Restream destinations don’t work for RTMP webinars. Are you hosting RTMP webinars? Please refer to this article instead.
What is a restream?
A restream is a duplicate stream that is sent to another platform than WebinarGeek, for example YouTube, so that people can also watch your webinar from there.
Included in a restream
Everything that happens in the ‘video’ section of the webinar page is shared in the restream. That means:
Video/audio of the presenters and viewers on stage
Presentation slides
Screen sharing
All according to the chosen webinar layout
Excluded from a restream
Everything else is excluded from the restream, meaning that viewers outside of WebinarGeek do not get the full experience. That includes:
Chat
Q&A
Interactions (calls to action, polls, quizzes, infoboxes)
Video injections
Sales pages
Evaluation forms
Supported platforms
The following platforms are supported as restream destinations:
YouTube
Facebook
LinkedIn
Any platform that supports RTMP streaming
To obtain your RTMP URL and/or stream key, follow the instructions provided by your chosen platform.
Configuring a restream destination
Edit the webinar you want to add a restream destination to.
Go to ‘Webinar’.
Under ‘Restream destinations’, click ‘+ Add restream destination’.
Select the platform you want to use with the first dropdown menu.
Enter the required stream key.
If required, enter the RTMP URL.
The changes save automatically. Your restream destination is now configured!
Repeat these steps if you want to add a second restream destination.
Starting and ending a restream
Restreams are started and ended automatically alongside your webinar in WebinarGeek. You don’t have to take any additional actions.
During your webinar, the status of your restream(s) can be reviewed from the restream status panel by clicking the button that says 'REC' and the current webinar duration. We recommend also checking the stream directly on your chosen platform during the webinar.
Important information
Dry runs cannot be restreamed
Dry runs are never restreamed, even when restream destinations are configured for the webinar. This means you will have to use live webinars to test your restream configuration. You could, for example, add an additional broadcast to your live webinar for testing purposes.
Video injections don’t work with restream destinations
Restreams don’t support video injections. If you need to show a video during your restreamed webinar, use screen share with audio to share the video instead.
Restream and RTMP webinars
Restream destinations don’t work for RTMP webinars. If you’re streaming to WebinarGeek via RTMP, you will want to use the third-party tool named Restream instead. Read more about that in this article.
You have to remove all of the restream destinations from your webinar before you can turn it into a RTMP webinar. Similarly, you have to disable RTMP before you can add restream destinations.
Stream key and RTMP URL
Your RTMP URL will contain your stream key. Make sure you remove this from your URL when setting this up in your webinar settings.
Platform-specific instructions
Create your live stream on the destination platform first, then connect it to WebinarGeek using the instructions below.
Please note: WebinarGeek automatically starts sending the restream when your webinar starts. Depending on the destination platform and its settings, you may also need to click Go live on that platform before viewers can watch.
Use Facebook Live Producer to create your broadcast and obtain your stream key.
Set up your Facebook broadcast
Sign in to Facebook and open Facebook Live Producer.
Select 'Go live' to set up a broadcast.
Choose where to publish the stream, such as your Facebook Page, profile or group, and select the audience.
Select 'Streaming software' as the video source.
Add a title and description.
Under the streaming software setup, copy the Stream key.
Connect Facebook to WebinarGeek
Add a restream destination in WebinarGeek (see 'Configuring a restream destination' above).
Select Facebook from the platform dropdown.
Paste the Facebook stream key into the Stream key field.
Start broadcasting
Start your live webinar in WebinarGeek, then return to Facebook Live Producer. Wait for the incoming video preview, check the picture and sound, and click Go live when you are ready to broadcast to your Facebook audience.
Tip: Facebook offers a persistent stream key under its advanced settings. If you use a new key for a future broadcast, update the restream destination in WebinarGeek.
Your LinkedIn profile or Page must have access to LinkedIn Live. Check LinkedIn's access criteria before setting up your broadcast.
Set up your LinkedIn broadcast
Open LinkedIn Live Studio in your desktop browser.
Create a scheduled LinkedIn Live Event, or select your existing event.
Click 'Prepare to go live'.
In Stream settings, select your region or the closest available region.
Click 'Get URL' to generate the Stream URL and Stream Key.
For profiles and unverified Pages, these details become available one hour before the scheduled event. Verified Pages can generate them two hours beforehand.
Connect LinkedIn to WebinarGeek
Add a restream destination in WebinarGeek.
Select LinkedIn from the platform dropdown.
Paste the LinkedIn Stream Key into the Stream key field.
If WebinarGeek displays an RTMP URL field, paste the LinkedIn Stream URL there.
Start broadcasting
Start your live webinar in WebinarGeek, then return to LinkedIn Live Studio. Once the preview appears, click Go live. Click End Stream in LinkedIn when finished.
Please note: Profiles and unverified Pages have a 10-minute preview limit, so prepare the connection shortly before broadcasting.
Common RTMP setup
Use this option for another platform or server that accepts an incoming RTMP stream.
Obtain your stream details
Create a live broadcast on your chosen platform and locate its settings for streaming software, an encoder or RTMP. You will generally need:
RTMP URL: The server address that receives your stream. This may also be called the server URL or stream URL.
Stream key: The code that identifies your broadcast.
Use the streaming server address provided by the platform, rather than the webpage link viewers use to watch.
Connect the platform to WebinarGeek
Add a restream destination in WebinarGeek.
Select RTMP from the platform dropdown.
Paste the server address into the RTMP URL field.
Paste the stream key into the Stream key field.
Start your live webinar in WebinarGeek, then check the destination platform's preview or stream status. Follow that platform's instructions to publish and end the broadcast.
YouTube
You can schedule your YouTube live stream before your webinar starts. This gives you a watch-page link to share in advance and allows viewers to request a notification.
Before you begin: Enable live streaming on your YouTube channel. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours.
Set up your YouTube broadcast
Open YouTube Studio.
Click Create → Go live.
Select Manage → Schedule stream.
Create a new stream or reuse previous settings.
Enter the title, description, visibility, audience setting, date and time. Choose Streaming software as the stream type if prompted.
Open the scheduled stream and copy its Stream key and Stream URL.
Connect YouTube to WebinarGeek
Add a restream destination in WebinarGeek.
Select YouTube from the platform dropdown.
Paste the Stream key and, if requested, the Stream URL into the corresponding fields.
Start broadcasting
Start your webinar in WebinarGeek. In YouTube's Live Control Room, wait for the preview and click Go live. When finished, click End stream and end your webinar.
Optional: Enable Auto-start and Auto-stop in YouTube to start and end the broadcast when YouTube receives or stops receiving the WebinarGeek stream. Check these settings before each broadcast.
Testing your restream
WebinarGeek dry runs are not restreamed. To test the connection, use a separate live test broadcast and choose a private, unlisted or test destination where the platform supports it. Check the stream directly on the destination platform to confirm that viewers receive both picture and sound.