Now that you've setup up your Switchboard Cloud account you need to make sure your encoder is properly configured to send the best quality stream to your multiple destinations. Below you will find our recommended streaming settings. These settings are based on recommendations from Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Switchboard Live Minimum Encoder Settings for Switchboard Cloud:
Resolution: Minimum 720p (1280 x 720) resolution, at 30 frames per second
Note: Facebook & YouTube support an aspect ratio of 1080p (1920x1080)
Video Bit Rate: Minimum bit rate of 2000 Kbps (2 Mbps)
Note: Facebook's maximum bitrate is 4000 Kbps (4 Mbps)
Audio Bit Rate: Minimum Audio bit rate of 96 Kbps. (128 Kbps)
Key Frame Interval: An I-frame (keyframe) must be sent at least every 2 seconds
Encoding Profile: Main (H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10)
Now that you've configured the encoder with the correct settings, you will need to tell your encoder where to send the live stream to. This is typically called the Stream Server, FMS URL, or RTMP server; we've heard it all. The bottom line is it will usually start with rtmp://yourstreamingserver.com.
Choosing a Switchboard Cloud Encoder Region:
Currently, Switchboard Cloud has 10 server regions for you to choose from.
Your goal is to choose the closest location to you and your encoder from the drop-down list. Watch the quick video and read the steps below.
Not sure which region to select? We recommend the following:
- US (geo-based) if you're located inside the US
- Global (geo-based) if you're located outside of the US
Stream Server URL
Click the copy the URL to Clipboard button, then paste it into your encoder, notice the URL is based on the above selection.
Stream Key / Name
Click the Copy Key to Clipboard button and paste the Stream Key into the appropriate field of your encoder.
NOTE: Some encoders only provide one line for both your URL and Stream Key.
In this case, provide the URL and Stream Key as one string of characters, separated by a forward slash (/).
Stream URL "/" Stream Key
See below: