ADVANCED - RTMP/HLS streaming

Breakroom allows you to stream live video directly into your virtual event. Read on for more information about how to set up and manage your live video feeds.

The Breakroom platform gives you the tools you need to stream live video to your guests. This can be achieved either by using the video player built into the moderator controls, or by entering an RTMP or HLS streaming address into the Breakroom Video Player.
HLS streaming is the preferred method of streaming live video, as it is "lighter-weight" and offers increased compatibility with client video players.
Broadcast provider (streaming server)
To stream live video content to your guests, you will need an RTMP/HLS broadcast provider. This is the server to which you will send your video, and to which your guests will connect to view that video in turn. There are many providers to choose from, and you can easily search for them online. Your broadcast provider will supply you with a streaming address and login key, which you will need to enter into your streaming software of choice.
An example of an RTMP streaming address and streaming key, taken from the broadcast provider Castr.
Broadcast providers charge an upfront fee for their services. It is possible to set up a broadcast server on your own hardware, but this is generally inadvisable unless you have an extremely robust internet connection.
HLS streams sometimes need to be requested prior to use, and can take 24-48 hours to set up depending on your provider.
 OBS Studio (streaming software)
OBS Studio is a free open-source video recording/streaming software suite available for both Windows and macOS. It contains the toolset you will need to capture your webcam, film your desktop, or collect images, all of which can then be streamed to your clients.
The OBS Studio main window.
OBS Studo settings
Settings for OBS Studio can be found by clicking the Settings button in the right control panel.
In the settings panel, you will need to adjust or customize several streaming factors using the instructions provided below.
Entering the stream address and key
In the settings panel, you will need to enter the stream address and key generated by your broadcast provider. To do so, follow these steps.
1.Click on the Stream tab in the left-hand panel. 
2.Select Custom from the Service drop-down menu that appears in the center of the screen.
3.Enter the streaming address and key into the relevant fields. 
4.Click Apply to save your changes.
Managing video quality
The quality of your streaming video will vary depending on your use case. For a high-quality HD stream, we would recommend using the x264 encoder with a constant bit rate set at 3500 to 5000 Kbps and a key frame of 2. To manage these settings in OBS Studio, follow these steps.
1.Click on the Output tab in the settings panel. 
2.Select Advanced in the Output Mode drop-down menu.
3.Enter the settings depicted in the image above.
4.Click Apply to save your changes.
 Managing audio quality
Audio settings can also be found under the Output tab, by clicking the Audio tab in the center window. We recommend using an audio bitrate of 128 Kbps. To change this setting, follow the steps below.
1.Click on the Output tab in the settings panel. 
2.Click the Audio tab in the center window.
3.Select Advanced in the Output Mode drop-down menu.
4.Set the audio tracks you will be using to 128 kbps.
5.Click Apply to save your changes.
Managing video resolution 
Video resolution will depend on your use case. For a high-quality HD stream, we would recommend using 1920x1080 at 30 frames per second. You can adjust these details by following the steps below.
1.Click on the Video tab in the settings panel. 
2.Enter the settings depicted in the image above.
3.Click Apply to save your changes.
Now that you have OBS Studio configured, you can use the Start Streaming button in the right control panel to stream your live video.
Streaming video in your world
Your broadcast provider will supply you with an external viewing address. This can be entered directly into either the Breakroom Video Player or the moderator controls video player. Some example images are shown below.
An example of RTMP and HLS external addresses taken from Castr.
An HLS address entered into the Breakroom Video Player.
An HLS address entered into the moderator controls video player.