Types of starts for input prepares

There are three start types for input prepare actions. These start types are the same as the start types for input switches.

• Fixed – the input prepare starts at a specific time.

• Immediate – the input prepare starts as soon as you add the action to the schedule.

• Follow – the input prepare follows a specific input switch—the reference input switch. It can have a start or an end follow point—it can follow the start of the reference input or the end of the reference input.

With the follow start type, the following rules apply:

• You can't use the console to create a follow input prepare with a follow point set to start. The start option is not shown on the console. Only the end option is shown.

• MediaLive starts preparing the input after the reference input is active. Therefore:

  • For a follow-start prepare (which you can create only using the CLI), you must add the prepare action before the reference input has started in the channel.

    If the reference switch is an immediate switch, you must include the switch action and the prepare action in the same batch update command.

    If the reference switch is a fixed or follow switch, you can add the switch action in one batch update command, and the prepare action in a later batch update command.

  • For a follow-end prepare, you must add the prepare action before the reference input has ended (before ingest has ended).

• You can't create two follow prepare actions that both follow the same reference switch and the same follow point. Therefore:

  • You cannot create action 2 and action 4 to both follow the start of action 1.

  • But you can create action 2 to follow the start of action 1, and action 4 to follow the end of action 1.