Video Bridge Events

These help articles will cover using the Video Bridge acquisition to deliver your live events.

Video Bridge Guide for Presenters and Guest Admins

A Video Bridge allows presenters to connect to an event and broadcast from different camera sources and locations. As a presenter, you will join the event from your computer and connect the video source that you'll use to speak to the audience. Often this is a webcam, but you can also broadcast and present from a video conferencing system, Skype for Business, or a telephone (where you're not on camera).

Use this guide to learn how to test your system and connect to the Video Bridge. This guide contains the following topics:


System Requirements

All presenters and venues must meet the following minimum system requirements:


Before the event, presenters and venues must also:


Test your System Before the Event Starts

It's important that you make sure your system is compatible before the event begins to identify and resolve any issues. At least 48 hours before the event, join the Live Studio and run a diagnostic on your system with the network and equipment you plan to use on the day of the event. This checks the quality of your audio and video connections. 

You should have received an email with login details and a link to the Guest Admin or Guest Presenter Access site. The Guest Admin site includes a button that lets you enter the Live Studio.

To test your webcam and microphone: 

  1. Sign in to the Guest Admin site and click Live Presenter Studio.
  2. In the Live Studio, click Test your webcam. 

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  3. Enter your name and click Next.

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  4. Select the Microphone, Camera, and Audio Output sources you will use during the event. Confirm that the microphone volume level and webcam preview work properly. Click Test your speakers to make sure you can hear the event audio during the event.

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    Note: If this is your first time connecting to the platform, you may be prompted to allow access to your camera and microphone before you can select your camera and microphone source. Click Request permission in the center of your screen if prompted.

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    A pop-up in the top left will allow you to select what if you would like to allow access this time only or allow access for every visit. 

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  5. Click Join now and follow the guided connection test instructions.

    The test records a short clip of your audio and video and plays it back to you. Make sure the video plays clearly, without feedback or echo. If it does not record correctly, there could be a network connection issue. Check that you have a wired (LAN) connection to the internet and that it is active.

    If you have any issues, run the test again. If you continue to have issues, contact support or your event host.

Connect to the Video Bridge


To join the Video Bridge:

  1. Sign in to the Guest Admin site and click Live Presenter Studio.
  2. Click Join using my webcam.

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  3. Enter your name and click Next. 

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  4. Select the Microphone, Camera, and Audio Output sources you want to use for the broadcast using the available dropdowns. Confirm that webcam preview work properly and that your microphone audio is being registered on the microphone icon in the webcam preview window. Click Test your speakers to make sure you can hear the event audio during the event.

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    If you are a technical assistant or moderator who will not speak or appear on camera, use the microphone icon or camera icon in the lower right of the video preview to mute your microphone or turn off your webcam.

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  5. In the lower right of the video preview, click on the person icon to add a blurred or virtual background to your video stream.

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  6. Click Join now.

    Note: The Video Bridge utilizes UDP/TCP RTP Media Traffic over ports 4000-5000 to connect a webcam. If a presenter’s connection to the Video Bridge is blocked by their network, the system will automatically failover to use TCP 443 (HTTPS).
     
    This failover is intended for presenters behind on a restricted network to ensure a connection can be made. However, TCP media is often subject to a noticeable delay and synchronization issues between audio and motion, as well as a delay on content share streams. It's always better to use a UDP/RTP connection whenever possible. For that reason, it is recommended that presenters disconnect from VPN before presenting. It is also recommended to test your system in advance to ensure there aren’t any issues connecting on the live event.


Connect to the Video Bridge using Another Source

If you are not able to connect to the Video Bridge, are experiencing issues with your audio/video stream on the Video Bridge due to a connection or network issue, or prefer to join from another source, the Video Bridge has additional connection options.

To join the Video Bridge:

  1. Sign in to the Guest Admin site and click Live Presenter Studio.
  2. Click Join another way.

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  3. You will options to connect via Telephone, Skype for Business/Lync, or Video Conferencing Unit using H.323, SIP or a video Bridge Domain. Follow the instructions listed below to connect.


