Live Streaming: Step 5 Activations and Auto Replays

Before you begin live streaming you should configure activations and automatic replays. These video elements are used to provide a more professional experience for your live stream viewers.

An activation is a pre-loaded video clip or image (stored in your computer's _Media folder) that is automatically inserted into your live stream after a four, six or wicket is scored. You can choose to show these activations on their own, or pair them with an automatic replay of the event.

For example, if you enable activations and automatic replays for sixes, once a six has been registered by the scorer, a video or an image is shown in the live stream for a specified duration, followed immediately by a replay of the batter scoring the six. The stream then returns to the live game.

Enable and Configure Video Replays

To enable video replays and configure their settings:

1. Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
2. Click the Live Streaming tab. 
3. Tick the Enable Live Stream Instant Replays box in the Instant Replays section.
4. Specify the replay duration in seconds using the duration field next to the checkbox. The default duration is 10 seconds, but you can adjust this to make replays longer or shorter.
5. Tick the Show "Replay" Watermark During Instant Replays box to show a “Replay” watermark in the bottom-right corner of the stream whenever a replay is shown.
6. Tick the Show Branding Pre-Roll for Instant Replays box to include a short, branded clip before replays. By default, this uses NV Play branding but can be customised.

Enable and Configure Activations

To enable and configure activations without auto replays:

1. Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
2. Click the Live Streaming tab. 
3. Click the Auto Replay Settings link in the Instant Replays section. The Activations and Auto Replays for Live Streaming dialogue opens.
4. Tick the Enable boxes for each required activation: Wicket Activation, Fours Activation, and Sixes Activation.
5. Open the Custom Pre-Roll Media dropdown under each activation type and select the media files to be played or shown in the stream whenever the selected event occurs in the game. This dropdown shows all suitable image and video files (MP4) stored in your _Media folder. You can click the Open Media Library link to open the folder location and check the files you have stored there, or to copy more files into the folder. 
6. 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. For static images, the default display duration is set to 10 seconds for wickets and 5 seconds for fours and sixes.
7. Click Save to save and close the dialogue, then OK. The specified activation images or videos will now show automatically (and for the duration specified, for still images) when the selected events occur in the match. The stream then automatically returns to the live video. You can immediately cancel the activation by clicking the STOP link on the Video Display panel control bar (for example, if it interrupts further match action).

Configure Auto Replays

To enable and configure activations with auto replays:

1. Go to Tools > Configuration. The Configuration dialogue opens.
2. Click the Live Streaming tab. 
3. Click the Auto Replay Settings link in the Instant Replays section. The Activations and Auto Replays for Live Streaming dialogue opens.
4. Tick the Enable boxes for each required activation: Wicket Activation, Fours Activation, and Sixes Activation.
5. Open the Custom Pre-Roll Media dropdown under each activation type and select the media files to be be played or shown in the stream whenever the selected event occurs in the game.
6. 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.
7. Tick the Enable Auto Replay boxes beside each activation that also want automatic video replays for. Selecting any Enable Auto Replay box automatically enables the lower Auto Replay Options section.
8. Tick the Instant Replays box in the Auto Replay Options section. This will automatically replay a specified duration of video stream after an activation event is scored (four, six, or wicket).
9. Adjust the replay duration (defaults to 10 seconds) using the Replay Length field. You might want to increase this to between 12 and 15 seconds but be aware that shorter replays of ten seconds or less are often safer when spinners are bowling due to the shorter spacing between deliveries.
10. Adjust the length of video automatically removed from the start of the replay (defaults to 1 second) using the Trim Start of Replay field. these fields should be adjusted to match the speed of the live scorer. 
11. Click Save to save and close the dialogue, then 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. You can immediately cancel the activation or replay by clicking the STOP link on the Video Display panel control bar (for example, if it interrupts further match action).

Test Activations and Auto Replays

To test that your activations and automatic replays are working correctly:

1. Start the live stream by clicking the Start Live Stream button on the Video Display panel control bar. The stream preview appears in a red thumbnail box in the lower right corner of the panel.
2. Click the scoring buttons (4, 6, or Wicket) on the Scoring panel that correspond with the enabled activations or auto replays. Check that each of the configured activation images or videos is shown in the red thumbnail box for the specified event, followed by an automatic replay (if configured).

Video Guide