Connecting RTMP

You can stream directly to Altar Live via RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol). RTMP is a very common streaming protocol that ensures the smooth transmission of audio, video, and data from a creating source.

In this case, your live stream software or hardware is the creating source and Altar Live is the destination. Once you enter your Altar Live RTMP credentials into your creating source, Altar can receive the stream feed directly. If you are connecting to Altar Live via RTMP, you can also then choose to multi-stream your video feed from Altar Live to YouTube and Facebook.

Important notes about using RTMP

RTMP is a powerful feature of Altar live that allows direct streaming and multi-casting. To be able to do this, an Event using RTMP is set up and run a little differently. Here are a few differences to take into account when using RTMP on Altar Live.

• You only have to connect via RTMP once. If you are connecting the same live stream source (i.e. OBS, Wirecast, etc) via RTMP every time you go live or schedule a feed in Altar Live, you only need to connect it once. Once Altar Live has been created as a destination via RTMP, you can select that destination from your stream source whenever you go live.
• A paid Engagement Plus subscription is required to use RTMP. Engagement plus subscribers have 5 hours of RTMP time included in their subscription. If you need more RTMP time, please reach out to us at contact@altarlive.com.
  Note: Only streaming using RTMP counts towards this 5 hour limit. Streaming on Altar Live using services such as YouTube, Facebook, etc., do not have time limits on any plan.
• Events must be published at least 5 minutes before going live. For the smoothest experience, events must be published at least 5 min before the start time set in event creation, and the livestream feed must be sent before the event begins (3-2 minutes before is a good target). For RTMP events, we also recommend not starting the stream early in by using the red "Go Live" button in the Auditorium. Following these guidelines helps to ensure that the server begins listening for and distributing the livestream at the appropriate time. ‍
• Expect a ~2-minute delay from when you go live in your stream source to when the video feed appears in Altar Live. For example, if your event start time in Altar Live is set to begin at 10:30 AM, make sure that you begin the live feed at 10:28 AM from your stream source so that your audience doesn’t see an empty screen. Starting the live feed more than 5 min before the start time set in event creation is not recommended (since the server will not be ready to receive it).

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How to connect Altar Live via RTMP 

Step 1. Sign in to Altar Live 

Step 2. Click on “create new event”. 

Step 3. When you get to the Stream options, select the Live toggle option and choose Altar Live as your stream provider.

Note: To successfully connect RTMP, you need to have a paid Engagement Plus subscription. 

Step 4.  Copy and paste your Altar RTMP URL and Stream Key into your stream source (OBS, Wirecast, etc). Be sure that when you paste your URL and Stream Key the source program doesn't add any extra characters!

Note: Once you've connected to Altar Live using RTMP, as soon as you begin live streaming from a source such as OBS, you will be streaming to Altar Live's servers - even if you don't have an event set up. This will count against your total RTMP time, so we recommend making a different settings profile for Altar to avoid accidentally going live. You can find out more about using profiles with OBS here!

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Step 5. Publish your event.

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And that's it! To learn about multi-streaming from Altar Live, check out this support article!

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Troubleshooting RTMP Connection on Altar Live

I had to stop my stream suddenly, why won't it re-connect?

Rapidly stopping/starting a stream can cause miscommunication between your livestream and the server. If you absolutely must stop/start a livestream, try waiting at least 30 seconds before either stopping and/or starting it again (even if nothing appears to change). This helps ensure smooth communication between your streaming software and the server.

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Why will my livestream software not connect to Altar Live?

Here are some troubleshooting tips you can use if your livestream software is giving you error messages or not showing that it is connected to Altar Live:

• Check your internet connection. This step might seem simple, but it's essential. Double-checking your current internet speed can also help you diagnose whether or not you're experiencing a temporary internet outage or lull that could be blocking the connection.
• Double-check your stream URL and key. Well-intentioned streaming software sometimes adds additional characters to stream URLs and keys (sort of like spell-check but for streaming). Make sure both the stream key and URL in your software matches the stream key and URL you copied during event creation.
• Reset your livestream studio software's settings and/or re-install. In some rare cases, there may be a setting or cached info blocking the connection. Consider making sure your software is up to date, resetting your software's streaming settings, or re-installing your software entirely.

My livestream software says it's connected, but I don't see the stream in Altar Live?

If your livestream software indicates it's connected to the Altar server, but the stream is not appearing in Altar Live, please try these troubleshooting steps:

• Refresh the page. Sometimes a simple page refresh is all the stream needs to be viewed on your device.
• Reduce your FPS. If you're experiencing connection issues, you may want to try reducing your FPS (frames per second) to 30 -even if your livestream software claims it can handle 60fps (this may require turning off your software's fps auto-adjustments). Higher frame rates require a ton of resources and bandwidth, and unless you are streaming a high-precision activity (such as gaming), the difference is minimal.
• Reduce your target bitrate. While your streaming software will automatically adjust your bitrate dependent on the connection, attempts to send a live feed at too high of a bitrate may cause the connection to slow or fail. Consider lowing your software's target bitrate (this may mean overriding it's auto-detection).
• Restart the connection. We recommend avoiding this if possible, but if you do turn the stream off and on again, be sure to wait at least 30 seconds before each disconnect and reconnect.
• Publish the event at least 5 minutes before going live, and begin sending the livestream feed 2 minutes before the countdown ends. For the smoothest experience, events must be published at least 5 min before the start time set in event creation, and the livestream feed must be sent before the event begins (3-2 minutes before is a good target). For RTMP events, we also recommend not starting the stream early in by using the red "Go Live" button in the Auditorium. Following these guidelines helps to ensure that the server begins listening for and distributing the livestream at the appropriate time.

Why is my stream randomly stopping/disconnecting?

RTMP is a very powerful form of streaming, but the same features that make it powerful also make it resource-intensive. If your stream is randomly stopping, you can try the following steps to stabilize the connection:

• Close background processes that may be taking bandwidth or memory. You'll want at least 5 Mbps upload speed for livestreaming itself - any other online programs such as Bible apps, email, etc. take precious bandwidth and will require higher speeds to run along side your stream. Consider closing any of these programs and tabs that are non-essential.
  Even if a program or process does not use an internet connection, it can slow your computer down and interrupt your livestream. Consider completely closing any programs or processes that are non-essential while streaming (on Windows you can do this with the Task Manager, on Apple you can use the activity monitor).

• Use a more stable form of connection. Wi-Fi is convenient and fast solution for internet connection. However, Wi-Fi networks often encounter imperceptible network drops. Usually these drops are so fast you wouldn't notice it while browsing the internet, sending messages, or even watching a videos. However, these short drops can interrupt your stream, regardless of how fast your connection is. If you have high-speed internet and are still having issues with your stream disconnecting, consider connecting your computer to your router using a tethered ethernet connection. Ethernet cables are inexpensive, easy to use, and are generally considered a staple for professional streaming, gaming, etc.
• Reduce your FPS. If you're experiencing connection issues, you may want to try reducing your FPS (frames per second) to 30 -even if your livestream software claims it can handle 60fps (this may require turning off your software's fps auto-adjustments). Higher frame rates require a ton of resources and bandwidth, and unless you are streaming a high-precision activity (such as gaming), the difference is minimal.
• Reduce your target bitrate. While your streaming software will automatically adjust your bitrate dependent on the connection, attempts to send a live feed at too high of a bitrate may cause the connection to slow or fail. Consider lowing your software's target bitrate (this may mean overriding it's auto-detection).

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What do I do if I see the last few seconds of an old feed?

If you see the last few seconds of an old feed while attempting to send a new one, please re-fresh the Altar Live page before trying any further troubleshooting steps.

If you absolutely must stop/start the livestream, try waiting at least 30 seconds before either stopping and/or starting it again (even if nothing appears to change). This helps ensure smooth communication between your streaming software and the server.

Want to learn more about taking your RTMP stream to the next level? Check out this support article!