Adaptive Groups Templates

Instead of defining adaptive groups in advance and then relating specific input streams to these groups, you can define templates with rules for automatic grouping of streams in adaptive groups. Every time a new input stream, which matches the conditions of the template, is added, it will be automatically added to the adaptive group that was defined in the template. Specific streams are identified by naming patterns and added to the group by setting static naming patterns and bitrates or dynamic patters.

To create a new adaptive group template:

1. Click the Adaptive tab at the top of the Zixi Broadcaster administrative screen.
2. In the Menu bar, click the Templates () button. 
   The Adaptive Group's Templates window is displayed:
   
   
   
3. Click the + button.
   The Adaptive Group Template window is displayed:
   
4. In the Input ID Pattern field, enter a pattern for the Stream ID of the input stream that will be automatically added to newly created adaptive group. This pattern will be used to identify the input stream and can include variables that are marked with the "$" sign followed by a number (e.g. $1, $2, etc.) and/or with an asterisk "*" wildcard. The patterns should also include a part of the string that requires an exact match. For example, the pattern "$1_stream_$2kbps" will match an input stream "talk_show_stream_600kbps". String parts that were matched again $X variables, can be reused in other settings, however, string parts that were matched against an asterisk wildcard cannot be reused in other settings.
5. In the Adaptive Group Name field, enter a string that will be used as the name of the adaptive group. You can use the $X variables that were used in the Input ID Pattern field above. For example, based on the above example, if you write "$1_group", the group name will be "talk_show_group".  
6. Under the Adaptive Group Properties, select the checkboxes of the protocols with which these streams will be transmitted (Zixi, HLS, HDS, DASH, HLS over multicast).
7. If you want to record an HLS stream, select the Record checkbox and in the Keep recorded files for [minutes], specify the maximum time (in minutes) to record. Default: the time defined in the global settings, specified in the Settings > Live Protocols screen in the HLS DVR Maximum Recording Duration field.
8. Under Adaptive Group Stream Patterns, select the method in which the streams in the adaptive group will be created:
   
   • Dynamic Streams Acquisition: this method will automatically add input streams that match the defined Input ID Pattern and give them a bitrate value based on the Bitrate Pattern. This option is based on the assumption that the bitrate value is part of the input stream's ID. Based on the example above, by entering the value "$2" in the Bitrate Pattern field, the system will automatically add the incoming "talk_show_stream_600kbps" stream, while giving it a 600 Kbps Bitrate setting (according to the definition in the Input ID Pattern field, the $2 was assigned a value of 600kps). If another stream that matches the input ID patters comes in (e.g. talk_show_stream_700kbps") with a different bitrate, for example, 700kbps, this stream will be also added to the same adaptive groups, however the bitrate setting will be 700 kbps.
     
      To add a Dynamic Streams Acquisition bitrate pattern:
     • In the Bitrate Pattern field add the pattern as described above.
     • Click Apply.
     • The new template is added to the Adaptive Groups Templates list:
         
   • Static Stream Set: if the input streams do not have the bitrate value in their ID names, you can manually define the ID and the bitrate for each stream that will be included in the group. You can define streams that are not currently connected, but will be connected at a later stage.
     
     To add a Static Steam Set:
     • Click the + button
     • In the Steam Pattern field, enter a pattern for the stream ID (you can use the variables used in the Input ID Pattern field and add additional variables as needed). This pattern will be used to identify the stream and add it to the group (e.g. "comedy_HD").
     • In the Bitrate [Kbps] field, enter the Bitrate value of the stream.
     • Click the + button for as many streams as you want to include in the group and repeat the steps above for every stream that is added to the group.
     • Click Apply to save all changes.
       The new template is added to the Adaptive Groups Templates list: