This guide describes a workflow you could use when live streaming a match from one computer (a dedicated streaming computer) but controlling live score overlays from another (an analyst's computer). To use two computers working together this way, they must be on the same network and connected using a remote video feed. The configuration steps needed for such a setup are described below.
The live stream must use a third-party video service such as YouTube, which can then be embedded into the Match Centre.
This page also includes information about customising your live stream with:
- Activations and auto replays
- Sponsor ads
- Watermarks and team colours
- Highlights packages
Refer also to the live streaming troubleshooting guide for problems you might encounter while streaming matches, and suggested steps to resolve them.
Pre-Match Day Setup
Before the match you should configure several important software settings, and load any of the pre-roll, event, or watermark images and videos you might need during the live match.
Configure live streaming
To configure your chosen live streaming service in NV Play Cricket:
- Open the NV Play Cricket software and log in.
- Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Live Streaming tab.
- Complete the required Live Streaming Service details (e.g. YouTube) and preferences for the four instant replay options. If your provider is not listed in the Streaming Service dropdown, select one of the custom options (RTMP, UDP, or SRT) and enter the streaming server address and stream key manually.
- Leave Frame Rate, Resolution, and Target Bitrate at their default values. Also leave the Advanced Options and Live Stream Video Encoder options unchanged.
- Click OK to save your changes.
If you don't know the Stream Key, click the Admin Webpage link to access it from the streaming account. You might need login credentials for this step.
Configure activations
Activations and auto-replays are used to enable static or animated assets to be displayed in the streaming match video, followed by an optional video replay, when a match event occurs (a wicket, 4 or 6).
To configure live streaming activations:
- Save all required activation images (PNG or JPEG) and animations (MP4) to the C:\Users\[User]\OneDrive\Documents\Cricket Matches\_Media folder.
- Open the NV Play Cricket for Windows software and then click the Settings cog in the upper right corner of the Video Display panel.
- Select Streaming Auto Replays and Activations from the menu. The Activations and Auto Replays for Live Streaming dialogue opens.
- Tick the Enable checkbox for each required activation: Wicket Activation, Fours Activation, and Sixes Activation.
- Open the Custom Pre-Roll Media dropdown under each activation type and select the media files to be be played or shown.
- Set the Activation Delay and Image Display Duration (for static images only) values as needed. These can be set to values between 5 and 15 seconds.
- Click Save if you only want activations. If you want to add auto replays after the activation, continue with the Add automatic replays steps below.
Add automatic replays
This step continues from the previous section, Configure activations, which must be completed first.
If you want to also display auto replays after activations in your live stream:
- Tick the Enable Auto Replay checkbox beside each required activation.
- Tick the Instant Replays checkbox in the Auto Replay Options section.
Avoid selecting Ball Videos from the Auto Replay Options section of the Activations and Auto Replays for Live Streaming dialogue as these clips require upload and download time. Use Instant Replays instead.
- Click Save.
- Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Live Streaming tab.
- Tick Enable Live Stream Instant Replays in the Instant Replays section.
- Adjust the default replay duration (10 seconds) if needed.
- Click OK.
Once the activation image has been shown for the specified duration, or the pre-roll media has finished playing, the auto instant replay shows for the duration specified. The stream then automatically returns to the live video. The Streaming Overlay Control must also be set to Auto or Auto with Cards for auto replays to play automatically in the live stream.
Trigger manual replays
To manually trigger a replay:
- Click Instant Replay or Slow-mo Replay on the Streaming Overlay Control panel.
- Or, enable Show Live Streaming Controls from the Settings cog on the Video Display panel, then click the buttons below the video preview.
