# Create a reception channel

A **Reception (Decoding)** channel receives a transport stream, optionally decrypts it, decodes the video and audio, and presents the result as baseband. Use it when content arrives over satellite, ASI, IP, or SRT and needs to come back out as SDI or SMPTE ST 2110.

:::caution
**Reception (Decoding)** requires an MK.IO Beam device running version `1.13` or higher.
:::

Reception channels are created in the same wizard as every other channel, so read [Create a channel](/beam/essentials/create-a-channel) first for the parts that do not change. This page covers only what is specific to **Reception (Decoding)**.

The steps differ from an encoding channel because nothing is re-encoded. Instead of Encoding and Audio steps, the wizard shows **Decrypt**, **Decoding**, and **Decoded Output**:

**Name** > **Workflow** > **Input** > **Decrypt** > **Decoding** > **Decoded Output**

1. **Choose the workflow**

   Select **Reception (Decoding)**, then choose an **Input resolution mode** of **UHD** or **SD/HD**.

   If the device has no SDI card configured for UHD, selecting **UHD** shows an **Update required** notice: "None of the SDI cards are configured to support UHD output. Please configure the card modes from the ASI/SDI Interface page." Use **Update** to go to that page, or choose **SD/HD** instead.

   **Reception (Gateway)** is greyed out, because it is not yet available.

   ![The Workflow step with Reception (Decoding) selected, Input resolution mode set to SD/HD, and a UHD update notice](/_machine-assets/e85cdbc6c4b855a8a93dfed8f082d47d0b2b3148820fa8c83965cf1f0b53104f.png)

   Select **Next**.

2. **Select the input**

   Choose the transport the stream arrives on: **SRT** (Secure Reliable Transport), **IP**, **ASI** (Asynchronous Serial Interface), or **Satellite**.

   Choosing **SRT** reveals a second choice between **SRT Listener** and **SRT Caller**, and the connection fields for whichever you pick. For **SRT Listener**:

   | Field                  | Notes                                                            |
   | :--------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------- |
   | **Listener interface** | The network interface on the device that accepts the connection. |
   | **Listener port**      | The port the device listens on, for example `3000`.              |
   | **Encryption**         | Defaults to **None**.                                            |
   | **Latency**            | Defaults to `125` ms.                                            |

   ![The Input step with SRT and SRT Listener selected, showing listener interface, port, encryption, and latency](/_machine-assets/5325914bee217c9a377d5cd2408b6be6e75daab1c74000fd84abdafdb52ac2aa.png)

   Select **Next**.

3. **Choose the decryption method**

   Select how the incoming stream is protected: **None**, **BISS**, **BISS-CA**, or **DVB-CI**. Choose **None** for an unencrypted source.

   ![The Decrypt step with None selected, alongside BISS, BISS-CA, and DVB-CI](/_machine-assets/32764b9edd65132e7d7ce9e7635decc3aa04f5554109f62c057695496783d290.png)

   Select **Next**.

4. **Configure decoding**

   This step selects which program and elementary streams to decode.

   **Program number** takes **Auto**, which is selected by default, or a specific program number. **Delay mode** defaults to **Standard**.

   Under **Video**, **Auto-assign PID** is selected by default, or you can set a PID.

   Under **Audio**, **Auto-decode all audio tracks** decodes every audio track found in the stream and includes it in the output. The wizard notes that this applies to SDI only. Leave it clear to configure tracks individually: each track has its own **Auto-assign PID** and a **Mode**, and **+ Add** adds another.

   ![The Decoding step with program number, delay mode, video PID, and one audio track](/_machine-assets/4eed8bdec3262c5b2ef0b376235979dfcdb087c68d25cdf6e3de181453215e0d.png)

   Select **Next**.

5. **Configure the decoded output**

   Choose **SDI** or **SMPTE ST 2110 / NMOS**. Both carry the same **Video** settings, and differ in how the output is addressed.

   Common to both:

   | Field                        | Notes                                    |
   | :--------------------------- | :--------------------------------------- |
   | **Dynamic Range Conversion** | **None**, or **Convert to BT.709**.      |
   | **Video scaling**            | **None**, or a target such as **1080p**. |

   For **SDI**, choose the **Slot/Port** to output on. The **Audios** panel below is read-only and reflects what you configured in the Decoding step, for example "Audio-1 (Stereo), 1 pair of tracks - Using G1P1".

   ![The Decoded output step with SDI selected, showing dynamic range conversion, video scaling, slot and port, and the audio summary](/_machine-assets/538fbf353494533c7b43375dc2b3f7605d59fec773834f53df973ec4aac054c0.png)

   For **SMPTE ST 2110 / NMOS**, address the output on the network instead:

   | Field                      | Notes                                                                     |
   | :------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
   | **Destination IP address** | Output stream unicast or multicast IPv4 address, for example `239.1.1.1`. |
   | **Destination port**       | For example `5005`.                                                       |
   | **Network interface**      | The interface the output leaves on.                                       |
   | **Auto source port**       | Selected by default. Clear it to set the source port yourself.            |

   There is no multicast option to select here: an address in the class D range, `224.0.0.0/4`, is treated as multicast, and anything outside that range is treated as unicast. The Advanced interface offers an explicit [**Unicast**](/beam/receiver/parameters#ip) control where an exception to that check is needed.

   ![The Decoded output step with SMPTE ST 2110 / NMOS selected, showing destination address, port, network interface, and auto source port](/_machine-assets/9be1ca1d3d6f996c356761a6bfa311f96864900baf2ee15432ea0178e9202fa1.png)

   Select **Next**.

6. **Review and create the channel**

   **Review your channel settings** lists each section with its own **Modify** button, so you can change one part without stepping back through the whole wizard. **Back** returns to the previous step.
   Select **Create channel**.

## Verify the channel is working

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

On the dashboard, a healthy reception channel shows:

- **Reception (Decoding)** under the channel name, with the program it is decoding.
- An **On Air** badge and a live thumbnail.
- A signal diagram of the input and output types, for example **SRTCaller** into **SDI**, with green status dots at each end.

A channel that is not receiving shows **Stopped** or **No thumbnail**, and its **Video** parameters stay empty. See [Beam Essentials UI](/beam/essentials) for how to read the channel cards and the active alarms panel.

## Related

- [Create a channel](/beam/essentials/create-a-channel) covers the encoding workflows and the parts of the wizard shared by every channel type.
- [Reception](/beam/reception) collects the reception guides for the Advanced interface, including the detail behind decryption and decoding.
- [Channels API guides](/api-guides/how-to/channels/) covers creating the same channel programmatically, where this workflow is `ReceptionDecoding`.