player as the Stream provider. If you want to use additional features like Webex Events Closed Captions & Translations, human captioning, or Attendee Engagement options, now is a good time to activate those options.

The Edit Live Stream modal. Webex Events RTMP Player is selected.

Click Save changes when you're done making changes.

Copy the Stream Key and RTMP URL

Now, edit the Live Stream feature or Session again and note that the RTMP URL and Stream Key fields are now filled in. Click the Copy button next to each — you'll paste them into your streaming software in the next step.

The RTMP URL and Stream Key fields in the Edit Live Stream modal.

For the best experience, copy the RTMP URL and Stream Key for multiple live streams into a spreadsheet that contains the live stream or Session names and start times. This makes it easy to reference and share the URLs and keys for each Session.

Not sure whether to use the Live Stream feature or an Agenda Session live streaming? Read our Live Stream feature and Session comparison article for more information to help you decide.

Enter the RTMP URL and Stream Key into the broadcast software

Now that you've copied the URLs and keys, it's time to plug them into the streaming software.

If you're managing your own broadcast software, you'll need to copy and paste the URLs and keys into each stream yourself. The process for entering the RTMP URLs and Stream Keys into broadcast software varies from platform to platform. Refer to the documentation for your chosen software for the exact process. Here's a screenshot example of Vimeo's streaming settings:

The Streaming Settings window in VMix.

After the URLs and keys are in place, you're ready to go! Within a few seconds of your stream starting, it will appear to your attendees inside your Event App. 📺

⚠️ Caution! If your stream doesn't appear in the Event App right away, don't restart your stream. Allow up to 30 seconds for the stream to appear.

Now you know all about using RTMP for your live stream. Are you working with an AV team for a hybrid event? Read our article about preparing your hybrid event AV team!

FAQs

Which broadcast software supports RTMP?

Tons! Online sites like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live plus local software such as Wirecast, Teradek, and vMix have all worked for our customers. Check the site or software's documentation to find out if they support RTMP. If they do, we highly recommend that you test to ensure everything works as expected. 👍

💡 Keep in mind, Webex Events supports some of these providers "out of the box". You'd typically use these with RTMP only if you want to use multiple platforms in a single live stream. Refer to our Live Streaming and Webex Events article for a full list of providers we officially support.

Which meeting software supports RTMP?

We've verified that Webex and Zoom work with Webex Events RTMP, though we strongly encourage you to test any meeting software you use so you know how it will behave and what to expect.

Which hardware encoders work with RTMP?

Customers have reported success with Blackmagic encoders.

Can I stream to Webex Events RTMP from my eCDN?

Yes. However, depending on your eCDN provider, it may be better to embed the provider's player using an i-frame as described in our Vbrick and Webex Events article.

Can I stream to another platform from Webex Events with RTMP?

No. The Webex Events RTMP player can only receive streams from external platforms. It can't broadcast a video feed to an external platform.

Does the Webex Events RTMP Player require RTMPS?

Yes. If the broadcast platform you're using doesn't support RTMPS, it won't work with Webex Events.

Can I use the RTMP Key and URL multiple times?

Yes! Use RTMP information as many times as you need for testing or streaming from multiple different sources over the course of your session.

My stream shows the provider's logo or watermark. How do I remove it?

Providers like Webex and Zoom automatically include their logo as a watermark in the stream. Since this is a provider-specific setting, reach out to your streaming or meeting provider to discuss removal. For Webex Meetings or Webinars, contact your Webex Customer Success Manager. Read the Webex article about configuring branding for your Cisco Webex site in Control Hub for more information.

Will I have to edit the RTMP URL?

Some streaming platforms may require that the RTMP URL include a specific port, exclude an extra character, or include some other information. This depends on the provider, and the exact steps could vary widely. For example, Wirecast and Teradek require you to add :443 to the RTMP URL and remove the last forward slash.

Original: rtmps://ff39bcb7eb65.global-contribute.live-video.net/apps/
Edited: rtmps://ff39bcb7eb65.global-contribute.live-video.net:443/apps

Always test your RTMP streams before event day. If you encounter any issues, your chosen provider's documentation or forums can likely help you find a resolution.

Questions? Chat with us, email support@socio.events, or attend a Face to Face session.

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