Navigate the Video Bridge

Live Studio Layout

Once connected to the Video Bridge, presenters will be able to see and communicate with other presenters on the Video Bridge. In addition to the Video Bridge, you may see tabs along the top of the Live Studio that provide access to Slides, Overlay Videos, Surveys and other content on your event. Please confirm with the Event Host your responsibilities during the presentation.

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Once the event begins, you'll see "On Air" at the top of the window to confirm you are live to viewers. You can now speak, advance slides and use other controls for the event. 

Video Bridge Controls

At the lower right of the Video Bridge window, each presenter has buttons to control their connection:

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Along the left side of the Video Bridge window, use the menu to access additional controls:

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Click on the gear icon in the top right to access advanced settings: 

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Bridge Indicators

Small indicators display at the top center of the Video Bridge view in Live Studio to show important details about your presenters. These indicators are not broadcast to your audience.

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Screensharing

When sharing your screen, a pop-up window will appear allowing you to select what content you want to share. Select one of the tabs along the top: a Chrome Tab, Window (or application), or your Entire Screen.

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Under the selected tab, choose one of the available options and click Share to make your screen share active to viewers.

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Note: When sharing your Entire Screen or a Chrome Tab, use the "Also share system audio" toggle share your computer's audio along with your screen.

Once active, viewers will see the selected screen share application, a small window in the top right with the camera for the presenter sharing their screen, and a shared audio feed from the video bridge. Presenters should minimize their Live Studio and begin their screen share. Once complete, click Stop Sharing to end the screen share. 
 

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Video Bridge Overview (Moderators)

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Number
 Feature
 Description
1 Live Studio Tabs

Controls for different aspects of the event are grouped into tabs. Click the Video Bridge tab to manage your own webcam and audio, select a layout, and to manage presenter webcams and audio.

Controls for Slides, Surveys, Overlay Videos, and other content you uploaded to the event are displayed in their own tabs next to the Video Bridge tab.
2

Video Bridge Controls

Select from the available options to access controls: 

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 Select to display the Presenter List and controls for managing presenter connections.

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 Select to share your screen with viewers.

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 Select to raise your hand to get the attention of the host/moderator.

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 Select to display the Video Bridge is full-screen view. Press Esc to exit full-screen view.

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 Select to mute your local playback of the event's audio stream.
3 Presenter Options

Next to each presenter connection, you may see the following icons:

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 Indicates a presenter's microphone is unmuted.

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 Indicates a presenter's microphone is muted.

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 Indicates a presenter's microphone is unmuted.

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 Indicates a presenter's microphone is muted. Presenters with a muted camera will be prevented from appearing in the video stream for the event.

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 Indicates a presenter is not Spotlighted.

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 Indicates a presenter is Spotlighted. Spotlighted presenters will be locked in the selected layout of event and override the default voice-activated switching.

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 Indicates a presenter is sharing their screen.

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 Indicates a presenter has raised their hand. Raising your hand can be used to get the attention of the event host/moderator.

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  Click to access additional settings for a presenter's connection:
  • Select Make Host to promote that presenter to the host role and all them the same controls as you have.
  • Select Open DTMF Keypad to open a keypad used to control or manage an external meeting room or VCU connection.
  • Select Edit Presenter Profile to update a speaker's name.
  • Select Disable Receive Shares to stop shared screens or other third-party content streams from being visible to that presenter.
  • If a presenter has raised their hand, use the Lower Hand option to remove that indicator.
  • Select Remove Presenter to remove a presenter from the Video Bridge.

Below the Presenter list, after the streams for the Video Bridge have been connected in the Broadcast Controls, you will see a Primary Stream and Backup Stream listed. Click on the settings button next to a stream to access additional controls.

  • Select Edit Stream Profile to change the stream name.
  • Select Disable Receive Shares to stop shared screens or other third-party content streams from being visible to the audience.
  • Select Remove Stream to disconnect that Video Bridge Stream from the event.
4 Local Presenter Controls

Presenters can use the available options to control their connection to the Video Bridge. Available options:

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 Use the microphone icon to mute/unmute your microphone.

