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Input Streams Best Practices

Optimization guidelines and recommendations for input stream configuration.

Table of contents

  1. Naming Conventions
    1. Channel Names
    2. Content ID Guidelines
  2. Network Configuration
    1. UDP Multicast
    2. RTMP
  3. Redundancy and Failover
    1. Primary and Backup Streams
    2. Automatic Failover
  4. Encoder Configuration
    1. Recommended Encoder Settings
  5. Documentation
    1. What to Document
    2. Documentation Template
  6. Monitoring and Alerting
    1. Key Metrics to Monitor
    2. Alert Thresholds
  7. Testing and Validation
    1. Pre-Production Testing
    2. Ongoing Validation
  8. Security Best Practices
    1. Access Control
    2. Network Security
    3. Content Protection
  9. Resource Planning
    1. Bandwidth Requirements
    2. Server Resources
    3. Scaling Guidelines
  10. Troubleshooting Tips
    1. Quick Diagnostics
    2. Common Issues
  11. Related Documentation

Naming Conventions

Channel Names

Use descriptive, identifiable names that clearly indicate the content:

✅ Good Examples:

"News Channel HD"
"Sports Primary 4K"
"Entertainment Main"
"Event Camera 1"
"Concert Main Feed"

❌ Bad Examples:

"Stream 1"
"Test"
"Channel"
"Input"
"temp"

Content ID Guidelines

Content IDs are critical—they must be unique and consistent:

✅ Best Practices:

  • Use lowercase for consistency
  • Use underscores instead of spaces
  • Include environment indicator: prod_, stage_, test_
  • Include purpose and quality: news_hd, sports_4k
  • Keep length reasonable (< 32 characters)

Examples:

prod_news_hd_01
stage_sports_main_4k
test_event_backup_hd

❌ Avoid:

  • Mixed case: News_HD_01 vs news_hd_01
  • Spaces: news hd 01
  • Special characters: news$hd#01
  • Too generic: stream1, test
  • Too long: production_news_high_definition_primary_backup_stream_01

Content ID cannot be changed after creation. Choose carefully!

Network Configuration

UDP Multicast

Best Practices:

  1. Dedicated VLAN
    • Use separate VLAN for video traffic
    • Isolate multicast traffic from other network traffic
    • Configure VLAN tagging correctly
  2. Quality of Service (QoS)
    • Prioritize video traffic (DSCP marking)
    • Ensure consistent bandwidth allocation
    • Monitor for packet loss
  3. Multicast Address Management
    • Use consistent address ranges
    • Document all multicast groups used
    • Avoid conflicts with other multicast applications
    • Typical range: 239.1.0.0 to 239.255.255.255
  4. Switch Configuration
    • Enable IGMP snooping
    • Configure multicast forwarding
    • Set appropriate IGMP query intervals

RTMP

Best Practices:

  1. Stream Key Security
    • Generate strong, random keys
    • Rotate keys periodically
    • Keep keys confidential
    • Monitor for unauthorized use
  2. Network Reliability
    • Use wired connections over Wi-Fi
    • Ensure stable internet connection
    • Monitor upload bandwidth availability
    • Test during peak hours
  3. Firewall Configuration
    • Open port 1935 for RTMP
    • Use IP whitelisting when possible
    • Log connection attempts
    • Monitor for suspicious activity

Redundancy and Failover

Primary and Backup Streams

Always configure backup streams for critical content:

Primary Stream:

Name: "News Primary HD"
Content ID: "news_primary_hd"
Source URL: udp://@239.1.1.1:5000

Backup Stream:

Name: "News Backup HD"
Content ID: "news_backup_hd"
Source URL: udp://@239.1.1.2:5000

Automatic Failover

Implement monitoring to detect failures and switch to backup:

  • Monitor primary stream health
  • Define failure criteria (e.g., 3 consecutive failures)
  • Automate switch to backup stream
  • Alert operations team
  • Document failover procedures

Encoder Configuration

Video Settings:

  • Codec: H.264 (AVC)
  • Profile: High or Main
  • Level: 4.0 or higher
  • Bitrate:
    • SD (480p): 2-3 Mbps
    • HD (720p): 4-6 Mbps
    • Full HD (1080p): 8-12 Mbps
    • 4K (2160p): 25-50 Mbps
  • Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds (60 frames @ 30fps)
  • B-frames: 2-3

Audio Settings:

  • Codec: AAC-LC
  • Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
  • Bitrate: 128-256 kbps
  • Channels: Stereo (2.0) or as needed

Transport Settings:

  • CBR (Constant Bitrate) preferred over VBR
  • GOP (Group of Pictures): Closed GOP
  • PTS/DTS: Ensure proper timestamping

Documentation

What to Document

Maintain comprehensive documentation for each input stream:

Essential Information:

  • Channel name and purpose
  • Content ID
  • Source URL (protocol, IP, port)
  • Encoder make and model
  • Encoder IP address
  • Contact information for encoder operator
  • Network diagram showing connectivity
  • Multicast group assignments (for UDP)

