You have the URL of a live stream and you want your clients to see it as a channel in their apps. Add Stream creates the channel, tells your servers where to pull the video from and decides who can watch it.

To add many channels at once from a provider, use Import Channels. To keep a provider's list in sync automatically, use Stream Providers & Mirrors.

Before you start

Step 1: Information

  1. In the menu, open Channels > Add Stream. The editor has four tabs: INFORMATION, SOURCES, ADVANCED and SERVERS.
  2. In Channel Name, type the name your clients will see, for example "Sports 1 HD". Keep the same style as the rest of your list.
  3. In Stream Logo URL, paste the URL of the channel logo. For well-known channels the panel shows logo suggestions under the field.
  4. In Categories Associated, choose one or more categories. A channel without a category does not show in the apps.
  5. In Add To Bouquets, choose the bouquets that should include the channel.
  6. In Link to EPG, leave the switch on and pick the guide channel that matches. See EPG Sources.
  7. Notes is for you. Clients never see it.

The Create a new category, Create a new bouquet and Create a new EPG links under each field open that page in a new tab.

Step 2: Sources

  1. Open the SOURCES tab.
  2. Paste the stream URL in (Primary Source) Stream URL 1.
  3. To add a backup, click the add button at the end of the row. Add more primary sources, or add them under Secondary Sources.
  4. Use the arrows or drag the handle to change the order. The order matters: see Primary Sources vs Secondary Sources.

If one of your stream providers already carries a channel with the same name, the Also in your providers panel lists it. From there you can copy its URL, set it as primary or append it as a backup.

With engine 2.5.0 on your main server you can also:

  • Mark one primary source with the crown so the channel always goes back to it. See Preferred Source.
  • Use your own encoder as a source with Add live ingest. See Live Ingest.

Step 3: Advanced (optional)

You can leave this tab as it is for most channels.

Option What it does
Generate PTS Rebuilds the stream timestamps. Try it when the picture stutters or audio drifts.
Native Frames Leave it off for live streams. Turn it on only for static video files.
Stream All Codecs Sends every audio, video and subtitle track to the client instead of one of each.
Direct Source Clients go straight to the original URL. Your servers do not carry the stream.
Default Quality Preference Which quality track to use when the source has several (SD, HD, FHD, UHD).
Minute Delay Delays the channel by X minutes. Does not work with on-demand channels.
Transcoding Profile Transcodes the stream for wider device support.
Stream Proxy Pulls the source through one of your HTTP proxies. See Stream Proxies.
Days to Restart / Time to Restart Restarts the channel on a schedule, for sources that freeze after many hours.
Custom FFmpeg Command Your own FFmpeg options, for advanced users.
User Agent / Cookie Sent to the source when it requires them.
Stream requires DRM keys For encrypted sources. See DRM Keys.

Step 4: Servers

  1. Open the SERVERS tab.
  2. In Server Tree, choose the servers that run the channel. A channel with no server is saved but nobody can watch it.
  3. In On Demand, choose the servers where the channel should start only when someone watches. Next to it, TURBO ON makes on-demand channels start faster. See On Demand vs Turbo On Demand.
  4. Turn on Re/Start Stream Now at saving if you want the channel to start right away.
  5. Click SAVE at the top of the page.

What happens next

The channel appears in Channels > Overview with its status. Clients see it the next time their app refreshes the channel list, as long as they have one of its bouquets.

Event channels

For matches and other scheduled broadcasts, turn on Is An Event Channel ? in the INFORMATION tab. You can set start and end times, record the event and replay it on loop. See Mark Channels as an Event.

Common problems

  • "Channel Name already exists": channel names are unique in your panel. Choose another name.
  • Clients do not see the channel: check that it is in at least one bouquet the client has, that it has a category, and that at least one server is selected in Server Tree.
  • The channel shows as down: the source is not sending video. Check the URL and that your server can reach it.
  • The picture stutters: try Generate PTS. If it continues, the source itself is unstable. Add a backup source.
  • No guide in the apps: the channel is not linked to a guide channel. See EPG Sources.