Your Distribution Options Explained

Cablecast gives you several ways to reach your audience beyond your cable channel. Each option serves a different purpose, and many stations use more than one. This article introduces the four main distribution methods so you can decide which ones are right for your station.

Internet Channel

An Internet Channel is your station's on-demand video website, hosted by Cablecast. Viewers can browse your video library, watch live streams, and search for past programming — all without a cable subscription.

Internet Channels support:

• Video on Demand (VOD) — past programming available for viewers to watch at any time

• Live streaming — your broadcast feed streamed in real time

• Chaptering — clickable timestamps that let viewers jump to specific agenda items in a recording

• PDF agendas — meeting documents attached directly to a video

Your Internet Channel is a good starting point for most stations. It requires no additional hardware beyond your existing Cablecast setup.

Setting Up and Customizing Your Internet Channel →

Live Streaming on Your Internet Channel

Live streaming on your Internet Channel requires a Cablecast Live stream component. This can be any of the following:

• Live server — a standalone single-channel live streaming server

• Live Multi — supports up to four simultaneous live streams

• VIO Omni or VIO Stream — all-in-one servers that include both VOD and live streaming

A Cablecast Live stream runs 24/7 and reflects a channel within your Cablecast system.

Internet Video: Live Streaming →

OTT App

An Over-the-Top (OTT) app puts your channel on streaming platforms like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices. Viewers watch through a dedicated app rather than a website.

A Cablecast REFLECT or REFLECT+ subscription is required to use OTT apps.

Managing Your OTT App Channel →

Social Streaming

Social streaming sends your live broadcast directly to platforms like YouTube and Facebook using the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP). Viewers watch on the social platform itself, not on your Internet Channel.

Social streaming requires a Cablecast Live stream component (see Live Streaming on Your Internet Channel above) and Gold Support or higher.

Getting Started with Social Streaming →

Embedding Video on Third-Party Websites

Cablecast can generate an embed code for any video or live stream, letting you place it directly on another website — such as your city's official site or a partner organization's page.

Embedding is a lightweight option that extends your reach without requiring viewers to navigate to your Internet Channel.

Embedding Video on Third-Party Websites →

Choosing What's Right for Your Station

Most stations start with an Internet Channel and add other options over time. Here's a quick reference:

Note: All distribution options work with your existing Cablecast schedule and show records — no duplicate entry required.