Troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem

Using the Church Webcasting System, YouTube, etc. Including cameras and mixers.
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rannthal
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 155
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:41 pm

Troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem

#1

Post by rannthal »

Below are some steps to go through to troubleshoot where the problem lies, if its a receive site problem or a broadcast problem. (I don't know if the GSC has these, but they should. Working to get them there if they don't.)

1. Schedule a test event to start 20 minutes from the current time with at least 1 configured receive site.
2. After the event is scheduled and the event not yet started, go to the Event Details page and click on the link to bring up the player for a receive site. (This step can be done for all receive sites.) The player should play a tab choir video with an overlay that states when the event is going to start.
  1. a. If this is not visible, your receive site can not get out to the cloud. You need to check your connections, laptop, ISP, etc from that building.
  • b. If the tab choir video is playing but buffers/lags, consider switching to low-bandwidth mode for that receive site.
  • c. If the tab choir plays fine, move on to step 3.
3. Wait until the pre-buffer starts. DO NOT start your encoder. Refresh your receive site player. A different tab choir video then the one is step 2 should be playing with an overlay of "Waiting for Broadcast".
  1. a. If the video is not seen, your receive site can not connect with the media server and there may be problems with it. Consider calling the GSC or schedule a new event. (This will create a new media server, but remember to give it at least 20 minutes for it to be created.)
  • b. If the video is playing but buffers/lags, consider switching to low-bandwidth mode for that receive site.
  • c. If this video is seen and is playing fine, your receive site has connected to the media server. Move on to step 4.
4. Start your encoder. Your receive site(s) should switch to the encoding stream.
  1. a. If the encoding stream is seen on your receive sites, you are up and running and ready to go.
  • b. If the encoding stream on the receive sites is buffering/lags/pauses, consider setting the receive site to low-bandwidth.
  • c. If the encoding stream on the receive site is still buffering/lagging/pausing, you may be starving your encode. Consider dropping your encode rate of the broadcast to something a bit lower.
  • d. If the video is playing fine, but the audio is bad, check to make sure you are using the stereo settings.
  • e. If the encoding stream does not play on the receive site, the problem is isolated to your broadcast site. Do the following steps to troubleshoot further.
    1. 1) If using the VidiU, check your firmware. Make it is updated to the latest know good version. Repeat step 4 once this is updated.
    • 2) Check to make sure you have not set your encode rate too high. The highest encode rate is 2M. Anything higher will be rejected.
    • 3) If using the VidiU, check to make sure you have pasted in the correct URL and stream name for the event. These are found on the Event Details page for that event.
    • 4) If using the VidiU, switch the VidiU to use Broadcast View. There is a URL for the stream shown there. Take that URL and paste it into a player such as VLC. If the stream plays, there is a problem with the connection between the broadcast site and media server. Check your firewall connections and/or consider contacting your ISP for help.
    • 5) If using the VidiU, if the stream does not play using VLC or a like player, it is isolated to 3 areas, the ISP, firewall and/or the VidiU. Do some or all of the following for help:
      1. A. Check your firewall connections. Try to temporarily bypass the firewall. Run step 4 again.
      • B. There may be a problem with the VidiU itself. Try rebooting it. Allow it to cool off as some unit may overheat causing problems. Try using a different VidiU (contact your FM group for help with that.) Once a different VidiU is used, repeat the steps again.
      • C. Check your ISP; they may be having problems.
chapmanjec
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 10:18 am

Re: Troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem

#2

Post by chapmanjec »

OP may want to update this somewhat.

Specifically as of FEB 2021,

#E1 'Most recent from manufacturer' firmware (the obvious default) != 'known good for Church use' especially if attempting to use the remote XML configurator.

#E2 The max steam rate mentioned is incorrect if all settings are created manually.
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