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 Use the camera icon to mute/unmute your camera. Muting your camera will prevent you from appearing on the video stream for the event.
5 Active Speaker(s)

The webcam of the presenter(s) will appear here. The number of speaker and layout of be determined by the layout selected by the Administrator. For more details on adjusting the layout of the Video Bridge, review this article: About Presenter Layouts

Voice-activated camera switching is used to highlight the webcam of the presenter who is speaking (and recent speakers when using multiple frame layouts). To choose whose webcams are on stage, review this article: Spotlight Presenter Webcams on the Video Bridge
6 Your Camera View A live view of your webcam. Hover over the window to access a button in the top right of the window to hide your self-view. Click and drag this window to another location on the Video Bridge to change where it appears locally.
7 Advanced Settings

Click on the gear icon to access the advanced settings menu. Available options:

  • Select Meeting Layout to adjust the Layout of the Video Bridge. Options are grouped into a variety of layout types including Filmstrip, Grid, Speaker, Individual and Adaptive. Refer to our help articles for additional details on layout options. Click Save at the bottom to save any changes to the Video Bridge layout.
  • Select Meeting Settings to access additional meeting settings. Enable "lock the meeting" to prevent presenters from automatically joining. Hosts will have the ability to approve or deny access to any presenters that try to join when the meeting is locked. Enable to "Show name labels" option to display a presenter's name on the Video Bridge for other presenters and the audience to see. Presenter's names can be edited by clicking on the settings button next to the speaker in the Presenter List.
  • Select Video and Sound to access controls to select or change your camera, microphone and audio playback sources. Enable "Voice Focused Noise Suppression" to suppress background noise on your connection. Enable "Prioritize Sharing Video" to prioritize motion over sharpness when sharing content with other participants. This is the best option when sharing video through screenshare as the motion will be smoother. When sharing static presentations or images, leave the option disabled to prioritize sharpness. Click Save to apply any changes to these settings.
  • Select Quality to adjust your connection quality. This setting impacts the amount of bandwidth required by the presenter. It is set to Auto by default, so the quality will automatically adjust based on a presenter's connection, but it can be manually adjusted using the dropdown here.
  • Select Accessibility to always display Video Bridge controls. By default, controls will fade away after a few seconds of inactivity, but this setting will keep the controls displayed at all times.
  • Select Media Statistics to see statistics on your connection. This will allow you to see the overall connection quality, along with details like packet transmission, packet loss and jitter. It is helpful to review these statistics if a presenter is having issues with their connection.
  • Select Download Log to download a log with details on your connection to the Video Bridge. If a presenter encounters issues with their Video Bridge connection, it's recommended to download the log here before exiting the Live Studio. The Video Bridge log will be helpful to investigate any issues encountered
  • Select Dial Out to a Presenter to add an external participant to the Video Bridge. This option allows you to enter a SIP, H.323, Skype for Business or teams address to connect an external presenter or meeting room or enter a RTMP stream to send the video stream to an external service. Refer to our help articles or contact Support if you have any additional questions to adding an external source.
8 Bridge Indicators

Small indicators display at the top center of the Video Bridge view in Live Studio to show important details about your presenters. These indicators are not broadcast to your audience.

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Presenter count: Total number of presenters when there are more than can be shown in the current layout
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Phone participants: Number of presenters connected by phone
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Muted cameras: Number of presenters with video off
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Raised hands: Number of presenters with a raised hand
9 Broadcast Controls

Controls to connect the Video Bridge and start/end the event. Access the Broadcast Controls using the > icon access the options to manage the event.

For instructions on connecting a Video Bridge and starting/ending the event, review this article: How do I broadcast using the Video Bridge?
10 Manage Q&A

Use the Manage Q&A section to manage the Q&A on the event. 

For additional information on Q&A, review this article: About Q&A
11 Presenter Discussion Use the Presenter Discussion to have a private chat with presenters before and during the event.



How do I connect and broadcast using the Video Bridge?

Once presenters have joined the Video Bridge and you are ready to start your event, use the Broadcast Controls section to connect and start your event. In the top left of the Live Studio, click on the > icon next to the Broadcast Controls text to access the controls.

