This document provides instructions for live streaming from a dedicated laptop, using the remote video feed from the video analyst and score overlays generated by the live scoring data. The live streaming requires a service to stream to, e.g. YouTube, from where it can be embedded back to the Match Centre, which is explained below. The document also provides instructions on customising the live stream with activations and auto replays, video highlights packages, competition assets and sponsor ads, and watermarks. Various other tips are provided, for example to use the Auto with Cards function to enable ‘lock-and-leave’ streaming, where the score overlays will cycle through various full-screen graphics in-between overs and during breaks, so that an operator is not required. Please also see a related document on live streaming troubleshooting.
Pre-Match Day Setup
Several important settings, and the loading of commercial images and videos, can be setup before match day.
Live Streaming Service
First, go to the Tools -> Configuration -> Live Streaming tab and complete the required Live Streaming Service (YouTube) details and preferences for the four Instant Replays settings, and click OK:
If any of the Live Streaming Service details are unknown, e.g. the Stream Key is not known, click the Admin Webpage link to access these from the relevant account, then enter them accordingly. Login details for the account will be required and should be obtained directly from the account holder.
If one of the listed Streaming Services requires you to use a different Streaming Server Address or your provider is not listed, select one of the Custom options (RTMP, UDP, or SRT) from the dropdown list and enter the provided details.
Begin with the default Frame Rate (Auto, max 30p), Resolution (720p, 1280x720), and Target Bitrate (2500) values, but these can be changed later if the stream quality requires attention. The Advanced Options and Live Stream Video Encoder settings should also be left as above, but click OK to save the other settings.
Activations and Auto Replays
The most important of these are the activation and auto-replay settings, which enable static or animated assets to be displayed, followed by an automatic video replay if desired, when every 4, 6, and Wicket is scored. To set these up, firstly ensure that all required images (.png or .jpg files) and animations (.mp4 files) are loaded into the C:\\Doucments\Cricket Matches\_Media folder, then click Video Display -> Settings cog and select Streaming Auto Replays and Activations from the menu to open this dialog box:
For activations, tick the required Enable checkboxes alongside Wicket Activation, Fours Activation, and Sixes Activation and then select the image or animation from the respective Custom Pre-Roll Media dropdown lists. There is a minimum 5 second delay between the scoring event being entered and the start of the activation, but this can be increased in the Activation Delay boxes. If the animation is a static image, set the Image Display Duration value to whatever is required (maximum 15 seconds); normally this is longer for Wickets as the change of batsmen gives more of a break before the next delivery compared to Fours and Sixes. If only activations are required, and not auto replays, click Save.
For auto replays, tick the required Enable Auto Replay checkboxes for Wicket, Fours, and Sixes Activation, and under Auto Replay Options ensure that Instant Replays is ticked. Also check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Live Streaming -> Instant Replays -> Enable Live Stream Instant Replays checkbox is ticked and, if required, increase their duration from the default 10 seconds long. With these combined settings, the activation (image or animation) will begin X seconds after the 4, 6, or Wicket is scored, followed by the video replay of the previous Y seconds prior to the scoring event, at the end of which the live stream will automatically return to the live action.
NB: The Auto Replay Options -> Ball Videos option can be used, but this requires waiting for the Video Analysis ball clip to be encoded, uploaded, and downloaded, so it will not be available to use as a replay as quickly, so we recommend sticking to Instant Replays only for now.
Manual Replays
If there is a live streaming operator, manual replays can be played at any time by clicking the Streaming Overlay Control panel -> Instant Replay or Slow-mo Replay buttons or, if Video Display -> Settings cog -> Show Live Streaming Controls is ticked, the Instant Replay button (Slow-mo Replay available from the dropdown arrow) below the video window:
To add a pre-roll activation to manual replays, load these images or animations into C:\\Doucments\Cricket Matches\_Media\_Branding\[User Folder] along with a .json file, in Notepad with the same folder name, in this format:
{
"PreRollAsset" : "ireland\\Highlights.mp4",
"PostRollAsset" : "",
"ReplayAsset" : "ireland\\Replay.mp4",
"WicketAsset" : "ireland\\Wicket.mp4"
}
Then, tick the Tools -> Configuration -> Live Streaming -> Instant Replays -> Show Branding Pre-Roll for Instant Replays checkbox and select the above [User Folder] from the dropdown list, and click OK:
The Replay.mp4 file will then play as a pre-roll before all manual Instant Replays and Slow-mo Replays.
