Streaming to Facebook

As part of the RTMP output configuration process, you can configure Facebook Live targets for your Zixi Broadcaster. This enables you to send an RTMPS stream into Facebook Live. You can set the privacy authorization to determine who can access the stream. You can also configure how it will be posted to Facebook (e.g. User feed, Page, Event or Group). For Regular Streams, with a limited duration, you have the option of saving the stream as VOD to enable subsequent viewing.

To stream to Facebook Live:

1. Login to Zixi Broadcaster.

2. In the Main Navigation menu, click the Inputs tab.

3. In the Menu bar, click New Input.
   The Add a new input stream window is displayed.
   
   

   Open

   

4. Select the type of Input based on the source stream.

5. Fill in the fields with the relevant information, see Zixi Broadcaster User Guide.

6. Click Ok.
   The new Input is created.

7. Go to https://www.facebook.com/live/create.

8. Click Create Live Stream.

9. On the right-hand bar, select where you want to stream from the following options:
   
   

   Open

   

    

• Share on your timeline – the live stream will appear on your Facebook timeline.

• Share in a group – The stream will be posted to a Facebook Group to which you are authorized to post. After selecting this option, enter the group's name into the Group field.

• Share in an event - the stream will be posted to a Facebook Event page associated with your account. After selecting this option, the event's name into the Event field.

10.  In the Who Should See? dropdown menu, select one of the following options:

• Public – Your post will be available to the general public and is visible to search engines.

• Friends – Only your Facebook Friends can view your post.

• Friends Except – All your friends except the ones you have selected. Select the friends you do not want to view your post.

• Specific Friends – Can be viewed by the specified friends. Select the friends you want to view your post.

• Only me – No one else can view your post.

• Custom – You can specify which individuals or groups are able to view your post.

11.  Click the Settings tab.

12.  If you want the live stream to be continuous, select the Publish this as a continuous live video. If this option is enabled the video will not be saved and will not be available for replay by users. 

13.  Select other options as necessary.

14.  In the main pane, select Use a persistent stream key if you want your stream key to be permanent. If this isn't selected, you won't be able to use this stream key again after the stream ends.

15.  On Zixi Broadcaster, in the Inputs tab, click the menu button for the Input that you have created.

16.  Click New Output.
The Add new output window is displayed with the info of your Input Stream in place.

17.  Select RTMP for the output type.
The window shows the fields that need to be configured for an RTMP output.

18.  In the Output Name field, enter a unique identifier for the output.

19.  In Facebook Live, copy the Server URL. You can optionally click the Ingest URLs button to find the fastest ingest URL, according to your location and network conditions.

20.  In Zixi Broadcaster, paste the copied Server URL into the URL field. 

21.  In Facebook Live, copy the Stream Key.

22.  In Zixi Broadcaster, paste the copied stream key to the Stream Name field (you should replace the existing stream input name with the copied Stream Name.

23.  Configure additional fields as necessary and click OK.
The new output is created and you should be able to preview the stream on Facebook Live. At this point the Go Live button will be enabled.

24.   In Facebook Live, click Go Live. You can click Schedule to stream the event at a later time.

25.  If you haven't added a title, enter a title and click Add Title and then click Go Live.
The stream will begin according to your settings.