Why am I running out of RTMP time?

When your live stream program is running in the background, it may count against your RTMP time.

How does RTMP + Altar Live work?

Note: This is a technical explanation, not a how-to explanation. Please see this support article for full instructions on connecting RTMP, or skip ahead for tips on how to save your RTMP time.

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Once you put your URL and Stream key into your live stream program, you'll never have to put it in again. This means that every time you go live, your video will automatically connect to your RTMP event.

However, your video feed will always be sent to Altar's servers. This means RTMP time will still be used, even if you have already ended your event or never created one to begin with.

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To avoid accidentally using up time, you can try the following tricks and tips (they'll work on platforms other than OBS as well)!

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Use Multiple Profiles

If you go live to sources other than Altar (or even just use OBS for recordings), you might want to try setting up multiple profiles. This will prevent you from accidentally streaming to Altar's servers and using up RTMP time. You can find out more about OBS profiles here.

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Always Stop Streaming

It may seem obvious, but stopping your stream right after (or maybe even a little before) you end your event can save you time. Even if you press the "End Event for All" button on Altar, if you don't also hit "Stop Streaming" in your live stream software, you will continue to stream to Altar's servers and use up RTMP time.

The same is true once you move to the lobby. Once everyone has left the auditorium and gone to the lobby, you can press "Stop Streaming" in your live-streaming software to save RTMP time. This won't end your event on Altar and can save you from unnecessary time usage.

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Use Virtual Cameras

If you want to have output from OBS during meetings, you can use the virtual camera option instead of streaming. This will take your OBS video and output it as if it were a standard webcam (so you can keep all your favorite graphics and scenes), but not cost you any RTMP time.

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And that's it! If you have any questions about RTMP time (including how to get more), feel free to contact us for more information.

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