Periscope Producer is a new way for live video creators to stream high-quality broadcasts from external sources, including streaming software, hardware encoders, and professional cameras, available on the latest Periscope iOS and Android apps.

If you are a broadcaster interested in using this functionality, you can apply here: t.co/periscopeproducer. Once accepted, you will receive an email from our team and will be able to see the Advanced Sources option in app Settings. Below are instructions on how to create a Producer broadcast. For visual instructions, please visit this page.

​Creating an External Video Source:

1. Go to People Tab, Settings, scroll down and select "Advanced Sources"  (Note: you might need to force close and re-open the app if it does not appear.)
2. Provide a Source Display Name (optional, but important if adding multiple sources)
3. You will see an RTMP URL (“Primary Server”) and an external source ID (“Stream Name”)

Configuring an External Video Source:

1. Enter the “Primary Server” as RTMP URL/Address and “Stream Name” as Source ID/Stream Name into your external encoder software and open the connection.
   • - On OBS: go to Settings > Stream
   • - On Wirecast: go to Output > Output Settings... > Destination: RTMP Server
2. Input Key Settings (make sure to input these accurately)
   • - Bitrate: 800 Kbps
   • - Output Resolution: 1280 x 720 (higher resolution) or 960 x 540 (for best low latency)
   • - Encoder Output: x264
   • - Audio Sample Rate: 44.1khz
   • - Keyframe Interval: 2
   • - Audio Bitrate: 64 Kbps
   • - Frame Rate: 30 fps
   • - For more static events such as news or conferences, increase specs to 1280 x 720 resolution and 900 Kbps but please monitor viewer comments for quality.
3. Start Streaming from the encoder or device

Selecting an External Video Source:

1. Unlike a regular broadcast, you start the broadcast from the Advanced Sources page.
2. When the encoder starts pushing a stream, you will see the “Checking for Sources” button change to read “Preview Broadcast” (If button is not active, swipe down to refresh page).
3. Upon tapping that button, you will see the usual "Start Broadcast" screen display with the red "Start Broadcast" button and a preview of the stream coming from the external source.

Previewing and Starting a Broadcast:

1. Input a title
2. Choose whether the stream is public or private at the top left of the screen
3. Choose if you want to limit chat and/or Tweet
4. Press “Start Broadcast”

Ending a Broadcast:

1. When you want to end a broadcast, use one finger to swipe down on the top of the screen and select “Stop Broadcast”.
2. Rules governing stopping the broadcast:
   • - If the app is connected and the encoder is connected and running, the app will continue broadcasting.
   • - If the app is connected and the encoder stops, you will continue broadcasting with a black screen or slate.
   • - If the app stops and the encoder is connected, you will continue broadcasting the encoder's stream.
   • - If the app stops and the encoder stops, stop the broadcast.
   • - Tapping "Leave Broadcast" will allow you to continue using the Periscope app while you are still broadcasting through Producer.

Commenting within your Broadcast:

After the broadcast has started, you can select "Leave Broadcast", then navigate to your profile page and tap on your broadcasts. Select current live encoded stream to join the broadcast and comment!

Starting a New Broadcast:

As long as the external encoder remains connected, you can go back to the “Broadcast Now” window in step 3 above to start another Periscope broadcast using the same connected encoder.