Troubleshoot a stream
Work from the symptom to the fix when a picture doesn’t arrive, a destination won’t switch on, or a channel shows the wrong state.
When something goes wrong minutes before air, work outward from the stream: first whether the picture is arriving, then whether it’s reaching its destinations, then whether viewers can get to it. Every check below is something you can see in the Studio.
First checks
- 1Find the stream
Open Studio → Feed Console → Feed Hub (or Event Hub for an event) and read the card: live, amber warning, or Idle.
- 2Open the detail page
Check Status, Bitrate (Mbps), Resolution and Start Time, and watch the Performance chart for a minute.
- 3Compare the push details
Put the encoder’s server and key next to the Studio’s Ingest Configuration. Re-copy both with the Copy buttons rather than checking by eye.
- 4Read the destination messages
If a platform is missing the stream, switch its destination in the Restream panel and read the message the Studio shows.
Symptom, check, fix
| Symptom | Check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The card says Idle, or the detail page says Stream Offline | Is the encoder actually streaming? Do its server and key match Ingest Configuration exactly? | Re-copy both values, then stop and restart the encoder’s stream |
| Amber warning on the Feed Hub card | Is it one stream or every stream? | Wait for the next refresh. If every stream shows it, contact your TKDS support contact. |
| Picture stutters; bitrate saw-tooths or drops to zero on the Performance chart | The venue’s upload connection | Lower the encoder bitrate, or move the crew to an SRT feed |
| Destination won’t switch on: “The media server refused the request” | The RTMP URL or stream key for that platform | Paste a fresh key from the platform — some issue a new key for each broadcast |
| Destination won’t switch on: the channel “has no stream id yet” | Has this feed ever broadcast? | Start the encoder once, then switch the destination on |
| Destination won’t switch on: “The media server could not be reached” | Are other streams affected? | Retry in a minute; if it continues, contact your TKDS support contact |
| Saving a destination is refused: the address must start with rtmp://, rtmps:// or srt:// | Did you paste a web page address? | Copy the server address from the platform’s streaming settings |
| Saving a destination is refused: the address “is not allowed as a stream destination” | Is it a relay service rather than the platform itself? | Push directly to the platform instead |
| The add button in the Restream panel is unavailable | Is the counter full, such as 5/5? | Remove a destination you no longer need, or ask an administrator to raise the limit in Settings → Content → Streaming |
| A platform dropped the stream when the event ended | The event’s end time | Expected — an ended event’s destinations are removed. Extend the end time before it passes next time. |
| The Pipelines board refuses a cable | The message on screen | See the visual routing board for each refusal |
| A crew member can’t see their feed | Is the feed Active, already broadcasting, or an SRT feed? Does their role have the capability? | See crew and operator logins |
| A channel has no LIVE badge while the feed is live | Is the channel Active? Does its URL source point at the right feed? | Edit the channel in Manage Channels and correct the source |
| Viewers see “Subscribe to watch” or “This channel needs a different plan” | The channel’s Access type and Restrict to plans | Adjust the plans, or set the channel to Free |
| New feed or New playout is missing | Is the console locked? | Unlock it — see the console password lock |