Creating Audio-Only Live Events

In this topic, you will learn how to create audio-only live streams.

Introduction

Audio-only live streams allow you to tap into the sizeable audio entertainment ecosystem, including podcasts and radio. With Brightcove, you can ingest and live stream audio-specific content without a video component. Brightcove's player technology has been optimized for audio to mobile, web, and connected home devices. You will even get relevant analytics for audio-only playback.

Audio-only player

Constraints

The following functions are not available with audio-only streams:

Streaming to social media
Low latency
Live ingest profile selection
Redundancy (backup streams)
Audio tracks
Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI)
Clip creation
Zoom integration

Requirements

This feature is a paid add-on for your account. Contact your Customer Success Manager to enable audio-only live streams.

Workflow

To create an audio-only live stream, follow these steps:

Create a live event
Configure your encoder
Publish the live event

Create a live event

Create an audio-only live event.

In Studio, open the Live module.
Click Create Event.
Enter values for your live stream event.
- Event Name - Name for the event; this name will also appear in the Media module if the video is saved as a video asset (max 255 characters)
- Short Description - Description of the event (max 250 characters)
- Tags - Tags to associate with the event; tags will be assigned to the video if the video is saved as a video asset (max 128 characters and 1200 tags)
- Reference ID - Reference ID for the event; must be unique (max 150 characters)
Any required custom fields for the account will be displayed. Assign values to the custom fields.
Select Create an audio only event. Notice the following options are grayed out:
- Streaming to Social Media
- Live Ingest Profile
In the Advanced section, the following option is grayed out:
- Enable Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI)
Complete the rest of the options for your live stream.
For details about these options, see the Creating and Managing Live Events document.
Click Create Event.

Configure your encoder

Use the encoder of your choice to stream your audio-only event.

To stream your Live event, follow these steps:

In Studio, return to the Control Room for your audio stream.
Copy the following:
- Stream Endpoint (RTMP URL)
- Sream Name
Paste the values above into the settings for your encoder and start streaming.

Publish the live event

To publish a live stream, follow these steps:

In Studio, return to the Live module.
In the left navigation, select Publish and Embed.
In the Live Player Options section, select your player.
Copy either the Standard or Advanced embed code, and paste it into your HTML page.
Confirm playback in your web page.

Create a live event using the API

Optionally, you can use the Live API to create an audio-only live event.

Review the following documents:

Sample request body

{
  "live_stream": true,
  "region":"us-west-2",
  "reconnect_time": 1800,
  "live_dvr_sliding_window_duration":600,
  "audio_only": true,
  "audio_only_storage_format": "mpeg-ts",    //or "aac"
  "outputs": [
    {
      "live_stream": true,
      "segment_seconds": 6,
      "audio_bitrate": 196
    },
    {
      "live_stream": true,
      "segment_seconds": 6,
      "audio_bitrate": 128
    },
    {
      "live_stream": true,
      "segment_seconds": 6,
      "audio_bitrate": 96
    },
    {
      "live_stream": true,
      "segment_seconds": 6,
      "audio_bitrate": 64
    },
    {
      "live_stream": true,
      "segment_seconds": 6,
      "audio_bitrate": 32
    }
  ]
}