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Click on the green arrow icons next to the Primary Stream and Backup Stream to connect the Video Bridge for delivery.

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You will see Connected text to confirm when the Video Bridge has been connected. Click Preview Stream to preview the Video Bridge and prepare to start your event.

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A preview of the Video Bridge stream will load in the Broadcast Controls window above. You will also see the status indicator set to Stand By at the top of the Live Studio, which indicates you are connected and ready to go live.

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Click Start Webcast to go live to your audience. The status indicator will update to On Air and the timer below will display how long you have been live to viewers.

Once the event concludes, click End Webcast below the Broadcast Controls window to end the presentation.

About Presenter Webcam Layouts on the Video Bridge

On the video bridge, you can choose how you want to arrange presenter webcams and which presenters to display to the audience during the Live event. This article introduces instructions on how to access Layout, the available Layout options, and details on how to spotlight an individual presenter and how you hide presenters from appearing to the audience.

Important: To see the video bridge and interact with other presenters, you must join with a webcam. Presenters who select I will not be appearing on camera won't be able to see or hear presenters who have joined the video bridge.

This guide contains the following topics:


Presenter Webcam Layouts

Presenter webcam layouts control the number of presenters on stage and how their webcams are arranged. By default, the event shows one presenter - Individual layout. You can change this layout before the event begins and at any time during the Live event. To access Layouts, click on the gear icon in the top right of the Video Bridge and select the Meeting Layout text.

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Select from the available layouts by clicking on the thumbnail. 

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Layout options include: 


How the Video Bridge Fills the Stage

The frames in the layout are initially filled in the order that presenters join with a webcam. The number of available spots on stage depends on your selected layout. The Video Bridge doesn't set aside empty frames; instead it adds frames as needed, for each presenter.

Note: If a presenter joins with a webcam and then turns off their webcam, they will be hidden from display in the selected layout.

That's the initial order. Now let's look at voice-activated camera switching.

Voice-Activated Camera Switching

Voice-activated camera switching tracks when presenters speak and keeps a history of most to least-recent speakers. It uses this information to adjust who is on stage and makes sure the active talker is visible. This varies depending on the webcam layout you select. 

When there are more presenters than spots available, other presenters remain off-stage until they speak. Then, voice-activated camera switching moves them to the stage, bumping another presenter off. 

When a person in the filmstrip or speaker layouts speaks, they move to a large frame and the person previously in that frame moves to the first spot in the filmstrip, shifting other presenters to the right. In the two-frame layout, the presenter in the large frame who spoke less recently is replaced.

Prioritizing Presenters on Stage

The Spotlight feature can be used to pin a presenter as the primary video in a layout, whether they are speaking or not. To spotlight a speaker, click on the star icon next to the presenter in the Presenter list.  

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When a presenter is spotlighted, the star icon next to their name will be highlighted. Click on this icon to remove the spotlight.

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Multiple presenters can be spotlighted if required. This can be used for layouts featuring two (or more) large frames. Spotlighted speakers will appear in the order the Spotlight was added.


Hiding Presenters on Stage

If you want to hide a presenter from appearing in the video stream, their camera needs to be disabled. Presenters can hide their camera locally using the camera icon along the bottom of the Video Bridge.

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Administrators can also hide any presenter's camera themselves. Click on the camera icon next to the presenter in the Presenter List. 

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When a presenter's camera is muted, the camera icon next to their name will be highlighted. Click on this icon to unmute their video.

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Note: An administrator's mute/unmute camera controls operate independently from a presenter's local controls. If a presenter mutes their camera locally, an administrator can't unmute them and vice versa.

Change the Presenter Webcam Layout on the Video Bridge

Change the webcam layout to display more presenters during the Live event. By default, the Individual layout is selected and displays the active talker to the audience. You can change this layout before the event begins and switch layouts any time during the Live event. To learn more about presenter webcam layouts, see About Presenter Webcam Layouts.

Voice-activated camera switching is used to displays the active speaker (and recent speakers when using the Grid or Filmstrip layout). To display specific presenter webcams to the audience, see Spotlight Presenter Webcams on the Video Bridge.

