There are a lot of variables when it comes to live streaming, so we've put together this article to help you troubleshoot any issues you may be having with a Subsplash Live stream.
Try using Command+F (Mac) or Control+F (Windows) to search this page for the issues you might be running into!
Connecting your encoder to Subsplash Live
To start you will want to ensure your encoder is compatible with Subsplash Live. We support any encoder that can output an RTMP stream.
If you are setting up your encoder and struggling to get a stream sent to the dashboard you will want to check on the following:
Encoder errors | Start by checking for any errors your encoder is giving you, this will be the best place to start for some insight into what is occurring. Always refer back to the manual/help center of the encoder or the support team of the company that supplies the encoder if the error is not clear. |
Spaces in Server URL/Stream Key | Ensure there are no spaces before or after the Server URL and Stream Key when you copy and paste them into the appropriate spots. These extra spaces cause the URL or stream key to become invalid. |
Server URL Format | Some encoders require the stream key to be in the Server URL provided as an extra parameter. Try adding "/yourstreamkey" to the end of the server URL. |
Authentication | Ensure you are not using any sort of authentication, no username or password will be needed in streaming to Subsplash Live. Most encoders offer the ability to change this in the settings but in most cases, you can leave the fields empty. |
Different Encoder | Try using a different encoder, we recommend OBS since it is free and easy to use. If you can connect from a different encoder then the original isn't quite supported or there is some sort of settings blocking the encoder from sending a stream to Subsplash Live. In this situation, it's best to refer back to the support team of the encoder for next steps. |
If it's looking to be set up correctly and the encoder isn't giving any error messages there are a few other factors that could be blocking the stream.
Try a different network | Try connecting from a different network, mobile hotspot, etc. This will be a good variable to test before moving on to the next steps. If you still cannot connect it is likely an encoder or hardware-related issue. |
Third-party software/Firewall | Double-check that there are no Anti-virus software, VPNs, or firewall modifiers that would block the stream from being sent to the dashboard. When looking at the firewall, ensure port 1935 is open for traffic. |
Check with your ISP | Refer to your Internet Service Provider that outbound traffic to streamspot.com and api.streamspot.com is whitelisted. While we are on this topic it is also best to ensure with your ISP that when streaming, it has priority on your network to ensure other connected devices do not interfere. |
Scheduling a Live Media Item
There are not too many issues that can occur when scheduling so if anything seems out of the ordinary please do let us know! However, some issues that we have run into:
5-minute window | Scheduling an item is limited to 5 minutes from the current time, so it will give you an error message if you try to schedule for 1:02 and the current time is 1:00. |
Time zone | You will often get the same message if you are attempting to schedule an item but the dashboard thinks it's in the past. This is due to the timezone set in the dashboard. If this is not correct based on your current location you can adjust this in Settings>General. |
An error stating "Cannot save live stream at the moment". | This error has a couple of main causes, being syndication not being enabled or the connection the Facebook or YouTube being expired or that a Scripture tag is not formatted correctly. Try toggling off Facebook or YouTube and checking that your speaker tags are formatted correctly and turn into the pill shape! |
Item scheduled but not showing in the app | You will want to ensure your item is published, publishing is when the item is made available to your users and the publishing options are presented in the drop-down menu once you press schedule. A best practice is to always set this to 7 days. |
Cannot toggle YouTube Syndication (live streaming not enabled) | We do a check to ensure that the YouTube channel linked has live streaming enabled. If not we present this message with a link to enable it by verifying your phone number through YouTube. Once verified it can take up to 24 hours for it to be accepted. Once accepted if you can still not schedule the item within the dashboard try streaming directly to YouTube first and then reconnect to the dashboard. |
Cannot connect to Facebook account (internal server error message) | This error message occurs when linking to Facebook when the profile you are signing into does not have a verified email through Facebook. Once you add a new email and verify you should be good to go. |
During a live stream
Dropped frames, inconsistencies, and disconnects are all symptoms that can occur during a stream. Here are some common issues and some solutions to put into place:
Live stream is choppy/inconsistent for everyone | Inconsistent live streams can be related to many different variables. I would start by referencing our article on What encoding settings should I use for Subsplash Live? Beyond these settings, variables like bandwidth and computer hardware play a role in delivering a stream. Some things to try are, Use a lower quality. Everyone wants their stream to look the highest quality as possible, but fluctuating Internet connections don't always allow for this. We recommend that you select a quality that is half of your upload speed. Always use a wired connection over a wireless connection if you can. Next, try comparing other computers you have access to. Look for something with more processing power on the CPU or a dedicated GPU. |
Live stream is not showing in the app or website | If you have started your live stream and the item has passed the scheduled start time but you still cannot see it in the app, first refresh the app by closing it and re-opening it. If still not live stream then refer back to How to add a live stream to my mobile app to ensure you have added the dynamic item. For the website refer to How to share and embed a live stream on a website |
Live stream is not showing on Facebook or YouTube | If you have started your live stream and the item has passed the scheduled start time but no stream is showing on Facebook or YouTube. First double-check within the item that each platform is toggled blue. If they are not and the start time has already passed then you will need to schedule a new item as fast as you can with those toggled and restart your stream. Second, there can be errors in the process of sending the stream over, if you believe this happened just reach out to support and we can look into the issue. |
Live stream is choppy/inconsistent for a few users | We deliver the stream with a feature called adaptive bitrate, this will adjust the stream to best fit the user and device network. There is likely an issue with the viewers’ shared network. You can ask the viewers to check their internet connection and network health. They should have the capacity to view multiple streams so 10 users watching 10 streams requires 10x the inbound bandwidth. Ask the viewer for the steps they’re using to see the error and check if you see it too. |
Video distorted | Check your camera's output format. Your camera's output format can typically be adjusted in its settings (refer back to your camera's manufacturer if you do not know how to do this). Another setting that can cause distortion will be your keyframe interval, if it is set to high then pixelation will occur. We recommend a keyframe interval of 2, or if it is measured in frames then set it to 60. Lastly, test with another camera if at all possible. |
Audio is delayed | If the audio has a constant delay coming from the encoder then an audio offset will need to be added. These are pretty specific down to the millisecond. Do your best to get a feel for how delayed or ahead the sound is and add the offset in your encoder settings. For more audio troubleshooting check out the article on audio here! |
Overall stream health was not good | Support does have a tool called the telemetry report that was built to read the information coming from the encoder. This information is very helpful in determining issues with the stream. If you feel the stream was lacking for any reason or performed badly and would like to see your telemetry report then check out this article: How to view the telemetry report of your Subsplash Live stream |
Live stream dropped or disconnected | If your stream all of a sudden stops or disconnects we can verify using the telemetry report mentioned above. Often these disconnects occur with lapses in bandwidth or when hardware gets overloaded, sometimes even a button is accidentally pressed and it stops the stream. If your encoder has the ability to produce log files we would love to take a peek and see why it disconnected, check out this article on How to find log files from your encoder for Subsplash Live |
Simulated live stream failed | Failed simulated live streams are often caused by incorrect video encoding. Whether it's true live or simulated live you will want to be sure the encoding settings match that of our article: What encoding settings should I use for Subsplash Live? When you export a video from your production software of choice you should be presented with these options but if not you can run in through software like Handbrake to re-encode the video. |
Troubleshoot Audio
There are always a few things to check in any audio troubleshooting scenario. Check the condition of cables, ensure your incoming power is "clean", ensure that your wireless mic/in-ear monitor frequencies are coordinated, and if possible, move your stream mix to a separate mix from your in-room mix.
Audio is too quiet | Check the overall volume of both the channel that is not loud enough and the volume of the send being used.
Make sure that the gain is turned loud enough. A lower gain setting will result in lower volume, as gain controls how much electrical signal is allowed to pass through.
Check that EQ is not taking too much out of the signal as well. |
Audio artifacts like clipping or distortion are present | Check that the gain is not turned too loud, and that the overall volume is not set too high.
Check that all cords are plugged all the way in and are in good condition.
Check that the sample rate matches on all devices in your signal chain |
My audio and video don't match (audio desync) | First, check the above troubleshooting steps, and then make sure that your encoding settings match our supported ones, found here. The biggest causes of this are bitrates, keyframe intervals, variable frame rates, and audio offsets. |