Sample response body

{
      "job": {
        "created_at": "2022-02-21T13:49:30.512Z",
        "finished_at": null,
        "id": "d123456789a123456789b1",
        "privacy": false,
        "state": "standby",
        "ssai_state": "none",
        "sep_state": "waiting",
        "submitted_at": "2022-02-21T13:49:30.512Z",
        "test": false,
        "updated_at": "2022-02-21T13:59:37.826Z",
        "region": "us-west-2",
        "stream_key": "alive",
        "protocol": "rtmp",
        "reconnect_time": 600,
        "live_stream": true,
        "low_latency": false,
        "static": true,
        "ad_insertion": false,
        "metadata_passthrough": false,
        "out_worker_bytes": 21010938,
        "out_worker_bytes_rate": 0,
        "channel_type": "event",
        "state_history": [
            {
                "state": "standby",
                "transition_timestamp": 1645451977826
            },
            {
                "state": "disconnected",
                "transition_timestamp": 1645451748246
            },
            {
                "state": "processing",
                "transition_timestamp": 1645451498407
            },
            {
                "state": "waiting",
                "transition_timestamp": 1645451386677
            },
            {
                "state": "standby",
                "transition_timestamp": 1645451370512
            }
        ],
        "state_history_is_truncated": false,
        "account_id": "11a1234556789b1111ef",
        "user_id": "bfe56cc6084f4136b168980010eaca39",
        "pass_through": {
            "stream_to_social_media": true,
            "dvr": false
        },
        "job_videocloud_asset_id": "6298381216001",
        "live_dvr_sliding_window_duration_ms": 0,
        "live_sliding_window_duration_ms": 0,
        "outputs": [
            {
                "live_stream": true,
                "audio_bitrate": 196,
                "label": "hls1080p",
                "segment_seconds": 6
            },
            {
                "live_stream": true,
                "audio_bitrate": 128,
                "label": "hls720p",
                "segment_seconds": 6
            }
        ],
        "videocloud": {
            "video": {
                "name": "audio-only test",
                "link": {},
                "schedule": {},
                "state": "ACTIVE",
                "custom_fields": {}
            }
        },
        "randomize_chunk_url": true,
        "rtmp_outputs": [],
        "playback_url": "https://bcovlive-a.akamaihd.net/d123456789a123456789b1/us-west-2/6243585733001/playlist.m3u8",
        "playback_url_dvr": "https://bcovlive-a.akamaihd.net/d123456789a123456789b1/us-west-2/6243585733001/playlist_dvr.m3u8",
        "playback_added_cdns": [],
        "encryption": {},
        "audio_only": true,
        "audio_only_storage_format": "mpeg-ts",
        "input_media_file": {
            "audio_bitrate_in_kbps": null,
            "audio_codec": null,
            "audio_sample_rate": null,
            "audio_tracks": null,
            "channels": null,
            "created_at": "2022-02-21T13:49:30.512Z",
            "duration_in_ms": null,
            "error_class": null,
            "error_message": null,
            "file_size_bytes": null,
            "finished_at": null,
            "format": null,
            "frame_rate": null,
            "height": null,
            "id": "input-d123456789a123456789b1",
            "md5_checksum": null,
            "privacy": false,
            "state": "standby",
            "test": false,
            "updated_at": "2022-02-21T13:59:37.826Z",
            "video_bitrate_in_kbps": null,
            "video_codec": null,
            "width": null,
            "total_bitrate_in_kbps": null,
            "url": null
        },
        "stream": {
            "created_at": "2022-02-21T13:51:38.407Z",
            "finished_at": null,
            "height": null,
            "id": "stream-d123456789a123456789b1",
            "name": "alive",
            "protocol": null,
            "state": null,
            "test": false,
            "updated_at": "2022-02-21T13:59:37.826Z",
            "width": null,
            "total_bitrate_in_kbps": null,
            "duration": null,
            "region": "us-west-2",
            "url": "rtmp://d123456789a123456789b1.sep.bcovlive.io:1935/d123456789a123456789b1",
            "location": {
                "source": {
                    "latitude": null,
                    "longitude": null,
                    "location": null
                },
                "destination": {
                    "latitude": null,
                    "longitude": null,
                    "location": null
                },
                "distance": null
            },
            "in_worker_bytes": 12058775,
            "in_worker_bytes_rate": 0
        },
        "output_media_files": [
            {
                "audio_bitrate_in_kbps": 196,
                "audio_codec": "AAC",
                "audio_sample_rate": null,
                "channels": null,
                "created_at": "2022-02-21T13:49:30.512Z",
                "duration_in_ms": null,
                "error_class": null,
                "error_message": null,
                "file_size_bytes": null,
                "finished_at": null,
                "format": null,
                "fragment_duration_in_ms": null,
                "frame_rate": null,
                "height": null,
                "id": "0-d123456789a123456789b1",
                "md5_checksum": null,
                "privacy": false,
                "rfc_6381_audio_codec": null,
                "rfc_6381_video_codec": null,
                "state": "standby",
                "test": false,
                "updated_at": "2022-02-21T13:59:37.826Z",
                "video_bitrate_in_kbps": null,
                "video_codec": null,
                "video_codec_profile": null,
                "width": null,
                "label": "hls1080p",
                "total_bitrate_in_kbps": 196,
                "keyframe_interval": null,
                "keyframe_interval_follow_source": null,
                "segment_seconds": 6,
                "live_stream": true
            },
            {
                "audio_bitrate_in_kbps": 128,
                "audio_codec": "AAC",
                "audio_sample_rate": null,
                "channels": null,
                "created_at": "2022-02-21T13:49:30.512Z",
                "duration_in_ms": null,
                "error_class": null,
                "error_message": null,
                "file_size_bytes": null,
                "finished_at": null,
                "format": null,
                "fragment_duration_in_ms": null,
                "frame_rate": null,
                "height": null,
                "id": "1-d123456789a123456789b1",
                "md5_checksum": null,
                "privacy": false,
                "rfc_6381_audio_codec": null,
                "rfc_6381_video_codec": null,
                "state": "standby",
                "test": false,
                "updated_at": "2022-02-21T13:59:37.826Z",
                "video_bitrate_in_kbps": null,
                "video_codec": null,
                "video_codec_profile": null,
                "width": null,
                "label": "hls720p",
                "total_bitrate_in_kbps": 128,
                "keyframe_interval": null,
                "keyframe_interval_follow_source": null,
                "segment_seconds": 6,
                "live_stream": true
            },
            {
                "playlist_type": "defaultS3",
                "type": "playlist",
                "filename": "playlist.m3u8",
                "dvr_filename": "playlist_dvr.m3u8",
                "playback_url": "https://bcovlive-a.akamaihd.net/d123456789a123456789b1/us-west-2/6243585733001/playlist.m3u8",
                "playback_url_dvr": "https://bcovlive-a.akamaihd.net/d123456789a123456789b1/us-west-2/6243585733001/playlist_dvr.m3u8",
                "playback_added_cdns": []
            }
        ]
    }
  }