Note: Only Hosts can change the presenter Video Bridge layout. To allow a presenter to change the layout, promote them to the Host role using the settings next to a speaker in the Presenter list.

To change the presenter Video Bridge layout:

Adding Virtual Backgrounds on the Video Bridge

Virtual and blurred background are available to presenters connecting their webcam to the Video Bridge. Virtual backgrounds can be added before joining the Video Bridge or after connected to the Video Bridge. Follow the instructions below to include a virtual background on your video: This article also includes best practices for virtual backgrounds.

Adding a Background Before Joining the Video Bridge


Before you join the Video Bridge, a virtual background can be selected. Along the bottom of the video preview, click on the person icon to add a blurred or virtual background to your video stream.

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In the pop-up window, you will see a preview of your video stream and a list of available options below. Select:

Click Apply to add the selected background to your video stream. Click Cancel to discard changes and use your current background.

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Changing Backgrounds When Connected to the Video Bridge

After you join the Video Bridge, you will be able to manage your background at any time throughout the event. In the self-preview window in the top right of the Video Bridge, click on the person icon to add a blurred or virtual background to your video stream.

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In the pop-up window, you will see a preview of your video stream and a list of available options below. Select:

Click Apply to add the selected background to your video stream. Click Cancel to discard changes and use your current background.


Virtual Background Best Practices 

Virtual Backgrounds require significant local processing, which could affect the performance of your machine. If there are noticeable audio or video quality issues while using Video Bridge, try disabling the Virtual Background effect. Below are best practices for using virtual backgrounds. Following these guidelines will produce the best quality video:

Setup


Video Bridge Layouts


Custom Background Images

For custom virtual background images, we recommend images using the following minimum specs:

Troubleshooting

If the virtual background option does not appear, this is may due to a browser setting. Please enable your browser's hardware acceleration, which allows for smoother browsing, audio/video streaming, and overall experience.

Spotlight Presenter Webcams on the Video Bridge

Voice-activated camera switching is used by default to control which cameras appear to the audience. 

The Spotlight feature can be used to pin a presenter as the primary video in a layout, whether they are speaking or not. To spotlight a speaker, click on the star icon next to the presenter in the Presenter list. 

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When a presenter is spotlighted, the star icon next to their name will be highlighted. Click on this icon to remove the spotlight.

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Multiple presenters can be spotlighted if required. This can be used for layouts featuring two (or more) large frames. Spotlighted speakers will appear in the order the Spotlight was added.
 
To learn more, see About Presenter Webcam Layouts.

Hiding Presenters from Appearing on the Video Bridge

If you want to hide a presenter from appearing in the video stream, their webcam needs to be disabled. If a presenter's camera is disabled, their video will not be visible and they will not appear in the selected layout.

Presenters can hide their camera locally using the camera icon in the lower right of the Video Bridge. 

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Administrators can also hide any presenter's camera themselves. Click on the camera icon next to the presenter in the Presenter List.

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When a presenter's camera is muted, the camera icon next to their name will be highlighted. Click on this icon to unmute their video.

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Note: An administrator's mute/unmute camera controls operate independently from a presenter's local controls. If a presenter mutes their camera locally, an administrator can't unmute them and vice versa.


Video Bridge Integrations - Zoom

The Webcast platform allows for external video streams to be connected to the Video Bridge. This article will cover instructions on incorporating a Zoom meeting to your Video Bridge event. Topics include: 

When to Integrate Zoom

In order to ensure the success of your Zoom-connected webcast, these are our recommended integration setups. Setups outside the recommendations can cause connection bottlenecks, video source control issues, and feature confusion. We have no ability to control your Zoom account.

Video-Only Broadcasting 

If you need to take your regular Zoom meeting setup and push it out to a large video audience, without the use of any player features, The Webcast allows you to scale up quickly to thousands of online attendees.

Dedicated Panel Discussion

During a long presentation, if you have a series of panelists who need to be brought in mid-event, using a 3rd party tool like Zoom provides you the ability to mute these speakers on our Video Bridge until their portion of the presentation begins.