Operational Information:

  • Scheduled streaming hours
  • Maintenance windows
  • Backup stream configuration
  • Failover procedures
  • Historical issues and resolutions

Documentation Template

# Input Stream: News Channel HD

**Content ID**: prod_news_hd_01
**Source URL**: udp://@239.1.1.1:5000
**Status**: Production

## Encoder Details
- **Make/Model**: Encoder Model XYZ
- **IP Address**: 10.0.1.50
- **Output Format**: 1080p @ 29.97 fps, 10 Mbps
- **Location**: Studio A, Building 1

## Network
- **VLAN**: 100 (Video Production)
- **Multicast Group**: 239.1.1.1:5000
- **Switch Port**: Gi1/0/10

## Contacts
- **Primary**: John Doe (john@example.com)
- **Backup**: Jane Smith (jane@example.com)
- **On-Call**: +1-555-0123

## Backup Configuration
- **Backup URL**: udp://@239.1.1.2:5000
- **Backup Encoder**: 10.0.1.51

## Notes
- Production stream for evening news broadcast
- Scheduled: 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM daily
- Maintenance: Sunday 2:00 AM - 4:00 AM

Monitoring and Alerting

Key Metrics to Monitor

Stream Health:

  • Stream availability (up/down)
  • Bitrate consistency
  • Packet loss rate
  • Frame rate stability

Network Health:

  • Network bandwidth utilization
  • Packet loss percentage
  • Latency measurements
  • Interface errors

Server Resources:

  • CPU utilization
  • Memory usage
  • Network interface throughput
  • Disk I/O (if recording)

Alert Thresholds

Set up alerts for:

MetricThresholdAction
Stream Down3 consecutive failuresCritical alert
Packet Loss> 0.1%Warning
Bitrate Drop> 20% from baselineWarning
High CPU> 80% for 5 minutesWarning

Testing and Validation

Pre-Production Testing

Before deploying to production:

  1. Connectivity Testing
    • Verify network path from encoder to server
    • Test with ffprobe and VLC
    • Confirm multicast routing (for UDP)
    • Validate RTMP connectivity
  2. Quality Testing
    • Verify video resolution and frame rate
    • Check audio synchronization
    • Test under various network conditions
    • Verify bitrate stability
  3. Load Testing
    • Test with realistic encoder settings
    • Simulate network issues
    • Verify recovery from interruptions
    • Test failover to backup

Ongoing Validation

Daily:

  • Visual check of stream quality
  • Review monitoring dashboard
  • Check for alerts or warnings

Weekly:

  • Review historical performance data
  • Test backup stream functionality
  • Verify documentation is current
  • Update contact information

Monthly:

  • Full end-to-end testing
  • Failover procedure testing
  • Review and update documentation
  • Analyze trends and patterns

Security Best Practices

Access Control

  • Restrict dashboard access to authorized personnel
  • Use strong passwords
  • Enable two-factor authentication if available
  • Audit access logs regularly

Network Security

UDP Multicast:

  • Use dedicated VLANs
  • Implement ACLs to restrict access
  • Monitor for unauthorized multicast sources
  • Use network segmentation

RTMP:

  • Use strong, unique stream keys
  • Rotate stream keys periodically
  • Implement IP whitelisting
  • Use RTMPS (RTMP over TLS) when possible
  • Monitor for brute-force attempts

Content Protection

  • Use HTTPS for management interfaces
  • Encrypt sensitive configuration data
  • Implement DRM for downstream content
  • Regular security audits

Resource Planning

Bandwidth Requirements

Calculate required bandwidth:

Formula:

Total Bandwidth = Number of Streams × Stream Bitrate × Overhead Factor
Overhead Factor = 1.2 (20% overhead)

Example:

5 streams × 10 Mbps × 1.2 = 60 Mbps

Server Resources

Per Input Stream:

  • CPU: Minimal (< 5%)
  • Memory: ~100 MB per stream
  • Network: Bandwidth as calculated above
  • Storage: None (unless recording)

Scaling Guidelines

Single Server Capacity:

  • Small deployment: 10-20 input streams
  • Medium deployment: 20-50 input streams
  • Large deployment: 50+ streams (consider multiple servers)

Troubleshooting Tips

Quick Diagnostics

Problem: Stream not working

Quick Checks:

  1. Is encoder transmitting? (Check encoder display)
  2. Is network connected? (ping encoder IP)
  3. Is stream accessible? (ffprobe source URL)
  4. Is firewall allowing traffic? (Check firewall rules)
  5. Is Content ID correct? (Case-sensitive check)

Common Issues

IssueQuick Fix
Stream not foundVerify Source URL is correct
Content ID mismatchCheck case-sensitivity
No videoCheck encoder output settings
No audioVerify encoder audio configuration
Intermittent dropsCheck network stability