User Guides

Smartplay: Ingest – Live

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Set up ingest jobs for live streams that were encoded outside Uplynk. Learn how to connect external live sources, generate live-to-VOD assets, link streams to playback channels, and configure advanced ingest and playback options.


Quick Start: Ingesting Pre-Encoded Live Streams

To quickly ingest a linear stream using default settings in Smartplay: Ingest:

  1. Go to the Live Encoded Jobs tab in the Uplynk CMS and click +Job. A modal window will open.
  2. Enter a name for your streaming asset (Ingest ID, required).
  3. Provide the Encoder m3u8 URL for the pre-encoded stream (required).
  4. Click Create to set up the job.
  5. Start the job either from the modal or by using the Start button next to the asset name in list view.
  6. If a Scheduled Start is configured, the job will begin at that time. Otherwise, it will start immediately, read the live manifest, and begin ingesting segments into Uplynk.
  7. The ingest process will generate VOD assets, which will be visible in the Content tab.
  8. To use the live stream itself, go to the Channels tab > Live Channels, then click + Channel.
  9. Create a new external channel by naming it and entering the Ingest ID in the Slicer ID field. Click Create.
  10. Once the channel is created, a new entry will appear in the Live Channels tab. Click the entry or select it from the sidebar to access channel details and additional configuration options.
  11. The channel's Playback page includes test players and a shareable playback URL that you can embed or use in your application.

Detailed Job Setup

The detailed setup process for Live Stream ingestion builds on the quick start steps and includes additional configuration options.

Mandatory Steps

  1. In the Live Encoded Jobs tab, click +Job to open the modal window.

  2. Enter the Ingest ID and m3u8 URL for the stream. Enable the Edit after creation checkbox to access advanced settings.

  3. Click Create to proceed to the job configuration screen.

  4. Optionally configure:

    • Asset Description
    • Scheduled Start/Stop times
    • External ID
    • Auto Delete Assets (hours)
    • DRM Mode
    • Library assignment

  5. Under Advanced, you can enable the option to Copy Video Segments to Uplynk, which ensures compatibility with Studio, AES encryption, and future packaging formats.

  6. Click Save to confirm changes.

  7. Start the job using the Start button from the job details screen or list view.

  8. As with the quick start, the ingest job will read the manifest and stage segments for playback via Smartplay.

  9. Create a corresponding live channel under Channels > Live Channels by clicking + Channel, entering a name, and setting the Slicer ID to the Ingest ID. Click Create.

  10. View the channel and configure additional settings. The Playback tab will provide test players and the m3u8 stream URL.


Single View: Job Configuration and Details

The Single View page consolidates all settings and status information for a specific ingest job. It functions as both the configuration interface during job setup and the go-to location for reviewing or modifying job parameters. Clicking any job in the list view will take you to its Single View.

This interface allows you to:

  • Edit ingest configuration fields
  • View and update metadata
  • Access advanced options
  • Monitor job status and error details

General Configuration Fields

Ingest ID
A required identifier for all assets in Uplynk, whether ingested or encoded. It must be a unique, alphanumeric string (no spaces) that helps distinguish one asset from another. This ID is used to reference the asset in the CMS, retrieve its URLs, and manage its lifecycle.

M3u8 URL
The source location of your pre-encoded HLS stream. This must be the URL of a valid .m3u8 manifest generated by your encoder and packager. Uplynk uses this to ingest the stream.

Asset Description
An optional freeform text field used to annotate or describe the stream for internal reference. It does not affect playback or system behavior.

Scheduled Start
By default, ingest begins immediately when you start the job. If you need the job to begin at a future time, set a scheduled start using the calendar/time picker.

Scheduled Stop
Live ingest jobs run until manually stopped. Alternatively, you can configure an automatic stop time to end the ingest session on a schedule.

External ID
Allows you to assign a custom identifier to the asset, which can then be used to generate its playback URL without extracting the system-generated one from the CMS. Must consist only of letters, numbers, dashes, or underscores, and must be unique within the account.

For more about using External IDs with playback URLs, refer to the Deliver > Playback URL documentation.

Auto Delete
Controls how long VOD assets created from the live stream are retained. The default account setting is used if this is left blank. To override, enter a time in hours. A value of 0 disables auto-deletion entirely.

DRM Mode
(Optional) Specify if the ingested asset should require DRM protection. Currently unsupported in the MVP — leave this set to None.

