ApsaraVideo Live provides production studios in general mode, production studios in playlist mode, and virtual studios. The usage scenarios vary based on the mode of production studios. This topic describes the core capabilities and usage scenarios of different modes of production studios.
Production studios in general mode
Leveraging the capabilities such as multi-channel stream mixing, graphic packaging, and live subtitles, production studios in general mode can be used for various live streaming scenarios. You can use live streams and VOD resources as input sources and mix multiple sources into one screen. Image, text, and subtitle components can be overlaid. You can insert materials, such as watermarks, logos, banner text, and live subtitles, into live streams to create a content-rich live program.
A production studio in general mode considers all added video sources as live streams. Video sources are automatically analyzed and played in the background from the moment they are added into the production studio. When you switch a video source to PVW or PGM, the video source continues to play from the original position. If you want the video source that you switch to PVW or PGM to play from the first frame, we recommend that you use a production studio in playlist mode.
Core capabilities
Live stream switching and media file switching: Multiple types of content sources are supported. You can mix up to 12 input sources at the same time.
PVW and PGM: The PVW and PGM modes are supported. You can switch between the two modes at low latency.
Custom layouts: You can create a custom layout to mix streams. Landscape and portrait layouts are supported.
Standby resource and stream delay: You can play warm-up videos before live streaming or display standby resources in case of emergencies. You can also delay the playback of live streams for up to 5 minutes.
Audio mixer: You can adjust the volume of output audio from multiple channels, adjust audio gain, and enable or disable audio follows video (AFV).
Component overlay: Images, text, and subtitles can be overlaid, allowing you to insert components, such as watermarks, logo images, banner text, and live subtitles, into live streams.
ET real-time subtitles: Bilingual subtitles can be generated for live streams in real time by using the speech recognition technology.
Automatic cloud-based recording: Live streams can be automatically recorded as video files in multiple formats when the live streams are ingested.
Multiple specifications of definition: Multiple specifications of definition that range from low definition to high definition are supported, which adapts to different screen sizes of multiple devices.
Scenarios
Scenario | Description |
Event live streaming | When you use a production studio in general mode, you can mix streams from multiple camera angles, add components such as scoreboards, add titles for events, insert commercials, and add pre-roll advertisements of sponsors. |
E-commerce live streaming | Co-streaming is supported. Image, text, and subtitle components can be overlaid. You can insert materials, such as watermarks, logos, banner text, and live subtitles, into live streams to enrich the live streaming effect. |
Enterprise live streaming | The PVW and PGM modes are supported. You can switch between the two modes at low latency. You can play warm-up videos before live streaming or display standby resources in case of emergencies. You can also delay the playback of live streams for up to 5 minutes. These capabilities ensure the continuity of live streaming. |
Live streaming solutions | Production studios in general mode are used in various live streaming scenarios. This mode provides various capabilities that can help meet your live streaming requirements and allow you to live stream in an efficient manner, such as real-time graphic packaging and multilingual subtitles. Live streaming service providers can integrate relevant Web SDKs to reduce development costs. |
Production studios in playlist mode
You can use a production studio in playlist mode to create live rooms for carousel playback of multiple video programs. This helps diversify live streaming scenarios and content forms. You can add, remove, modify, and query episodes in an episode list and modify episode content. This helps meet your specific requirements in different business scenarios in a flexible, easy, and collaborative manner.
Production studios in playlist mode do not support real-time graphic packaging of video sources. Therefore, you cannot insert watermarks, logos, banner text, or live subtitles in this mode. You can only sort, edit, and delete video sources.
Core capabilities
Content aggregation: You can aggregate on-demand videos and live streams for automatic or manual carousel playback. You can run multiple episode lists at the same time and concurrently ingest live streams.
Playlist management: You can play an episode list once or loop the episode list. You can sort, edit, and delete the content of an episode list based on your business requirements. In terms of editing, you can fine-tune or change the content of an episode list. You can stop and delete an episode list.
Inserted advertisements: Advertisements can be automatically inserted at regular intervals. You can also manually insert sponsored advertisements and replace advertisement materials in real time.
Low cost and efficiency: You can use the ApsaraVideo Live console or call API operations to create multiple live rooms and episode lists at a time and start live streaming with one click. You do not need to purchase hardware or install software. The configurations are flexible, which allows you to use a production studio in playlist mode anytime, anywhere.
Scenarios
Scenario | Description |
Radio, television, and new media | You can use a production studio in playlist mode to create live rooms for carousel playback of multiple video programs. This helps diversify live streaming scenarios and content forms. You can add, remove, modify, and query episodes in an episode list and modify episode content. This helps meet your specific requirements in different business scenarios in a flexible, easy, and collaborative manner. |
Newscast | You can create a production studio in playlist mode to play news programs 24/7 for viewers to watch. Commercials can be inserted every 30 minutes to help increase revenues. |
Pseudo-live streaming | For pseudo-live streams, production studios in playlist mode can be used to aggregate multiple episodes, videos, and image files. Compared with real live streams, pseudo-live streams can be started at any time and constantly provide various content, regardless of the number of viewers. Commercials can be automatically inserted in real time or based on schedules to help increase revenues. |
Entertainment live streaming | On entertainment live streaming platforms, some streamers conduct live streams in which they watch videos together with viewers. The videos that they watch can be added to production studios in playlist mode. After live streams end, the recordings and highlights can also be added. Such diversified content can attract more viewers and hold their attention longer. |
Virtual studios
Virtual studios are a mode of production studio used for chroma key. This mode provides automatic and professional chroma key for blue or green screen and real-scene background. Virtual studios can help you implement live streaming from multiple camera angles across multiple places by using multiple devices. You can use the cloud-based chroma key to achieve various live streaming scenes, such as dual screens, split-screens, and picture-in-picture, which helps create an immersive live streaming experience.
Core capabilities
Cloud-based chroma key: Chroma key from multiple video sources is supported.
Real-time rendering: You can mix streams from multiple persons who use different devices in different places and use chroma key to place the streams in one screen. This creates an immersive live streaming experience.
Multimedia booth: You can add multiple multimedia booths that present videos or images.
Flexibility and efficiency: The simple and flexible configurations allow you to start live streaming anytime, anywhere.
Scenarios
Scenario | Description |
Live streaming and rebroadcasting of global events | Virtual studios allow you to implement live streaming from multiple camera angles across multiple places by using multiple devices. You can use virtual studios to provide a cross-site commentary for global events. You can assign multiple hosts for the live streaming of a single event, add titles for the event, insert commercials, and add pre-roll advertisements of sponsors. This brings you a rich event live streaming experience. |
Live streaming of activities such as e-commerce promotions | You can use text and multimedia resources as supplementary materials for live streaming. In addition, co-streaming, Q&A, online interaction, and live commentary are supported to make the live streaming of activities more appealing. You can also change the background based on your business requirements to provide an immersive viewing experience for the audience. |
Program production | You can change the angle and position of subjects in the scene by switching between multiple camera angles. Automatic and professional chroma key for blue or green screen and real-scene background is supported during production. You can use the cloud-based chroma key to achieve various live streaming scenes, such as dual screens, split-screens, and picture-in-picture. This can help meet the requirements for program production in an efficient manner. |