In this video we cover getting started with your Channel Manager dashboard, and take an in-depth look at demonstrating how to use the "List Videos" section.

Quick summary:

1. If you're accessing your account for the first time, request scheduling on the profile page when your account first loads, and select your time zone. Allow approximately 15 minutes for the scheduling feature to be enabled for your account.
    
2. Click on "Click Here To Manage Videos" to access the Channel Manager.
    
3. Inside the Channel Manager, you will see stats including bandwidth and storage usage on your dashboard page. 
    
4. Next, explore the options under the "Audio/Video" dropdown menu starting with "List Videos'
    
5. In the "List Videos" section, you can manage your video library. You can view and edit videos after they have been uploaded. 
    
6. Note options to "Edit" the title and description of your videos
    
7. When deleting videos, if you see a message saying "video cannot be deleted", check your playlists and VOD categories for the video. You must remove the video from the playlist or VOD category it is assigned to first, before it can be deleted from your library. 
    
8. Change video thumbnails using the "Change Thumbnail" button
    
9. When setting custom thumbnails note the following tips:

• Thumbnail files must be .JPEG or .JPG format, .PNG is not supported
• Name your thumbnail files without any spaces or special characters, a good file name example is "avengersthumbnail.jpg" - leave out spaces, capital letters or special characters to avoid issues.
• It's recommended that you match custom thumbnails with the frame size of your channel, in most cases this will be 1920x1080px and for some accounts it may be 1280x720px. You can check your channel profile at the bottom of the "Streaming Overview" page found in the Audio/Video dropdown of the Channel Manager.
• It is important to check the "16:9" box when uploading a 1920x1080px or 1280x720px thumbnail
• Maximum pixel size for custom thumbnails is 3000px wide and 2000px in height
• After saving a thumbnail, the old thumbnail may still be cached in your web browser or on your app. If this happens, clear your browser cache (control+F5)

Here you will find a step-by-step breakdown of how to use the Restreamer feature of your Channel Manager dashboard to simultaneously broadcast to social media platforms.

Summary and tips:

1. Find the "Restreamer" feature under the "Audio/Video" dropdown menu
    
2. Select the Stream you would like to use: 
   • Select the "Edge" stream in most cases (this allows you to Re-stream both your Live broadcasts and your Playlist stream)
   • Select the "Live" stream if you wish to Re-stream your Live broadcasts only
    
3. To connect your Facebook account: 
   • Login to your Facebook account, then visit this link: https://www.facebook.com/live/producer
   • Set the Post's location and permission options
   • Check "Use a Persistent Stream Key"
   • Copy/Paste your "Stream Key" into your TvStartup dashboard
   • Click "Submit" (do not check "Enable" yet, just click "Submit")
   • Once the page reloads, check "Enable", then click  "Submit"
   • The green indicator icon should now show the connection is active
   • Check back on your Facebook producer page to see the live video feed preview
   • Publish the stream as a post on your Facebook page or timeline
4. To connect your Periscope account: 
   • Login to your Periscope account, then visit the "Producer" section of your account found under the Profile menu here: https://www.pscp.tv/account/producer
   • Click "Create New Source" 
   • Copy the "Server URL" and paste it into the "Destination Host" field in your TvStartup dashboard
   • Copy the "Stream Key" from Periscope and paste it into the "Stream Key" field in your TvStartup dashboard
   • Click "Submit" (do not check "Enable" yet, just click "Submit")
   • Once the page reloads, check "Enable", then click  "Submit"
   • The green indicator icon should now show the connection is active
   • Check back on your Periscope producer page to see the live video feed preview
   • Click "Go Live" to Publish the stream on your Persicope account
    
5. To connect your YouTube account: 
   • Login to your YouTube Studio account and visit the livestreaming section found here: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/livestreaming
   • Click "Create New Stream" (or use an existing stream)
   • Title your new Stream
   • Copy/Paste the "Stream Key" into your TvStartup dashboard
   • Click "Submit" (do not check "Enable" yet, just click "Submit")
   • Once the page reloads, check "Enable", then click  "Submit"
   • The green indicator icon should now show the connection is active
   • Check back on your YouTube dashboard to see the live video preview
   • Click "Go Live" to Publish the stream on your YouTube channel
   
    
6. Tip: The settings tab will allow you to change which stream (edge or live) to use for restreaming.
    
7. Restreamer Diagnostics: To disconnect an active re-streamer connection, visit the "Restreamer Diagnostics" tab under the "Audio/Video" dropdown menu in your TvStartup dashboard.
   • Click "Disconnect" on the connection you wish to disable
   • Return to the "Restreamer" page and remove the stream key and/or host name from the field, then click submit. This will completely disable the connection point. These steps can be used if you need to change from one Social Media account to another. 


8. Tip: Facebook and some other platforms have various time limits on streams. At the time of this writing, Facebook's limit is 8 hrs. When the time limit is reached, you will need to return to the Producer section of your dashboard and re-publish and new live stream on your timeline to pick up where the prior stream left off.
    
9. Tip: If you followed the steps above regarding using a Persistent Stream Key, your social account should automatically link to and display your live video feed in the preview window of your dashboard each time you return to the Producer section of your account to start a new live stream. You simply need to click "Go Live" to create the post for the stream on your social media account timeline, page or channel.

In this video we provide a step-by-step breakdown of how to add a private Roku channel to your Roku device, so you can preview your channel prior to public launch.

Summary and tips:

1. Click on this link to login to your Roku account. https://my.roku.com/account  Ensure the account you are logging into is the same account as your Roku device is logged into.
    
2. Click on this link to visit the "Add Channel" page:  https://my.roku.com/account/add
   • Enter your channel Access Code (found in the email from TvStartup)
   • Click "Add Channel"
   • Click "OK" on the message notifying you that the channel is non-certified. This message is standard for all private channels, since channels are not reviewed and approved by Roku until they are submitted as public, which will happen later. 
   • Click to confirm adding the channel to your Roku device.
    
3. On your Roku TV device: 
   • Browse to the home screen of your Roku device (home button on your remote)
   • Scroll to the bottom of the channel list
   • Launch the channel to preview it
   • Note: Once you submit your channel for approval to go public, the private channel will become unavailable.

In this video we demonstrate step-by-step how to change the password on your account.

Summary and tips:

1. After logging to your account, navigate to the options menu of your account
    
2. Select "Change Password"
    
3. Type your new password
    
4. Save the password
    
5. All set!
    
6. Note: When you change your password using this method, it synchronizes with the desktop uploader software, so you will use the same password for logging into the desktop uploader.

In this video we explain how to fix a broken or "offline" stream. If your playlist stream goes offline for some reason, you can bring it back online using the steps shown in this video.

Summary and tips:

1. From the "Playlist" menu, select "Channel Reboot" 
    
2. Click "Continue" on this page
    
3. After the page refreshes, go to the "Streaming Overview/URL" page from the "Audio/Video" dropdown menu.  
    
4. On the Streaming Overview page, click "Kick Edge Stream", then when the page refreshes, click "Reset Edge Stream". 
    
5. ​If you don't see the stream begin playing immediately, allow up to 5 minutes of wait time for the system to sync your playlist, and "Kick Edge Stream" again. The stream should always come back online within 5 minutes max of preforming channel reboot.
    
6. IMPORTANT! When preforming a reboot your scheduled playlists will set back to manual mode. The scheduled times will still be in place, but you will need to set them back to "scheduled" mode.
   This is done by clicking "Edit" on the playlist from the "Manage/Create Playlists" page under the "Audio/Video" dropdown, and selecting the mode "Scheduled" and clicking "Save".
    
7. Note: If you follow these steps and your stream still remains offline email support@tvstartup.com for assistance

Quick summary:

1. Download the uploader software for your computer
    
2. Download Java for your computer
    
3. Install Java
    
4. Open the TvStartup uploader (and make sure you click "more info" >
   "open anyway" if using Windows and you get a firewall popup message,
   or for Mac users allow permission from System Preferences to open software from an unidentified developer.
    
5. Enter your login credentials
    
6. Add video file(s), assign titles, descriptions and optionally custom thumbnails
    
7. Wait for the encoding and uploading processes to finish
    
8. Find the videos in the "List Videos" section of your dashboard once completed
    
9. TIP: Use the recovery feature as needed to recover videos if your connection drops during upload or for any similar circumstance where an upload fails to complete.
    
