There are two types of live sources that you can use: AMS (Azure Media Services) and Generic (any .m3u8 HLS playlist URL). Each type of live source has its purpose and associated advantages.
In general, the AMS live source adds live stream processing and post production processing options that are not available with the generic live source. Because the Ravnur Media Platform uses Azure Media Services as the primary video encoding and streaming platform, it can take advantage of the many features that AMS offers.
When should I use an Azure Media Services live source?
The AMS live source is needed when you want to:
- Record and post your live stream
- Encode your live stream into multiple qualities to improve the viewing experience
- Add live captions automatically to your live stream
When should I NOT use an Azure Media Services live source?
- You have a long running stream with no need to record and post it.
- You already have a .m3u8 HLS playlist URL for the stream and want to publish it using the Ravnur Media Platform.
If you want to do any of the three options listed under the reasons why you need to use AMS, then pick the best AMS source for your event. Remember, you can create several AMS live sources with different configurations (e.g. cloud encoding on/off, low latency on/off, live captions on/off, etc.) so that you can easily select the best live source for your event.