Connecting to Zoom

Dialing Out to Zoom

When you join the Live Studio for the event, the Video Bridge tab will appear by default. Regardless of if all of your presenters will be connecting through Zoom, the event host needs click Join using my webcam. This allows you to initiate the Video Bridge, access to the advanced Video Bridge controls, and the ability to connect/start/end the event.

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Once you have connected your webcam, click on the gear icon in the top right of the Video Bridge. Then, select Dial Out to a Presenter. 

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A pop-up window will appear where you can connect to the Zoom room. For Protocol, select "SIP URI". In the Destination Address field, enter the Zoom room address. The default SIP address format for a Zoom room is “[Meeting ID]@zoomcrc.com".  To access instructions on the Zoom Conference Room Connector, visit: https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0060661

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Dialing In From Zoom

Alternatively, you can invite the Video Bridge into the Zoom room by having Zoom dial out. Select Invite and then select Invite a Room System.

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In the pop-up window, enter the SIP address of the Video Bridge, which is available in the Connect using another source section of the Live Studio when you first join the Video Bridge. 

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When incorporating a Zoom room into a Video Bridge event, the Video Bridge will display the Zoom room as it is currently configured. Adjustments to the display of the Zoom room can be included when connecting the Zoom room to the Video Bridge.

By default, Zoom will include badging (logos). There are two methods for removing this from the Zoom feed. Please refer to the example below:

The code “606” at the end of the address tells the Zoom connector to hide any overlays. For more information, visit: https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0065727.

Additional changes to the video controls for the H.323/SIP Room Connector may be done using the Keypad option, which is available by hovering next to a speaker in the Video Bridge participant list and clicking on the settings button. In the settings menu, click DTMF Keypad to open the Keypad option. 

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Press “1” and Zoom controls will appear on the Video Bridge screen. To access instructions on Zoom dial commands, visit: https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0065727#h_01EX5JRNZFZSNNESK5E814QZBV.

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Notes: 


Screen Sharing Through Zoom

In order to share your screen from a Zoom room on the Video Bridge, you need to ensure the Display Content Share on Webcast checkbox is enabled in the Webcast event setup. This option is found below the Media Options setting on the "Player and Branding Options" page of the setup. By default, this checkbox is enabled for all video sizes.

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Note: If this setting is changed after the streams are connected in the Live Studio, the streams will need to be disconnected and reconnected using the Live Studio controls.

Zoom Connection Requirements

In order to connect to Zoom, you need the following in advance of the webcast:

Help Video - Testing a Video Bridge Connection

With the Video Bridge, you can broadcast your video stream from a webcam, video conferencing system (SIP/H.323), on-site encoder (RTMP), or meeting apps such as Skype for Business.

In this video, you will learn how to test your camera and microphone connection to the Video Bridge. It's recommended to test at least 48 hours in advance using the same computer and network that you plan to use for the live event.

Help Video - Video Bridge Training for Guest Speakers

With the Video Bridge, you can broadcast your video stream from a webcam, video conferencing system (SIP/H.323), on-site encoder (RTMP), or meeting apps such as Skype for Business. In this video, Guest Presenters will learn how to connect and share their camera and microphone on the Video Bridge.

Help Video - Video Bridge Training for Administrators/Hosts

With the Video Bridge, you can broadcast your video stream from a webcam, video conferencing system (SIP/H.323), on-site encoder (RTMP), or meeting apps such as Skype for Business. In this video, Admins/Hosts will learn how to connect your video source, manage other presenters, and deliver a Video Bridge event to your audience.

Video Bridge Tab Mini-View

On a Video Bridge event, when you navigate to another tab in the Live Studio (other than the Video Bridge tab), you will see a mini-view of the Video Bridge. This window is designed to allow you to preview the video at any time and quickly access the Video Bridge controls if need.

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The min-view window is a fixed size and will display in the upper right of your screen by default. Click on the Video Bridge bar to minimize the mini-view window to allow easier access to the Live Studio. Click and drag the mini-view window if you would like to move the window to another location in the Live Studio.

The self-preview will be hidden by default in the mini-view window. Click on the arrow icon to display your local camera preview in the mini-view window. 

