Setting up Cablecast to use Network Streams

Note: For current systems, this configuration should already have been completed as part of the commissioning process.

Initial Setup

Before using Network Streams, several configuration steps must be completed in Settings > Location Settings.

Formats

Navigate to the Shows (tab) > Formats and confirm that a Network Stream format exists. Unlike live SDI sources — which require one format per source — only a single Network Stream format is needed regardless of how many network streams you have configured. The format tells Cablecast that the video server is capable of playing back a Network Stream. The individual stream sources themselves are configured separately in the I/O settings (see below). The formats defined here are what appear in the Format dropdown when editing a reel in a Show Record.

Devices

Navigate to the I/O (tab) > Devices and confirm that the Network Stream format has been added to your video server devices. Video server devices should always have Video Server as their primary Device Format, with Network Stream assigned to one of the remaining format slots. Live SDI source devices (such as a council chambers camera feed) are configured differently and should only have their own live format assigned — they do not need the Network Stream format.

Network Encoder

To record Network Streams, a network encoder device must be configured. This requires two steps: creating a Control Module, then creating the encoder device itself.

Control Module

1. Navigate to Settings > Location Settings > I/O (tab) > Control Module Sets and click New.

2. Name the Control Module (e.g., Network Encoder)

3. In the Server dropdown, select your video server.

4. In the Control Module dropdown, select CablecastVideoServerNetworkEncoderCM.

5. Leave the Port/IP field blank — the encode location is configured in the device settings.

6. Click Save.

Network Encoder Device

1. Navigate to Settings > Location Settings > I/O (tab) > Devices and click New.

2. Under Basic Settings:

   • Give the device a name (e.g., Network Encoder).

   • Set Device Function to Record Only.

   • Set Device Type to Video Server.

3. Under Device Settings:

   • Set Device CMS to the Control Module created above.

   • Set Device Address to 1.

   • Set Device End Action to Stop Record.

4. Under Record Settings:

   • Select your desired Codec. H.264 is recommended.

   • Set your Bitrate. A setting of 5 Mb/sec is recommended for HD video — it produces high-quality, reasonably sized files, and increasing beyond this does not yield a noticeable quality improvement.

   • If you are using Cablecast captions, enable Primary Captions and set the Primary Caption Language.

   • If you are using secondary captions or MAP, enable Secondary Captions and configure Record Secondary Audio as needed.

5. Under Encode File Stores, select the local file store on your video server. Writing recordings across the network is not recommended and should be avoided.

6. Click Save.

Using Network Streams in Cablecast

Network Streams can either be scheduled like any other show or forced live from a Control Room.

Creating a Stream

1. Navigate to Settings > Location Settings > I/O (tab) > Network Streams and click New.

2. Give the stream a name, select its Type, and enter the stream URL.

3. Optionally, upload a Standby Graphic. This image is displayed on the channel or network encoder if there is no incoming signal from the stream source when the stream is scheduled to go live or manually forced out. The standby graphic should match the incoming resolution of the stream — in most cases, 1920x1080.

4. Click Save.

Scheduling a Network Stream

Creating the Show

With the above settings in place, you can now create a show using the Network Stream format. When editing the reel in the Show Record, set the Format to Network Stream. A second dropdown will appear, allowing you to select the specific Network Stream to use. Set the Length to the desired run time for the event. When the show is scheduled, Cablecast will switch to that Network Stream automatically.

Note: Scheduling Network Streams is recommended for streams that are always on, or that reliably start before the scheduled broadcast time. If the stream has not yet started, the initial playback attempt may time out.

Forcing a Network Stream

From a Control Room, you can force a Network Stream live by clicking Action next to the video server device you want to play the stream out of. In the Confirm Actions dialog:

1. Click the Action button next to the server output you want to send the Network Stream out on.

2. Set the Action to Play Stream.

3. Select the desired Network Stream from the IP Stream dropdown.

4. Set Switch To to the desired output.

5. Click Take.

Note: If you still have programming in the schedule but do not want it to take over automatically while a Network Stream is being manually forced through a Control Room, you may want to override your channel automation. See the Channel Override Function article for more details.

Recording a Network Stream

Network Stream recordings can also be scheduled off a scheduled live run or manually in the Record Schedule, in the same way as SDI source recordings. In either case, Cablecast will only allow the Network Encoder to be selected as the record device.

To manually start a Network Stream recording, click the Action button next to the network encoder in a Control Room. In the Confirm Actions dialog:

1. Confirm the Device is set to the correct network encoder.

2. Set the Action to Record.

3. Select the desired Network Stream from the IP Stream dropdown.

4. Optionally, enter a File Name for the recording. If left blank, Cablecast will use UnnamedRecording with the date and time appended as a timestamp.

5. Click Take.