---
title: "Add a Live Channel"
description: "Create a live TV channel by hand: name, sources, servers, categories, bouquets and guide."
---

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](/docs/import-channels). To keep a provider's list in sync automatically, use [Stream Providers & Mirrors](/docs/stream-providers-mirrors).

## Before you start

- A channel category. See [Categories and Ordering](/docs/categories-and-ordering).
- A bouquet that your clients have. See [Packages and Bouquets](/docs/packages-and-bouquets).
- At least one stream URL, for example `http://provider-a.example.com/live/sports1.m3u8`.

## 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](/docs/epg-sources).
7. **Notes** is for you. Clients never see it.

> [!TIP]
> 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](/docs/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](/docs/preferred-source).
- Use your own encoder as a source with **Add live ingest**. See [Live Ingest](/docs/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](/docs/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](/docs/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](/docs/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](/docs/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](/docs/epg-sources).

## Related

- [Primary Sources vs Secondary Sources](/docs/primary-sources-vs-secondary-sources)
- [Preferred Source](/docs/preferred-source)
- [Live Ingest](/docs/live-ingest)
- [Import Channels](/docs/import-channels)
- [Mass Edit](/docs/mass-edit)
- [Categories and Ordering](/docs/categories-and-ordering)
- [Packages and Bouquets](/docs/packages-and-bouquets)
- [EPG Sources](/docs/epg-sources)