Create a channel

The channel creation wizard configures a new channel and its underlying input, video, audio, and output settings from the Essentials dashboard.

The wizard walks through the same pattern at every step: a step list on the left tracks your progress, and the form for the current step is on the right. The steps after Input depend on the workflow you choose.

Start the wizard

Select New channel from the dashboard. You can also start a new channel from within an existing channel’s detail view.

Choose Create a channel to configure a channel from scratch, or Duplicate an existing channel to base it on one that already exists. Enter a name for the channel and select Next.

Create a new channel: the wizard's Name step

Choose the workflow

Select the workflow type for the channel, then select Next. For our current device configuration, we can see Encoding (Streaming), Encoding (Distribution), Encoding (Contribution), Reception (Decoding), and Reception (Gateway) workflows to choose from.

Availability depends on the device. See Contribution, Reception, and Headends for the workflows behind each type.

Create a new channel: the Workflow step, listing the encoding and reception workflow types

Select the input

Choose the input type, for example SDI. If the input has multiple physical connections, choose the Slot/Port from the dropdown list, then select Next.

Create a new channel: the Input step with SDI selected and a slot and port chosen

Configure video or encoding

For an Encoding (Streaming) workflow, this next step is to configure our Video settings:

Set the Video Codec, Resolution, Frame rate, and Bitrate for the rendition, then select + Add to add further renditions.

Create a new channel: the Video step for a streaming workflow, with codec, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate

The channel creation wizard shows different options depending on the selected workflow. For example For Encoding (Contribution) and Encoding (Distribution) workflows, this step is called Encoding and configures a single set of video parameters rather than a ladder.

Select Next once the video parameters are set.

Configure audio

Set the audio parameters: Audio codec, Audio Group, Mode, and Bitrate. Select the trash icon to remove a track, or + Add to configure an additional one. In a video ladder, the audio you define here is automatically assigned to every rendition.

Create a new channel: the Audio step with codec, group, mode, and bitrate

Select Next.

Configure the output

For an Encoding (Streaming) workflow, the output step is informational: it produces HLS-TS, HLS-fMP4, and DASH segmentation types, each with its own URL available after you create the channel. There are no fields to fill in here.

Create a new channel: the Output step for HTTP streaming, producing HLS and DASH outputs

For Encoding (Contribution) and Encoding (Distribution) workflows, choose an output type such as SRT, RF, IP, or ASI, and enter its connection details. For the full set of Reliable Transport configuration options available outside the wizard, see Reliable Transport.

Select Next.

Review and create the channel

Review the channel summary. It covers the channel name, workflow, and input, one entry per video rendition (or a single encoding entry outside the streaming workflow), the audio configuration, and the output. Select Modify next to a section to change those settings.

Review your channel settings: channel name, workflow, input, video renditions, audio, and output

Select Create channel.

Start the channel

The new channel opens in its detail view. Select Start to take it on air, then return to the dashboard to see it in the channel card grid.