TL;DR: Efficiently managing video issues during live webcasts requires proactive response strategies. Real-time analytics and automated alerts help detect potential problems early, allowing for timely interventions such as adjusting video quality or network settings. These practices ensure a smooth streaming experience with minimal oversight.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to troubleshoot a live internal video communication event in real time, whether or not you’re able to monitor its performance as it progresses.
Every live webcast is made up of many moving parts. In the context of a large corporate video event, those parts are moving continuously all over the world, increasing the chances that something, somewhere, will go wrong at some point.
It’s no surprise then that many IT managers choose to monitor webcast performance through their entire duration to make sure nothing is spinning out of control.
Ideally, a real-time monitoring tool would allow the event manager to answer questions along the lines of:
- Is anything going worse than expected?
- How is the network handling the traffic?
- Is the network at the limit of its capacity at a particular site?
- If something is going wrong, where in the webcasting ecosystem is it happening?
- What is the root cause of the problem and how can I prevent it next time?
As of H2, 2024, IT & Network Analytics might be the only tool that can actually help answer these questions. It features a nifty video experience map with all broadcasting locations pinned onto it and color-coded (green to red) to indicate how severe buffering is at a particular network site.
As the broadcast manager, you can keep the map open during your entire stream to make sure things are going as planned across the network – and drill down to understand where the problem lies if they aren’t.
What to do when things go wrong during your live stream
Now, imagine you’re monitoring a webcast in real time. What’s that, did buffering just go from “Moderate” to “High” at the Hong Kong office? Have a look at how each of your webcasting ecosystem parts are performing at that specific site to see if you can identify the culprit.
If you discover that, for example, throughput is lagging due to network congestion, you can proactively allocate more bandwidth to that site next time there is a similar event to prevent buffering from escalating in the first place. That way you can prevent stream failure and video experience issues that would have arisen otherwise.
Use past event data to prevent issues from reoccurring
What’s more, you can dig through the archive of past event performance data to see which events did well and configure the stream in the best way possible when you run similar events in the future.
Right now, IT & Network Analytics already allows you to take a pretty close look at quality of service metrics like playback quality and CDN throughput; in the near future, this product will also get some cutting-edge features like plan-outcome and multi-event comparisons as well as automated technical performance reporting.
How to troubleshoot when you can’t stay glued to the screen
Is your video event management team a one-person operation? A lot of event managers would confirm that it’s not uncommon for a live event IT team to consist solely of me, myself and I.
If that’s the case, you might not actually have time to keep your eyes on the video experience map during the entire event. Between making sure the recording equipment is working as it should, managing several feeds and interactive elements and doing user tech support on the fly, there might be no time left to wait and see when a green dot turns yellow or alarming red.
If you work for a large organization, you might even have several events of different sizes going on all at the same time, making it impossible to monitor each one.
In cases like the above, getting notified when things actually go wrong might be a better strategy. The good news is that there is a tool for that, too, and it’s called Control the Event.
The cool thing about this one is that while it also features a live video experience map of your entire network, you can set up your alerts in such a way that you only get pinged when – and if – action needs to be taken during the broadcast.
You can get notified directly in the product portal, via webhook, or have alerts sent directly to your email.
Another great thing about Control the Event is that it won’t just tell you that something went wrong – it’ll suggest a solution based on what it deems the issue might be. And in some cases, the solution might be as easy as one click of a button. More on that below.
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Why lower video quality can actually improve viewer experience
It may seem that there is a direct correlation between video quality and viewer experience: the higher the first, the better the second. While this may be true a lot of the time, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not always the case.
Every video stream is available to the video player in a number of quality levels, and the player will normally always select the highest one. Now, if network resources weren’t an issue, that would be the best strategy. Think you’re home alone watching Netflix – naturally, you’d want to watch your show in the best quality possible.
But in a corporate setting, things get more complicated: when there is a limited amount of bandwidth allocated for the entire office to watch a single live stream, each device requesting the highest quality level will almost certainly cause issues, leading to buffering and possible failure. Some world regions, like China and India, are particularly notorious for their bandwidth limitations (here, you might want to consider an additional layer of defense, such as reducing the number of inbound streams altogether).
In this case, it may be wiser to limit the video quality “allowance” to a lower number (say, 360p instead of 720p) to prevent network spikes and make sure that viewers can continue watching and taking in the content rather than risk a complete blackout. That way, even though you’re technically making a trade off in quality, you’re guaranteeing that the stream won’t be interrupted, and that improves overall viewer experience.
One-click video stream troubleshooting: fact or fiction?
The quality of video experience at any given site can be influenced by a vast number of factors. In many cases, it’s difficult to remedy a problem that emerges in real time, simply because there is no way to conduct a thorough enough investigation while the stream is already running – which is why tools like IT & Network Analytics are essential for a sustainable long-term strategy.
But in some cases, the solution to a streaming issue can really be as easy as a click of a button. Control the Event is a unique tool in that sense: it sends you a disruption notification, and then allows you to limit quality levels available at a specific site with a single click of a button.
In cases when the issue isn’t caused by quality allowance, it will still provide as much root cause information as possible, and recommend solutions you can still choose to implement on the spot.
Video experience matters – and it’s not all or nothing
Corporate video communications events are notoriously costly affairs. Between the tech investments and man-hours put in, even a relatively small event can end up costing an organization tens of thousands of dollars.
When the goals and expected outcomes are clearly defined, the investment is certainly worth the return. But a small hitch somewhere along the complex video webcasting chain can be the difference between the event’s success – or failure. Failure, in this case, may not even mean a complete and utter blackout, but can be as subtle as several buffering instances at the start of a broadcast.
There is a lot of research into how buffering severity affects information retention (one study found that even a 1% increase in buffering ration can significantly reduce engagement). And with investments these large on the line, organizations want to make sure that the messaging they’re transmitting across global outposts really lands and resonates with viewers. The only way to create the right conditions for it is to make sure people can actually take the information in, which can only be done effectively when video is reliably delivered to the recipient in the best possible quality for them (accounting for the local infrastructure limitations).
The only way to ensure the success of your internal video communications is to have reliable technology supporting your live event lifecycle at every stage: during planning, execution, and follow-up. Hive Streaming equips you with cutting-edge tools to secure all three. Curious to learn more? Contact us for a consultation to assess your organizational video needs and get personalized support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How can I ensure optimal video performance during a live webcast?
A: Utilizing real-time monitoring tools, such as Hive's IT & Network Analytics, helps track video performance, detect issues like buffering, and manage network traffic effectively.
Q: What steps can I take to reduce buffering during live streams?
A: To address buffering, consider adjusting video quality based on real-time bandwidth availability and implementing network optimization.
Q: How do I streamline issue management across multiple events?
A: Set up automated alerts with Control the Event to detect and respond to problems promptly without constant oversight.
Q: Will lowering video quality negatively impact viewer experience?
A: In high-traffic environments, reducing video quality strategically can prevent interruptions and enhance overall viewing consistency.
Q: Is it possible to resolve streaming issues in real time during an event?
A: Yes, tools like Control the Event allow for immediate video quality adjustments, improving performance with minimal disruption.