Switchboard Cloud Onboarding Video

When live streaming, everything starts with an encoder — the app or program that sends your video signal to Switchboard Cloud — and a destination or the channel you want to stream to, such as YouTube or Facebook Live. To connect your encoder and your destination, we’ll set up what’s called a workflow in the Switchboard Cloud platform. Your workflow dashboard is what you see when you log in. 

Below, click next to follow along and learn how to get started with Switchboard Cloud. 

Since we’re sending a single outgoing live stream to multiple destinations at once, your workflow will group all of your outgoing destinations together. You can change settings, such as the stream title, on a per-group basis.

Step 1: Create the first workflow.

After you sign up, you'll be given a menu to choose a live streaming software you want to connect with your Switchboard Cloud account. We've provided some preliminary options, OBS, ZOOM, and Switcher Studio. To view more options, click the option"Connect Streaming Software" at the bottom or "Add Workflow" at the top.

Step 2: Connect your encoder to Switchboard Cloud.
These steps will help you set up a new encoder workflow in Switchboard Cloud so you’re ready to go live anytime. In this example, we’ll use OBS for our encoder (the steps are the same, regardless of which encoder you use, but here are some instructions you can follow in case you’re using another one).

First, we need to tell our encoder where to stream to (the Switchboard Cloud platform). We’ll do this by providing the encoder with a URL and a Stream Key, which is like a password for your live stream. The stream key will already be visible in the workflow panel on the left side of the screen. 

Open OBS, then click Settings > Stream > Service > Custom.

Now you can paste in the server URL. We’ll repeat these steps to add our stream key. 

Step 3: Create a Destination Group.

Now we’ll create a destination group for the workflow.

Click the yellow Add Group Button.

Destination groups give the ability to group social channels ( destinations) based on preferences. For example, going live to certain channels on specific days of the week can be created into a destination group just for that purpose. The user can create multiple destination groups on a workflow page. 

Step 4: Add Destinations.

Now we’ll add the destinations you want to stream to — Facebook, YouTube Live, LinkedIn Live, and any others.

To do this, click on one of the social icons to add the social channel and press the green button to authorize Switchboard.

The steps vary slightly for every destination, but the idea is always the same: You click on the destination, authorize Switchboard Live — and you’re ready to stream.

Add as many destinations as you want, and then click “Finish.”

Go Live.

Now is the fun part  GO LIVE!

In OBS, we'll press the "Start Streaming" button to send the live video to our Switchboard Workflow. 

You'll see changes on the workflow page when you successfully receive video from your live-streaming software. 

1. The video will display on the Confidence Monitor.
   
   
2. The status will change from a red dot to a green dot. Wording will change from not receiving to receiving.
   
3. The stream status heading at the top will display: "Video Present" 
   
   
4. You'll see the Go Live button change from Gray to Green - This means you are ready for the fun part... Multistreaming!

Finally, we'll select all the destinations in the group at once, then press the green Go Live button at the top of the workflow page.

Now we’re simultaneously streaming live video to all the destinations we’ve selected!