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Note: The self-preview may now overlap with the main video in this mini-view window.

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If you would like to hide your self-view from displaying in the mini-view, hover your mouse over your video stream and click the hide self-view button. This will allow you an uninterrupted view of the primary video preview.

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Video Bridge Presenter Management Best Practices

There are two primary methods for managing presenters on stage during your event. Select the one that makes the most sense for your run of show plan for best results. Review these procedures with your presenters prior to the event start to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of what they are expected to do.

Host Managed

In this workflow, all presenters connect their cameras before the event starts and keep their cameras ON throughout the event. This puts control in the hands of the host to easily manage the event flow from the presenter list. They can move presenters on and off the stage and change layouts as needed for a scripted and seamless run of show. 

Self Managed

In this workflow, all presenters turn their own cameras on only when they wish to be on stage. Otherwise, they keep their cameras off. This puts the control in the presenters hands and allows for a more fluid conversation throughout the event.


Also see, general presenter best practices.


Screen Sharing on the Video Bridge

Screen Sharing Setup

The ability to share your screen sharing with viewers is controlled using the Display Content Share on Webcast checkbox on the Player and Branding Options page of the setup. Screen sharing is automatically enabled on all Video Bridge events. Depending on the requirements for your event, screen sharing can be disabled in the event setup using this checkbox.

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Notes:

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When enabled/disabled for an individual presenter or the entire event, a private notification will appear at the top of the Video Bridge preview to confirm:

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Video Bridge Controls

In the controls along the left side of the Video Bridge window, each presenter has the option to share their screen. Click on the screen share icon to share your screen with viewers at any time during the event.

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Note: If you do not see the option to share your screen, please make sure you are using a supported browser and the hardware acceleration setting is enabled. To confirm if hardware acceleration is enabled, follow the instructions below:

Chrome Browsers: 

Edge Browsers: 

Contact Support for additional help.

How to Screen Share

When sharing your screen, a pop-up window will appear allowing you to select what content you want to share. Select one of the tabs along the top: a Chrome Tab, Window (or application), or your Entire Screen.

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Under the selected tab, choose one of the available options and click Share to make your screen share active to viewers.

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Note: When sharing your Entire Screen or a Chrome Tab, use the "Also share system audio" toggle share your computer's audio along with your screen.

Once active, viewers will see the selected screen share application, a small window in the top right with the camera for the presenter sharing their screen, and a shared audio feed from the video bridge. Presenters should minimize their Live Studio and begin their screen share. Once complete, click Stop Sharing to end the screen share. 
 

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Video Bridge Control Room Settings

To access the Control Room, click on the monitor icon in the Video Bridge menu. The Control Room interface allows advanced users to build entire shots ahead of time and apply changes seamlessly, all at once. This allows you to pre-select the Video Bridge layout, the webcast player layout and manage the presenters that will appear in the selected layout. This setting is only available to Admins and not guest presenters.

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Click on the Presenter Layout text to select a layout for the Video Bridge. Click on the arrow icons to scroll through the available layouts or click See All to display all layout options.

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Click Back to return to the main menu. 

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Click on the Media Layout text to select a layout for the webcast player. Click on the arrow icons to scroll through player layouts or click See All to display all layout options. Click Back to return to the main menu.

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Click on the Presenter Management text to display options to manage which presenters appear in the Video Bridge layout. Voice-Activated switching is used by default, so the active speaker and most recent speakers will appear. Disable voice activated switching to manually place presenters on stage in the desired order. Click on the + icon next to a presenters name to add them to the select layout or click on the x icon next to their name to remove them from the layout. You can also drag and drop presenters between On Stage and Off Screen. All other available presenters show in the Off Screen list.

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When disabled, existing spotlighting will no longer be active. The audio/video status of all presenters will appear in this view, but will not be clickable here. Note that the adaptive layout is only available when voice activated switching is enabled.

As you make changes to the settings, you'll see Reload Latest text in the top right. Click here to reset to the current layout settings that are active on the event. Click Apply to save changes to all of these settings with a single click.