10. TIP: Clear your .tvstartupmedia folder located on your "C:" drive periodically to free up hard disk space.

Next, explore how to use the VOD Categories section of your Channel Manager dashboard to organize your uploaded videos into categories display on your apps.

Summary:

1. Create new VOD Categories using the "Create VOD Category" button at the top left
    
2. Name your Categories with care as they play a key role in structuring your channel on content within your apps and/or website and helping viewers browse your channel with ease and find the content they want to watch quickly.
    
3. Per Roku's recommendations: Provide audience-focused editorial categories,  (Top Stories, New This Week…) and curated (Critics’ Picks, Classics, Popular Releases…) and these VOD categories will be displayed directly on your Channel home.    Catering to your users with content organized “their way” delights them, builds loyalty and increases use over time to retain your audience and give viewers a good experience on your channel.
    
4. Add videos using the "Add Video" function, order them using drag-and-drop from the "Videos" function.
    
5. Edit Category titles and descriptions using the "Edit" function (descriptions are not as important since they are not displayed to viewers on your channel, descriptions are handy for internal use to note what type of videos you add to each Category).
    
6. Reorder VOD Categories using drag-and-drop
    
7. Delete VOD Categories using the "Delete" function
    
8. Note: The same video can be assigned to multiple categories
    
9. Tip regarding placing advertisements: If manually placing ads in VOD Categories, edit them into your video as a pre-roll or end-roll ad prior to uploading the clip. 

Here we take a detailed look at using the Create/Schedule Playlists section. We will show you how to setup and schedule playlists, along with important tips you need to know.

Summary:

1. Create and Schedule Playlists from the Manage/Create Playlists page found in the Audio/Video dropdown of your dashboard.
    
2. Use the "Create Playlist" button towards the top left of the page to create new Playlists. Set a title and description with care, since the title and description can sometimes be displayed to your viewers on your website or apps.
    
3. Assign videos to your Playlist from your library using the "Add Video" button.
    
4. Change the order of videos in your Playlist to arrange a programming lineup using the "Videos" button.
    
5. Use "Set as Current Playlist" function to activate a Playlist immediately (within 60 sections of setting as current)
    
6. To Schedule a Playlist for a future date and time, click "Edit" and set the "Mode" to "Schedule", then select the "Broadcast Date" and "Broadcast Time" that you want the Playlist to start, then click "Save" at the bottom.
    
7. The "clock" icon indicates that the Playlist is scheduled and the "hand" icon indicates that the Playlist is in manual mode.
    
8. Never edit videos in a live Playlist. If you need to make changes to the video lineup of an active Playlist, use the "Copy Playlist" function found under the "Audio/Video" dropdown. Make your changes to the copy, then switch to or schedule the new version of the Playlist to replace the current one. 
   
   Note: Playlists can be edited while still in the Playlist Queue, but once again, to avoid interrupting viewers,  edit Playlists that are actively streaming on your channel.  
    
9. In the Playlist Queue you can see a list of all upcoming Playlists, with their respective broadcast dates and times.
    
10. Tip on previewing Playlists: Preview your active stream by going to the "Streaming Overview" page found in the "Audio/Video" dropdown menu.
     
11. Tip on playlist durations: Playlists loop automatically, meaning that no matter the duration of your Playlist the will run 24/7 without any downtime in the stream.
     
12. Tip on placing advertisements: Playlists are linear streams, meaning that the videos play through in order one after another as you have set them in the "Videos" section, so take care to ensure you have the videos properly ordered. You can insert bumpers and advertisements/commercial breaks between shows, and pay attention to the frequency of ad placements based on the duration of the content in your Playlist to ensure you don't oversaturate a Playlist with commercials.
     
13. Troubleshooting Playlist Stream or Scheduling failure: If your Playlist fails to stream at the scheduled time, or goes offline for any reason here are some helpful tips to help you resolve it:
    
    • From the "Playlist" dropdown menu, go to the "Playlist Checkup" page. This will automatically load a checkup on your live Playlist. You can also select other Playlists in question from the dropdown menu at the top right.
    
