How Do I Create A Show Record For A Live Event?

Last Updated:March 10, 2026

How To schedule live event General Information

A Live Show Record stores the details for a live event — things like the title, run time, and live source. You need to create one before you can schedule a live event for broadcast. This article walks you through the process from start to finish.

In the navigation sidebar, select Shows, then click New Show.

Cablecast Shows menu with the Shows icon highlighted in the navigation sidebar and a red arrow pointing to the New Show option.

Step 2: Enter Show Information

A blank Show Record opens with a ShowID of "Assigned after save." Fill in the following fields:

Title — Enter the name of your event. This is only used inside Cablecast.
CG Title — Enter the public title for your event. This is what appears on Cablecast CG schedule bulletins, Internet Channel schedules, and the VOD Show page. The CG Title and Title can be the same.

You can also fill in Bibliographic Info fields such as Project and Category in the section below the Reels.

Cablecast New Show Record with Title and CG Title fields both filled in as "Live Event," showing the Reels section, Bibliographic Info section, and Thumbnail upload area.

Step 3: Edit the Reel

The Show Record includes one reel by default. Click the pencil (edit) icon on the reel to open the reel editor.

12:06 PMCablecast Reels section showing Reel 1 with a red arrow pointing to the pencil edit icon below the reel thumbnail.

Set the Format

Click the Format dropdown and select your live source. The options you see will depend on how your system is set up. Common options include:

Live — A direct live input, such as an SDI feed.
Network Stream — A stream source set up in Cablecast. Selecting this format adds a second dropdown where you can choose which Network Stream to use.
Other named device inputs, such as LiveU or a specific location source, may also appear.

Reel editor Format dropdown open showing options: Video Server, Network Stream, Live, LiveU, Springfield, and SHS Gym.

Set the Length

In the Length field, enter the expected run time of your event in HH:MM:SS format. It is a good idea to set this a bit longer than you think the event will run, in case it goes over.

Reel editor dialog with Format set to Live and Length set to 02:00:00.

Save the Reel

Click Save to close the reel editor. The reel thumbnail updates to show the format and length you set.

Adding a Thumbnail

Unlike shows with a video file, live events do not have a file for Cablecast to generate a thumbnail from. For recurring live events — like a City Council meeting — it is a good idea to upload a custom thumbnail. This image will appear on your Internet Channel and VOD Show page.

You can create a thumbnail in any design app you prefer, such as Canva or Photoshop. The thumbnail should match your video's resolution, typically 1920x1080 (16:9).

Once your image is ready, click the Upload button in the Thumbnail section of the Show Record to add it.

Cablecast Show Record Thumbnail section showing an empty thumbnail placeholder with an Upload button and an Alt Text field below.

It is also a good idea to fill in the Alt Text field below the thumbnail. Alt text describes the image for screen readers and other assistive tools. For best practices on creating accessible thumbnails in Cablecast, see Understanding WCAG 1.4.5 AA Images with Text Requirement When Using Thumbnails With Your Programs.

Step 4: Create the Show Record

Once you have entered the show information and saved the reel, click the Create button at the bottom of the page. Cablecast will assign a Show ID to the record.

12:09 PMCablecast Show Record Bibliographic Info section with a red arrow pointing to the Create button at the bottom of the page.

Step 5: Schedule the Show

Cablecast schedule view with a live City Council run highlighted in a red box, showing a start time of 4:25:00 PM and a TRT of 03:00:00.

Schedule the Live Show Record the same way you would any other Show Record. Add it to the schedule at the start time of your live event and send Autopilot to commit it.

Note: For help with scheduling, see the Understanding the Basics of Getting Up and Running with Cablecast article.

Recording a Live Event from a Scheduled Live Run

You can set up a recording directly from the scheduled live run. This tells Cablecast to capture the live signal at the same time the event airs.

In the schedule, find your live run and click the Record Run button (the circular icon to the left of the up arrow) in the Actions column. The Record Settings panel opens.

Cablecast schedule view with a red arrow pointing to the Record Run button in the Actions column of the City Council LIVE run.

Check the Record Run checkbox. More fields will appear.

Record Settings panel with Record Run checked, Device set to VIO SDI Encode, File Key set to 53350-1-City Council LIVE -, Cue set to 00:00:00, and Record Secondary Audio set to System Default.

In the Device dropdown, select the encoder for the channel you are scheduling the event on. If your system only has one encoder, it will be selected by default. Cablecast filters the encoder list based on the format set in the Show Record — for example, it will only show SDI encoders for an SDI source, and only network encoders for Network Stream sources.
The File Key field is filled in automatically using the Show ID and title of the live event. You can change this if needed.
The recording start time and length are based on the scheduled run time and the reel length set in the Show Record. If you want the recording to start slightly before the scheduled start time, enter a value in the Cue field.
Click Save. The Record Run button in the schedule turns red, confirming the recording is set up.

12:15 PMCablecast schedule view showing the City Council LIVE run with a red Record Run indicator active in the Actions column.

Send Autopilot to commit the changes.