Add to Libraries
Lets you route the ingested VOD asset to a predefined library in the CMS. This dropdown will show any libraries you’ve already configured in the Content tab. Library assignment must be set up before use.


Metadata Configuration

Metadata in Uplynk consists of key/value pairs that can be assigned to an asset during the ingest process. This allows you to tag and organize content for easier discovery, filtering, or automation.

To add metadata in the Single View:

  1. Enter a key in the left-hand field.
  2. Enter a value in the right-hand field.
  3. Press Return/Enter to save the pair and open a new row.
  4. Repeat as needed to add multiple entries.
  5. To remove a pair, click the red minus icon next to it.

Advanced Configuration

Copy Video Segments to Uplynk

✅

Recommended: Keep this option enabled.

When selected, the ingest job will:

  • Parse the manifest to locate all segments
  • Ingest the pre-encoded media segments
  • Decrypt and re-encrypt them with AES-128
  • Store them within Uplynk’s secure storage infrastructure

This enables the following features:

  • Automatic key delivery via HLS manifest (for encrypted playback)
  • Eliminates dependencies on your external storage location
  • Enables full use of Uplynk Studio tools (clipping, ad-break editing, etc.)
  • Integrates into Multi-CDN delivery with Uplynk acting as origin
  • Prepares assets for CMAF, DASH, and DRM (when available)
  • Allows use in channel scheduler workflows

⚠️

If this option is not selected, assets:

  • May be deleted or become unavailable at the source without notice, leading to playback failures or ingest errors
  • Will be unencrypted
  • Cannot be repackaged or edited via Studio
  • Must scale independently for delivery

Job Details Panel

Located on the right-hand side of the Single View, this panel provides real-time job monitoring and control tools.

Live Preview
Displays thumbnail snapshots of the live stream as it is being ingested.

Job Status
Possible states:

  • Stopped: The job exists but is not currently ingesting.
  • Scheduled: The job is queued to start and acquiring resources.
  • Running: The ingest job is actively processing the stream.
  • Error: The job encountered an issue (e.g. unreachable or malformed m3u8). Error messages will appear next to the status.

Job ID
A unique identifier for the job, useful for troubleshooting or support.

Last Start / Last Stop
Timestamps indicating the most recent job activity.


Job Actions

Actions available from both the list view and Single View:

  • Start: Launches a new or previously stopped/errored job.

  • Stop: Halts an active job while preserving configuration.

  • Reset: Clears an error state and attempts to restart the job (only appears when applicable).

  • Save: Commits any updates made to job configuration.

  • Delete Job: Permanently removes the job from your account.

    Note: This does not delete the ingested assets.


Manage – List View

The Live Encoded Jobs tab provides a centralized view of all Smartplay: Ingest jobs for live streams in your account. Each row represents a unique ingest job and displays key attributes such as job status, ingest URL, and timestamps.

This view includes tools for sorting, filtering, and batch actions:

  • Search: Locate jobs by name or status.
  • Sort: Order jobs by columns such as status or start time.
  • Column controls: Show or hide specific columns based on your needs.

Clicking on a job row will open the Single View, where you can configure, monitor, or troubleshoot that specific job.


Job Properties and Status Indicators

Each job in the list includes the following fields:

  • Ingest ID: The unique name assigned by the user when the job was created. Also used to identify the asset in the Content tab.

  • Status:

    • Stopped: The job is not active. It may have never started or was completed earlier.
    • Scheduled: The job is initializing and acquiring system resources.
    • Running: The job is actively ingesting the live stream.
    • Error: An error occurred, typically due to an invalid or unreachable m3u8 URL. See Job Details for the specific message.

  • URL: The source m3u8 URL provided for ingest.

  • Last Start / Last Stop: The most recent timestamps for when the job started or stopped.

  • Job ID: A unique reference identifier. Click the icon in this column to copy the ID for support or documentation.


In-Row Action Buttons

Located to the right of each job listing, these controls let you act on individual jobs:

  • Start: Begin or restart an inactive or errored job.
  • Stop: Halt a currently running job. All settings and URLs remain intact.

Footer Actions

These batch actions appear at the bottom of the list view:

  • +Job: Opens the job creation modal to add a new External Live Encode job.
  • Delete Job: Check one or more jobs in the list, then click this button to permanently delete them. A confirmation is required before deletion.

Deleting a job only removes the job entry - it does not affect any associated VOD assets.

Updated 5 days ago