Customise manual replays
To customise manual replays with a pre-roll activation that uses your own video files:
- Save your media files to C:\Users\[User]\OneDrive\Documents\Cricket Matches\_Media\_Branding\[FolderName]
- Create a .json file (for example, "MyPrerollFiles.json") that uses the following structure:
{
"PreRollAsset": "ireland\\Highlights.mp4",
"PostRollAsset": "",
"ReplayAsset": "ireland\\Replay.mp4",
"WicketAsset": "ireland\\Wicket.mp4"
} - Place the .json file it into the _Branding folder. In the example above, the .json file should sit beside the "ireland" folder (_Branding\MyPrerollFiles.json and _Branding\ireland\Wicket.mp4).
- Click Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Live Streaming tab.
- Tick Show Branding Pre-Roll for Instant Replays checkbox in the Instant Replays section, and then select your .json file name from the dropdown.
- Click OK.
Using the example .json file above, the Replay.mp4 file in C:\Users\[User]\OneDrive\Documents\Cricket Matches\_Media\_Branding\ireland would then play as the pre-roll before all manual Instant Replays and Slow-mo Replays.
Set watermarks and team colours
Add a watermark image
To add a watermark image to the top-left corner of your live stream:
- Click the Settings cog on the Video Display panel and select Overlay Settings. The Overlay Settings dialogue opens.
- Click the Browse button to select a custom watermark (.png).
- Click Save.
Watermarks are scaled relative to 1080p resolution and sized to a fixed height of 90px. Wide watermarks will therefore look larger and tall/narrow watermarks will look smaller. We recommend wider watermarks with transparent backgrounds and minimal text for maximum readability.
Change team colours
Team colours are pre-set but, if on game day they are too similar, they can be changed.
To override one or both team colours:
- Click the Settings cog on the Video Display panel and select Overlay Settings. The Overlay Settings dialogue opens.
- Click the coloured squares under Team Colour Overrides. The Colour dialogue opens.
- Select from Basic Colours or click the Define Custom Colours button to set a custom colour.
- Click OK to close the Colour dialogue.
- Click Save. Colour changes are applied instantly to the score overlay, even if the stream is live at the time.
Match Day Setup
On match day your first action should be connecting the live video feed from the Video Analyst's computer to the dedicated streaming computer, then testing that the live stream is working correctly.
Just before the match begins (before the umpires and players take to the field) you should add the live stream to the Match Centre. Once the match starts, you can begin using match overlays and your preconfigured activations, replays, and pre-roll videos. During the match you can also create highlights packages to show during breaks.
Connect analyst and streaming PCs
To connect a live video from the Video Analyst's computer to the streaming computer:
- Ensure both computers (your dedicated Streaming computer and the Video Analyst's computer) are on the same wired network (avoid Wi-Fi).
- On the Video Analyst computer, open NV Play Cricket.
- Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Network tab.
- Tick Allow Direct Reader connections via local network in the Connectivity section. Click Yes if prompted for additional permissions.
- Click OK and then restart the NV Play Cricket software.
- Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
- Click the Video Capture tab.
- Click the Network Settings link in the top right corner. The Remote Video Settings dialogue opens.
- Choose one of the following:
- Tick Enable Direct Stream to send video to another device (recommended), type the streaming laptop’s Computer Name or IP address into the top field and click OK. Click Yes if prompted for updated permissions. Then, on the streaming computer, go to Tools > Configuration > Video Capture, click Remote Video, then Settings. Select the Direct Stream option and then click OK. Click Yes if prompted for updated permissions.
- Or, tick Enable Network Broadcast Video, note the Network Number that appears in bold and then click OK. Click Yes if prompted for updated permissions. Then, on the streaming laptop, go to Tools > Configuration > Video Capture, click Remote Video, then Settings. Select the Network Broadcast option to enable the Network Number field and then enter the network number. Click OK, and then click Yes if prompted for updated permissions.
- Tick Enable Direct Stream to send video to another device (recommended), type the streaming laptop’s Computer Name or IP address into the top field and click OK. Click Yes if prompted for updated permissions. Then, on the streaming computer, go to Tools > Configuration > Video Capture, click Remote Video, then Settings. Select the Direct Stream option and then click OK. Click Yes if prompted for updated permissions.
