Glossary
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| ARN | Amazon Resource Name. The following are general formats for
ARNs; specific formats depend on the resource. To use an ARN, replace the
|
| Broadcast, broadcaster | Other terms for stream, streamer. |
| Channel | An AWS resource that stores configuration for streaming. Streamers use the stream key associated with a channel to start a broadcast. All metrics and events are associated with a channel resource. |
| Ingest | A streamer contributes or ingests a stream to Amazon IVS servers, using the RTMPS or RTMP protocol, with a stream key in the URL. |
| Ingest server | Identifies a specific Amazon IVS component that receives a stream, along with an ingestion
protocol (RTMPS or RTMP) and a path. Example:
|
| JSON | JavaScript Object Notation. An open-standard file format that uses human-readable text to transmit data objects consisting of attribute-value pairs and array data types (or any other serializable value). |
| Latency, glass-to-glass latency | Latency is a delay in data transfer. Glass-to-glass latency refers to the delay from when a camera captures a live stream to when the stream appears on a viewer’s screen. |
| Playback key pair, playback token |
Video playback may be restricted using playback-authorization tokens, which use public-key encryption. A playback key pair is the public-private pair of keys used to sign and validate the viewer authorization token for playback. For more information, see the Playback Key Pair endpoints in the Amazon IVS API Reference. |
| Playback URL | Identifies the address a viewer uses to start playback for a specific channel. This address can be used globally. Amazon IVS automatically selects the best location on the Amazon IVS global content delivery network for each viewer, for delivering the video. |
| RTMP | Real-Time Messaging Protocol, an industry standard for transmitting video over a network. |
| RTMPS | The secure version of RTMP, running over TLS. |
| Stream key | An identifier assigned by Amazon IVS when you create a channel and used to authorize streaming. Treat the stream key like a secret, since it allows anyone to stream to the channel. |
| Tag |
A metadata label that you assign to an AWS resource. Tags can help you identify and organize your AWS resources. For more information, see “Tagging” in the Amazon IVS API Reference. |
| Timed metadata | Metadata with timestamps. It can be inserted into a stream programmatically, using the Amazon IVS API. When Amazon IVS processes a stream, the timed metadata is synchronized with the audio and video frames. During playback, all viewers of the stream get the metadata. The timecode serves as a cue point, which can be used to trigger an action based on the data; for example, updating player statistics on the page (for a sports stream). |
| Transmux | A simple repackaging of an ingested stream to Amazon IVS, with no re-encoding of the video stream. "Transmux" is short for transcode multiplexing, a process that changes the format of an audio and/or video file while keeping some or all of the original streams. Transmuxing converts to a different container format without changing the file contents. Distinguished from a transcode. |
| Transcode | Transcoding is a process that converts video and audio from one format to another. An incoming stream may be transcoded to a different format at multiple bitrates and resolutions, to support a range of playback devices and network conditions. |
| View | A unique viewing session which is actively downloading or playing video. A view starts when a viewing session begins video playback. A view ends when a viewing session stops video playback. Playback is the sole indicator of viewership; engagement heuristics such as audio levels, browser tab focus, and video quality are not considered. When counting views, Amazon IVS does not consider the legitimacy of individual viewers or try to deduplicate localized viewership, such as multiple video players on a single machine. |
