You can run test streams by using the stream preview feature on the Peatix Live Broadcast page. The procedure for setting up streaming software and running test broadcasts is the same as when you actually go live. We strongly recommend that you conduct test runs to familiarize yourself with this procedure and to help identify and resolve any issues with your streams before going live.
Limit on the duration or number of test broadcasts
You can run test streams after your Peatix Live event is published and up to when you go live.
There is no limit on the number of test broadcasts that you can run prior to going live on Peatix. As the quality of your internet connection varies depending on how congested the network is, you should conduct multiple test runs, preferably on different days and at different times.
On the day of your event, we recommend that you start testing about an hour before the event start time to check the quality of your internet connection.
No limit is placed on the duration of test broadcasts. It is also important that you spend an ample amount of time when running test streams, as the condition of your internet connection may change during a test run (we thus recommend that at least one of your test runs lasts about an hour).
What to do when running test streams
To run a test stream, you should use streaming software of your choice to broadcast a test video clip onto Peatix Live.
Before testing, check that your PC and internet connection meet the required criteria by referring to this help page: What are the required specifications for running Peatix Live events?
While testing, you should pay attention to the following points:
- What is displayed on streaming software (i.e., if you are using OBS Studio, information shown on the status bar, such as dropped frames and green/yellow/orange/red status signal)
- Whether or not the stream is running smoothly on the Peatix Live Broadcast page
- Whether or not the stream health at the bottom of the Broadcast page says “Excellent” or “Good”
For details on how to monitor the health of your streams during test runs, check this help page: How to select the optimal settings for my Peatix Live event.
Please note that the stream displayed in the stream monitor on the Broadcast page will not appear in the Peatix Live player on the Watch Stream page that your attendees will be accessing. The stream will only appear in the Peatix Live player once you click the "Go live" button on the Broadcast page, so you can feel safe and secure conducting test runs.