Broadcasting Error Messages
If you are livestreaming and there is a drop in the network connection, you will receive a message that says, "Broadcasting communication error: Transmission failed" or "Broadcasting error: Connection closed by the server."
There are several factors that can lead to a network interruption, including high traffic volume, too many devices connected to the network, temporary drop by the ISP, etc. This article covers the options when receiving this message and ways to prevent broadcasting errors in the future.
In this article:
Selecting Between Broadcasting Error Options
When you receive a broadcast error message, you will be presented with three options:
Stop Rec + Broadcast
Choose this option if you want to continue livestreaming. Your audience will see the video stream buffer for a moment, but the stream will then resume. Once you resume the livestream, Switcher Studio will continue recording, but the recording will be split between two files -- one file for everything up to the broadcast error, and the second file for everything after you tap Stop Rec + Broadcast and then tap the Go Live button.
Note: After tapping the Stop Rec + Broadcast option, you'll need to tap the red Go Live button again to continue the stream.
Continue Recording
Choose this option if you want to stop the livestream and only record your video. This option is best if you want your Switcher Studio video to be in a single recorded file or if the network disruption isn't resolved immediately.
Recover Broadcast
This option will only appear if the RTMP Reconnect option is enabled in the Outputs tab. Choose this option if you want to try to reconnect without interrupting the recording. This option is best if there was a temporary drop in the network.
When you select Recover Broadcast, Switcher Studio will attempt to reconnect to the platform, and if it's successful, the livestream will continue, and a green dot will appear below the Live/Record indicator. The recording of the livestream will be a single file, and the recording will include anything that happened when the stream was interrupted. The audience will not be able to see what happened when the stream was interrupted, but the livestream will pick up once Switcher Studio has reconnected to the platform.
For more detailed information about using RTMP Reconnect and the Recover Broadcast option, check out this article: RTMP Reconnect.
Avoiding Broadcasting Errors by Adjusting Stream Quality
Occasional network drops are unavoidable, but if you regularly receive broadcast errors while using Switcher, it usually means the Stream Quality Setting you are using is too high for your upload speed. This is almost always the case when video streams disconnect around the same duration (e.g. after 25 minutes) each time you have a broadcast error. The easiest fix is to adjust the Stream Quality Setting. This article walks through the process: Optimizing Settings for a Better Broadcast
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Keyword(s): broadcast, error, message, troubleshoot, stream, quality