To confirm the connection, and check that the streaming laptop is receiving video from the Video Analyst's computer:
- On the streaming computer, go to File > Open Match. The Open Match dialogue opens.
- Select a match and click Open Read Only.
- Check that the live feed appears in the Video Display panel.
Test the live stream
Test the streaming configuration well before the actual match, and with your YouTube stream set to private or unlisted.
To test that the live stream is working:
- On the Video Analyst's computer, click the Settings cog in the upper right corner of the Video Display panel. Tick all top three options.
- Click Start Live Stream at the bottom of the panel.
- Monitor the YouTube stream status and performance. There should be a consistent video signal without buffering when using a fast broadband connection. You might not see overlays unless the match has a first innings created.
- Click Stop Live Stream when testing is complete.
Add the stream to the Match Centre
Begin streaming the live match before the umpires and players take to the field.
To start the live match stream:
- Click the Start Live Stream button in the bottom left corner of the Video Display panel.
- When prompted to add the stream to the Match Centre, click No.
- Log into your YouTube account and go to YouTube Studio > Create > Go Live.
- When the preview appears, click Go Live.
- Right-click the preview and copy the video URL or embed code.
- Return to NV Play Cricket. Click the Settings cog in the Video Display panel and select Add Live Stream to Match Centre.
- Paste the URL or embed code into the text field and click Save. The stream appears in the Match Centre after about one minute. Refresh the page if needed.
Match Overlays and Media
While a match is streamed live, you can add graphics to the video such as a match title, event overlays, or custom images and videos. These are managed from the Streaming Overlay Control panel.
Match title and cards
Display a match title overlay
Click Match Title on the Streaming Overlay Control panel to show a full-screen match intro. Click Auto with Cards to resume default overlays.
Use Auto with Cards
Click Auto with Cards on the Streaming Overlay Control panel to display automated (that is, unmanned) event overlays and full-screen cards (Batting and Manhattan, Bowling and Worm, Partnership, and Run Rate) between overs and during breaks.
Play images or videos in the live stream
To configure and use images and video files to play over your live stream:
- Save your custom sponsor images or videos in C:\Users\[User]\OneDrive\Documents\Cricket Matches\_Media.
- Open the Streaming Overlay Control panel.
- Select an item from the Image or Video dropdowns.
- Click Show to play. Images stay on screen until manually cleared (Auto with Cards is re-selected). When videos end the stream return to the camera feed.
Video highlights and replay packages
Generate a highlights package
To generate a match highlights package from selected event files like highlights, wickets and key moments (to, for example, play into the live stream during drinks, innings, or rain breaks):
- Click Video > Video Packages > Generate Highlights Package. The Generate Highlights Package dialogue opens.
- Choose the video sources, branding assets, and output options.
- Click Create. The package might take several seconds to generate depending on the number of clips it contains before opening in the Video Package Manager dialogue.
- Use the Video Package Manager to preview, customise, and play packages. Add or remove clips as needed.
- To preview: Click the Play button below the video window.
- To add clips: Right-click clips in the Ball by Ball panel or use the Video Ball by Ball thumbnails.
- Click Create Package > Download Clips when you have finished editing the package. To play the package live click Create Package > Play into Live Stream or to export select Create Package > Save Video 720p.
Create a player-specific highlights package
To generate a highlights package for an individual player, for example a batter who has just scored a half-century:
- Click Statistics > Match Stats Wizard > All Innings, or right-click a player on the Scorecard and select Stats Wizard. The Wagon Wheel dialogue opens.
- Tick the Batters checkbox and then select the required player.
- Tick the Runs checkbox and then filter for 4s and 6s.
- Click the Play Video dropdown and select Add to New Package. The Video Package Manager dialogue opens.
- Edit and preview the package as needed in the Video Package Manager interface.
- Click Create Package > Play into Live Stream when ready. Once the package has finished playing, the stream returns to live video. Repeat as needed for other players or match moments.
- Click Stop Live Stream and close NV Play Cricket when the match ends.