The BoxCast platform supports RTMP ingestion from your existing encoder. If you do not see the RTMP option in your dashboard, please follow these steps in this article to add RTMP to your account - How do I create a new RTMP Source? Can't find your Static RTMP? Click here - How do I find my Static RTMP on the BoxCast Dashboard?
Static RTMP Channels
If your account has the static RTMP feature enabled, you will have a server URL and stream key that does not change with each broadcast. Your static channels are listed under the sources tab on the dashboard. From there, you can rename the channel(s) for easier identification as well as copying the server URL and stream key. You can also regenerate the stream key if you fear it has been compromised.
The RTMP settings can be configured in your encoder at any point. You can hit stream on your encoder at any time but it will officially go live at the start time of the broadcast. We recommend clicking the stream button on your encoder 10-15 minutes before the broadcast starts. This will only stream to the back end of BoxCast and will go live at the scheduled time selected.
Please note: RTMP as an encoding protocol does not currently support h.265 (HEVC). If you have a 3rd party encoder that is sending via RTMP you can only encode in h.264.
Note: Most RTMP encoders will want you to copy the Server URL and Stream Key separately. Unless specified by your encoder you will likely NOT want to use the full RTMP URL.
Specific Encoder Instructions
BoxCast has tested many different encoders and provides specific instructions for several of them. Please review the following topics if you are interested in more details about your specific encoder:
- Open Broadcaster Software (OBS)
- Wirecast
- AJA HELO
- Flash Media Live Encoder (FMLE)
- Teradek Vidiu
- Other RTMP Guides
RTMP Encoder Configuration
The setup of your RTMP encoder depends on the type of content you are streaming, network conditions, and desired quality, but here are the maximum bitrates that BoxCast will accept. Sending higher bitrate streams may result in poorer quality:
Maximum Bitrate for RTMP Sources
| 480p30 | 480p60 | 720p30 | 720p60 | 1080p30 | 1080p60 | |
| RTMP Max Bitrates | 4 Mbps | 5.5 Mbps | 6 Mbps | 9 Mbps | 12 Mbps | 18 Mbps |
Common Questions
Q: Im seeing a message that says "The RTMP Source is Not Connected" what do I do?
A: If you are receiving this message in the BoxCast dashboard that is a sign that your encoder is not connecting to our servers. Please make sure you copied the correct RTMP Codes into the encoder and make sure you hit stream on your encoder as well. If you are getting an error from that encoder, please review our support guides for more help. All RTMP Support Guides
Q: What happens if my encoder stops mid broadcast?
A: If you encoder stops mid broadcast you do NOT need to start another broadcast on the BoxCast Dashboard. Once your encoder reconnects, it will start streaming from the same server as before. If this does happen, we recommend just getting the encoder working again we still start streaming once we receive data.
Q: When I stop streaming from my encoder does it end the broadcast?
A: No, you will want to stop the broadcast from Stop Broadcast button inside the BoxCast Dashboard. That will make sure the server on our end gets shut down. If you do not do this, the end of your video will just keep looping and buffering for viewers when they go to watch it until the broadcast hits its end time.