Custom RTMP server question

Hello, not customer yet but I got a crucial question on Webcaster X2 :

Can you stream to a custom private server using RTMP://MY_IPADDRESS:MY_PORT ?

Unfortunately no, you cannot stream to a custom private server. You can only stream to the select destinations that the Webcaster X2 supports. At the moment this is Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, AV Studio, Babyflix, Blue Frame, and Switchboard Cloud.

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Any chance you will be adding Castr? It should be easy if you are doing Switchboard, and they have a free option.

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Companies have the option to partner up with Epiphan and integrate our API with their platforms. It is something that Castr would need and want to consider.

With third-party companies in this case, we do not develop their application so the interest would need to be generated from the company itself.

I noticed that Microsoft Stream is not on the list. Is it possible to manually configure the Webcaster X2 to connect to an Office 365 / MS Stream RMTP service? Microsoft offers up instructions to “manually configure encoders for live streaming” (see: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/stream/live-encoder-configuration) — would that work with Webcaster?

My use case is live streaming my classes. While I have streamed successfully to YouTube (using a loaner Pearl Mini), I’d like to stream to MS Stream so that it is contained within the university ecosystem (vs public YouTube) and offers services like transcription (for AODA compliance).

Any and all information welcome. Thanks.

Unfortunately there is no way to use the Webcaster X2 with Microsoft Stream. However our other products like the Pearl 2 or Pearl Mini could work with Microsoft Stream.

Pearl 2: https://www.epiphan.com/products/pearl-2/

Pearl Mini: https://www.epiphan.com/products/pearl-mini/

How would a company start a partnership so that we could get the API and create the integration?

To start such a conversation you would need to email info@epiphan.com

Why has Empiphan chosen to close the system down so we can’t stream to any service we like via RTMP? Whats the advantage here? Seems to me many more people would purchase the product if it had the ability to stream anywhere you like such as private sources and Vimeo would be nice. All the places you allow streaming to want ton of money. Where there are much smaller more affordable services for smaller companies to stream to.

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I’m with you on this! I’d REALLY like to use this with Vimeo. Vimeo isn’t particularly inexpensive but isn’t too bad since we’re already using it to warehouse videos. I can’t find anywhere on the Vimeo site to see if they plan to work with Epiphan to develop that ability… SO… Epiphan, if you’re listening, would you let us know if there are any discussions going on with Vimeo?

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I give this a +1. When buying, I seem to not have ready this properly, but am a bit disappointed that the Webcaster x2 is a bit too closed. Would be lovely to see it opening up to being able to stream to custom stuff also

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Since the Webcaster X2 is officially discontinued now, it would be great to push one final update that adds custom RTMP streaming so that we can continue to use the device with various platforms even after Epiphan stops adding new features. Most streaming platforms will provide the RTMP details so we could stream to anywhere without needing special partner deals between Epiphan and other companies.

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I couldn’t agree more! Custom RTMP streaming will more than make up for the discontinuation of support. Opening up the API would be even better, but to have at least a custom RTMP option would be a great show of good faith and very helpful to the user base,

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Is there any technical reasons not to support custom RTMP URLs? It sounds like Epiphan is trying to make even more money from the customers who already trusted the company once buying the device in the first place.

Since X2 is discontinued the right thing to do would be to add custom RTMP ingest settings — it wont effect new customers sales but will “grandfather in” X2 community.

Please don’t be evil!

It would be good to hear a response from Epiphan on this since the webcaster X2 has been discontinued. Custom rtmp support would be hugely beneficial.

I think the response, or lack thereof, from Epiphan will help shape what purchases customers make in future considering how products will be supported once they have been discontinued. I appreciate this might be an added feature, but for me it still adds hesitation to purchasing an Epiphan product in future.

As WCx2 has been discontinued there is no new development work being done. Unfortunately that means that no features will be changing, it will remain as it is today and as it was sold/marketed at the time.

It is also a very different type of device, and market, from our other encoder products and should not really be compared, apples to apples, besides that they can all live stream. As such the type of updates and support are different in these lines.

Appreciate the response. I guess it draws a line on this hope.

We purchased this device without fully understanding what the limitations were (i.e. locked to specific providers) and now understanding live streaming more the lack of custom rtmp is disappointing.

The sceptic might say that Epiphan purposely left out custom rtmp streaming so that it could generate an income from streaming providers like switchboard who would pay Epiphan to be supported (or perhaps get a kickback from any subscribers who push from a webcaster). I guess we will never know :slight_smile:

My frustration is that our house of worship purchased one a week before DC announcement. Would Epiphan consider supporting opening RTMP for Houses of worship? I understand the need to move to your other products, but organizations with limited funds at this time can use a little help. Thanks and be safe all.

Are we going to get a response regarding this? It would be great to hear the reasoning behind not implementing such a simple much-needed feature to a product that someone like me paid a LOT of money for mere months before it was discontinued. Adding RTMP would add life to my soon be expensive paperweight if it remains locked into these services. i can’t see how this will do anything but help your business. It will certainly influence my future decisions in buying and or recommending your products.

Tony,
As has been mentioned before. Unfortunately there is no new feature development coming for Webcaster X2 since it has been discontinued.
It continues to function as it was designed, marketed, priced and sold.
While I understand that a function like custom RTMP would be helpful, it was not the design intention for the Webcaster from the beginning.
Of course we do have other models that offer RTMP, and much more, if you find your needs growing beyond what the Webcaster X2 has to offer.
Thank you