Watermarks & Team Colours
To add a watermark at the top-left of the live stream, click the Video Display -> Settings cog, select Overlay Settings, and use the Browse button to select a Custom Logo (.png file) and click Save:
Watermarks are automatically resized relative to a 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution and are set to a fixed height of 90 pixels, with the width calculated to maintain aspect ratio. This means that wide watermarks will look larger and tall/narrow watermarks will look smaller. We therefore recommend wider "landscape" type watermarks, with transparent backgrounds and minimal text, for the best readability.
The team colours are pre-set, but if on game day these prove too close so do not provide enough contrast, click the Team Colour Overrides -> Team 1 or Team 2 square to open the Colour palette, select one of the Basic Colours and Save, or click Define Custom Colours, enter the HSL or RGB Values, and click Add to Custom Colours, OK, and then Save:
The new colour will immediately be applied to the score overlays, even if the stream is live at the time.
NB: Although not strictly necessary, if any of these options are changed, especially on game day, it is best to close and re-open NV Play Cricket to ensure they have taken effect.
Match Day Setup
On match day, the first step is to setup the live video feed from the Video Analysis laptop to the Live Streaming laptop, using the Remote Video function, by connecting both laptops to the same network by hardwire. While Remote Video can be used on most networks, it is recommended that both laptops are on a hardwired connection as WiFi is not always reliable and can affect video performance.
On the Video Analysis laptop, go to Tools -> Configuration -> Network, tick the Connectivity -> Allow direct connections via local network checkbox, and restart the software if required:
Go to Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Network Settings and tick the Enable Direct Stream to send video to another device (recommended) or the Enable Network Broadcast Video checkbox:
If the first checkbox is ticked, type the Computer Name or IP (address) of the Live Streaming laptop, which is obtained on that laptop via Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture, select the Remote Video radio button, click Settings, and select the Direct Stream (Recommended) radio button to display the Computer Name and IP Address:
Click OK and Yes to the Update Permissions prompt if it appears:
As above, type the Computer Name or IP into the text box on the Video Analysis laptop, and click OK:
If the second checkbox is ticked (on the Video Analysis laptop), type the generated Network Number into the corresponding text box on the Live Streaming laptop, via Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture, select the Remote Video radio button, click Settings, and select the Network Broadcast radio button to activate the Network Number box:
Again, click OK and Yes to the Update Permissions prompt if it appears.
Check that the Live Streaming laptop is now receiving the live video feed from the Video Analysis laptop via File -> Open Match, highlight either the current match if it has already been created by the Live Scorer or any previous match if not, and click Open Read Only. The live video will be showing in the Video Display window, which can be relocated or resized to suit (NB: as this will be pre-match, it will not be live action!):
Testing the Live Stream
Before testing the stream, click the Settings cog at the top-right of the Video Display window and ensure that the top three options are all ticked:
Ideally, test that the stream works well before the match starts, but with the stream set to private or unlisted, by clicking Start Live Stream at the bottom of Video Display. After a few seconds, ‘Starting…’ will change to the current CPU percentage and number of frames per second, and the button will change to Stop Live Stream with the stream duration alongside:
The live stream can now be checked at the YouTube end to ensure this is working correctly, with a solid video signal and no buffering. Note that if the current match is being used to live stream from, and this test is done before the toss, there will be no score overlays as these are only available once the first innings has been created. If a previous match is being used, then the score overlay for that match will be on the testing stream. Once the live stream is verified, click Stop Live Stream to end the test.
Once the Live Scorer has added the players, toss details, and created the first innings on the current match, the ‘real’ live stream can be started (if a previous match was being used for the setup and test, switch to the current match at this point) and added to the Match Centre, alongside the live scoring and video highlights.
Adding the Live Stream to Match Centre
Start the ‘real’ live stream before the umpires and players take the field by clicking Start Live Stream, which will prompt regarding adding the live stream to the Match Centre, but initially click No to this:
Login to the YouTube account and go to YouTube Studio -> Create -> Go Live to open the current Event, and the live stream will take a few seconds to load in the Preview window, then Close the blue box at the top-right and click Go Live to start the live stream:
Right-click on the Preview window and select either Copy video URL or Copy embed code, return to NV Play Cricket, click the Video Display -> Settings cog, select Add Live Stream to Match Centre to open the below dialog and paste the Video URL or Embed Code into the box at the top, and click Save:
After a minute or so, the live stream will appear on both the YouTube channel and the Match Centre (this can be quickly accessed from Live -> View Website Scorecard), but if not try a hard refresh (Ctrl+F5) to reload the page(s) with the live stream.
