Input switching - AWS Elemental Live
Dynamic input switchingVirtual input switching Automatic input switching Combining different input switching features

Input switching

You can configure an Elemental Live event with multiple inputs, and then implement an input switching mechanism to switch from ingesting one of those inputs to ingesting another.

There are several ways to set up for input switching.

Dynamic input switching

The dynamic input switching feature lets use REST API commands to switch inputs in an event. This input switching feature has two key characteristics:

  • The switching control (the REST API) is built into Elemental Live. You don't need an external server to control switching.

  • You can optionally modify the playlist of inputs without stopping the event. This ability to dynamically change at runtime the playlist is particularly useful when you can't identify in advance (before starting the For more information about dynamic input switching, see Dynamic input switching.

Virtual input switching

The virtual input switching feature lets you set up so that a POIS controls switching from one input to another. This feature has these key switching methods:

  • Virtual input switching via SCTE-35 messages

    This type of input switching works with SCTE-35 messages that are in the input. We also refer to this switching as SCTE-35-triggered input switching.

    Virtual input switching via asynchronous ESAM messages that the POIS sends.

    This type of input switching is based only on decisions from the POIS. It doesn't rely on messages that are in the input. We also refer to this switching as asynchronous input switching.

    For more information about virtual input switching, see Virtual input switching.

Automatic input switching

This type of switching is applicable when an event contains file inputs that aren't set up to loop.

If Elemental Live gets to the end of a file input that isn't set up to loop, then Elemental Live switches to the next input in the list of inputs in the event.

We don't recommend relying on automatic switching.

Combining different input switching features

We strongly recommend against implementing a combination of these input switching features. You shouldn't give control of the input switching logic to both a POIS and a REST-based application. There should be only one mechanism controlling the input switching.