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 providing the Breakroom video player with an RTMP or HLS video feed to play. 
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. There are many providers in the marketplace, and you can easily search for them online. Your broadcast provider will supply you with a streaming address and login key, which you will enter into your streaming software of choice.
Example: an RTMP address and streaming key taken from the broadcast provider Castr.
Broadcast stream providers will charge an upfront fee for their services. It is possible to set up a broadcast server on your own hardware -- however, we would advise against this unless you have an incredibly 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 piece of free open-source video recording/streaming software available for both Windows and Mac platforms. It gives you the toolset you will need to capture your webcam, desktop, or shared images that can then be streamed to your clients.
OBS Studio main window.
OBS settings
OBS settings can be found by clicking the Settings button in the right control panel.
In the settings panel, you will need to adjust or manage 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 this, 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 address and key into the fields shown. 
4.Click Apply to save the 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 the changes.
 Managing audio quality
Audio settings can be found under the Output settings 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 the changes.
Managing video resolution 
Video resolution will depend on your use case. For a high-quality HD stream, we would recommend using 1920 x 1080 at 30 frames per second. You can set this 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 the 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: 
Example: RTMP and HLS external address taken from Castr.
Example: an HLS address entered into the Breakroom video player.
Example: an HLS address entered into the moderator controls video player.