Get started live streaming in the cloud with Tencent Cloud CSS

In the previous blog, I introduced Tencent Cloud Media Services’ offerings and advantages by discussing:

• Common architecture and feature set of UGC/Entertainment live streaming platforms；
• Tencent Cloud Media Services for live streaming platforms；
• Comparative advantages of Tencent Cloud Media Services vs. AWS IVS solution.

In this blog, I will guide you through how to set up (push and playback) a live streaming channel in 15 minutes with Tencent Cloud CSS — Cloud Streaming Services. The basic capabilities of CSS are the following:

• Domain name management. Including the push domain — where you need to push your captured stream, and the playback domain — where you can watch your live streaming content.
• Live transcoding. You can specify the encoder/resolution for your live streaming.
• Live recording.

Step 1. Adding a push domain and playback domain

You can start by logging into Tencent Cloud Console and navigating to Cloud Streaming Services (CSS).

In the Console, you can click the “Add Domain” button in either the Overview page or the Domain page.

To make sure that a domain can only be added by its owner, you need to verify your ownership of a domain before you can add it in the CSS console. For example, to add a.test.com, you need to verify your ownership of test.com. You don’t need to verify again when adding domains with the same parent domain, such as b.test.com. You can verify a domain either by adding a DNS record or by uploading an HTML file. If a previously added domain is not verified, when you add a domain with the same parent domain, verification is still required.

Once you finish the domain setup and verification, you can see from your console:

Step 2. Generating a push URL and ingest your stream

Go to Address Generator Tool under CSS Toolkit in the Console, select your domain and name your live streaming channel, the platform will automatically generate the addresses which can be used in OBS.

Step 3. Configuring live transcoding

Go to the Live Transcoding page in the Console and create a transcoding template.

After the template is created successfully, bind this template to your Playback domain in the Live Transcoding page by clicking the “Bind Domain Name” button.

You can also configure an ABR — Adaptive Bitrate transcoding. In the Adaptive Bitrate page, set up your desired resolution for your original stream then bind this template to your playback domain.

Step 4. Configuring live recording

Your live streaming can be recorded automatically in Tencent Cloud VoD or COS products.

Go to the live recording page in the Console, you also need to create a template for live recording.

After the template is created successfully, bind this template to your Push domain.

Step 5. Playback a live stream

Go to the Address Generator Tool, select your domain and the stream name, the platform will automatically generate the addresses which can be used in different protocols.

Now, you have your own full functioning live streaming channel! Try it out using the URLs with your OBS.

Author: Hang Zhang

Hang Zhang is a Principal Solution Architect of Tencent Cloud. He is taking charge of business development of Tencent Cloud International in Canada, and focusing on Go-China & Gaming strategy for companies headquartered in Canada.