Videoguys.com & Streaming Media Producer Tutorial Video: Teradek StreamReader Plug-in for Streaming to Wirecast and NewTek TriCaster

Tutorial: Streaming to Wirecast and TriCaster with the Teradek StreamReader Plug-in

Most live productions include only video from cameras physically connected to the switcher, which can be very limiting. If your cameras are equipped with Teradek Cube or Bond encoders, and you’re producing your event with Telestream Wirecast, or certain TriCaster models, you can include video from anywhere with Internet connectivity using the free Stream Reader plug-in. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how it works. We’ll look at two scenarios: first, sending a stream to an editing station on the same local area network, say in a stadium or similar event scenario. Then we’ll look at receiving a stream from a Teradek Sputnik server. I’ll demonstrate in Wirecast first, then TriCaster.

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Configuring the Teradek Encoder

First let’s configure the Cube or Bond encoder, which you do in the Stream Settings menu, accessed by choosing Video Setup > Stream Settings (Figure 1, below). When sending a single stream to a single target on a local area connection, try Teradek Streaming via UDP first. Teradek Streaming is a proprietary protocol that optimizes the stream and reduces latency, and in this mode, it pushes the stream to a single IP address, which is the computer running Wirecast or the TriCaster.

Figure 1. Choosing Stream Settings.

If you want multiple devices to access the video feed, or you’re experiencing packet loss with UDP, you can try RTP/RTSP (Figure 2, below), which will set the Cube or Bond up as a server that multiple clients can access.

Figure 2. Choosing RTP/RTSP Stream Mode.

For this example we’ll go with UDP. You’ll need to know the IP address of the computer running Wirecast, which you’ll enter in the Destination IP Address field (Figure 1, above). Note the port number, which you’ll need when configuring Wirecast. If you have multiple encoders pointed towards the same computer, each would use a different port.

Click Apply at the bottom of the Stream Settings screen to save the settings.

Working in Wirecast

Now we’ll move over to Wirecast to prepare the stream. You can download the free plug-in for Wirecast and TriCaster at the page shown in Figure 3 (below). Install as normal, and then run Wirecast.

Figure 3. Download Wirecast and TriCaster plug-ins here.

In Wirecast, choose Sources > New Teradek StreamReader Plugin (Figure 4, below).

Figure 4. Running the Teradek StreamReader plug-in in Wirecast Pro.

Match the protocol to the Cube’s settings; in this case, we’ll choose Teradek Streaming over UDP. Make sure the port matches the Cube you wish to connect (Figure 5, below).

Figure 5. Choosing Cube settings that match the settings we chose in Teradek’s Stream Settings window.

Then click Apply, and you should see the video and hear the audio (Figure 6, below).

Figure 6. When you click Apply, the video appears at the top of the Source Settings window.

You may need to adjust the Jitter Buffer Delay to minimize jitter, and Lip-Sync Correction to perfect audio/video sync. If you do, and you’re mixing multiple Teradek inputs, click the Synchronize with Other Sources check box (Figure 6) to apply the same correction to all Teradek inputs.

Once you’re done configuring the stream, click Apply again and close the dialog.

Then add the shot to Wirecast as normal (Figure 7, below).

Figure 7. Adding the shot to Wirecast.

Scenario 2: Sending to Sputnik

That’s Scenario 1. The second scenario would be sending a video to a Sputnik server, and then pulling that signal into Wirecast.

To configure the Teradek encoder, click Video Setup > Stream Settings (Figure 8, below).

Figure 8. Choosing Stream Settings from Video Setup in the Cube Dashboard.

Back in the familiar Stream Settings dialog, choose Sputnik Direct mode (Figure 9, below), and enter the IP address of the sputnik server, and the input port and the listening port (Figure 10, below Figure 9).

Figure 9. Choosing Sputnik Direct mode.

Figure 10. Enter the IP address and other relevant info for the Sputkin server.

In Wirecast, choose Sources > New Teradek StreamReader Plugin (Figure 4).

In the Protocol pull-down, choose Transport Stream over TCP/Pull (Figure 11, below).

Figure 11. Choosing the protocol.

Insert the IP address of the Sputnik server, and enter the port number of the server’s outbound listening port.

Click Apply to load the audio and video, and if necessary, make the same adjustments to the jitter buffer, lip sync, and multiple camera settings as described in Scenario 1.

Once you’re done configuring the stream, click Apply again and close the dialog.

Then add the shot to Wirecast as normal (Figure 7).

Adding Live Feeds to TriCaster Productions

Now let’s focus on the TriCaster. StreamReader works with TriCaster models 410, 460, 860, and 8000 using software versions from September 2013 or later (Figure 3).

To use StreamReader for TriCaster, first you download the plug-in (Figure 12, below), and then run the install file.

Figure 12. Download the TriCaster plug-in here.

Next, run TriCaster, and click Add-Ons. The Teradek StreamingReader Configuration should be on the list (Figure 13, below).

Figure 13. Choosing the Teradek TriCaster add-on.

To access the StreamReader Plug-in, choose Receive in one or your TriCaster NET feeds, and choose Teradek Streams (Figure 14, below).

Figure 14. Choose Receive > Teradek Streams in one of your NET feeds.

This opens up the StreamReader Plugin Configuration Encoder (Figure 15, below), which you configure in the same way you did before.

Figure 15. The familiar Configuration Editor opens.

With the StreamReader plug-in and Teradek encoders, you can add live feeds to your Wirecast or Tricaster productions from anywhere with IP connectivity.

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