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Video Bridge Connectivity Guide

Overview

The Webcast platform is a webcast solution that has been supporting the largest global clients for over 20 years. We allow Presenters to connect in a variety of ways and broadcast out to audiences of 100,000+ while including interactive features such as slides, Q&A, polls, and surveys.  

Additional features include: 

  • Fully branded experience 
  • Continuing Education 
  • Robust reporting and analytics 
  • Broadcast live, sim live, or on-demand 
  • CRM Integrations 
  • Customized Landing pages 
  • Managed production services 

 


Presenter Requirements

The Webcast platform is a broadcast product with defined roles for Presenters and participant / audience members. Network requirements for both roles can be found on our Network Requirements page. For Presenters, refer to the Webcast Presenters - Video Events column along the right for the requirements. Click Notify Me About Network Updates in the top right to sign-up to receive email updates regarding any planned network changes. We do our best to minimize updates to avoid impacting your IT and Network teams. 

Please be sure to add the domain names, protocols / ports, and IP Ranges for specific to the Video Bridge. This will allow your Presenter(s) to connect their webcam(s) through their current Chrome, Edge Chromium, or Firefox browser using WebRTC. It is critical that the IPs are allowed, and not just the domain wild cards, because the connection is established using the ICE protocol, which negotiates based on IP addresses. 

When adding allow rules to the network, it is important to consider how the Presenter(s) will be joining and what security solutions their video/audio traffic could be traversing. For example, will Presenters be on the corporate network on off-site? If they are off-site, will they be on VPN? For Presenters off-site and on VPN, we recommend enabling split tunnel.  

Firewalls also need to have allow rules enabled to have traffic flow bi-directionally in order for Presenter(s) to share their video and to see other presenters’ videos. 

With cloud security services (example: Zscaler) or other products such as cloud proxies, it is important to add allow rules using the information outlined in our Network Requirements page. When possible, we recommend bypassing proxies as a best practice.  

Additionally, please be mindful of security software solutions (example: Netskope) that may be deployed in the corporate environment. Note: Netskope requires a list of FQDNs. Please reach out to support@webcasts.com and include the associated GlobalMeet webcast event ID to receive the FQDNs. 

Please review our Knowledge Base article on our Video Bridge for additional information. 

Connecting to Social Media for Live Streaming

The GlobalMeet Webcast platform allows the Video Bridge to be connected to an external social media site to allow the content to be simultaneously live streamed. This article will cover instructions on connecting your Video Bridge to an external site. Topics include: 

How to Connect to an External Site

When you join the Live Studio for the event, the Video Bridge tab will appear by default. The event host that will be connecting to the external site needs click Join using my webcam. This allows you to initiate the Video Bridge, access to the advanced Video Bridge controls, and the ability to connect/start/end the event.

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Once you have connected your webcam, click on the gear icon in the top right of the Video Bridge. Then, select Dial Out to a Presenter. 

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A pop-up window will appear where you can enter the details to connect to an external source. For Protocol, select "RTMP Stream". In the Destination Address field, enter the RTMP Stream where you want to connect the steam. This address will be provided by the service where you are connecting the stream. In the Optional Display Name field, enter an optional name to help you identify the stream in the Presenter List. Click Dial when you are ready to connect the stream.

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Once the stream has been connected to the external service, you will be able to go live using the controls on that site.


Notes: The streaming service you are connecting to should provide the RTMP stream information to be used. Usually the URL and stream key are separate, so you will need to add a slash to the end of the URL to append the stream key.

Both RTMP and RTMPS streams are supported. For RTMPS streams, you need to include ":443" in the streaming URL.

Below are some example of how the full URLs will look:

RTMP Examples

RTMPS Examples

Common Used Sites

Below is a list of commonly used sites where you can connect the Video Bridge: 

Notes: Additional services can be used as long as they provide a RTMP steam where you can connect. Refer to the site's support for additional assistance on if and how to connect.


FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Question: What content is shared through the external connection?
Answer: Only content seen on the Video Bridge stream will be seen on the external connection. This includes any audio and video from presenters, along with any screen shares. Slides, Surveys, Overlay Videos, Q&A, and any Custom Player Tabs will not be seen.