    • Here, look for significant variance (yellow, orange, or red highlights).
    
    • Pay attention to frame rates. All frame rates should be matching or as close to matching as possible. Frame sizes should always be matched (all 1920x1080 px. or all 1280x720 px., never mixed. Frame rates should be all the same, or very close.
    
    • If you have a video at 60 fps mixed with 30 fps or 24 fps videos in the same list, it will break. Just as with traditional broadcast TV, all streaming videos in the Playlist need to have matching frame rates and frame sizes to work without issues. This is because your channel has one frame size and frame rate profile, to which all of the video clips in your Playlist need to match.
    
    • When frame rates don't match, you will need to re-encode, upload and replace the videos with matching frame rates. Use a video editing software if you are producing your own content, or encoder like Handbrake to export videos with a matching frame rate, then re-upload a the new video and replace it in your playlist. You can also optionally remove the problem videos from your Playlist to immediately solve the issue.
    
    • Using "Kick Edge Stream" and "Reset Edge Stream": You should contact support if you have a serious problem with a Playlist. However if you have followed the steps above to resolve a problem on your own, use the "Kick Edge Stream" function on the "Streaming Overview" page and the subsequently available "Reset Edge Stream" function to reset your stream and bring it back online. Allow 1-2 minutes between resets for the reset to fully take affect.
    
    • Click here to contact support if a Playlist failure happens for further assistance.

If you need to broadcast live, watch this segment to learn exactly what's needed to connect your streaming software like OBS or vMix and stream live.

Summary and links:

1. Browse to the "Streaming Overview/URL" page in the "Audio/Video" dropdown
    
2. On this page you can monitor your streaming status and watch your Edge stream playback (the "channel" stream is your Playlist, the "live" stream is your live broadcast and the "edge" stream is the active stream your viewers see, which dynamically switches between your channel stream and live stream.)
    
3. Find your streaming credentials to connect your live broadcasting software at the bottom of this "Streaming Overview/URL" page.
    
4. A commonly used free software which can be used for handling the production aspects of your live streaming is OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)
   you can also use many other similar softwares like vMix and Wirecast.
    
5. Copy/Paste the Encoder Connection URL and Stream Key into the respective output settings of your streaming software. ​Next, set the output frame size and bitrate to match the settings shown in your dashboard.
    
6. A list of OBS tutorials can be found here (other softwares also have similar guides): 
   https://obsproject.com/wiki/OBS-Studio-Quickstart
    
7. Start your Stream and monitor it from the "Streaming Overview/URL" page in the "Audio/Video" dropdown in your dashboard.
   
   Tip: Allow up to 60 seconds of delay between your streaming software and your live channel stream on websites and apps.
    
8. Playlist Switching will happen automatically - when your live stream starts your Playlist will be interrupted, and when the Stream is stopped, your channel stream will switch back to your Playlist and pick up where it left off. This way viewers have a smooth transition between Playlist streams and Live streams with no downtime.

After connecting your live streaming software, check out this section for help with using the live recorder so you can archive your broadcast for replays and on-demand playback.

Summary and tips:

1. Find the "Live Recorder" feature under the "Audio/Video" dropdown menu
    
2. For MANUAL Recording Mode: 
   • Select the "live" stream from the dropdown, then click "Continue".
   • Set a title and description for your recording.
   • "Start" and "Stop" the recorder as needed. 
   • Once stopped, the recording will be "Pending" for a period of time while the system encodes it. It will then move to the "Recordings" section and also be available under "List Videos" to assign the video to Playlists or use it in a VOD Category.
    
3. For AUTOMATIC Recording Mode: 
   • Select the "live" stream from the dropdown, then click "Apply".
   • The system will detect your live streams automatically anytime you go live - allow up to a 60 second delay for the automatic recording to start.
   • Use "Refresh" to see the preview of the recording as it happens
   • Once stopped, the recording will be "Pending" for a period of time while the system encodes it. It will then move to the "Recordings" section and also be available under "List Videos" to assign the video to Playlists or use it in a VOD Category.
   • Tip: You will want to re-name your automatic recordings since they are automatically titled by the system. You will also want to set thumbnails.