STREAMING HELP. This guide will help you improve your video quality and help you fix issues you may encounter while streaming.

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1 STREAMING HELP This guide will help you improve your video quality and help you fix issues you may encounter while streaming. The most common problem performers see is having their stream disconnected. Our team is constantly working to limit these issues, but given the high volume of data being sent over the internet, streaming disconnection will occasionally occur. If you experience multiple disconnects in a row, click on Connection Issues below. The steps listed there should resolve most disconnection problems. Click on any of the topics below to find improvements or solutions to the problem you re experiencing. Improving Your Streaming Quality and Speed Connection Issues Audio Issues Video Issues Cannot Start Show Streaming Help Guide 1

2 Improving Streaming Quality and Speed The quality of your audio/video stream is determined by several factors. The Ranking Report tool grades these factors on a scale from Poor to Excellent. If any of your Streaming Quality scores on the Ranking Report are less than Excellent, we recommend taking the following steps in order. 1. Use a wired connection. Connect your computer to your router or modem using an Ethernet cable. This connection is generally faster and more reliable than wireless options. 2. Check your upload speed. To stream at the highest quality possible, your internet connection must be fast enough to support the data being transferred. A slow upload speed may result in low Bitrate or Round Trip time scores on the Ranking Report. You can measure your approximate upload speed at If your speed is lower than 0.6 Mb/s, consider contacting your Internet Service Provider (ISP) about their service options, or if possible, consider using a different ISP. Note that connection speed and quality may vary due to your geographic location, throttling or bandwidth caps enforced by your ISP, and other network conditions outside of our control. 3. Close unnecessary applications. Video streaming is a computationally-intensive process. Running other programs at the same time, with their own CPU and memory requirements, may affect the quality of your stream. 4. Use the HD Encoder. Our recommended quality settings produce a high-quality stream under typical conditions. You may wish to adjust your HD Encoder settings to produce the best results for your individual circumstances. 5. Upgrade your webcam. We have evaluated many popular webcams for use with our service. Our recommended cameras will give you excellent performance (subject to any limitations introduced by your computer and/or ISP). See the Performer Manual for details. 6. Upgrade your computer. If your computer remains near 100% CPU or memory usage while you are streaming, and none of the previous steps made any difference, then it may be unfit for use with our service. For instructions on monitoring system resources, see the HD Encoder guide. Streaming Help Guide 2

3 Streaming Connection Issues Problem Getting Disconnected Using HD Encoder Getting Disconnected Not Using HD Encoder Possible Solutions 1. Connect directly to your network via an internet cable plugged into your machine (instead of connecting wirelessly). 2. Ensure your internet has sufficient bandwidth to support quality streaming: Take a speed test to verify your upload speed. Upload speed should be at least.6 Mbps (picture). If it is not, contact your ISP about increasing the speed of your connection. 3. Verify you have the latest version of Flash installed. 4. Ensure each of the HD Encoder settings are correct by going through the manual configuration steps. Your MAXIMUM Bit Rate should never be higher than 800. If you are experiencing disconnects or lags, try dropping to 650 for your bit rate and 12 for your frame rate. 5. Disable user alerts in the chat window (picture). 6. Close all applications, turn off your machine, disconnect and reconnect network cables to ensure tight connections, and restart your machine. 1. Connect directly to your network via an internet cable plugged into your machine (instead of connecting wirelessly). 2. Ensure your internet has sufficient bandwidth to support quality streaming. Take a speed test to verify your upload speed. Upload speed should be at least.6 Mbps (picture). If it is not, contact your ISP about increasing the speed of your connection. 3. Verify you have the latest version of Flash installed. 4. Lower the quality settings on your chat (picture). The system should automatically adjust your settings if your Internet connection does not support your current settings, but you can adjust it manually as well. 5. Close all applications, turn off your machine, disconnect and reconnect network cables to ensure tight connections, and restart your machine. If your problem is not listed, or if you continue to have issues after following these steps, report the problem to Support. Streaming Help Guide 3

4 Streaming Audio Issues Problem No Audio - Using HD Encoder No Audio - Not Using HD Encoder Possible Solutions 1. Verify the Broadcast Audio icon (microphone) in your chat window is not turned off (picture). 2. Ensure microphone is on and working normally in another program. 3. Verify HD Encoder Audio Settings are correct: Audio box is checked. Device box contains the right microphone. Sample Rate is set to Close all applications, turn off your machine, disconnect and reconnect external camera cable to ensure tight connection, and restart your machine. Verify your computer is using the correct microphone: 1. Right-click your mouse when on the streaming page. 2. Go to the audio settings. 3. Assign the correct microphone (picture). If your problem is not listed, or if you continue to have issues after following these steps, report the problem to Support. Streaming Help Guide 4

5 Streaming Video Issues Problem Video Feed in the External Encoder Preview Window is Blank Video Section of External Encoder is Unchecked, Video Options Are Grey and Can't Be Changed Using the Encoder but Not Seeing the "HD" Icon Possible Solutions Make sure Output Video next to Preview is checked. Verify you are using the current version of the HD Encoder and are using the correct configuration file. This issue is affecting Macbook Air users: 1. Quit the External Encoder. 2. Quit ALL internet browsers. Be sure to quit by selecting Quit from the menu at the top, or by using +Q. 3. Restart the External Encoder. The video section should be working. Select your camera and make sure your settings are correct. 4. Restart internet browsers. Ensure Input Size and Output Size are set to at least 640x360 (for widescreen cameras) or 640x480 (for cameras with no widescreen option). These resolutions can be higher, but if they less than 640x360 or 640x480 the HD icon will not display. If your problem is not listed, or if you continue to have issues after following these steps, report the problem to Support. Streaming Help Guide 5

6 Streaming Cannot Start Show Problem Possible Solutions Unable to Start Streaming 1. Verify that your account is approved and active (picture). 2. Verify you have the latest version of Flash installed. 3. Ensure pop-up blocker software is not installed/turned on. 4. Close all applications, turn off machine, disconnect and reconnect network cables to ensure tight connections, and restart machine. Unable to Start Gold Show Unable to Start TV Broadcast Gold Shows are reserved for established performers with high-quality shows. Your account will automatically get this feature when you meet the requirements. To read more about qualification, click here to go to the Performer Manual. TV broadcasts are requested by producers; you can't start one on your own. Requests appear while you are streaming if your account qualifies and you have opted-in. TV broadcasts are reserved for established performers with high-quality shows. You will see an opt-in notification at the top of your Dashboard when you meet the requirements. To read more about qualification, click here to go to the Performer Manual. If your problem is not listed, or if you continue to have issues after following these steps, report the problem to Support. Streaming Help Guide 6

7 Speed Test Page Go back to the Connection Issues page. Streaming Help Guide 7

8 How to Disable User Alerts Go back to the Connection Issues page. How to Lower Internal Quality Settings Go back to the Connection Issues page. Streaming Help Guide 8

9 How to Turn On the Microphone Go back to the Audio Issues page. How to Select the Correct Microphone Go back to the Audio Issues page. Streaming Help Guide 9

10 How to Tell If Your Account Is Approved and Ready to Stream Approved Account Ready to Stream Not Approved Elements are Pending Completion Go back to the Cannot Start Show page. Streaming Help Guide 10