Match Title Overlay
This can be displayed at any time into the stream, but is especially useful before play starts and during breaks, by clicking Streaming Overlay Control -> Match Title, which includes the two team names and logos, match date, and match venue. Return to Auto with Cards to stop displaying this full-screen overlay:
Auto with Cards
For all ‘lock-and-leave’ live streaming, where the laptop is not manned during play, use the Streaming Overlay Control -> Auto with Cards button, rather than the Auto button, as it includes full-screen Batting & Manhattan, Bowling & Worm, and Partnership & Run Rate cards on a three-over rotation between overs. As with Auto, the baseline overlay will also automatically display all events such as wickets, maidens, hattricks, milestones, and breaks (during which the above full-screen cards will cycle through as well).
Playing Images and Videos into the Live Stream
It is also possible to manually play images and videos, for example competition assets or sponsor ads, at any time during the live stream. To do this, save all images and videos into the C:\\Documents\Cricket Matches\_Media folder, select the required one from Streaming Overlay Control -> Image/Video dropdown, and click the adjacent Show button to play into the stream.
If an Image is played, this will remain in the stream until Auto with Cards is re-selected, while the stream will automatically return to the live action (and Auto with Cards) as soon as a Video finishes playing.
Video Package Manager
The Highlights.mp4 and Wicket.mp4 files are used in the Video Package Manager, which allows a live streaming operator to generate video highlights packages from the Video Analyst’s uploaded ball clips and play these into the live stream, e.g. during drinks, innings, or rain breaks. If selected, the Highlights.mp4 animation will play at the start of these packages and the Wicket.mp4 file will play prior to each wicket included in the package. Highlights packages can be created for a whole session, day, innings, or match, or for individual players.
To generate a highlights package for all players, go to Video -> Video Packages -> Generate Highlights Package, select the required Video Source, Branding (i.e., from the above _Branding folder) and various Options, and click Create:
The package will take a few seconds to generate (depending on the number of ball clips in the package) and then open in this dialog:
Click the Play (>) button to play the package in the preview window, either before or after adding any Output Options such as a Custom Audio Track and Default Exit Animation to the package, or removing any unwanted clips by right-clicking on them in the Video Timeline and selecting Remove. Alternatively, click Close to return to the main interface and additional ball clips to the package, either by right-clicking on it in the Ball by Ball panel and selecting Add to Package or, if the View -> Video -> Video Ball by Ball panel is open, right-clicking on its thumbnail and also selecting Add to Package:
Once the package is complete, click Create Package and select the required option from the dropdown menu – Play into Live Stream to do so immediately, or Save Video 720p (recommended) to save as a combined .mp4 file first, for example to publish on social media. The highlights package will play into the live stream, and when finished the stream will return to the live action.
To generate a highlights package for an individual player, for example a batsman who has just scored a half-century, go to Statistics -> Match Stats Wizard -> All Innings (or select the appropriate innings) or right-click on their name in the Scorecard and select Stats Wizard, to open this dialog:
Tick the Batsmen checkbox and select the required batsman (not required if this has been accessed via the Scorecard), which will change the above information to their innings only, then filter this to the required highlights clips, e.g. tick the Runs checkbox and select 4 and 6 on the list (use Shift or Ctrl to select items after the first). This will update the above information again, to just that batsman’s 4s and 6s. Then, click on the Play Video dropdown arrow, select Add to New Package, then return to Video -> Video Packages -> View Current Package to open the Video Package Manager dialog as above. Play the package in the preview window if required, and add any Output Options or Add/Remove clips, etc, if required.
When ready to do so, click Create Package -> Play into Live Stream again, and as above once finished the stream will return to the live action. As many packages can be generated and played as required.
Continue the ‘lock-and-leave’ streaming on Auto with Cards for the rest of the match, or if there is an operator, use the above features as required to enhance the production standards of your live stream. When the match is finished, simply click Stop Live Stream and close NV Play Cricket.